Which episode opened the original Japanese broadcast of the Pokémon anime?

“Pokémon, I Choose You!” opened the original Japanese broadcast of the Pokémon anime.

The episode first aired in Japan on 1 April 1997 and introduced Ash Ketchum, his hometown of Pallet Town, and his difficult first meeting with Pikachu. Ash oversleeps and arrives late to Professor Oak’s laboratory, leaving him with Pikachu as his first partner.

The story also established the relationship that would anchor the television series: Pikachu initially refuses to stay inside its Poké Ball, but the two characters gradually begin to trust each other. Their journey starts after Ash protects Pikachu from a flock of angry Spearow.

The English title is often remembered as a phrase associated with the franchise, but it is specifically the title of the anime’s first episode. The title was also reused for the 2017 film Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!, which retold parts of Ash and Pikachu’s early story.