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| Season | Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Adventures (Season 21) · The Ultra Guardians & new rivals arc (SM061–SM069) |
| Episode | Never dubbed · Japanese episode 1004 · Bulbapedia code SM064 |
| English title | Satoshi and Passimian! A Touchdown of Friendship!! |
| Japanese title | サトシとナゲツケサル！友情のタッチダウン！！ Satoshi to Nagetsukesaru! Yūjō no Tatchidaun!! — “Satoshi and Nagetukesaru! Touchdown of Friendship!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 1 March 2018 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | Never aired |
| Screenplay | Jun’ichi Fujisaku |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Mirai Konekushon (Future Connection) – ЯeaL · Jarī Bōi Jarī Gāru (Twerp, Twerpette) – Taiiku Okazaki |
| Previous episode | Pushing the Fiery Envelope! (SM063) |
| Next episode | Turning Heads and Training Hard! (SM065) |
Filler / stand-alone episodeNever dubbedPassimian
Satoshi and Passimian! A Touchdown of Friendship!! is the 21st Japanese episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Adventures, the twenty-first season of the Pokémon anime, and Japanese episode 1004 overall (Bulbapedia code SM064). It has never been dubbed into English. It first aired in Japan on 1 March 2018. It falls within the season’s The Ultra Guardians & new rivals stretch (EP61–EP69).
Never aired in the US or anywhere in English: in its second half Ash wears dark Passimian face paint that resembles blackface, and The Pokémon Company International skipped the episode — Disney XD went from SM063 (30 July 2018) to SM065 (6 August). It aired in Japan on 1 March 2018 and in South Korea on 22 May 2018. Read more about why this episode was banned.
Synopsis
Ash helps the Melemele Greens, a troop of Passimian, win back their leadership fruit from the rough Red Buns of Akala Island, and ends up as the Greens’ honorary leader. Running errands in the Hau’oli City market, Ash meets the fruit-seller Anela, who is surprised that Litten has evolved into Torracat. A trio of playful Passimian tosses a fruit that hits Ash, then grabs Rowlet by mistake because its colour and shape resemble the fruit; Ash trades the fruit back for Rowlet, only to find a much larger troop behind him. These are the Red Buns, who knock out Tiny, leader of the green-marked Melemele Greens, and take the troop’s special fruit. Officer Jenny explains that the Red Buns, led by the scarred Kagizume, are notorious for violence, and Kiawe suspects they once wrecked his family’s ranch.
Professor Kukui explains that each troop guards a special fruit and whoever holds it leads the troop, so Tiny has lost its leadership. At the Greens’ nest, Ash finds the troop downcast as Kagizume places the fruit in a hanging basket and takes charge, and Officer Jenny reports that the Red Buns have been attacking troops on other islands. Determined to help, Ash starts behaving like a Passimian at school, dropping from the ceiling and running on all fours, and Lillie, Mallow and Lana make him a Passimian costume complete with face makeup. At the nest, a Passimian tugs his tail and a game of Berry-throwing spreads through the troop, during which Tiny shows off impressive acrobatics. When the Red Buns return, Tiny throws a Sitrus Berry at Kagizume’s hand to challenge him, and the two troops agree to a leadership contest, with Ash joining Tiny’s side.
The contest is a ball game on the beach, four Greens against three Red Buns, played with the special fruit. Kagizume leaps past the defenders and kicks one aside, while Ash catches a trick shot and the Greens string together a run of passes. When Ash copies the Red Buns’ technique, he trips and loses the fruit to Kagizume, and his friends fear the worst. Ash then whispers a plan to his teammates: Tiny is boosted into the air, grabs the fruit, runs up a tree trunk, bounces off a Red Bun’s shoulder and somersaults over two more players. As the cornered Greens are about to lose it again, another Green joins in, then the whole troop, and the outnumbered Red Buns are beaten. The Greens throw the fruit to Ash and carry him to their nest on their shoulders, and Lana declares, to everyone’s shock, that Ash is the troop’s new leader.
Major Events
- The Passimian troops. The Red Buns Passimian take the Melemele Greens’ special fruit and knock out their leader, Tiny
- Ash dresses as a Passimian with dark face paint, the reason the episode was never dubbed
- He helps the Greens beat the Red Buns’ Kagizume and his troop in a football-style match and becomes their leader
- The second variant of the Future Connection opening, with Torracat, begins
- Anime debut of Passimian
Pokémon making their anime debut
Passimian#0766 · SM064
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Jun’ichi Fujisaku.
- This is a stand-alone episode: it can be skipped without losing the thread of the Alola story.
Changes in the English Dub
- Never dubbed: Ash’s dark Passimian face paint in the second half resembles blackface, and the episode was skipped by Disney XD and left off every English DVD
- The Sun & Moon Champion battle theme
Part of our Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Adventures guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.