Fan recreates the saddest Pokémon anime scene in Scarlet and Violet


fan recreates saddest pokemon anime moment scarlet and violet two butterfree share a moment
Credit: The Pokémon Company

The Pokémon anime has created thousands of memorable moments, but few have reached the emotional highs of Bye Bye Butterfree. In Game Freak's newest adventure, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, one fan accidentally recreated the episode's saddest moment, albeit with Jumpluffs instead of Butterfree.

For those that didn’t grow up in the ‘90s, Bye Bye Butterfree was the episode where Ash let his Butterfree go so it can be together with its mate, a shiny pink Butterfree. Ash's Butterfree was the first Pokémon the trainer ever caught - Pikachu was given to him - and its release caused millions to cry alongside Ketchum as he said goodbye.

Considering how Pokémon Scarlet and Violet don’t make actual references to the anime, the fact this moment was an accident is incredible. Hopefully, this leads to some more fun fan recreations in the Switch games, though we won’t hold our breath on that.

On the Pokémon subreddit, user Senatorange revealed that they accidentally recreated Ash saying goodbye to Butterfree. This happened while the user was attempting to catch a Shiny Jumpluff, which happens to be the same colour as the female Butterfree from the same episode.

Unsurprisingly, fans in the subreddit had a mixture of reactions. Some made jokes while others are still emotional over an episode that’s more than a decade old already.

“Ah yes, "Bye Bye Jumpluff", my favourite Pokémon Johto Journeys ep. 10/10, better than the original,” said DiamondsAreRedeemed.

“That episode is still one of the best and most wholesome ever!!!” claimed AshNaran 21.

Bye Bye Butterfree has clearly left an impact in the Pokémon fandom, to the point that it’s been referenced a few times. Pokémon The Movie: I Choose You recreated that moment, albeit, in a rushed manner that didn’t serve the narrative. Pikachu also saw Butterfree in a vision before winning the Pokémon League for Ash in the anime.

Read More: This is what Pokémon Scarlet and Violet would be like with voice acting

Fans can easily watch episodes of the Pokémon anime online through its official website, YouTube, and even an app on the Nintendo Switch. Meanwhile, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are now available on the Switch.

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