EP098

A Way Off Day Off (Japanese: みなみのしまだよ！ぜんいんしゅうごう！ It's a Southern Island! Everyone Assemble!) is the 98th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on May 27, 1999 and in the United States on April 8, 2000.

Blurb
''Ash and the gang discover a new island that is loaded with different types of fruit trees, and since the food there is free they decide to take a day off and give their Pokémon a little vacation. Unfortunately, Team Rocket doesn't take a day off from trying to steal Pikachu... will they catch our heroes off guard?''

Plot
and sail onboard, but all of them seem bored. points to a nearby island, which they mark as their destination. As they head for it, surfaces nearby. They touch down in a cove as Pikachu and run off while the humans take in the island scenery. sends out her and  to play, along with Lapras. A piece of fruit suddenly hits Ash in the head, and they see a flying above them. A whole flock takes off from the island as sketches them. Pikachu and Togepi return with some fruit as Pikachu points to all the fruit trees. Ash and Misty take a bite of the yellow fruit, finding them sour. Tracey finds some darker ones that are riper.

The group decides to rest for the day on the island and sends out all of their Pokémon. Just then, as Ash is trying to interact with, it uses on him. The attack also heads toward, but it deflects it with its scythes. The two then have a tense confrontation before it is defused by Ash. Meanwhile, is also taking a vacation on the island. Jessie decides to not steal any Pokémon, but when she spots the group's Pokémon, they realize that Ash and his friends are nearby, and abandon their vacation plans in favor of stealing Pokémon.

Later, Ash and his friends bring back fruit as attempts to eat the pile, but Scyther wards him away. Inside the pile, Jigglypuff pops out and s, putting everyone to. As usual, Jigglypuff stops, gets angry, and scribbles on everyone's faces. When everyone wakes up, they decide to let Snorlax sleep longer while they continue preparing. The Pokémon enjoy their share of fruit as everyone realizes how much they need the vacation. Tracey brings fruit sandwiches to the table as Misty is curious about the new food style. Snorlax comes up, eats everything, and goes back to sleep, leaving everyone else to clean the dishes. Tracey notices that Snorlax doesn't eat as much now due to less energy exertion. Misty chastises Ash for not Snorlax.

At night, everyone is asleep, but Pikachu wakes up and notices that Ash is not there. He finds Ash on the beach, speculating about the GS Ball. Pikachu comes over and joins him in some stargazing. Ash then pulls out his two Badges and remembers how different Cissy and Danny were as Gym Leaders compared to the ones in Kanto.

Back at the camp, Misty is awakened by Tracey's sleep-talking, but a attack over the camp silences all but Charizard and Scyther. James's Victreebel stops sending the powder as Jessie fires a, capturing everyone with suction plugs. tries to reel them all in, but Snorlax is too heavy to drag. Scyther slashes the rope as Charizard steps up to aid. The powerful Pokémon roar battle cries, waking the camp and getting Ash and Pikachu to return. Team Rocket rappels in on a reciting their, but they crash into a tree before they can finish.

Team Rocket sends out and  as Ash sends Pikachu. Weezing's covers the field, but Scyther's  clears it and sends Weezing flying. ,, and take turns using , , and  to attack Team Rocket. Charizard follows up with Flamethrower as Scyther uses to send them blasting off. Ash congratulates the Pokémon as they watch Charizard and Scyther walk away in an informal motion of respect.

The next day, Ash brings out Lapras as everyone departs the island with refreshed spirits. Meanwhile, Team Rocket finds themselves stuck on a small rock island. They try to relax as a Farfetch'd comes up, and the trio realizes that the small rock is holding the Farfetch'd flock. The Farfetch'd all proceed to smack Team Rocket with their sticks.

Major events

 * James's Victreebel is revealed to know.
 * Tracey's Scyther is revealed to know.

Humans

 * Jessie
 * James
 * Cissy (flashback)
 * Danny (flashback)
 * James
 * Cissy (flashback)
 * Danny (flashback)

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


 * (Cissy's; flashback)
 * (Cissy's; flashback)
 * (Danny's; flashback)
 * (Danny's; flashback)
 * (Danny's; flashback)
 * (Danny's; flashback)
 * (multiple)
 * (Cissy's; flashback)
 * (Cissy's; flashback)
 * (Danny's; flashback)
 * (Danny's; flashback)
 * (Danny's; flashback)
 * (Danny's; flashback)
 * (multiple)
 * (Cissy's; flashback)
 * (Cissy's; flashback)
 * (Danny's; flashback)
 * (Danny's; flashback)
 * (Danny's; flashback)
 * (Danny's; flashback)
 * (multiple)
 * (Danny's; flashback)
 * (Danny's; flashback)
 * (Danny's; flashback)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)

Trivia

 * Professor Oak's Pokémon Lecture: : At the end, Ditto transforms into a more dashing, slightly sinister-looking, prompting Oak to ask in surprise who the being is.
 * Pokémon senryū summary: Ditto. Here we go, transformation! The transformer.
 * James's nose is inexplicably about six inches long when he talks about and himself being a "knockout combination", likely a reference to a Japanese sign for arrogance, a Yamabushi Tengu.
 * The U.S. dub features in the Who's That Pokémon? segment, despite the incident that happened in Japan during EP038 that caused the episode's worldwide banning.
 * This is also the only time when Porygon's English voice has been heard.
 * The book Scyther, Heart of a Champion is partially based on this episode.
 * My Best Friends is used as an insert song in the dub.
 * Also, an instrumental of Together Forever can be heard.
 * This episode marks the 100th episode of the Pokémon anime if Holiday Hi-Jynx and Snow Way Out! are counted in.
 * In this episode, uses a variation of their, although not intentionally like most other variations.
 * This episode's title is formatted as A Way Off Day Off! on the DVD menu of Australian DVDs.

Errors

 * In the beginning, and 's footprints are missing in the sand. However, they are shown from above when the  fly overhead.
 * When the other Pokémon go to greet, 's voice is missing, although its mouth moves.
 * After and Scyther resolve their differences and walk away from each other, Scyther is much larger than normal.
 * In a scene where Scyther and Charizard are intimidating each other, Charizard's fang is colored orange.
 * In one scene, the black outlines in 's pattern are missing
 * In one scene, there is an orange stripe in the inner fold of Charizard's wings.
 * In the scene where is sitting on a rock on the beach at night looking at the GS Ball, he puts it away when Pikachu approaches him. However, the GS Ball is later seen in his hand.

Dub edits

 * Pikachu's Jukebox: 2.B.A. Master

In other languages
Ferientag mit Hindernissen EP100 EP098 EP098 無印編第98話 精灵宝可梦 第99集