Island Kahuna/Anime

In the Pokémon anime, defeating the Island Kahunas is a major part of 's island challenge. To date, Ash and have encountered the following Island Kahunas:
 * Hala made his debut in To Top a Totem!, where he watched over Ash while he completed the Verdant Cavern trial. In Trial and Tribulation! Ash fought him, won, and received a new Electrium Z after swapped Hala's Fightinium Z with it.
 * Olivia first appeared in person in The Island Whisperer!, where she brought Ash's class to Akala Island. After completing the Lush Jungle trial in Currying Favor and Flavor!, Ash battled Olivia in Trials and Determinations! and won, earning a Rockium Z.
 * Nanu's first appearance was in Why Not Give Me a Z-Ring Sometime?, where he gave a Z-Power Ring as thanks for helping Acerola. Ash met him in Tough Guy Trials!, and then battled him in a grand trial in Guiding an Awakening! and won, earning a Lycanium Z as a reward. In the, he is an old acquaintance of.
 * Like the games, Poni Island had no Island Kahuna as of That's Some Spicy Island Research!, when Ash and his classmates arrived to the island to conduct their personal research projects. Hapu first appeared in the same episode. Also like the games, she was not a Kahuna when she was first seen, but her grandfather Sofu was the Island's second-most recent. As revealed in the following episode, Hapu had been training to follow in her grandfather's footsteps, but had not been able to meet, despite multiple attempts to get in touch with it. In Memories in the Mist!, Tapu Fini accepted Hapu after witnessing her desire to save her friends from its illusory mist, and was officially instated as Poni Island's Kahuna in a ceremony in the next episode. The night after the ritual, Ash battled Hapu in a grand trial and won, earning a Steelium Z, as chosen by , as a reward.

In Young Kiawe Had a Farm!, Kiawe's grandfather was mentioned to have been a Kahuna prior to the start of the. In That's Some Spicy Island Research!, it is mentioned that the previous 🇮🇸 Island Kahuna, unrelated to Hapu or her grandfather, had retired due to age and illness.

In The Dealer of Destruction!, the four Island Kahunas were revealed to have agreed with to act as referees during the first Alola Pokémon League Conference.