The Trainer's Guide

Our trainers arrive in Celadon City! While Misty, Brock, and Pikachu are intoxicated by the lovely scents of the perfume shops, Ash only has a nose for the sweet scent of victory that awaits him at the Celadon City Gym! However, his lack of empathy towards the perfume sellers make it impossible for him to enter, and he is forced to work with Team Rocket to sneak into the gym and challenge Erika! W...

As our heroes journey toward Celadon City, they encounter a hat stealing Mankey whose antics turn everyone on their heads. How many jelly donuts will it take to stop this unbeatable force? In this episode, we discuss comparing yourself to others, following your own path, and quality vs. quantity.  Email us at  trainersguidepod@gmail.com with your favorite Pokémon memories: what the show means to y...

Ash returns for a rematch with Sabrina, but will Haunter stay true to its word and be a reliable member of the team? Who is the mysterious man? Where did Brock and Misty get those signs? Is Haunter’s silliness a gift or a curse? This week, we discuss spending time alone, work/life balance, and how to live healthfully like a toddler! Email us at  trainersguidepod@gmail.com with your favorite Pokémo...

Our friends continue on to Lavender Town and get more than they bargained for at the Tower of Terror when faced with three  mischievous ghost Pokémon. On this episode, we discuss facing your fears, out of body experiences, and classic slapstick humor. Email us at  trainersguidepod@gmail.com with your favorite Pokémon memories: what the show means to you and how it impacted your life. Send us a sho...

Having once again lost their way, Ash, Brock, and Misty stumble across a mysterious girl who guides them to Saffron City, where even more mysteries await! Will Ash’s muscle defeat Sabrina’s mind? Who is that mysterious bearded man? And how do we learn to bend a spoon? All this and more… Oh! Watch out for that Warp Tile!!! Email us at  trainersguidepod@gmail.com with your favorite Pokémon memories:...

It’s the season of love and it’s time for Butterfree to find a love of its own! We join our trainers as they take to the sky to help Ash’s Butterfree find a mate. Could this be popped in instead? But the path to true love never did run smooth and soon all the Butterfree are caught in Team Rocket’s sinister net.  In this episode we discuss love in all of its forms and how sometimes you have to let...

Summer may be over for Ash and his friends, but the adventure is just getting started! While mourning the end of bikini season, Brock and James are put under a hypnotic love spell by a beautiful and mysterious maiden. It is up to Ash, Misty, and Jessie to rescue their friends- but will they be able to save them before they float away forever? Can they buy enough stickers to protect themselves from...

While waiting for a ferry to take them out of Porta Vista, Ash, Misty, and Brock meet Nastina, a real estate mogul with eyes on the coral reef for her luxury resort. They soon discover that she intends to eliminate all the Tentacool that stand in her way. Humans and Pokémon must come together to save the city and protect the coral reef and its inhabitants.  We learn how our actions impact everythi...

The gang is washed ashore on a desert island…or is it? Join us in this giant episode as we see collaboration in action and how it saves the day. We discuss early take away food, collect calls, and the mysteries surrounding Team Rocket’s Boss. Email us at  trainersguidepod@gmail.com with your favorite Pokémon memories: what the show means to you and how it impacted your life. Send us a short audio...

The shocking tale aboard the St. Anne continues with our seafaring trainers trapped and searching for a way out of the sinking ship! It takes all hands, and Pokémon, on deck to escape—but just how far will teamwork take them? We discuss Dungeons and Dragons’ 50th anniversary, Misty’s model ship hobbies, and the importance of thinking before you take action.   Email us at  trainersguidepod@gmail.co...

Ahoy there, Pokémon trainers! Join us this week for what looks to be an incredible Pokémon party aboard the St. Anne! There’s lots to do on this cruise—Magikarp for sale! Trades to be made! And battles to be won! What could possibly go wrong??! In this week's episode we discuss the importance of thinking before making a big decision, the benefits of working together, and the merits of a 9-month cr...

Ash, Misty, and Brock finally make it to Vermillion City where they face their biggest challenges yet … the larger than life gym trainer Lt. Surge and the existential dilemma of evolving before one is ready. We discuss finding your own way, staying true to yourself, and the importance of a good support group. Email us at  trainersguidepod@gmail.com with your favorite Pokémon memories: what the sho...

Ash and his pals may be lost but they have found Bill, the lighthouse, and so much more! We are in Tokyo this week seeing old friends and meeting new ones at Tokyo Comic Con! Pokémon continues to bring us all together and create community around the world! In this week’s episode we discuss the importance of travel, staying curious, and following your own path.  Email us at  trainersguidepod@gmail....

This week, we are falling for the Squirtle Squad … literally! The notorious Poké-Gang is running wild and pulling crazy, and sometimes dangerous, pranks. It’s up to Ash to save Pikachu from the hands of Team Rocket and Squirtle from itself. We discuss the importance of trust, empathy, and finding a good jelly doughnut!  Email us at  trainersguidepod@gmail.com with your favorite Pokémon memories: w...

What do you do when you put your trust in someone who doesn’t reciprocate? Charmander patiently waits for its trainer, Damien, coming close to death as the flame on its tail falters. Ash and friends risk it all in an attempt to rescue Charmander. Will they succeed? Will Charmander remain loyal to Damien, despite being abandoned? In this week’s episode, we discuss following the rules, respect, loya...

As Ash and his companions continue their journey to Vermillion City, they come across a Pokémon retreat tucked away in the forest and protected by a fierce Bulbasaur. Ash must gain the trust of Bulbasaur to save the village, but it may be harder than it looks. We learn about the importance of having a support system that gives you room to grow and adventures to expand your worldview. Email us at ...

Where do saplings go to learn? Elemen-tree school! Where do trainers go to learn? Pokémon Tech! In this week’s episode, Ash and his friends get off the road and go into the classroom. They learn that there are different methods to training Pokémon and that not everyone learns the same way. We discuss the importance of standing up against bullies, staying in school, and learning on the road. And ev...

After earning two gym badges, Ash is feeling a little too confident in his abilities as a trainer. When he and his friends come across AJ, the undefeated wild Pokémon trainer, Ash gets more than he bargains for in their battle. In this episode we examine the importance of not judging people based on first impressions, discuss the different methods of Pokémon training, and wonder what Team Rocket’s...

Ash challenges the Cerulean City gym leaders (all three of them!!!). When they decline to battle him, their fourth sister, Misty, steps in and accepts the challenge. Who will win? Where did Team Rocket park the giant vacuum? Where did Brock wander off to? Dive into this water-filled episode as we explore sibling rivalry, earning a badge through hard work, and the importance of empathy in the world...

Ash, Misty, and Brock arrive at the mysterious Mount Moon and soon learn the secrets of the Moonstone! With the help of Seymour the Scientist and some devoted Clefairy, the team foil the dastardly Team Rocket (twice!) and see the true power of the Moonstone with their own eyes.  In this episode, we discuss the impacts our actions have on the environment and the animals that inhabit it, how art and...

After finally emerging from the Viridian Forest, Ash and Misty arrive in Pewter City only to meet a mysterious man named Flint and a gym leader named Brock! Ash is determined to win his gym battle, but at what cost to Pikachu? Will Ash be able to beat Brock? Is Misty really only there to get her bike back? Will Team Rocket ever get out of the hole they’ve dug for themselves?  We discuss the import...

Deep in the Viridian Forest, Ash is challenged by the Samurai to his first real Pokémon battle. A swarm of Beedrill attacks, capturing Metapod. Ash is forced to own up to his responsibilities as a trainer to win the battle and Metapod’s trust. And a surprise evolution propels our heroes forward into Pewter City!  We discuss the symbolism of the woods and our path through it, the importance of taki...

The journey into the Viridian Forest continues with Ash catching his first Pokémon, Caterpie, and learning just how afraid of bugs Misty really is. The two trainers must come to terms with their differences as they battle Team Rocket to save Pikachu. Caterpie’s surprise evolution catapults them deeper into the forest to continue their search for more Pokémon! We discuss how nature positively impac...

::  ::  ::  ::  :: ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  :: ::  ::   NEW EPISODES DROP EVERY WEDNESDAY!   :::  ::  ::  ::  :: ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  :: ::  ::   Episode 2 comes to you live from Johannesburg, South Africa! It’s a Pokémon Emergency! Ash heads to the Viridian City Pokémon Center to save his Pikachu. In this episode, we are introduced to Offi...

Veronica and Rena kick off The Trainer's Guide with a dive into the episode that started everyone's Pokémon journey! In episode one, we meet Ash Ketchum, learn how he got his Pikachu, and the lengths he will go to defend it.  We discuss auditioning for the role of Ash, how Pokémon has impacted both Veronica and Rena's lives, and how Ash represents each of us. The journey begins…now! Join us!! Emai...