SM104

(Japanese: ポニ島の自由研究！しまキングをさがせ！！ Poni Island Research Project! Search for the !!) is the 104th episode of the, and the 1,043rd episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on January 13, 2019.

Plot
Hapu struggles to pull out a from the ground, though her  does it for her. Hapu then feeds a trio of  some daikon to thank them. Meanwhile, Nurse Joy greets, , and when they arrive at the Seafolk Village port on Poni Island. Kukui tells Joy that the students will be left in her care for the next few days. Ash then asks Nurse Joy about her connection to Alola's other Joys, and she clarifies that she is the youngest of the four. is astounded by her extreme similarity to the other Joys, and Nurse Joy adds that she is the cutest of them all.

Kukui brings everyone's attentions to their personal research projects and asks them to clarify their chosen topics. raises his hand first and says that he hopes to evolve his after hearing that Poni Island is the place to do so. Joy informs him that Charjabug can evolve at Vast Poni Canyon. wants to continue while  is set on sourcing some Poni daikon for a new dish for Aina's Kitchen menu. tells everyone that she will be catching up with Ida. Kukui notices that is distracted by something, and she replies that it has been a while since she was last on Poni Island. Ash clarifies that the group were here to save Lusamine and didn't have much time to explore the island. Lillie then says that she plans on studying Poni Island's Pokémon. Ash, however, is focused on taking on the Poni Island Grand Trial. Everyone falls silent and then Kukui informs Ash that Poni Island doesn't have a Grand Trial because there is currently no Island Kahuna. Sophocles explains that the former Kahuna recently retired due to his old age. Kukui offers Ash a chance to him, but Ash instead decides that he will take on. Kukui is shocked by Ash's confidence, and Ash goes on to tell Kukui that he can head home now. Lana and the others agree with Ash, and soon Kukui boards the ship back to Melemele Island to await for his students' reports.

Ash and the others set off to explore Poni Island, reaching the Ancient Poni Path. Kiawe urges Ash to slow down and assures him that he won't find Tapu Fini any faster. Rotom then spots a Golurk working the fields and scans it into its database. Mallow is thrilled to see Golurk harvest a Poni daikon, known for their extreme length. Ash is eager is assist and as he prepares to climb the picket fence he hears a voice that tells him to stay out. The voice commands Golurk to use. The attack sends Ash and hurtling away, but  manages to stop their momentum. Hapu reveals herself to the group and challenges them; assuming that they are daikon thieves. Ash accepts the challenge and has Pikachu make the first move, a. Hapu remains stern and states that Quick Attack won't work because of Golurk's Ghost typing. Pikachu then strikes Golurk's leg with an causing the Giant Pokemon to fall into a kneeling position. Hapu takes note of Ash's strategy and under her breath admits that it was clever. Ash has Pikachu go in for another Quick Attack and Iron Tail combo, but Golurk grabs a hold of Pikachu's tail and slams him into the ground. Pikahcu is then knocked out by Golurk's. Hapu warns Ash’s group to not return to steal her crops before walking off with her Golurk and.

Ash and his friends return to the Pokémon Center, and Pikachu makes a swift recovery thanks to its treatment. Joy overhears Ash and Kiawe's conversation about the Golurk they met, and she adds that the girl's name is Hapu. Nurse Joy explains that Hapu prefers to live alone, and while her parents live close by, she is deeply attached to her grandfather Sofū's land. Kiawe recognizes the name and claims that his grandfather was friends with Sofū. Joy adds that Hapu grew up around adults, and this contributed to her stubborn determination to win. Lillie is still unsure as to why they were called daikon thieves, and Joy replies that Hapu has recently been struggling with a series of thefts. Mallow is keen to taste some Poni daikon, and luckily Joy has some remaining. Everyone takes a bite, and while Lana and Charjabug enjoy the taste, everyone finds it spicy. Joy admits the daikon is an acquired taste, but Hapu's produce is particularly good. Meanwhile on Hapu's property, Hapu contemplates Ash's odd decision to send out Pikachu against her Golurk.

Soon, Ash and his friends split up to do their own activities; Lana is going fishing before catching up with Ida, Lillie and Mallow decide to explore the Seafolk Village markets, Kiawe and Sophocles decide to do more training while Ash is set on locating Tapu Fini. Hapu looks out at the ocean and sets off on her Golurk to do a patrol after noticing that the sea is particularly still. Ash soon reaches a beach, hoping to find Tapu Fini, but he instead finds a group of Oricorio. Suddenly, someone throws out a daikon on a string and it immediately attracts one of the Oricorio. The Team Skull trio, Rapp, Tupp and Zipp, are then revealed to be the culprits and have already netted themselves several Oricorio. Tupp plans to have the Oricorio perform as dancers to the entrance of Team Skull Paradise. The trio is surprised to see Ash and go on to explain that they are on Poni Island to create Team Skull's Paradise. Tupp declines Ash's demands and the trio then sends out their, , and against Pikachu.

Hapu spots the confrontation from the air and intervenes before things get heated. She then spots some of her stolen daikon and turns to Ash for answers. Ash proclaims his innocence and explains that Team Skull were trying to catch the Oricorio. Hapu then notices the loot bag and tells Team Skull that they are in need of punishment. Tupp and his teammates remain defiant and belittle Hapu for her short stature. Hapu then calls on Mudsdale for assistance and its arrivals causes Team Skull's Pokémon to walk backwards. Ash insists that it is his battle, but Hapu cuts him off and declares that she is capable of handling the situation on her own. The Skull trio command their Pokémon to attack Mudsdale. The direct hits instead help activate Mudsdale's ability, which increases its defenses. Mudsdale's High Horsepower attack defeats the Team Skull trio in one blow. Suddenly the Team Skull trio's boss, Admin Plumeria, arrives on the scene. She is unimpressed when Tupp admits that they were trying to capture the Oricorio to have them dance at the Team Skull Paradise. Zipp, Tupp, and Rapp follow after Plumeria and ignore Hapu entirely.

Ash releases the Oricorio from the loot bag, and the wild Pokémon are happy to be free and reunited. Hapu apologizes for mistaking Ash for a daikon thief and asks for his forgiveness. Ash is not fussed and then asks Hapu for a battle. Hapu, however, abruptly declines and she recalls Mudsdale before heading for home. Ash declares that he won’t give up on the rematch, causing Hapu to consider it as she soars away. Overnight, Ash and his classmates return to the Pokémon Center for a meal prepared by Nurse Joy.

Major events

 * and travel to Poni Island.
 * leaves his students in the hands of Poni Island's Nurse Joy before heading back to Melemele Island.
 * reveals that he is planning to evolve his and learns that he can do so in Vast Poni Canyon.
 * Ash learns that Poni Island doesn't currently have an Island Kahuna, as the previous one retired due to ill health, so he decides to find and battle for his grand trial instead.
 * Ash and his classmates meet Hapu for the first time.
 * Ash has a with Hapu and loses.
 * Ash and his classmates learn that Hapu is the granddaughter of the Island's second-most recent Kahuna, Sofū.
 * Ash meets Plumeria, the Admin of Team Skull, for the first time.

Humans

 * Hapu
 * Plumeria

Humans

 * Nurse Joy
 * Hapu
 * Plumeria
 * Tupp
 * Zipp
 * Rapp
 * Man (fantasy)
 * Hapu
 * Plumeria
 * Tupp
 * Zipp
 * Rapp
 * Man (fantasy)
 * Man (fantasy)

Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?: (Japan)
 * ('s; Nagisa)
 * (Alola Form)
 * ('s; Alola Form; Snowy)
 * (Hapu's)
 * (Hapu's)
 * (Tupp's)
 * (Zipp's)
 * (Rapp's)
 * (multiple)
 * (Pokédex image)
 * (Hapu's)
 * (Hapu's)
 * (Tupp's)
 * (Zipp's)
 * (Rapp's)
 * (multiple)
 * (Pokédex image)
 * (Pokédex image)
 * (Pokédex image)

Trivia

 * Poké Problem: Where does everybody go in today's episode?
 * Host: Poni Island's Nurse Joy
 * Choices: Akala Island, Ula'ula Island, Poni Island, Aether Paradise
 * Answer: Poni Island
 * Notebook of the Heart replaces Twerp, Twerpette as the ending theme.
 * As of this episode, all four variants of have appeared in the.
 * This episode marks one of the very rare cases when a Pokédex entry is shown for a that doesn't otherwise appear in the episode. The last time this happened was in The Battle Club and Tepig's Choice!, 382 episodes earlier.
 * Hapu,, and narrate the preview for the next episode.
 * Ash's facial reaction to the revelation that there isn't an Island Kahuna on Poni Island is similar to that of 's art style.

Errors

 * Rapp's takes damage from 's, even though  Pokémon are supposed to be immune to  attacks.

In other languages
Poni-jima no Jiyūkenkyū! Shima King o Sagase!! EP1047 SL104 SM104 SM編第104話 精灵宝可梦 太阳＆月亮 第104集