Butterfree is a butterfly Pokemon from the original Pokemon games, first released in Japan in 1996, where it evolved from Caterpie through Metapod. It became widely known through the Pokemon animated series, in which Ash's Butterfree became a memorable early companion, and through later games where its distinctive cry returned with each new generation. Fans still reuse the sound today because it instantly signals nostalgia for the first Pokemon era, especially in edits celebrating classic creatures, releases and emotional farewells.