Ash sees Ho-Oh flying above him at the end of the first Pokémon anime episode.
After Ash and Pikachu escape a flock of angry Spearow, Ash looks into the sky and notices a large, colorful bird Pokémon flying across a rainbow. Professor Oak’s Pokédex cannot identify it, creating an early mystery for the series.
The Pokémon is Ho-Oh, a Legendary Pokémon associated with the Johto region in the games. At the time of the episode’s original broadcast, Ho-Oh had not yet been fully revealed as part of the second-generation game roster, so the appearance functioned as a striking preview of what was to come.
Some viewers confuse this scene with Lugia because Lugia became the star of the second Pokémon movie and is another famous Legendary bird-like Pokémon. The episode’s visual is specifically Ho-Oh, whose distinctive multicolored feathers and rainbow connection make the moment recognizable.