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Ash’s Pikachu was taken in by the authorities on this week’s episode of the newest iteration of the Pokémon anime. The crime in question? Electricity stolen from various residences in Vermillion City, according to a recap of the episode by Kotaku.
Here’s what went down: On the night of the crime, police say, a Pokémon resembling a Pikachu was spotted. The only Pikachu without an alibi was Ash’s beloved companion, which made the lil’ fella a prime suspect in the eyes of Officer Jenny and a detective working the case.
As it turns out, though the handcuffs are a little too big for Pikachu’s wee little paws. It looks like the law enforcement of Vermillion City may need to adjust their equipment to be more accommodating if they plan to arrest more Pokémon.
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Pikachu is brought in for questioning (and bribed with food), and later runs from the cops, leading to the investigation being reopened and clearing Pikachu’s name — but not before Team Rocket, Meowth, and Morpeko (the real criminal?) get involved.
Ultimately, Pikachu gets revenge on the arresting officer for his shoddy police work.
The episode raises questions about how the Pokémon criminal system works. Do they get Pokémon or human lawyers? Do their trainers have to answer for their crimes and misdemeanors? Is the jury made up of human, Pokémon, or both? We may never know.
