SM076

← SM075 : Some Kind of Laziness!

Sun & Moon series

SM077 : Guiding an Awakening! →

A Battle Hand-Off!

SM076   EP1015 スーパー決戦！ピカチュウVSミミッキュ！！ Super Decisive Battle! Pikachu VS Mimikkyu!!

First broadcast Japan May 24, 2018 United States October 27, 2018

English themes Opening Under The Alolan Moon Ending

Japanese themes Opening 未来コネクション Ending ジャリボーイ・ジャリガール

Credits Animation Team Kato Screenplay 藤咲淳一 Jun'ichi Fujisaku Storyboard 関野昌弘 Masahiro Sekino Assistant director 上野史博 Fumihiro Ueno Animation director 篠原隆 Takashi Shinohara 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

A Battle Hand-Off! (Japanese: スーパー決戦！ピカチュウVSミミッキュ！！ Super Decisive Battle! Pikachu VS Mimikkyu!!) is the 76th episode of the Sun & Moon series, and the 1,015th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on May 24, 2018, in New Zealand on September 14, 2018, in Canada on October 13, 2018, in the United Kingdom on October 26, 2018, and in the United States on October 27, 2018.

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

Blurb

Fresh from his training with Tapu Bulu, Ash is ready for a rematch against Nanu, the kahuna of Ula’ula Island. Before the grand trial, however, Nanu has another pre-trial test for Ash. Our hero is tasked with winning a Pokémon battle against Team Rocket! Unfortunately for Ash, Jessie and Mimikyu have mastered Mimikyu’s Z-Move, and Mimikyu is determined to show Pikachu its full power…

Plot

Jessie states that she and Mimikyu have mastered their Z-Move. In celebration, Team Rocket performs the Z-Move, but just as the Z-Power is passed onto Mimikyu, a call from Matori comes through. Matori asks about the trio's progress, and Jessie proudly displays her the recently obtained Z-Ring. Jessie then reveals that they are intent on catching Pikachu for the Boss. Matori notes that knowing a Z-Move will help them to catch rare Pokémon, and commends Jessie's enthusiasm before signing out. Jessie is left infuriated by Matori's disruptive and frequent check-ins. Meanwhile, Bewear continues to stockpile Berries, pausing for a moment to listen to the decoy Team Rocket's dialogue.

Outside Acerola's home, Ash prepares Lycanroc and Pikachu for some training. The technique surprises Acerola, though Rotom assures her that this is normal for Ash. Pikachu begins with a Quick Attack, though Lycanroc responds with Accelerock. Pikachu lands an Iron Tail and follows it up with an Electro Ball. As Pikachu launches its attack, he slips in a mud puddle and the attack instead sprays Lycanroc's face with mud, but fortunately, it does not erupt into anger. As Ash addresses Pikachu, he notes that Pikachu's Electro Ball went amiss and Rotom adds that it appeared to split apart for some unknown reason. Ash declares the practice match a success and looks forward to challenging Nanu.

At the Po Town Police Station, Nanu is busy playing around with his kendama when he is startled by Team Rocket's arrival. They ask for his assistance to find Ash, claiming that they wish to have a battle against Pikachu. Nanu blindly points to a map, and explains that Team Rocket can find Ash at the abandoned Thrifty Megamart. As Team Rocket makes their way there, Ash soon arrives at the police station, demanding a trial against him. Nanu agrees to a Grand Trial against Ash on one condition, that he defeat "some" Trainers and their Mimikyu at the abandoned Thrifty Megamart. He also elects Acerola to judge the match. Ash begins making his way over to the abandoned site, while Nanu smirks at his cunning evasion tactic and returns to relaxing.

At the abandoned Thrifty Megamart, Team Rocket awaits their opponent. Meowth becomes tired of waiting and decides to look behind a stall shelf. He screams, directing Jessie and James' attention to a set of glowing eyes. They are all terrified, but quickly recover when they learn it is just Jessie's Mimikyu. Suddenly, a shopping cart nearly falls on Team Rocket, forcing them to briefly flee. Elsewhere, Poipole pushes several of the shopping carts towards Pikachu, who evades them. Ash tells Poipole to stop fooling around, but Rotom reassures him that Poipole enjoys practical jokes. His attention soon turns to Team Rocket, who perform their motto. Ash quickly realizes that his trial opponents are Team Rocket and their Mimikyu. Acerola announces that she will be the judge, and Team Rocket bow in respect of her authority. Left with no other choice, Ash officially accepts the challenge.

Bewear finally goes into Team Rocket's base in its den. It looks at the dummies, who soon begin to repeat their lines and fail. Realizing the real Team Rocket trio is away, Bewear screams. It jumps out of its base, leaving a path of destruction in its wake, and goes out to find them.

Meanwhile, at the Pokémon School, Professor Kukui is in the midst of teaching a class based on Mimikyu and asks what should his students be aware of when battling it. Lillie states that Mimikyu is immune to Dragon, Normal, and Fighting-type moves. Kiawe is then reminded of Team Rocket's Mimikyu while the other students wish to see what is under its Pikachu-shaped cloth. Kukui explains that Mimikyu are more common on Ula'ula Island than anywhere else in Alola. At that moment, Kiawe and Mallow wonder how Ash's trial is going.

Back on Ula'ula Island, Pikachu lands a successful Iron Tail, but it only triggers Mimikyu's Disguise Ability and does little damage to it. Mimikyu retaliates with Play Rough, followed by Shadow Claw. Ash has Pikachu use Electro Ball to avoid close combat, one of Mimikyu's strength. However the attack is returned to him as Mimikyu's uses Wood Hammer. Ash tries another Electro Ball; this time, the attack splits, like what happened earlier that day, and hits Team Rocket instead. Pikachu dodges Mimikyu's approach with Quick Attack, but its Thunderbolt is interrupted by a Shadow Claw. Just as Jessie is about to perform a Z-Move with Mimikyu, Meowth is distracted, thinking that James touched him. James denies it, but he suddenly feels something touch him as well. At that moment, Bewear arrives and prepares to take Team Rocket away, despite their pleas. However, Mimikyu stares darkly at Bewear, prompting it to free Team Rocket and allow the battle to continue.

Mimikyu turns its attention to Pikachu and unleashes several Shadow Claw attacks, which he dodges and counters with Iron Tail. Mimikyu's Wood Hammer clashes with Pikachu's Iron Tail, before Mimkyu resorts to knocking down several shop stands. The two foes continue to exchange blows amongst the obstacle course, running along shelve tops and in-between the aisles. Pikachu dodges another Shadow Claw, and responds with Electro Ball. Mimikyu deflects the attack, which instead nearly hits Team Rocket. Spotting Pikachu's exhaustion, James, Meowth, and Wobbuffet launch into their Z-Move pose with Jessie, who twists the Mimikium Z on the Z-Ring. Pikachu manages to stand up, but it is too late as Mimikyu performs Let's Snuggle Forever. Mimikyu drapes its costume over Pikachu and beats its opponent, leaving Team Rocket shocked by the amount of violence displayed. Jessie tears up, believing her fortunes have finally changed and anticipates the Boss's praise.

However, as Mimikyu jumps off, Pikachu is revealed to have unknowingly protected himself in an Electroweb. Proud of the new move, Ash has Pikachu trap Mimikyu with another Electroweb. Ash declares that he will respond with his own Z-Move, and his Z-Crystal again changes into a Pikashunium Z. Ash places his hat on Pikachu and the two perform 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt. The multicolored thunder beams hit their mark, blasting a large hole in the Thrifty Megamart's ceiling and leaving Team Rocket burned. As Mimikyu faints, Acerola declares Ash and Pikachu the trial winners. Ash happily embraces Pikachu, thanking him for his efforts, while Jessie demands Mimikyu to continue going, only to be stared down by Bewear, who gently picks up the unconscious Pokémon. Bewear then drops Team Rocket into a shopping cart and carefully places Mimikyu on top of the heap. Using the collapsed ceiling as a ramp, it quickly wheels the trolley up and flies out of the area.

Nanu arrives on the scene and is irritated by Ash's victory, but concedes and decides to keep his promise to Ash. Ash is overjoyed by this and thanks Nanu. Meanwhile, back at Bewear's den, Team Rocket is frustrated about how close they came to finally catching Pikachu, with Jessie vowing to continue training on the Z-Move. Their intense discussion is interrupted by Bewear's arrival with honey and they pause to have a snack break.

Major events

• Jessie's Mimikyu is revealed to have Disguise as its Ability.
• Jessie and Mimikyu perform Let's Snuggle Forever for the first time.
• Ash's Pikachu learns Electroweb.
• Ash clears the Thrifty Megamart trial, thus becoming qualified to challenge Nanu's grand trial.

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

Characters

Humans

Dare da?

• Ash
• Lana
• Kiawe
• Lillie
• Sophocles
• Mallow
• Jessie
• James
• Matori (video hologram)
• Professor Kukui
• Acerola
• Nanu

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Krookodile (US and international), Mimikyu (Japan)

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
• Rotom (Rotom Pokédex)
• Lycanroc (Ash's; Dusk Form)
• Poipole (Ash's)
• Popplio (Lana's)
• Turtonator (Kiawe's)
• Vulpix (Lillie's; Alola Form; Snowy)
• Togedemaru (Sophocles's)
• Steenee (Mallow's)
• Mimikyu (Jessie's)
• Mareanie (James's; Poké Problem segment)
• Mimikyu (Acerola's; Shiny; Mimikins)
• Bewear (anime)

Trivia

The flags as they appeared in the original trailer

• Poké Problem: Which one of Team Rocket's Pokémon uses a Z-Move in today's episode?
  • Host: James:
  • Choices: Mareanie, Meowth, Wobbuffet, Mimikyu
  • Answer: Mimikyu
• This is the first time that Pikachu learns a new move since he learned Electro Ball in Dancing With the Ducklett Trio!, 338 episodes earlier. This marks the largest number of episodes it has ever taken between Pikachu learning new moves to date.
• This marks the first time a main character has completed a trial and not received a Z-Crystal as a reward, as well as the first non-grand trial to not feature a Totem Pokémon.
• Future Connection is used as an insert song when Pikachu's Z-Move 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt is used to defeat Jessie's Mimikyu.
• Acerola and Nanu narrate the preview for the next episode.
• The original trailer for this episode that aired following SM075 depicted the Thrifty Megamart with flags bearing symbols similar to those of real-life chain Walmart. In the broadcast version of the episode, the flags bore a different, original symbol.
• This marks the first time Pikachu officially defeats Mimikyu, as all of their previous battles were interrupted by Bewear.
• Ash, Acerola, Jessie, James, and Meowth read the Who's That Pokémon? segment in the dub.

Dub edits

• The Japanese texts depicting the names of Let's Snuggle Forever and 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt are edited out in the dub.

In other languages

Language		Title
Mandarin Chinese		超級決戰！皮卡丘VS謎擬Ｑ！！
European French		Une revanche éblouissante !
German		Ein Rückkampf in Abwesenheit!
Korean		슈퍼 결전! 피카츄 VS 따라큐!!
Brazilian Portuguese		Uma batalha adiada!
Latin American Spanish		¡Una batalla por encargo!

← SM075 : Some Kind of Laziness!

Sun & Moon series

SM077 : Guiding an Awakening! →

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