Bye Bye Butterfree (Pokémon the Series: Original Series)

Bye Bye Butterfree (バイバイバタフリー Bye-Bye Butterfree) is the 21th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on August 19, 1997, and in the United States on October 5, 1998.

Plot
On a cliff over the ocean the gang discover a flock of Butterfree searching for mates; Ash's Butterfree joins the flock but is rejected. Wanting his Pokémon to be happy, Ash is determined to help Butterfree win its crush’s heart, and Butterfree’s chance comes when it has to save all of the flock, including its crush, from Team Rocket.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) The concept of an episode focusing on releasing a main character’s Pokémon is very well nailed, and inspired similar plots in future episodes that are just as good (with the huge exception of Ash’s Greninja in Facing the Needs of the Many!).
 * 2) The plot is very well done. It had great writing, emotional efforts, and very well done character development for Ash.
 * 3) Good beginning, as the gang heads to the road to Saffron City, they see the flock of Butterfree from the cliff and Brock explains the Butterfree mating season in good detail.
 * 4) The music is amazing, and fits really well with the episode, as usual, especially the emotional music when Ash’s Butterfree is released.
 * 5) The gang rides to the Butterfree in a hot air balloon, and Ash sends out his Butterfree to find its mate.
 * 6) Funny moments in the episode, like Brock’s overreactive crush on a girl who releases her Butterfree, and tries to convince Ash’s Butterfree to mate with her Butterfree.
 * 7) Great animation in its time, especially for the Indigo League season as usual.
 * 8) Ash’s Butterfree does find a Pink Butterfree it falls in love with, but fails to impress her the first time, leaving it saddened, so Ash and the others find it to cheer it up and comfort it.
 * 9) Ash and Misty motivate Butterfree by saying it needs to show off it’s strength, and how it can be a good battler to win the Pink Butterfree’s heart.
 * 10) Brock gives Ash’s Butterfree a yellow scarf, and then it gives it another chance for the Pink Butterfree’s heart, but it fails again.
 * 11) Shocking moment where Team Rocket show up and kidnap all the Butterfree, as Ash’s Butterfree tries to stop them, but fails.
 * 12) While Ash was going to use Pidgeotto, Misty convinced him not too, not to hurt Butterfree’s feelings, as it’s trying its best, and Ash seeing his Pokémon’s dedication, understands.
 * 13) Ash’s Butterfree manages to follow Team Rocket and find their base, so it tells Ash and the others where they are.
 * 14) Team Rocket do have a funny moment, where Meowth fantasizes about being Giovanni’s top cat.
 * 15) The heroes show up, did a funny mock of Team Rocket’s motto, and start to save the Butterfree, as while Misty’s Starmie chases Team Rocket, Ash’s Butterfree keeps using Tackle on the net, impressing the Pink Butterfree and eventually breaking the net and freeing all of the Butterfree, as Brock opens the door and the Butterfree fly away.
 * 16) When James was about to recapture the Pink Butterfree, Ash’s Butterfree used Tackle on him, making the Pink Butterfree blush and thankful that it was saved by a great Butterfree.
 * 17) When Team Rocket tried to recapture the Butterfree in their helicopter, Ash’s Butterfree and Ash’s Pikachu worked together, as Butterfree flew Pikachu to Team Rocket, and Pikachu used as Thundershock to defeat them, and send them blasting off.
 * 18) As Ash’s Butterfree returns Pikachu to the balloon and the heroes celebrate victory, the Pink Butterfree dances with Ash’s Butterfree, they dance together as the Pink Butterfree finally accepts Ash’s Butterfree’s feelings.
 * 19) Emotional goodbye to Ash’s Butterfree as the heroes say farewell, as it flies with the Pink Butterfree to mate with it, and Ash, Pikachu, and Ash’s Butterfree itself are all in tears during the goodbye.
 * 20) Great flashback montage of Ash’s Butterfree during its time with Ash, it really gets us emotional on what good times we had with Butterfree.
 * 21) Ash greatly waves and says goodbye to his Butterfree, as Butterfree looks back flying backwards, so it can see Ash one last time before it’s far off into distance with its mate.
 * 22) Good ending where Brock comments on Ash’s growth as a trainer, which Ash thanks him for, and Pikachu acknowledges it, as Misty says it’s beautiful, and Ash agrees, and the last scene where the Butterfree all fly off. Goodbye, Ash’s Butterfree. We’ll miss ya.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) Team Rocket ends up using dangerous tools to hurt our heroes, as Jessie uses her hammer to hurt Starmie, which is not only unfair and dangerous, but can also be too dark for a kids show.
 * 2) Team Rocket’s blastoff, while deserving, it’s also a bit too harsh, as they fell down into the cliffs. But they do come back in the next episode alive.
 * 3) There were some animation errors, like how Ash had his backpack on when sending out Butterfree, when he didn’t have it on before, and Meowth’s mouth was missing for a brief second before Ash, Misty, and Brock imitates Team Rocket’s motto.

Reception
"Bye Bye Butterfree" was met with positive reception among fans and critics. It was scored an 8.4/10 on iMDB.com.

Trivia

 * In this episode, Team Rocket's motto is ripped off for the first time.
 * This is the first episode of the anime to have a boss fantasy.
 * The episode's Japanese and English titles are based on the message that appears when the player releases a Pokémon in the games. For example, if a Butterfree is released, it would say, "Bye-bye, Butterfree!"
 * This is also one of the few episode titles to be exactly the same, in spoken words, in English and Japanese.
 * This is the first episode where a main character formally releases a Pokémon.