The Pi-Kahuna – Pokémon Season 1, Episode 67

Filler / stand-alone episodeFillerSurfing Pikachu

The Pi-Kahuna is the 67th episode of Pokémon: Indigo League, the first season of the Pokémon anime, and the 67th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 69, Bulbapedia code EP067). It first aired in Japan on 22 October 1998 and in the United States on 2 October 1999. It falls within the season’s Christmas, Mewtwo & the road to Indigo stretch (EP64–EP73).

Synopsis · Major Events · Trivia · Dub Changes · All episodes

Synopsis

Despite being at the beach on Seafoam Island, Ash isn’t slacking and is training hard, as is Pikachu. As he’s running down the road a vehicle splashes Ash and lets loads of fumes out in his face, disorienting him for long enough to cause a major car accident and pile up, but fortunately not being injured personally. Officer Jenny turns up to rectify the situation and tells Ash and co to be more careful next time, the group ask why its so busy and Jenny explains that its because Humounga-Dunga is coming, a giant wave that only hits the island once every 20 years. Jenny points out a rock that surfers are trying to surf to the top of and put their flag, Jenny explains they’re all trying to become surfing legends like a guy called Jan was, he has been the only person to ever ride Humounga-Dunga and plant his flag at the top of the rock. For over four decades people have been coming from all across the world to try and match what Jan did.

Ash runs off, grabs a surfboard and rushes out to hit the surf, evading his actual training once more. Pikachu spots another Pikachu sat on a clifftop near a little house. Ash falls off his surfboard and something is wrong with his foot, he starts to drown but makes it to his surfboard and a big wave turns up and knocks Ash out under the water. A guy and his Pikachu fly past, rescue Ash and surf the large wave, getting Ash to safety he takes Ash to his home to recover, Ash wakes up with Misty, Brock and Pikachu at his bedside. The guy who rescues him comes in and asks if he’s OK, the guys name is Victor and it was he and his Pikachu, Pukka who saved him. Pikachu goes out to meet Pukka and they watch across the waves together, Meanwhile Team Rocket turn up in their sub and spot both Pikachu’s, intent on stealing them. Back inside the Cabin Victor is telling the story of how he met Pukka, who wasn’t caught like a regular Pokemon and came to him from the sea on a little raft and Victor rescued him, and since that day the two have never been apart.

Apparently Pukka has a special power, it can feel the waves in it’s body and it even knows when a big wave is coming. Together they have surfed every major wave in the world, except one. The gang take a look at the pictures of Victor and Pukka, to discover he has a picture of his younger self with Jan, the famous surfer that Jenny told them about. Victor reveals that he started surfing because he wanted to be just like Jan and tells the tale of the day that Jan rode Humounga-dunga, told Victor “you can do it too” and handed Victor his surfboard before leaving to surf the world. Twenty years after these events Victor himself challenged the big wave, but he failed, it was the biggest disappointment of his life but led to him finding Pukka. Just then a commotion can be heard from outside, Team Rocket have snatched both Pikachu’s with their sub and headed underwater.

A large group of Gyarados attack Team Rocket’s sub as they’ve inadvertantly encroached on the Gyarados egg laying season! Misty, Ash, Brock and Victor are in a boat when they spot Team Rockets sub blasting off and see the Chu’s heading toward the water, Ash uses Bulasaur to save Ash’s Pikachu, but Pukka plunges into the water and the boat gets knocked away. Victor throws his surfboard to Pukka and swims out to rescue him, Ash and co have to return to shore or the boat is going to capsize. Pukka senses that the big wave they have been waiting for is near, Victor and Pukka have their chance to finally beat the big wave.

The beach is evacuated by Officer Jenny and everyone heads to high ground where they watch the giant wave approach, there they spot Victor and Pukka riding the wave! Planting their flag succesfully next to Jans and fulfilling their dreams.

The group rush over to congratulate Victor and Pukka, Victor sees a young pair of surfers watching him in awe and tells them that they can do it too (Really though, don’t try this at home).

Team Rocket are surrounded by angry Gyarados, precariously balanced on a rock, and Ash and friends continue on their journey.

Major Events

• Pokémon Yellow Pikachu’s Beach tie-in
• First episode with the whole trio in different clothes. All-Stars Vol. 1. Lecture: Fearow.

Trivia

• The English title plays on the big kahuna.
• The screenplay is by Shinzō Fujita.
• This is a stand-alone episode: it can be skipped without losing the thread of the Kanto story.
• The Who’s That Pokémon? segment features Pikachu in Japan, where it almost always matched the episode, but Gloom in the US, where 4Kids picked the Pokémon at random.

Changes in the English Dub

• Eyecatch swapped
• Binnes becomes Seafoam Island
• Dub ending: Pikachu’s Jukebox — Double Trouble

Part of our Pokémon: Indigo League guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.