SM002

← SM001 : Alola to New Adventure!

Sun & Moon series

SM003 : Loading the Dex! →

The Guardian's Challenge!

SM002   EP941 守り神カプ・コケコ登場！挑戦、オレたちのZワザ！！ The Guardian Deity Kapu-Kokeko Appears! Challenge, Our Z-Move!!

First broadcast Japan November 17, 2016 United States December 5, 2016* February 11, 2017* March 17, 2017* May 12, 2017*

English themes Opening Under The Alolan Sun Ending

Japanese themes Opening アローラ!! Ending ポーズ

Credits Animation Team Kato Screenplay 松井亜弥 Aya Matsui Storyboard 冨安大貴 Daiki Tomiyasu 樋口香里 Kaori Higuchi Assistant directors 高橋知也 Tomoya Takahashi 牧野吉高 Yoshitaka Makino Animation directors 安田周平 Shūhei Yasuda 村田理 Osamu Murata 松田真路 Shinji Matsuda No additional credits are available at this time.

Screenshots on Filb.de Preview thread on BMGf Closed Original review thread on BMGf Dub review thread on BMGf

The Guardian's Challenge! (Japanese: 守り神カプ・コケコ登場！挑戦、オレたちのZワザ！！ The Guardian Deity Kapu-Kokeko Appears! Challenge, Our Z-Move!!) is the second episode of the Sun & Moon series, and the 941st episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on November 17, 2016 as a one-hour special alongside SM001, and in the United Kingdom as a sneak peek preview of the full series on November 20, 2016 as a one-hour special alongside Alola to New Adventure!. It aired in the United States as a sneak peek preview of the full series on December 5, 2016 as part of a marathon with Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel and Alola to New Adventure!. The final version of the episode was broadcast in the United States on March 17, 2017, and was later broadcast in sequence on May 12, 2017.

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

Blurb

Now that Ash has decided to become a Pokémon School student in the Alola region, his classmates throw him a welcome party! Three of them challenge him to various competitions—a balloon-popping contest versus Sophocles and his Togedemaru, a land-and-water race between Pikachu and Lana’s Popplio, and a Tauros race against Kiawe.

Finally, Professor Kukui challenges him to a Pokémon battle, but Tapu Koko interrupts. It wants to battle Ash instead—and it wants him to try out his very first Z-Move, Gigavolt Havoc! As Pikachu unleashes an astonishingly powerful burst of electricity, Ash’s Z-Crystal shatters. He decides to undergo an island challenge trial to earn a new one!

Plot

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At the Pokémon School, Lana tells her Popplio to make a balloon, which pops. Sophocles puts Togedemaru in a wheel to charge his program, but she falls over. Lillie recommends to Mallow that she should add some berries to her Pokémon food to let it taste better. As Mallow thanks Lillie for the suggestion, Lillie was surprised by Bounsweet. Mallow thinks Lillie is afraid to touch Pokémon, to which Lillie denies. Kiawe walks in the classroom, feeling tired after making a delivery to Ula'ula Island. Professor Kukui greets the class, with Ash and Pikachu behind him. Kiawe notices the Electrium-Z-equipped Z-Ring that Ash wears. Kukui reveals that Ash will be a student in the Pokémon School. Ash then introduces himself to his new classmates and his intention of becoming a Pokémon Master.

Sophocles and Mallow notice the Z-Crystal on Ash's Z-Ring, with Kiawe saying that it is an Electrium-Z. Ash exclaims that Tapu Koko had given it to him, much to Mallow's shock that he had seen Tapu Koko a second time. He then did a more in-depth explanation, with Kiawe wondering on how Tapu Koko got a Z-Ring. Lillie explains to Ash about the tales of Tapu Koko. Kiawe reveals that he got his Z-Crystal from clearing the Akala Island's grand trial. Ash becomes excited that he can now use Z-Moves just like Kiawe, but Kiawe objects strongly, telling Ash about the duties of Z-Move users. Ash later reassures Kiawe that he will do his best. Kukui tells the class that Samson Oak will be the teacher for the next lesson.

A Komala is seen sleeping on a tree. Oak, wearing an Exeggutor costume, teaches the class about the different appearances and types of the Pokémon in different regions. He then says that the Alolan Exeggutor they are looking at is a regional variant, and about the biology of Exeggutor. Surprised about the typing of Alolan Exeggutor, Ash runs forward to stroke its tail but ends up getting thrown up the ladder, not knowing about the nature of the tail.

At Kukui's house, Kukui treats Ash and Pikachu to dinner, which both finishes the food very fast. Ash and Pikachu pets Rockruff, which Kukui says that it took a liking to Ash. As Ash continues to pet Rockruff, Kukui receives a phone call from Mallow and agrees to proceed with a welcome party planned for Ash on the following day.

The next morning, Ash and Pikachu are late to school, and are trying to rush there. As they arrive, they are greeted with confetto and Popplio's bubble. Mallow explains that they had planned a surprise party for Ash. Sophocles and Togedemaru starts by challenging Ash and Pikachu to a challenge, which Ash mistaken for a battle, which in fact is a balloon popping challenge. Sophocles uses Togedemaru's spikes to gain a good lead, and Lillie tells Ash he can use moves to burst the balloons. Ash commands Pikachu to use Thunderbolt, but it is absorbed by Togedemaru's Lightning Rod Ability. It then uses Zing Zap to burst the remaining balloons, winning the challenge for Sophocles. Lana and Popplio challenges Ash to another challenge, however they are being watched by a yellow Pokémon from afar. Although off to a strong start, Pikachu starts to fall behind when he reaches the pool. In the end, Popplio wins the challenge with its superior swimming speed.

Ash is up against Kiawe in a Tauros race, with Kukui and Oak watching them at the balcony. Oak asks the professor if he will take part in the party, which Kukui replies that he is the fifth surprise. The race ends with Kiawe winning in a photo finish. Kukui walks up to Ash and says that he is the fifth surprise, but Mallow says that it is lunchtime. As they consume their food, Ash hears a Pokémon's cry and Tapu Koko appears, much to everyone's surprise. Ash thanks it for bestowing him the Z-Ring. Tapu Koko grabs Ash's hat and flies around with extreme speed. It then flies towards the forest, with Ash on its heels.

Tapu Koko and Ash race to the forest and everyone else follows behind. In the middle of the forest, Tapu Koko returns Ash his hat, and reveals its will to battle him. Tapu Koko starts the battle with Electric Terrain, and lunges at Pikachu. Pikachu manages to dodge Tapu Koko's Dazzling Gleam and proceeds with Thunderbolt, but having little to no effect. Tapu Koko charges at Ash and activates his Z-Ring. Ash realizes Tapu Koko wants him to use the Z-Move. Ash then prepares to set off the Z-Move, much to everyone's nervousness. Ash performs the pose and Pikachu fires a strong Gigavolt Havoc, causing a huge explosion. The Electrium-Z shatters after that, and Tapu Koko flies away. Mallow was impressed at how powerful his first Z-Move was. Kiawe notices that Ash's Z-Crystal had disintegrated, and explains that it was still early for Ash to fully utilize Z-Moves, as he had not taken a trial. Ash then decides he will participate in the island challenge to prove his worthiness, and his classmates agree that they will be cheering for him.

Back at Kukui's house, Ash receives the Alola Pokédex from Professor Kukui while having dinner.

Major events

• Ash learns about regional variants.
• Sophocles's Togedemaru is revealed to know Zing Zap and have Lightning Rod as her Ability.
• Ash encounters Tapu Koko again, with his classmates encountering it for the first time.
• Ash and Pikachu have a battle against Tapu Koko, which gets called off when Tapu Koko flees.
• Ash and Pikachu perform Gigavolt Havoc for the first time.
• Ash's Electrium Z shatters.
• Ash decides to take on the island challenge in order to get new Z-Crystals and qualify as a Z-Move user.
• Ash receives a Pokédex from Professor Kukui.

For a list of all major events in the animated series, please see the history page.

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

• Rockruff
• Komala

Characters

Humans

Dare da?

• Ash
• Lana
• Kiawe
• Lillie
• Sophocles
• Mallow
• Professor Kukui
• Samson Oak

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Rockruff (US and international), Tapu Koko (Japan)

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Popplio (Lana's)
• Turtonator (Kiawe's; flashback)
• Togedemaru (Sophocles's)
• Bounsweet (Mallow's)
• Rockruff (Professor Kukui's; taking care of; debut)
• Komala (Samson Oak's; debut)
• Eevee (Trainer's)
• Drifloon (Trainer's)
• Machoke (Trainer's)
• Sableye (Trainer's)
• Electabuzz (Trainer's)
• Elekid (Trainer's)
• Tapu Koko (anime)
• Alomomola (×2)
• Goldeen
• Finneon (multiple)
• Sharpedo
• Poliwag
• Exeggutor (Alola Form)
• Braviary (×6)
• Fearow (×4)
• Corsola
• Luvdisc (×2)
• Tauros (Ride Pokémon; ×2)

Trivia

• During the first airing on TV Tokyo as one-hour special, viewers could take part in a three-characters keyword quiz, in which ten viewers could win a Nintendo New 3DS XL Pokemon Solgaleo Lunala Black Edition and copies of Pokémon Sun and Moon. The second character was ワ and the third ザ.
• During the first airing on TV Tokyo as one-hour special the Japanese comedian Abareru-kun appeared in typical Hawaiian clothes, he announced the Poké Problem data broadcast, a data broadcast that works with Pokémon Sun and Moon, and that next week another one-hour special would air.
• This episode aired as a sneak peek on November 18, 2016, in France; November 19, 2016, in Italy; November 20, 2016, in Germany and Belgium; November 26, 2016, in Spain; November 27, 2016, in the Netherlands; December 5, 2016, in the United States; and December 31, 2016, in Canada alongside Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel and SM001. Its airdate in France was only one day after its airing in Japan.
• When the Watch Disney XD site and Disney XD app were updated to include episodes from Pokémon: Indigo League on February 11, 2017, the final version of this and the following episode were made available, replacing the special preview previously available through the service.
• Jessie, James, and Meowth narrate the preview for the next episode.

Errors

• As the screen flashes between Ash and Pikachu just before Pikachu fires off Gigavolt Havoc, Pikachu can be heard talking but not actually opening his mouth.

Dub edits

• The Japanese text depicting Gigavolt Havoc's name when Pikachu is about to use the move is edited out in the dub.
• The text saying "To Be Continued" when Ash receives the Rotom Pokédex from Professor Kukui is edited out in the dub.
• In the official debut of this episode's dub, a large portion of the original music is replaced with dub music. However, this was not the case in the preview airing, in which the episode used all of the original music.

In other languages

Language		Title
Mandarin Chinese		守護神卡璞鳴鳴登場！挑戰我們的Z招式!!
Dutch		De uitdaging van de beschermer!
European French		Le défi du Gardien !
German		Die Herausforderung des Schutzpatrons!
Italian		La sfida del protettore!
Spanish	Latin America	¡El reto del guardián!
	Spain	¡El recorrido del espíritu!
Thai		เทพผู้พิทักษ์คาปุ โคเคโคะปรากฏตัว! การท้าทายท่าไม้ตาย Z ของพวกเรา!!

← SM001 : Alola to New Adventure!

Sun & Moon series

SM003 : Loading the Dex! →

This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.