With a live-action film in Detective Pikachu coming this May and the next generation of Pokémon set to debut on the Nintendo Switch by the end of the year, 2019 is a great year to be a Pokémon fan. Nintendo's immensely popular video game franchise has thrived for over 20 years, and it's introduced numerous versions of the pocket monsters in its extensive cast. And in the long-running Pokémon spinoff anime, the Squirtle Squad stands out a particularly beloved reinvention of soem classic characters.
After starting out as a quintet of mischievous Squirtles wearing sunglasses and committing pranks on hapless bystanders, the group quickly became a fan-favorite and turned into a recurring part of the anime series. These water Pokémon eventually spreading into fan art, online memes and back to the video games themselves.
Ash Meets the Squirtle Squad
The Squirtle Squad has been a part of the long-running anime series since he show's 12th episode, aptly titled "Here Comes the Squirtle Squad." Serving as a sort of Kanto Region highwaymen, or more accurately, highway-turtles, the gang tie up Pokemon trainer Ash Ketchum and his friends.
After speaking with Officer Jenny, Ash learns that the group were all Squirtles abandoned by their original trainers that banded together and resorted to widespread mischief. After helping the Squirtle Squad put out a forest fire and defeat Team Rocket once again, the group's leader decides to follow Ash. He becomes Ash's newest Pokemon, ditches his sunglasses and joining the young trainer on his quest to become the very best.
The Return of the Squirtle Squad
Much later in the series, while venturing into the Johto Region, Ash and Squirtle are reunited with the rest of the squad in the show's 147th episode, "The Fire-ing Squad." After defeating Team Wartortle in a firefighting competition, Squirtle decides to rejoin his hard-shelled comrades for good, occasionally returning to help Ash in his times of need.
From then on, the squad would reappear in cameo roles, including three separate appearances during the Advanced Generation series and the animated special Pichu Bros. in Party Panic, where they helped Meowth set up for a party. Most recently, the squad appeared in the 981st episode of the anime series, "Aloha, Kanto!" where a Rotom takes a picture of them.
The Squirtle Squad in Pokémon Video Games
In a full circle moment, the Squirtle Squad have gone on to appear in Pokemon-branded video games. The Pokemon Channel, a Gamecube collection of short games that starred various Pokemon and took a more direct inspiration from the anime series, featured a mini-game known as Stop N' Squirtle. The mini-game was hosted by the Squirtle Squad allowing players to upgrade and customize their homes to increase favorability from Pikachu.
Most recently, to celebrate Pokemon GO Community Day, the popular mobile game allowed players on July 8 to capture Squirtles wearing sunglasses in a nod to the fan-favorite ensemble. If players opted to evolve members of the Squirtle Squad, the resulting Wartortles and Blastoises would retain their signature sunglasses after their transformation.
As a memetic favorite for longtime fans of the franchise, the Squirtle Squad has evolved from its early anime appearance into one of the most recognizable groups from the anime. From continued appearances in the series to their presence in video games like Pokemon GO, the Squirtle Squad have endured through several generations of new Pokemon to maintain their status as the coolest crew in the Kanto Region.