EP088

In The Pink (Japanese: ピンクのポケモンじま The Island of Pink Pokémon) is the 88th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on March 18, 1999 and in the United States on February 12, 2000.

Blurb
''Ash and friends are caught in a whirlpool and swept to an unexplored island where all the Pokémon are pink. It's Pinkan Island, a Pokémon refuge where the Pokémon's diet of Pinkan Berries causes their unique coloration. But the Pokémon aren't all as sweet as they look. Our heroes cross paths with an enraged Nidoking, and end up cornered under a cliff. Nidoking blasts its Hyper Beam at our heroes. Togepi waves its arms, and the attack misses our heroes as if skipping off a shield. Coincidence? Or is Togepi finally learning some attacks? Officer Jenny drives up in her Jeep and lassoes Nidoking to the ground, stopping its attack without hurting it. Our heroes leave Pinkan Island, having promised to keep the island a secret so that poachers won't come and ruin its unique beauty.''

Plot
As and  travel on  to the next island,  discusses how unusual it is that  doesn't seem to know any attacks. agrees, telling Tracey she's tried to teach Togepi but got nowhere. Ash laughs at this, but before an argument can breakout Lapras is caught in a whirlpool sending the gang flying to a nearby island. After they regain consciousness, identifies the island as Pinkan Island based on the whirlpools and sheer cliffs. They climb the cliffs and see a pink. Tracey decides to it, and Ash, in order to prove to Misty that he knows what he is doing, races up to the Rhyhorn, who promptly knocks him away. The group is then pursued by the Rhyhorn and cornered by some steep cliffs. However, Togepi uses and s them away. The Rhyhorn goes over the cliff, landing in a tree, and the group wonders how they escaped. Officer Jenny arrives and rescues the Rhyhorn with her jeep and a set of ropes. Afterwards, the group notices Pikachu's tail and cheeks have turned pink. Much to Ash's relief, Jenny explains that the Pinkan Berries turn any that eats them a lot, permanently pink.

Arriving on the island, notices the Rhyhorn. They soon spot and think it is special as well until they realize all Jigglypuff are pink. Before Jigglypuff can, they run off into the forest, planning to catch all of the pink Pokémon and open up their own theme park. They use their Pokémon, and chases two pink  into a cave, only to encounter a  that chases Team Rocket away.

Meanwhile, at her office, Jenny informs the group that Pinkan Island is a reserve and that she won't press charges. The trio contacts, who knew about the island and its pinkness, and he tells them about the research. Just then, an alarm sounds and the group offers to help Jenny with whatever the situation is. They find Team Rocket being chased by Nidoking, and as the trio performs their, Ash has Pikachu use on Nidoking. It throws Team Rocket's Pokémon at their Trainers and they blast off. Nidoking then chases the trio and Jenny; both and  attempt to  him, but ultimately run off scared.

Pikachu tries to shock him, but Jenny informs Ash that Nidoking is on a rampage and cannot be stopped. Nidoking uses, but Togepi uses Metronome again and creates a. Jenny tells the trio to get out and run. She engages Nidoking and lassos him, and Nidoking drops to the ground dizzy. Jenny drops the group off beyond the whirlpools and Misty contemplates Togepi's actions. Ash and Tracey laugh at her suggestion of Togepi attacking. Ash then notices Tracey's sketch of Officer Jenny and snickers, though Tracey explains that he cannot just watch Pokémon. Misty attempts to get Togepi wave its arms to attack, but is unsuccessful.

Major events

 * Tracey's Marill is revealed to know.

Humans

 * Jessie
 * James
 * Officer Jenny
 * Jessie
 * James
 * Officer Jenny
 * Officer Jenny

Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?: (US and international), Pink  (Japan)


 * (at 's Laboratory)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (fantasy)
 * (fantasy)
 * (multiple; fantasy)
 * (fantasy)
 * (fantasy)
 * (fantasy)
 * (fantasy)
 * (fantasy)
 * (fantasy)
 * (Professor Oak's explanation)
 * (Professor Oak's explanation)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (fantasy)
 * (fantasy)
 * (multiple; fantasy)
 * (fantasy)
 * (fantasy)
 * (fantasy)
 * (fantasy)
 * (fantasy)
 * (fantasy)
 * (Professor Oak's explanation)
 * (Professor Oak's explanation)
 * (Professor Oak's explanation)

Trivia

 * Professor Oak's Pokémon Lecture:
 * Pokémon senryū summary:, has three evolutions; now which shall I choose?
 * The and  costumes that Team Rocket are wearing made another appearance in Manectric Charge.
 * It is speculated that this island is where the pink Butterfree from Bye-Bye Butterfree is from, but this has not been officially confirmed.
 * does not in this episode.
 * When are imagining opening up a theme park with pink Pokémon, their disguises are the same as the ones from Pokémon Fashion Flash.
 * This is the second episode uses, and the first time  suspects that it knows this move.
 * This is also the second episode in a row in which an unusual Pokémon sends blasting off by hitting them with its tail.
 * The book Secret of the Pink Pokémon is based on this episode.
 * refers to some of the Pokémon by nicknames such as Shyhorn and Pinkachu.

Errors

 * When Ash is climbing the cliff after they first reach Pinkan Island, is on his shoulder. When Ash and Misty are shown from the back, Pikachu is missing.
 * Ash's Pokédex identifies Rhyhorn as the "Spiked Pokémon" instead of the "Spikes Pokémon".
 * When Jigglypuff jumps onto Team Rocket's submarine it is seen standing on the red portion of its head. In the next scene the portion of the submarine underneath Jigglypuff's feet is yellow.
 * The and  seen on the island do not display the alternate coloration patterns as seen on Valencia Island.
 * In the dub, in the scene where the group is being chased by the pink, Misty calls out for her before  comes out. Starmie was left at the Cerulean Gym more than twenty episodes before.
 * Officer Jenny claims that Thunderbolt will not work because the Nidoking is on a rampage. This is incorrect as Nidoking is part Ground-type and Electric moves would not work regardless.
 * When observing the pink Rhyhorn, Tracey mentions that it is 8 meters long. This is impossible, since the Rhyhorn would be just over 24 feet in length, and it is clearly nowhere near this size. Rhyhorn's size according to the Pokédex is only 1 meter.
 * James says "That shock was Nidoking's wake-up call!" However, the previous scene doesn't show Nidoking getting shocked.
 * James also refers to the plural of "Jigglypuff" as "Jigglypuffs."
 * When Officer Jenny engages Nidoking, the "z's" on Ash's cheeks are missing.

Dub edits

 * Pikachu's Jukebox: My Best Friends

In other languages
Pinkan Island (Episode) EP090 EP088 EP088 無印編第88話 精灵宝可梦 第89集