Published May 23, 2026, 3:00 PM EDT
Joshua Edward Ryan Fox is a freelance writer for Screen Rant with a passion for pop culture. Joshua grew up in Connecticut where he developed an appreciation for writing and entertainment and has earned a Master's degree in professional writing and technical writing. His writing has been quoted by both the anime streaming site Crunchyroll and the anime YouTuber Gigguk.
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The first entry in a long-running franchise will almost always look weird when compared to what comes after it, and that’s especially true for the first Pokémon games, Pokémon Red & Blue. Not only were they written as if the world of Pokémon was just regular Earth inhabited by monsters, a bit of weirdness the franchise still retcons whenever possible, but the Pokémon themselves were also fairly simple, with many of them mostly looking like normal animals as opposed to the more fantastical designs that would define later generations.
Another notable quirk of early Pokémon design was that the developers at Game Freak didn’t put as much thought into how Pokémon actually worked; nowadays, most Pokémon are carefully created to have some sort of internal logic behind their abilities, but back in Gen 1, there were many cases where Pokémon could do things that didn’t make any sense when you thought too hard about it. That was especially egregious when it came to two Pokémon, in particular, but after 30 years, there’s finally an explanation for how they work.
Pokémon Horizons Finally Explains A Massive Gen 1 Mystery
Among the various bizarre design choices for Pokémon Red & Blue, two that have stumped fans for decades are how Doduo can use Fly and how Rhydon can use Surf. Not only is Doduo based on the flightless dodo bird, but it doesn’t even have wings, not even when it evolves into Dodrio, and as for Rhydon, as a Pokémon that’s weak to Water-type attacks and isn’t even based on an aquatic creature, it never made sense that it could learn Surf.
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Doduo learning Fly and Rhydon learning Surf have always been weird, but surprisingly, Pokémon’s latest anime, Pokémon Horizons, finally explained how it works. In episode #137, Liko and the Explorers came across some Doduo and a Rhydon while chasing down a Feebas, and one scene finally explained how they can use their weirdest moves: Doduo can use Fly by kicking the air to move forward like they're doing a double jump, and Rhydon can use Surf by using a log or other objects like a surfboard to avoid the water.
Episode #204 of the original series did have an episode with a surfing Rhydon, and Pokémon Stadium gave Doduo an animation where it goes into the air while using Fly, so technically, these aren’t new revelations for the franchise. However, both of those examples are one-off jokes that don’t exactly explain anything, so Pokémon Horizons can be seen as the first time Pokémon has seriously explained it, and that’s great to see after 30 years of Pokémon.
Is The Pokémon Anime's Doduo And Rhydon Reveal Officially Canon?
Pokémon Horizons finally answering such long-running questions about Doduo and Rhydon was great to see, but that begs the question of whether it’s the official canon for them. While the anime and the games don’t typically have any bearing on each other, the games have been known to incorporate material from the Pokémon anime at times, like how Spearow, Mewtwo, and Wobbuffet had their personalities changed to match their anime selves and the bevy of games directly based on the anime’s continuity, so based on that, the way Doduo and Rhydon use Fly and Surf could easily become canon.
Kanto Region · Trainer Exam
The Ultimate
Pokémon Trivia Challenge
“I want to be the very best, like no one ever was.”
🔥FireCharizard!
💧WaterBlastoise!
🌱GrassVenusaur!
⚡ElectricPikachu!
🔮LegendaryMewtwo!
I CHOOSE YOU →
01
Every Pokémon Trainer knows the Pokédex by heart. Which Pokémon holds the honor of being #001 in the National Pokédex?
APikachu BBulbasaur CCharmander DMew
✓ Correct! Bulbasaur is #001 — the very first Pokémon in the National Pokédex. Despite Pikachu’s fame as the franchise mascot, the Grass/Poison-type Seed Pokémon has always held the top spot since the original Red & Blue.
✗ Not very effective! The answer is Bulbasaur. While Pikachu is the franchise mascot (#025), it’s Bulbasaur — the Grass/Poison-type Seed Pokémon and one of the original Kanto starters — that has been #001 since the very beginning.
NEXT →
02
The original Pokémon Red & Blue games launched in 1996 in Japan and introduced the first generation of Pokémon. How many Pokémon existed in Generation I?
A100 B135 C151 D152
✓ Correct! Generation I featured exactly 151 Pokémon, from Bulbasaur (#001) to Mew (#151). Mew was famously a secret Pokémon that wasn’t officially acknowledged at launch, making the well-known count of 150 just one short.
✗ Not very effective! The answer is 151. The original 151 Pokémon run from Bulbasaur to Mew. The number 152 is a common trap — Chikorita (#152) is actually the first Pokémon of Generation II, introduced in Gold & Silver.
NEXT →
03
Some Pokémon require special items to evolve. If you want to evolve Pikachu into Raichu, which evolution item do you need to use?
AThunder Stone BMoon Stone CSun Stone DShiny Stone
✓ Correct! The Thunder Stone evolves Pikachu into Raichu. In the anime, Ash’s Pikachu famously refuses to evolve, choosing to beat Lt. Surge’s Raichu on his own terms — one of the most iconic moments in the series.
✗ Not very effective! The answer is the Thunder Stone. The Moon Stone evolves Pokémon like Clefairy and Jigglypuff, while the Sun Stone and Shiny Stone are for other species. For Electric-type Pikachu, only the Thunder Stone will do.
NEXT →
04
Deep within the Pokémon Mansion on Cinnabar Island, journal entries describe a terrifying experiment. Scientists used Mew’s DNA to create an immensely powerful Pokémon. Which Pokémon was the result?
ADeoxys BMewtwo CArceus DGenesect
✓ Correct! Mewtwo was cloned from Mew’s DNA by scientists on Cinnabar Island. Known as the “Genetic Pokémon,” Mewtwo’s creation is one of the darkest storylines in the franchise, explored further in Pokémon: The First Movie.
✗ Not very effective! The answer is Mewtwo. While Deoxys is a space virus Pokémon and Genesect was modified by Team Plasma, it’s Mewtwo (#150) — the Genetic Pokémon — that was artificially created from Mew’s DNA in the original games.
NEXT →
05
Understanding type matchups is essential for any Pokémon battle. Water, Fire, and Grass form the core type triangle. Which of these types is super effective against Water?
AFire BIce CElectric DRock
✓ Correct! Electric-type moves are super effective against Water. Grass is also super effective, but among these options, Electric is the one. This is why Pikachu’s Thunderbolt is devastating against Water-types like Starmie and Gyarados.
✗ Not very effective! The answer is Electric. Fire is actually weak to Water (not the other way around), Ice deals neutral damage, and Rock doesn’t have an advantage either. Electric and Grass are the two types super effective against Water.
NEXT →
06
In Pokémon Red & Blue, a renowned Pokémon researcher in Pallet Town gives you your first Pokémon and Pokédex, launching your journey. Who is this professor?
AProfessor Elm BProfessor Birch CProfessor Rowan DProfessor Oak
✓ Correct! Professor Samuel Oak is the Kanto region’s leading Pokémon researcher and the grandfather of your rival, Blue. His famous question — “Are you a boy or a girl?” — has become an iconic part of gaming history.
✗ Not very effective! The answer is Professor Oak. Each Pokémon region has its own professor (all named after trees): Elm is in Johto, Birch in Hoenn, and Rowan in Sinnoh. But the original — Professor Oak of Pallet Town — started it all.
NEXT →
07
Magikarp is widely considered one of the weakest Pokémon in existence. It’s famous for knowing a move that does absolutely nothing in battle. What is this notoriously useless move?
ASplash BTackle CFlail DStruggle
✓ Correct! Splash does absolutely nothing — “But nothing happened!” Despite being a Normal-type move (not Water!), it has zero effect in battle. The payoff? Train that useless Magikarp to level 20 and it evolves into the fearsome Gyarados.
✗ Not very effective! The answer is Splash. Tackle actually deals damage, Flail is a desperation move that gets stronger at low HP, and Struggle is used when a Pokémon runs out of PP. Only Splash does literally nothing — Magikarp’s signature futile flop.
NEXT →
08
After battling through the Elite Four in Pokémon Red & Blue, you discover someone has beaten them just before you. Who awaits you as the reigning Champion?
AProfessor Oak BLance CBlue (your rival) DRed
✓ Correct! Your rival Blue (known as Gary in the anime) is the surprise Champion at the end of the Pokémon League. He beat the Elite Four just moments before you arrived — making the final battle personal. Lance is the last of the Elite Four, not the Champion.
✗ Not very effective! The answer is Blue, your rival. While Lance is a powerful Dragon-type trainer, he’s the final member of the Elite Four — not the Champion. It’s your arrogant rival Blue who sits on the throne, having beaten everyone just before you.
REVEAL MY SCORE →
Exam Complete Your Trainer Record
/ 8
Are you a Pokémon Master — or still stuck on Route 1?
↻ CHALLENGE AGAIN
All of that is hypothetical, of course, but whatever Pokémon does with these reveals, if anything at all, it doesn’t change how generally fun it is to get those questions answered after 30 years of confusion. It’s hard to know if Pokémon Horizons did it as an intentional tie-in to Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, but for anyone who grew up with Pokémon Red & Blue, it’s still an overall amazing thing to see, and hopefully, it won’t be the last time the anime does something like that.
Pokémon is a Japanese multimedia franchise created by Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori, launched by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures in 1996. Centered on fictional creatures called Pokémon, the series spans video games, trading cards, animation, films, merchandise, and competitive events. Players assume the role of Trainers who capture, battle, and trade Pokémon. It is one of the highest-grossing entertainment franchises in history.
English (US) ·