Gotta Watch'em All - A Pokémon Anime Podcast

Gotta Watch’em All Podcast 140: Gettin’ The Bugs Out

Recording Date: 5/4/2026

Publish Date: 5/5/2026

Watch the video version of this podcast at: http://patreon.com/pokemonprofessor 

Pokémon the Series original air dates:

Japan: 4/20/2000

USA: 3/17/2001

This episode wastes absolutely no time getting right down to it! We closed last week’s episode knowing that we were on the way to the Azalea Town Gym, now that it is functioning again (thanks to the Slowpoke). What we didn’t know was that as soon as Ash steps foot in the Gym, that an almost full episode length battle was about to go down. We meet the Azalea Town Gym Leader, Bugsy, who you guessed it, is a Bug-Type Trainer. Within minutes, the stage is set with Ash and Bugsy taking their positions on the battlefield.

Before long we realize that Bugsy has an all Bug team, with Spinarak being his first choice. With Charizard not available, Ash decides on Cyndaquil to start the battle, having a strong type-advantage. Ash realizes quickly that Cyndaquil needs a little time to warm up, as the Spinarak makes pretty quick work of him before being called back to his Pokéball. Something also worth mentioning is that the battle animations in this episode look incredible, with more details, frames, and the speed lines that we all love.

We see Ash bring out Chikorita and Pikachu to help bring things home, but it’s Cyndaquil that closes the deal for the team. We see Bugsy bring out a Metapod who has some fancy moves, and a Scyther, that puts on a show with both Double Team and Sword Dance. Ash has to be quick on his feet to figure out how Cyndaquil’s flames can get past Sword Dance, and a daring move let’s the attack land in spectacular fashion. This battle was awesome.

We saw very little of Team Rocket in this episode, as they did show up to the battle only to be accidentally shocked by Pikachu, which of course worked out for everyone. Once the Gym Battle is complete and Ash earns his Hive Badge, Maizie catches up with the team to give them some fresh Apricorn Pokéballs that Kurt made. Ash and Misty take Lure Balls, and Brock takes a Heavy Ball. It was really cool seeing the different types of Pokéballs, especially after learning how they are made!

[email protected] 

Voicemail, Text, and Picture Line - 732-835-8639

https://linktr.ee/PokemonProfessorNetwork 

Show music provided by GameChops and licensed through Creative Commons

▾ FOLLOW GAMECHOPS ▾

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Intro Music

Malie City

Grimecraft and Wishlyst

GameChops - Ultraball

http://gamechops.com/ultraball/ 

http://soundcloud.com/Grimecraft

http://soundcloud.com/wishlyst

Outro Music

Elite Four

CG5 Trap Remix ft. The Great Dolvondo

GameChops - Alola

http://smarturl.it/cg5alola

http://soundcloud.com/cg5-beats

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClzwNL0eoWrZONZr1W4ozKw

Hosts

Ken Pescatore

Lane Johnson

Writer and Producer

Ken Pescatore

Pokémon And All Respective Names are Trademark and © of Nintendo 1996-2026Gotta Watch’em All and Pokémon Professor are not affiliated withThe Pokémon Company, Game Freak or Nintendo.

#pokemon #anipoke #podcast

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Gotta Watch’em All Podcast 139: Going Apricorns

Recording Date: 4/27/2026

Publish Date: 5/3/2026

Watch the video version of this podcast at: http://patreon.com/pokemonprofessor 

We finally make it to Azalea Town! We also get one step closer to understanding the GS Ball! We see Ash hand off the GS Ball to Kurt, who is excited to take a closer look. We won’t have closure on this part of this story arc though, as Kurt has absolutely no idea what the GS Ball is or how it works! Confident he can learn more over time, he will have to hold on to the GS Ball for longer to go into deeper analysis.

We actually learn a lot about Poké Balls in this episode, as Kurt has mastered the art of harvesting Apricords and converting them into different types of Poké Balls. This lore is VERY welcomed in a series of episodes that have been tangential to the main quest. With Lane being an expert on Johto, he reveals that unfortunately, we won’t hear about the different types of balls that Kurt makes after this episode. 

Team Rocket actually turns their priority from kidnapping Pikachu to stealing Kurt’s Apricorn operation. They think if they can make a fortune off of selling the unique Poké Balls. We meet a few Pineco, as they are hanging off of the apricorn trees, and they get involved in a scuffle with Team Rocket. When the dust settles, we see Brock have the opportunity to not only catch a Pineco, but to do it in one of Kurt’s custom Fast Balls.

While we haven’t yet reached the Azalea Town gym, it was definitely cool that Brock was able to add a new Pokémon to his roster!

Pokémon the Series original air date -

Japan: 4/13/2000

USA: 3/10/2001

[email protected] 

Voicemail, Text, and Picture Line - 732-835-8639

https://linktr.ee/PokemonProfessorNetwork 

Show music provided by GameChops and licensed through Creative Commons

▾ FOLLOW GAMECHOPS ▾

http://instagram.com/GameChops

http://twitter.com/GameChops

http://soundcloud.com/GameChops

http://facebook.com/GameChops

http://youtube.com/GameChops

http://www.gamechops.com

Intro Music

Malie City

Grimecraft and Wishlyst

GameChops - Ultraball

http://gamechops.com/ultraball/ 

http://soundcloud.com/Grimecraft

http://soundcloud.com/wishlyst

Outro Music

Elite Four

CG5 Trap Remix ft. The Great Dolvondo

GameChops - Alola

http://smarturl.it/cg5alola

http://soundcloud.com/cg5-beats

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClzwNL0eoWrZONZr1W4ozKw

Hosts

Ken Pescatore

Lane Johnson

Writer and Producer

Ken Pescatore

Pokémon And All Respective Names are Trademark and © of Nintendo 1996-2026Gotta Watch’em All and Pokémon Professor are not affiliated withThe Pokémon Company, Game Freak or Nintendo.

#pokemon #anipoke #podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gotta Watch’em All Podcast 138

Recording Date: 4/13/2026

Publish Date: 4/14/2026

Watch the video version of this podcast at: http://patreon.com/pokemonprofessor 

After what seemed like a million episodes of journeying to Azalea Town, it is finally time for us to arrive! As the party approaches the city, the heat begins to get to them, forcing them to take a break. Misty has the great idea to bring out Staryu, which acts as a sprinkler to cool every one off. This opens up the narrative about how the area has been stricken with a drought, and they may need to conserve their water abilities.

While the party soldiers on to Azalea Town, Team Rocket decided they would dig in order to beat the heat and find water. With the help of the Super Diglett Mark 2 (their new very expensive and elaborate robot), they bore through the ground with ease before stumbling into a natural water reservoir deep in the caves. That’s when they notice that they are not alone.Surrounded by red eyes in the dark, we learn that this cave is filled with Slowpoke.

Back above ground, Ash learns that due to the drought, all Azalea Town businesses, including the Gym, are closed until further notice. If there was only a way to end this drought! Aha! The Slowpoke legends speak that they are rainmakers, so the citizens regard the Slowpoke as their lifeline. Now they just need to figure out how to get the Slowpoke to do… anything.

It’s worth pointing out that Azalea Town is also a critical location for the main story, with Ash still needing to deliver the mysterious GS ball to Kurt. The shenanigans begin thanks to Team Rocket, and we meet Kurt in an unexpected place and position. A major battle ensues, resulting in Team Rocket’s captured Slowpoke being freed. This leads to the Slowpoke fulfilling their prophecy and bringing rain to Azalea Town. Soon the land is filled with fresh water and greenery, which only means one thing. The Gym must be open!

Pokémon the Series original air date -

Japan: 4/6/2000

USA: 3/3/2001

[email protected] 

Voicemail, Text, and Picture Line - 732-835-8639

https://linktr.ee/PokemonProfessorNetwork 

Show music provided by GameChops and licensed through Creative Commons

▾ FOLLOW GAMECHOPS ▾

http://instagram.com/GameChops

http://twitter.com/GameChops

http://soundcloud.com/GameChops

http://facebook.com/GameChops

http://youtube.com/GameChops

http://www.gamechops.com

Intro Music

Malie City

Grimecraft and Wishlyst

GameChops - Ultraball

http://gamechops.com/ultraball/ 

http://soundcloud.com/Grimecraft

http://soundcloud.com/wishlyst

Outro Music

Elite Four

CG5 Trap Remix ft. The Great Dolvondo

GameChops - Alola

http://smarturl.it/cg5alola

http://soundcloud.com/cg5-beats

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClzwNL0eoWrZONZr1W4ozKw

Hosts

Ken Pescatore

Lane Johnson

Writer and Producer

Ken Pescatore

Pokémon And All Respective Names are Trademark and © of Nintendo 1996-2026Gotta Watch’em All and Pokémon Professor are not affiliated withThe Pokémon Company, Game Freak or Nintendo.

#pokemon #anipoke #podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gotta Watch’em All Podcast 137

Recording Date: 4/6/2026

Publish Date: 4/7/2027

Watch the video version of this podcast at: http://patreon.com/pokemonprofessor 

With last week’s episode leaving us just outside Azalea Town, we surely should be arriving there this episode… right? The narrator takes the wind out of our Azalea Town sails almost immediately as we see the party lost in the woods, when we meet Koji, a somewhat pushy and aggressive Trainer that is tracking a wild Cyndaquil. Once Ash hears this, he considers it a challenge and breaks off from the pack. That’s when things get interesting.

Team Rocket shares some insight on how they had to work odd jobs between their Rocket duties in order to keep up with their villainous lifestyle. They bust out the Meowthinator mech to take on Ash and the crew, and ultimately go after the Cyndiquil, as it is something new for them to hyper fixate on. We see Cyndaquil use a massive Flamethrower on the Meowthinator which sets Pikachu up for the final strike. Just before a the massive explosion, Ash captures Cyndaquil in a Pokéball to shield him from the blast.

Ash immediately lets Cyndaquil out, and we can see the bonding already happening. Koji cuts the pleasantries short and challenges Ash for the Cyndaquil, even though he technically already caught it. Ash feels confident after seeing Cyndaquil’s Flamethrower take out the Meowthinator, but things don’t go as planned for Ash, and he has to switch out his typical attack heavy style for something more defensive. In the end, Ash is victorious, and Cyndaquil is now part of the family.

Pokémon the Series original air date:

Japan:3/30/2000

USA: 3/3/2001

[email protected] 

Voicemail, Text, and Picture Line - 732-835-8639

https://linktr.ee/PokemonProfessorNetwork 

Show music provided by GameChops and licensed through Creative Commons

▾ FOLLOW GAMECHOPS ▾

http://instagram.com/GameChops

http://twitter.com/GameChops

http://soundcloud.com/GameChops

http://facebook.com/GameChops

http://youtube.com/GameChops

http://www.gamechops.com

Intro Music

Malie City

Grimecraft and Wishlyst

GameChops - Ultraball

http://gamechops.com/ultraball/ 

http://soundcloud.com/Grimecraft

http://soundcloud.com/wishlyst

Outro Music

Elite Four

CG5 Trap Remix ft. The Great Dolvondo

GameChops - Alola

http://smarturl.it/cg5alola

http://soundcloud.com/cg5-beats

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClzwNL0eoWrZONZr1W4ozKw

Hosts

Ken Pescatore

Lane Johnson

Writer and Producer

Ken Pescatore

Pokémon And All Respective Names are Trademark and © of Nintendo 1996-2026Gotta Watch’em All and Pokémon Professor are not affiliated withThe Pokémon Company, Game Freak or Nintendo.

#pokemon #anipoke #podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gotta Watch’em All Podcast 136

Recording Date: 3/30/2026

Publish Date: 3/31/2026

Watch the video version of this podcast at: http://patreon.com/pokemonprofessor 

After the last few episodes focused on a single Pokémon and a unique city or village themed to that Pokémon, we are excited to give it another go and hope that Azalea Town isn’t too far away. This episode starts like most others, with the party walking through the woods. They hear some noises that turn out to be a very early appearance by Team Rocket, along with an adult Trainer and their Scizor. 

With a title like, Wired For Battle, we are hoping in the least, that if we aren’t talking about Gym Battles, that we would at least see some solid battle footage, and this episode does not disappoint. We get to see 2 different Scizors in action, including one of them in an extended battle with Ash’s Heracross. It’s worth noting that we have seen much less of Pikachu lately, and with Charizard still off training, other Pokémon get a chance to shine.

This episode has some great lessons, specifically how the world can be seen through the lens of a computer vs the lens of our own eyes. The episode’s rival, Shingo, is completely enthralled with his laptop, even thinking that battling isn’t necessary since the computer could predict the outcome. Little does he know that Ash isn’t one to follow trends or rules, which makes the finale battle absolutely epic. If you are into seeing some different moves being thrown around, this episode will make you very, very happy.

Pokémon the Series original air date -

Japan: 3/23/2000

USA: 2/24/2001

Bulbapedia Entry - https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/EP140

[email protected] 

Voicemail, Text, and Picture Line - 732-835-8639

https://linktr.ee/PokemonProfessorNetwork 

Show music provided by GameChops and licensed through Creative Commons

▾ FOLLOW GAMECHOPS ▾

http://instagram.com/GameChops

http://twitter.com/GameChops

http://soundcloud.com/GameChops

http://facebook.com/GameChops

http://youtube.com/GameChops

http://www.gamechops.com

Intro Music

Malie City

Grimecraft and Wishlyst

GameChops - Ultraball

http://gamechops.com/ultraball/ 

http://soundcloud.com/Grimecraft

http://soundcloud.com/wishlyst

Outro Music

Elite Four

CG5 Trap Remix ft. The Great Dolvondo

GameChops - Alola

http://smarturl.it/cg5alola

http://soundcloud.com/cg5-beats

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClzwNL0eoWrZONZr1W4ozKw

Hosts

Ken Pescatore

Lane Johnson

Writer and Producer

Ken Pescatore

Pokémon And All Respective Names are Trademark and © of Nintendo 1996-2026Gotta Watch’em All and Pokémon Professor are not affiliated withThe Pokémon Company, Game Freak or Nintendo.

#pokemon #anipoke #podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices