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| Season | Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series (Season 25) · Lilycove, Greninja & the Masters Eight arc (JN105–JN109) |
| Episode | Season 25, episode 19 · English episode 1189 · Japanese episode 1195 · Bulbapedia code JN109 |
| English title | Aim For The Eight! |
| Japanese title | VSキバナ！マスターズエイトをかけた戦い！！ Tai Kibana! Masutāzu Eito o Kaketa Tatakai!! — “VS Kibana! Battle for Masters Eight!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 6 May 2022 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 24 February 2023 · Netflix |
| Screenplay | Akemi Omode |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Wan, Tsū, Surī (One, Two, Three) – Satoshi & Go (Rica Matsumoto and Daiki Yamashita) · Batsugun Taipu (Supereffective Type) – Pokémon Music Club |
| English opening | With You – Echosmith |
| Previous episode | Catching the Aura of Fate! (JN108) |
| Next episode | Narrowing the Chaser Chase! (JN110) |
Plot episodeAsh vs RaihanMasters Eight
Aim For The Eight! is the 19th episode of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series, the twenty-fifth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 1189th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 1195, Bulbapedia code JN109). It first aired in Japan on 6 May 2022 and in the United States on 24 February 2023. It falls within the season’s Lilycove, Greninja & the Masters Eight stretch (EP105–EP109).
Released on Netflix in the US on 24 February 2023 with the second part (JN103–JN117); Teletoon had premiered it in Canada on 15 October 2022.
Synopsis
Ash defeats Raihan at Hammerlocke Stadium in the season’s final entrance battle, finishing with a giant Aura Sphere from Lucario, and claims eighth place and a spot in the Masters Eight Tournament. Outside the stadium, Ash and Raihan declare that each intends to win, and Leon wakes up behind a bush, having arrived early so as not to miss the match. Referee Dan explains the Masters Eight rules: three Pokémon each, free switching, and only one Mega Evolution, Z-Move or Dynamax per battle. Ash’s Dragonite opens against Raihan’s Flygon, using Dragon Dance to power up and dodge Steel Wing, but Raihan, a Dragon-type specialist, whips up a Sandstorm that blinds Dragonite and wears it down under Dragon Claw and Steel Wing. A Draco Meteor reveals Flygon’s position for Hurricane and Dragon Claw, but Raihan anticipates a second Draco Meteor, and Flygon’s Steel Wing knocks Dragonite out, the first defeat Ash’s Dragonite has suffered.
Gengar dodges Steel Wing but misses with Ice Punch and is battered by Flygon’s hit-and-run Dragon Claws and a super-effective Crunch. As Gengar struggles up, Raihan asks why Ash wants to challenge Leon, insisting that the wish to challenge someone must come with a fierce wish to beat them; Ash replies that he wants to beat Leon too and will not lose on the way. Apologising to Lucario, Ash spends his one power-up on Gigantamaxing Gengar, which inhales the Sandstorm, hits Flygon with G-Max Terror and knocks it out with Max Starfall. Raihan’s Goodra sets up Rain Dance and fires off Thunder, Surf and Hydro Pump; Gengar blocks a Surf with its tongue, and Max Starfall and Hydro Pump connect at the same moment for a double knockout.
Raihan Gigantamaxes his final Pokémon, Duraludon, against Lucario. Double Team confuses the giant, but two Aura Spheres have no visible effect, and after Max Steelspike, G-Max Depletion engulfs Lucario in a swirling tornado. Inside, Lucario stands calmly as its aura synchronises with Ash’s, raising an Aura Sphere that disperses the G-Max Move and swells to enormous size, drawing strength from the auras of Goh, Ash’s Pokémon and Greninja in Kalos. Ash calls it a Giant Aura Sphere, and it pushes through Max Rockfall to topple Duraludon. Ash wins and races to congratulate Lucario, and Raihan takes a selfie with him, vowing to defeat both Ash and Leon someday. The Masters Eight is now set: Ash, ranked eighth, joins Unova Champion Iris, Lumiose Conference winner Alain, Kalos Champion Diantha, Kanto and Johto Champion Lance, Hoenn Champion Steven Stone, Sinnoh Champion Cynthia and the undefeated Galar Champion, Leon.
Major Events
- Ash vs Raihan. Ash beats Raihan in the last entrance battle and enters the Masters Eight at rank 8
- Dragonite’s first defeat, to Flygon
- Gengar’s first Max Starfall
- Lucario’s Giant Aura Sphere beats Gigantamax Duraludon
- The Masters Eight are revealed: Leon, Cynthia, Steven, Lance, Diantha, Alain, Iris and Ash
- Flint drops out and Lance is a Champion again
Trivia
- The English title plays on the tennis manga Aim for the Ace!, as Ash battles for the Masters Eight.
- The screenplay is by Akemi Omode.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Kanto, Galar & beyond storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- Ash’s comparison of Lucario’s attack to a G-Max move becomes the “Giant Aura Sphere” (Pokémon.com’s blurb and most other dubs keep the G-Max comparison)
Part of our Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.