SS022

Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs (Part One) (Japanese:  ポケモンレンジャー　光の軌跡＜前編＞  Pokémon Ranger: Traces of Light (Part One)) is a five-minute-long special episode of the Pokémon anime which is based on the game with the same name. It aired in Japan on February 28, 2010, as part of Pokémon Sunday. It was also broadcast as streaming video from TV Tokyo's Pokémon Sunday web site from February 28 to March 21, 2010. In the United States it was added to the official Pokémon website, along with the second part, on November 10, 2010. Along with the second part, they were added to the Nintendo Channel in the United Kingdom.

Plot
High in the skies above the Oblivia Region, two Pokémon Pinchers grunts are riding personal hover cars, chasing after a. Suddenly, Ben:0:0 flies down on a to intercept their pursuit.

After Ben urges the Latios to escape, the grunts shout at him not to get in their way and shoot lasers at him, but he manages to evade their attacks. After a moment of wondering who he is, the grunts recognize his clothing - a Pokémon Ranger! As Ben and his Staraptor swoop down to attack, Ben thinks back to his visit to the Ranger Union just prior.

Ben had met up with Professor Hastings to receive his new mission, and heard from the Professor that the Pokémon Pinchers' efforts in poaching and selling Pokémon has become one of their most pressing matters. Hastings told Ben that the Pokémon Pinchers have been active in the Oblivia Region, and asked the young Ranger to head for the archipelago in order to protect the Pokémon and destroy the Pokémon Pinchers.

Upon accepting the mission, Ben exited the Ranger Union to find a flying above. Using his Capture Styler, Ben captured the and took off on its back towards Oblivia.

Back in present time, Ben and Staraptor are aiming their attack towards the Pokémon Pinchers grunts, who decide to retreat and search for Latios again. Ben has no intention of letting them escape, however, and chases after them, but he is hit by a laser bolt, sending him and his Staraptor plummeting into the sea.

The grunts stare in amazement for a moment before it's revealed who shot at Ben - their leader, Red Eyes, who appears behind them, and who is not happy about being trailed by a Pokémon Ranger.

Meanwhile, an unconscious Ben has been washed up on Dolce Island. He eventually wakes up and, after quickly surveying his surroundings, notices a with a ukulele on its back watching him from a distance. The tiny tries to hide from view, but Ben approaches it and tries to tell it that he's no one suspicious. The Pichu attacks him in return, and a computerized voice from his Capture Styler warns Ben to proceed with caution, as the Pichu is suspicious of him. After taking in the information, Ben decides instead that he will capture the Pichu instead, in order to convince it that he is not an enemy. As he begins to capture the Pichu, the episode ends.

Major events

 * Ben:0:0 receives a mission to stop the Pokémon Pinchers' misdeeds.
 * Ben meets Ukulele Pichu and attempts to capture it.

Humans

 * Ben:0:0
 * Professor Hastings
 * Red Eyes

Pokémon debuts

 * Ukulele Pichu

Humans

 * Ben:0:0
 * Professor Hastings
 * Red Eyes
 * Male Pokémon Pinchers grunt
 * Female Pokémon Pinchers grunt

Pokémon

 * (Ukulele Pichu)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)

Trivia

 * This special was released between DP165 and DP166 in Japan.

Errors

 * The dubbed video on Pokémon.com incorrectly subtitles Dolce Island as "Dolche Island". However, the subtitles on and the  spell it correctly.

Dub edits

 * In the dub, the special was aired as one longer episode instead of two parts. The cliffhanger ending of this episode is trimmed and is instead shown seamlessly as one episode.

de:Pokémon Ranger: Spuren des Lichts (Teil Eins) EE08 fr:Pokémon Ranger : Sillages de Lumière (court-métrage) 宝可梦☆星期天 第22集