Japanese Title: The Mystery of the Frozen Himanuts!!
Original Airdate: March 1st, 2001
US Airdate: January 26th, 2002
On their way to Olivine City, our heroes run into their old friend and shutterbug, Todd! He explains that he's in the area looking to capture a photo of the legendary Articuno, which has been sighted somewhere in that part of the region. As Todd and our heroes catch up, a frozen Sunkern falls from the sky. The gang take it to a nearby lodge and, with the help of the old woman who runs it, thaw poor Sunkern out. The old woman explains she and her husband go to a valley with hundreds of Sunflora (the evolution of Sunkern) every year on their anniversary and have their picture taken. Tragically, this being their 50th wedding anniversary, they won't be able to continue the tradition because all of the Sunflora have disappeared. Where have all the Sunflora gone?Tropes
- The Bus Came Back: Todd from "Pokémon Paparazzi" returns.
- Call-Back: Ash uses the Sun Stone from "The Bug Stops Here" to evolve Sunkern into Sunflora.
- Fridge Logic: In-Universe, Brock realizes that Sophia's story about falling from a bridge doesn't make any sense because there's no bridge.
- Go On Without Me: Another of Sophia's overly dramatic stories.
- Harmless Freezing: Sunkern isn't hurt by being frozen solid.
- Multi-Part Episode: This is the first of a trilogy originally advertised as "The Search for Articuno".
- Rambling Old Man Monologue: Ash and his friends are afraid they're in for one of these, but it's actually interesting.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Seeing Pikachu about to use his thunderbolt on them, Team Rocket just climb in their balloon in and float away. Ash waves goodbye to the trio... then has Pikachu thunderbolt them anyway.
- Shout-Out: Sophia's story about Marcello is the same as "Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak Tree".