Holiday Hi-Jynx – Pokémon Season 1, Episode 37

Filler / stand-alone episodeChristmas specialWithdrawn in the US

Holiday Hi-Jynx is the 37th episode of Pokémon: Indigo League, the first season of the Pokémon anime, and the 37th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 39, a Japanese TV special without a Bulbapedia EP code). It first aired in Japan on 5 October 1998 and in the United States on 11 December 1999.

A Japanese TV special first shown on 5 October 1998 and slotted into the US run as a Christmas episode on 11 December 1999; it was later withdrawn from most streaming services and the 2017 Blu-ray because of Jynx’s original design.

Synopsis · Major Events · Trivia · Dub Changes · All episodes

Synopsis

This Christmas special episode opens with Jessie dreaming in bed, James dressing as Santa, entering the room and promptly being caught in a trap. This was a test run, because Team Rocket are plotting to kidnap Santa in order to steal everyones presents. Jessie then explains that as a kid she witnessed Santa Claus, who is infact a Jynx coming down the Chimney and stealing one of Jessies toys, then leaving.

Meanwhile Ash and gang spot a Jynx on the bank of a lake with Ash setting hits hopes on capturing it, immediately attacking Jynx with a thundershock. Jynx isn’t beaten however and picks up Pikachu and subjects him to a lovely kiss, sending Pikachu to sleep. Ash attacks with Charmander and tries to capture Jynx who still doesn’t really retaliate. The Jynx is holding a boot which they suspect might belong to it’s trainer, to their surprise they find the boot appears to belong to Santa Claus. Jynx projects the story of how it got lost from it’s home and trainer into Ash, Misty and Brocks minds, turns out Jynx drifted away from the North Pole on a piece of ice while it was polishing one of Santa’s boots. Team Rocket of course were watching the whole time and want Ash and friends to lead them to the North Pole so Jessie can get revenge on Santa and steal everyones toys. They make their way into the ocean on a raft, pulled by the water Pokemon who eventually get worn out. Ash jumps in and starts pulling the raft, something communicates with Ash using it’s psychic power telling him he’s going the right way, a big wave knocks him under the water and he starts to drown, the origin of the psychic communication, a Lapras then appears and rescues Ash, reuniting him with the group.

It turns out that Lapras was sent by Santa to try and find the missing Jynx, she thanks the group for their help and says she will now take them the rest of the way to Santa’s workshop. The temperature starts to drop as they arrive near the North Pole. Team Rocket’s sub emerges in front of them, Jessie see’s the Jynx, still thinks that it’s actually Santa clause and they begin to attack them. Putting a net over Lapras, Ash, Misty and Brock and kidnapping Jynx Team rocket then continue to Santas “lair” and find a whole lot more Jynx and the real Santa Claus. Jessie contemplates for a moment that it might not actually have been Santa who robbed her all those years ago. Team Rocket take Santa hostage as Ash and co arrive, while issuing a threat to the Jynx. Team Rocket start stealing the presents and Santa reasons with Jessie. Jynx then uses psychic communication to replay the scene of what Jessie thought was her doll being stolen, it turns out Jynx was just taking Jessies favourite doll back to Santa to be repaired, Jynx then gives the doll to Jessie. Jessie asks why the doll never got bought back in ten years, and Santa explains its because Jessie didn’t believe in him anymore, and he is powerless to go where people don’t believe in him.

After a tearful reunion with her doll, Jessie still decides to steal all the presents and they start to make off in the sub. Lapras communicates with them using her Psychic power and tells them that Christmas is for everyone and they shouldn’t steal it. Lapras freezes the sub but Charmander unfortunately defrosts it. Santa seems unconcerned and tells everyone not to worry, before commanding his helpers (the Jynx) to all use Psywave, the sub is lifted from the water, the presents shaken out of it back to safety and Team Rocket are blasted off again.

Santa has a busy night ahead of him and sets off to deliver the presents. The snow begins to fall and a Jynx brings everyone their presents. A defeated Team Rocket lie in bed hoping Santa will visit them, Jynx puts them to sleep with a lovely kiss before delivering their presents.

Major Events

• Debuts: Santa Claus
• Jynx, Lapras. First telepathic Pokémon speech. Pulled over the Jynx/blackface complaint
• Erased from Pokémon.com/TV (2014) and the 2014 Complete Collection
• Jynx recoloured purple for the 2012 Pokémon Smash! rerun. ED 風といっしょに + ニャースのうた
• No Lecture.

Pokémon making their anime debut

• Jynx#0124 · SP01
• Lapras#0131 · SP01

Trivia

• The English title plays on “high jinks”.
• The screenplay is by Hideki Sonoda.
• This is a stand-alone episode: it can be skipped without losing the thread of the Kanto story.
• The Who’s That Pokémon? segment features Jynx in Japan, where it almost always matched the episode, but Pidgeotto in the US, where 4Kids picked the Pokémon at random.

Changes in the English Dub

• Withdrawn: pulled from US rotation after the 2000 complaints about Jynx’s design; dropped from the 2014 DVDs, Pokémon.com and Pokémon TV
• Japan recoloured Jynx purple (about 90 shots) for a 2012 rerun; that edit was never dubbed
• サンタクロース in Santa’s boot → photo of Santa
• Jessie reads the title card
• Dub ending: Pikachu’s Jukebox — Together Forever
• The Japanese post-credits slot carries a music video of Kaze to Issho ni, the Mewtwo Strikes Back ending, before Nyarth no Uta — cut from the dub and never released

Part of our Pokémon: Indigo League guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.