Pikachu, Muck and Electabuzz are about to get thrown back on Boomerang.
Turner Broadcasting System's classic animated service will begin airing the Pokémon series on April 5. The anime show, which hit U.S. shores in 1998, will be stripped weeknights at 6:30 p.m. Through its various incarnations,
Pokémon has spanned some 600 installments.
Pokémon's run on Boomerang will begin with the "Adventures of Orange Island" edition of the original Pokémon series. This edition of Pokémon follows Ash, his trusty Pokémon Pikachu and friends Misty and Brock as they traverse the Orange Islands. The episodes bring plenty of engaging battles and aggravating encounters with Team Rocket as Ash eventually wins the four required badges to enter the Orange League competition.
"The Pokémon brand continues to carry on throughout a changing entertainment landscape," said Stacy Isenhower, senior vice president of programming and scheduling for Boomerang and Cartoon Network. "It has become a classic while still remaining fresh, making it an excellent addition to the Boomerang lineup."
The first of episodes are as follows:
April 5: "The Pokémon Water War" - Ash and his friends see a team of Fire-Fighters, comprising Squirtles, Wartortles and Blastoises. Eager to test its skills, Ash's Squirtle gets to train with them. But when an actual fire turns up, training has to become reality;
April 6: "Pokémon Food Fight" - Engaged in a battle, Ash accidentally breaks Snorlax's Pokéball. With the Pokémon Center on the other side of the island, Ash and his friends have to get Snorlax there. And to make matters worse, Team Rocket arrive and are hoarding the island's food ransom until they get Pikachu;
April 7: "Pokémon Double Trouble" - On Kumquat Island, Ash discovers Luana, the final Orange Island gym leader, who mistakes him for her son. After defending the island from Team Rocket, they head to the gym for a double battle, pitting Pikachu and Charizard against Marowak and Alakazam;
April 8: "The Wacky Watcher!" - On Rind Island, Tracey meets Dr. Quackenpoker, a noted Pokémon watcher conducting a study on the Magikarp that climb up waterfalls and how they evolve into Gyarados. However, Team Rocket appears to steal the Magikarp and get them to evolve; and
April 9: "The Stun Spore Detour" - On Tiny Island, Ash and Tracey get affected by Stun Spore leaving it up to Misty to get an antidote to heal them. Can Misty find it with the help of her new Poliwag?
