Pokémon: Is the Anime’s Electabuzz… OK?
In early episodes of the Pokémon series, Electabuzz’s cry is downright strange and slightly frightening — which may be the point.
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The first few seasons of Pokémon had many oddities, from non-Pokémon wildlife to people getting turned into Pokémon. Still, perhaps none are quite as strange, concerning or as funny as Electabuzz’s original cry in the anime. Unlike most Pokémon, Electabuzz doesn’t say its name, but rather, “ELEBUBUBUBUBU!” and very enthusiastically at that. But why — and, should be we be concerned?
First used in Season 1, Episode 39, “Showdown at Dark City,” this cry was used through the Orange Islands saga before switching to something slightly less scarring, “Elebu” in Season 4, Episode 42, “Current Events.” And while we may never know all the facts, this change begins to shed some light on the mystery.
“Elebu,” often Romanized as “Eleboo,” is Electabuzz’s Japanese name — meaning that rather than redubbing the character, they left the Japanese voice line in the English dub. It turns out that the same is true of the original cry as well. The infamous cry was left entirely intact from the original language, leaving us to wonder why the voice actor chose to give Electabuzz this particular cry.
It could be speculated that the original cry may be attempting to imitate the sound of someone (or something) being electrocuted in suiting with Electabuzz’s thunderous powers. The more monstrous sound may also be a reference to its origins, as it greatly resembles an oni, a horned yokai that wears a tiger-skin loin-clothe and is sometimes depicted controlling lightning. Thus, this cry may be one designed to inspire fear in their adversaries by invoking that resemblance.
The cry was toned down in later episodes of the series, with “Elebu” becoming more apparent — which, given its vocal similarity to “Electabuzz,” could easily be understood as the Pokémon’s proper cry by English audiences. It wouldn’t be until Season 5 that the dub team would finally switch out the Japanese actor for an English one. By allowing Electabuzz to say “Electabuzz,” a trait which has remained to this day and the Pokémon’s recent appearance in Pokémon Journeys, the team has removed one small touch of humor from the show in favor of a bit more gravitas.
Still, with the new Electabuzz appearing under new trainers, we can’t help but wonder what happened to those early Electabuzz. The one with Kaz in “Showdown in Dark City” was involved in a gang war between two rival gyms, and it’s not difficult to imagine that they may have reached a breaking point with the constant conflict. However, in Season 2, Episode 47, “Misty Meets Her Match,” the decidedly well-cared-for Electabuzz of the Trovita Gym shares a similar cry. Perhaps the cry is unique to Orange Island and Kantonian Electabuzz, as Johto and Sinnoh Electabuzz do not share it. Furthermore, with the increasingly multicultural world of Pokémon Journeys, most Electabuzz seen in the Kanto region may have immigrated from other areas.
Given the context of Electabuzz’s first appearance, maybe the intent was to make the Pokémon’s cry sound intimidating, frightening off anyone who tried to combat them. Though the series would go on to change it, there is something startlingly endearing and wholly unforgettable about how Electabuzz burst onto the scene of the anime, leaving a lasting impression on western fans.
While we may never know what was going on with the initial version of Electabuzz’s shout, the team behind it certainly succeeded in creating a unique cry that can never be imitated or forgotten.
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