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| Season | Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series (Season 25) · Ghost trains, Gigantamax & stories from the lab arc (JN091–JN098) |
| Episode | Season 25, episode 7 · English episode 1177 · Japanese episode 1183 · Bulbapedia code JN097 |
| English title | An Evolution in Taste! |
| Japanese title | ヤドキング！カレーなる遭遇！！ Yadokingu! Karē naru Sōgū!! — “Yadoking! Curry Encounter!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 11 February 2022 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 21 October 2022 · Netflix |
| Screenplay | Yūko Kakihara |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Wan, Tsū, Surī (One, Two, Three) – Karaage Sisters · Batsugun Taipu (Supereffective Type) – Pokémon Music Club |
| English opening | With You – Echosmith |
| Who’s That Pokémon? | Galarian Slowking (US) · Galarian Slowking (Japan) |
| Previous episode | Lighting the Way Home! (JN096) |
| Next episode | Out of Their Elements! (JN098) |
Filler / stand-alone episodeGoh’s 100th PokémonGalarian Slowking
An Evolution in Taste! is the 7th episode of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series, the twenty-fifth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 1177th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 1183, Bulbapedia code JN097). It first aired in Japan on 11 February 2022 and in the United States on 21 October 2022. It falls within the season’s Ghost trains, Gigantamax & stories from the lab stretch (EP91–EP98).
Released on Netflix in the US on 21 October 2022 with the first part (JN091–JN102); Teletoon had premiered it in Canada on 9 July 2022.
Synopsis
On Slowpoke Island, Goh catches a Slowpoke before a drifting island brings Galarian Slowpoke, Slowbro and a Shellder-crowned Galarian Slowking, whose attempts at friendship end with Ash and Goh possessed and locked in a rap battle. Determined to catch a Slowpoke of his own, Goh succeeds with ease, but the moment is cut short when another island crashes into Slowpoke Island. A group of Galarian Slowpoke comes ashore, and one tastes a local Slowpoke’s tail, finding it disappointingly sweet, while the local Slowpoke and Goh’s Grookey are overwhelmed by the spicy tail of the Galarian one; the Rotom Phone explains that Galarica seeds make their tails spicy. A local Slowbro struggling to knock down a coconut is helped by a Galarian Slowbro’s Shell Side Arm, but storms off thinking its food has been stolen. A loud cry then brings out a Galarian Slowking, which unnerves Goh because the Shellder on its head is the one in control. It uses Psychic to bring over a pile of Galarica nuts, but the local Slowpoke wander away before receiving any.
Following Galarian Slowking’s group as it heads home, Ash and Goh notice that a new landmass has appeared right beside Slowpoke Island, and when Slowking spots them, it shows them the floating island that it and its followers call home and offers them Galarica seeds, which they find fiercely spicy but delicious. Goh realises that Slowking only wants to share its food and make friends with the island’s Slowpoke, and Ash offers to help. Pleased, Galarian Slowking takes off its Shellder crown and places it on Ash’s head, turning him into “Galarian Ashking,” who speaks only in rhyming rap. Goh is horrified to remember that the Shellder now controls Ash, but he agrees to help with Ashking’s “master plan” and tries to explain to the Slowpoke that the Galarian group only wants to meet them, receiving nothing but blank stares in return.
The udon-loving Slowking from the boys’ earlier visit then arrives. Before Goh can ask it for help, the possessed Ash tosses him a ladle and challenges him to a rap battle, and Slowking crowns Goh with its own Shellder, transforming him into “Gohking” despite his protests. As the Slowpoke of both regions watch, Galarian Ashking raps the praises of curry while Gohking champions udon, until midway through the two dishes fuse into curry udon, which everyone finds delicious. Ash, Goh and all the Slowpoke share the meal, and afterwards the Shellder crowns return to their own Slowking, freeing the boys. As a sign of their new friendship, the two Slowking exchange a Galarica tree and a bowl of udon, and Galarian Slowking uses Psychic to lift its island and continue its journey while Ash, Goh and the islanders wave goodbye.
Major Events
- Galarian Slowpoke. A floating island of Galarian Slowpoke arrives at Slowpoke Island
- Goh catches a Slowpoke, his hundredth Pokémon
- The rap battle of Galarian Ashking and Gohking
- Curry udon
- The Slowpoke Song as an insert
- Only two humans appear, the fewest of any Journeys episode
- Debuts of Galarian Slowbro and Galarian Slowking
Captures and evolutions
Slowpoke#0079 · Goh · his hundredth Pokémon
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Yūko Kakihara.
- This is a stand-alone episode: it can be skipped without losing the thread of the Kanto, Galar & beyond story.
Changes in the English Dub
- The Rotom Phone does not give Galarian Slowking’s type
- The Slowpoke Song as an insert song
Part of our Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.