The original Japanese Pokémon: Indigo League season contained 82 episodes.
Indigo League was the first season of the Pokémon anime, originally broadcast in Japan from April 1, 1997, to January 21, 1999. It follows Ash Ketchum’s journey through the Kanto region, beginning with his departure from Pallet Town and ending with the Pokémon League storyline.
The count differs between Japanese and English versions. The English version lists 80 episodes because two Japanese broadcasts were omitted or handled differently during international distribution. The distinction explains why reference books and fan lists sometimes give different totals.
The season also became associated with the franchise’s first major television controversy after the 1997 episode “Dennō Senshi Porygon” caused photosensitive seizures among some viewers in Japan. That incident led to changes in broadcast practices, but it did not alter the season’s original Japanese episode count.