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| Season | Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon (Season 20) · Welcome to Alola arc (SM001–SM004) |
| Episode | Season 20, episode 4 · English episode 939 · Japanese episode 944 · Bulbapedia code SM004 |
| English title | First Catch in Alola, Ketchum-Style! |
| Japanese title | モクロー登場！アローラでポケモンゲットだぜ！！ Mokurō Tōjō! Arōra de Pokemon Getto da ze!! — “It’s Mokuroh! Catching Pokémon in Alola!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 24 November 2016 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 14 May 2017 · Disney XD |
| Screenplay | Aya Matsui |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Alola!! – Satoshi (Rica Matsumoto) with Pikachu (Ikue Ōtani) · Pōzu (Pose) – Taiiku Okazaki |
| English opening | Under the Alolan Sun – Jannel Candrice and The Sad Truth (featuring Ben Dixon and the Vestigial Horns) |
| Who’s That Pokémon? | Rowlet (US) |
| Previous episode | Loading the Dex! (SM003) |
| Next episode | Yo, Ho, Ho! Go, Popplio! (SM005) |
Plot episodeAsh catches RowletJessie catches Mimikyu
First Catch in Alola, Ketchum-Style! is the 4th episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, the twentieth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 939th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 944, Bulbapedia code SM004). It first aired in Japan on 24 November 2016 and in the United States on 14 May 2017. It falls within the season’s Welcome to Alola stretch (EP1–EP4).
Premiered at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday 14 May 2017, during Disney XD’s week of daily premieres (SM003–SM010, 13–20 May 2017); Canada had shown it on 8 April and the UK on 14 April.
Synopsis
Ash catches his first Alolan Pokémon, a sleepy Rowlet, after it helps him rescue its flock from Team Rocket. In the Melemele marketplace a stallholder named Anela feeds a Litten, and a flock of Pikipek led by a Trumbeak raids the stalls, followed by a Rowlet that grabs a wind chime. In the forest, Ash and Pikachu battle a Grubbin with Rotom’s data to help. Pikachu’s Thunderbolt weakens it and Ash’s Poké Ball shakes, but the Grubbin pops out, burrows underground, surfaces under Lillie and finally beats Pikachu and escapes. Mallow takes Ash to the Pokémon Center, where he meets Alola’s Nurse Joy with her Blissey and Comfey, while the others return to school. At Bewear’s den, Team Rocket’s Poké Balls are swatted away by the Mimikyu until James drops a Luxury Ball, which Jessie uses to catch it. Bewear returns and, instead of eating its guests, feeds them honey.
At the Rowlet’s nest, a Toucannon and Trumbeak disapprove of the wind chime, and the Rowlet falls asleep before being sent out to find food. The next morning Ash vows to catch a Pokémon. Mallow’s Bounsweet gives off a sweet scent that attracts the hungry Rowlet, which dives at it, only to be knocked back by Bounsweet. Rotom notes that the scent draws Flying types. On its second attack the Rowlet hits a power line and falls, and Ash catches it in his arms and offers it a banana. When he asks it to join his team, it spots a watermelon and flies off with it, so Ash and Mallow chase it to its nest, where Toucannon welcomes it back and Rotom explains the Rowlet line’s evolutions. Meanwhile, the Pikipek and Trumbeak have stolen Bewear’s berries, and James and Meowth set off to get them back.
Team Rocket net the Pikipek, Trumbeak and Toucannon, recite their motto, and Jessie sends her new Mimikyu after Pikachu. Ash urges Rowlet to save its friends, and the little owl kicks through the net holding the Pikipek, shields Pikachu from Mimikyu, carries Pikachu clear and frees Toucannon and Trumbeak. Bewear then arrives and carries Team Rocket away, and the grateful flock thanks Rowlet. Ash says goodbye, deciding not to take Rowlet from its home, but Toucannon gives it a gentle nudge, and Rowlet flies straight into Ash’s backpack. Ash throws a Poké Ball and catches Rowlet, his first catch in Alola. Mallow guesses correctly that Ash has done this many times before, and Rotom updates its data as Ash celebrates with his latest teammate.
Major Events
- Rowlet. Ash fails to catch a Grubbin
- Jessie catches Mimikyu in James’s Luxury Ball, her last catch to date
- Ash catches Rowlet, his first Alolan Pokémon and his last Grass-type catch
- Alola’s Nurse Joy with Blissey and Comfey
- Debuts of Anela, Pikipek, Trumbeak, Toucannon and Comfey
Pokémon making their anime debut
Rowlet#0722 · SM004
Pikipek#0731 · SM004
Trumbeak#0732 · SM004
Toucannon#0733 · SM004
Comfey#0764 · SM004
Captures and evolutions
- Rowlet#0722 · Ash · flies into his backpack after saving its flock from Team Rocket; his first Alolan catch
Mimikyu#0778 · Jessie · caught in James’s Luxury Ball; her last catch to date
Trivia
- The English title plays on Ash’s surname and “catch ’em”, for his first Alolan catch.
- The screenplay is by Aya Matsui.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Alola storyline.
Part of our Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.