Bye Bye, Butterfree (021)

[Serebii]

Bye Bye, Butterfree!

It's mating season for the Butterfree, Ash sees the Butterfree and lets his one out so it can find a mate. However Team Rocket comes and kidnaps all of the Butterfree, including Butterfree's prospective mate. Can Butterfree save the Butterfree and get it's mate back?

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Discuss

[Yamato-san]

OK, a lot of people are saying Butterfree's dead, but I don't think it's an absolute fact. People say that in the Japanese version, Takeshi (Brock) says they die after mating. However, I've also heard the line said as "Mating is something Butterfree like to do before they die", which could mean that mating's simply a thing Butterfree, like nearly all animals, would like to accomplish within their lifetime (the length of which could be anyone's guess with Pokemon). So, anyone who's seen the original episode and has damn good translation skills, could you please tell me exactly, repeat, EXACTLY, how the line went?

[The Big Al]

This was acually one of the funniest episode they made. I was ready to bust a gut as I watched "Pikachu on Board" destroy TR's chopper. The twerp motto was also funny. All in all, I liked the versious gags more than the general plot.

[Robert]

This episode made me so sad whenever I saw it... I cried my day away when I first saw it. I still find myself wiping a tear away now.. It's one I'll never forget. One of the best episodes, if not THE BEST. There was still even some humor here, a great way to balance things out. This is the episode I like to remember Kanto by. Ash and friends on the cliff watching Butterfree leave... Unforgettable.

[IceKing]

I agree with Robert it was truly the saddest episode of all. As for the whole butterfree dead thing what about this. In Japan Ash obtains a new butterfree, but In the USA its the same Butterfree. That makes everyone happy!

If I was ash I would have followed butterfree and just before their about to get it on I'd whack them with Misty's mallet,capture a few caterpie, and when the two butterfree wake up Ill say that their eggs hatched into caterpie and they survived mating because of the fact the pink butterfree is shiny

[Chris]

In Japan Ash obtains a new butterfree, but In the USA its the same Butterfree. That makes everyone happy!

Uh..since when does he get a new Butterfree? As far as I've seen through out all of Pocket Monsters and Pocket Monsters AG, he has NEVER caught or raised another Butterfree.

[The Big Al]

Butterfree has made his last flight. Anyway, the ending was a real tear jerker. I usually don't cry about TV shows but this got me close. It would have been great to have Ash and all his Pokemon give a salute to Butterfree to show him off.

[Factory Head Noland]

I know in the Japanese version it says Butterfree "died" but I'm choosing not to believe it, Butterfree is still with the pink Butterfree and all of their lil baby Caterpie in my head.

[Lupin]

I agree with Robert it was truly the saddest episode of all.

I agree. I was so upset when I first saw this episode, it made me cry.

[thed3]

I loved this episode but at the same time hated it.... There were so many butterfrees in this episode...duh... but why did butterfree have to leave!!!!!!!! Oh how I do miss that bug...

[Hales]

Never knew that Butterfree died , but then again it makes sense.

I thought the motto that Ash, Misty and Brock used was hilarious... plus I felt really sorry for Butterfree when he was trying to make the pink Butterfree like it... too cute!

[Akane]

Yeah I never knew that Butterfree died either. Hmm..makes more sense because Ash was crying. Man that was the first Pokemon he ever caught and took care of. I miss it too. Anyway this was also one of the best epsiodes ever. It was sad too.

The motto Ash, Misty, and Brock used was really funny and cool. I loved it. And it was animated very well.

[Hales]

Okay I've seen this episode again for the first time in ages...

They never flat out said Butterfree was ever coming back, Ash just said that he might see him again sometime (that he would tell his pokemon that he just took a trip)... that could mean anything, maybe it was a hidden message that Butterfree really will die (like the Japanese version).

I love the trios TR motto utterly hilarious!

[Ryuu]

This was one of the most touching episodes ever.

I cried a lot the first time I saw it...Caterpie was the first Pokemon Ash captured and I loved it very much, especially after it evolved into Butterfree.

I guess Butterfree's gone for good, there's not much chance of it returning. ;_;

They never flat out said Butterfree was ever coming back, Ash just said that he might see him again sometime (that he would tell his pokemon that he just took a trip)... that could mean anything, maybe it was a hidden message that Butterfree really will die (like the Japanese version).

Ash always says that to his Pokemon so that they don't feel bad; he said so to Pidgeot and Primeape as well.

[Iapapa Berry]

I know in the Japanese version it says Butterfree "died" but I'm choosing not to believe it, Butterfree is still with the pink Butterfree and all of their lil baby Caterpie in my head.

Yes, that fact that Butterfree die after mating was troubling to me, especially since I decided to bring Ash's Butterfree back in my fanfic... But I agree with Pokemonisgr8 on that one.

This was also one of my favorite episodes, and the saddest next to "Pikachu's Goodbye". For a long time, Butterfree was my favorite Pokemon, so I felt badly for it.

Scene Analysis:

-Brock did a lot of funny things in this episode. I liked the part where Brock fell in love with another Butterfree trainer and blushed severely... That was hilarious! And fter that, he told Ash's Butterfree to pick the Butterfree that girl released as his mate! "Don;t you get it? When two Butterfrees mate, thir trainers can fall in love too!" (or something like that) Also, when Butterfree got shot down, Brock dramatically said, "I should write a book about the secrets of love and heartache!" And Misty replied, "And I guess that book would be your autobiography?" I laughed so much after that line...

-Another thing I liked was the part where Ash's Butterfree tried to charm the pink Butterfree. And, I like the part where his eyes turned into hearts and he darted off towards his love.

-Another thing I enjoyed was the first battle with Team Rocket. First, Misty sent out her Starmie, but Jessie used a hammer (not a Pokemon) to KO Starmie. That was funny... And, Butterfree tackled them, which I thought a paradox for such a cute little thing. And I enjoyed the part where Butterfree tackled the net several times to release the other Butterfree. I almost cried there because of the drama.

-And, finally, I liked the part where Ash and Butterfree said their goodbyes. That part was, in my opinion, the saddest scene in Pokemon history. It even had a flashback of Ash's time with Butterfree, ever since it was a Caterpie! That was sweet... all set to sad music and a sunset... I cried there.

Yes, that's #2 on my favorites list. (I won't tell you what #1 is, just to prevent flaming.)

[Murgatroyd]

OK, a lot of people are saying Butterfree's dead, but I don't think it's an absolute fact. People say that in the Japanese version, Takeshi (Brock) says they die after mating. However, I've also heard the line said as "Mating is something Butterfree like to do before they die", which could mean that mating's simply a thing Butterfree, like nearly all animals, would like to accomplish within their lifetime (the length of which could be anyone's guess with Pokemon). So, anyone who's seen the original episode and has damn good translation skills, could you please tell me exactly, repeat, EXACTLY, how the line went?

I just saw the original episode. There is no such line.

[Trendy_boy87]

isnt the line supposed to be once butterfree mate they die and thats why ash was so sad not just because it was leaving but because it was going to die

[The Big Al]

I just saw the original episode. There is no such line.

SAY WHAT!?

Then who claimed it did have that line?

[Sharpshooter]

SAY WHAT!?

Then who claimed it did have that line?

Prolly just some hypocrites who hate the dub version and claim the original's flawless, you know the story

Well I'ma glad that's cleared up now, hopefully no more dub bashing about this episode in the future. Anyway, so if that wasn't said that what was? Was the dub accurate Murg?

[≈*Virulent Tsunami*≈]

Quite a tear jerker, this episode. I nearly cried as Butterfree was leaving, and through the flashback. Butterfree's rescue was quite emotional as well. Brock had his moments in this episode. Butterfree's scarf was hilarious^^.

Overall rating:
9.2 out of 10!!!
Any episode that can combine humor, drama, and grief at the same time deserves a good rating.

SC~ out