The first episode of Monster Rancher opens with Genki at the tail end of a gaming tournament where he and a member of an opposing team are chosen for the final competition. Genki pulls out some special combos to win the match, and thus receives a special early edition of the new game.
As Genki loads the game, we are introduced to Holly and Suezo, hopelessly outnumbered by a squad of Dinos who are intent on reclaiming a Mystery Disk that the duo has obtained. Holly and Suezo try to unlock the disc at the same moment that Genki loads the CD-ROM, triggering a portal that sucks in Genki and many of the possessions from his bedroom, including a CD-ROM and his roller blades. Genki's arrival causes confusion on both sides—until the Dinos show up. Taking his skates, Genki carries Holly (with Suezo following) out of the ruin to safety.
Once in the clear, Genki can't contain his excitement at being in the Monster Rancher world. However, Holly and Suezo can't share his enthusiasm. They were hoping to unlock a monster called the Phoenix, the only thing that can stop Moo, a mysterious villain who's turning monsters evil. Trying to explain his appearance, Genki shows Holly his CD, which the girl identifies as a mystery disc—one that might contain the Phoenix. The Dinos show up Genki picks up Holly again and carries her all the way back to the ruin and try unlocking the CD.
In the ruins, as Holly does her best to fight off the Dinos with Suezo, Genki goes to unlock the disc. After a false start, he succeeds—and gets not the Phoenix, but a pink creature with a yellow beak and green back. The ruin starts to collapse so the heroes flee and Holly of course carried by Genki, leaving the Dinos trapped.
Out in the open, Genki decides to name the new monster Mocchi, as his curled up form resembles the mochi treats his mom made. Genki and Holly formally introduce each other and team up to find the Phoenix together.
This episode contains examples of:
- Ascended Fanboy: Genki, upon arriving in the monster world.
- Badass Normal: Genki has no powers, weapons, or training. That doesn't stop him from kicking a Dino in the face.
- Bland-Name Product: The English dub had to change the names of real-life products as they were not allowed to advertise directly in children's programs, so Monster Rancher became Monster Battle 200X, Tecmo became Mecto. Averted in the subtitled versions, where everything is as it is in real life.
- Blush Sticker: When a panicking Genki runs into Suezo, there's a Beat where Suezo briefly gains one of these before the yelling starts.
- Dub Name Change: Moo's forces are referred to as 'warumon', or 'bad monsters'. This was translated as 'baddies'.
- Establishing Series Moment: Genki has two.
- At the game tournament in the beginning, Genki and his opponent shake hands. Michael tries to do a Crushing Handshake, only for Genki to return it and then some. This got cut in the dub however.
- Genki has just met Mocchi when the latter is threatened by the Black Dino Squad. What's Genki do when their leader threatens to make the young monster a slave? Kick the Black Dino in the face. It establishes that the humans are willing to fight alongside the monsters, which made it stand out from other Mons series.
- The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You: When Suezo uses a spit attack on the Dinos, a glob of saliva goes through the screen and hits Genki!
- Frying Pan of Doom: Holly pulls one out of Suezo's pack, along with a pot for a makeshift helmet, before charging the Black Dinos.
- Hope Spot: Just as Holly and Suezo are overwhelmed by the Black Dinos, Genki manages to unlock his disc, with all the heroes thinking that it might be the phoenix. When the brilliant light finally solidifies, a tiny pink ball is bouncing on the dais.
- I'm Taking Her Home with Me!: A dark version after Mocchi's unlocked; Captain Black Dino mockingly calls him cute and wonders if he should make him his pet.
- Jumped at the Call: Though obviously confused at first, Genki certainly doesn't seem to mind that he's not home anymore. And he seems overjoyed at the prospect of a quest.
- Lost in Translation: Mocchi's appearance is based off of mochi, a Japanese snack made from pounded glutinous rice flour. More specifically, sakuramochi, a sweet, pink-tinted variation wrapped in a leaf from a cherry blossom tree. Genki names him after recalling the sakuramochi that his mother brought him back home. In the English dub, Genki calls these 'sweet cakes' up until the moment he recognizes the shape.
- Protection Mission: Suezo and Holly attempt this to buy Genki time to unlock his disc.
- Pursued Protagonist: Holly and Suezo are introduced this way; Genki's game begins with them being chased by Captain Dino and his troops.
- Rollerblade Good: While Genki took off his shoes when he got home, his rollerblades were among the things pulled into the monster world, and he uses them to good effect against the Black Dinos.
- Stunned Silence: Everyone takes a moment to stare at the newly born Mocchi in utter disbelief.
- Trapped in Another World: Genki becomes this, but doesn't seem to mind much.
- Verbal Tic: Mocchi's 'Chi's, which he does before he even gets his name.
