SM117

(Japanese: シェイミ、メルタン、ナギサ！迷子の探検隊！！ Shaymin, Meltan, ! The Lost Explorers!!) is the 117th episode of the, and the 1,056th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on April 14, 2019.

Plot
and are aboard a ferry to Malie City. Ash remarks that the city doesn't look very Alolan, and explains that Malie City was actually modeled on the Johto region. The ferry soon docks and the group begin their two day exploration. While they scale some stairs, a strong gust of wind blows Lillie's hat off her head. Ash manages to catch it and returns it to her. worries that a storm might be approaching, but assures him that the winds are just a seasonal change. Sandy suddenly leaps out of 's arms and begins circling frantically. It wanders onto the busy road, but saves Sandy in time to avoid being hit by an oncoming vehicle. is pleased by Shaymin's quick thinking and credits 's influence. Ash notices that Tsareena is missing today, and Mallow replies that Tsareena is busy working with her father at the restaurant. The group arrives at their meeting spot and waits for their guide to arrive. hears a voice say something, and he gets a fright when he turns around. The classmates look around them, and like Pikachu, they are shocked to see someone standing behind them. The ninja-clad boy poses for several photos for 's travel album before introducing himself as their tour guide, Chikuwa Anaaki. The group are thrilled to see a real ninja, though Chikuwa explains that it is only appropriate in Malie City.

Chikuwa escorts the group to the local Pokémon Center to get changed into more suitable outfits for their day at Malie Garden. The resident Nurse Joy introduces herself. She says that she is more plain than her three other sisters, though the class notice that she makes up for it with her personality. She shows everyone to their Malie City-style outfits. After Rotom takes its commemorative group photo, Chikuwa takes everyone to Malie Garden. From atop the observatory tower the students admires the sprawling gardens and the hard working Pokémon who are busy serving tourists. Sandy notices a procession of pass by, but Sandy ends up disturbing it in its eagerness to join in. Chikuwa announces that he will be leaving for now, and after dropping a smoke bomb, he simply vanishes into thin air. Everyone then decides a walkabout tour is in order. While Mallow walks over the Nugget Bridge, Sophocles enjoys a ride from two. The girls later enjoy a -pulled cart ride around the gardens. After a break at the local café and more sightseeing, the group are exhausted.

Meanwhile, are trying to sell their new three-in-one Combee doughnuts, but business is rather slow. Jessie looks out of their serving windows and spots the class taking a snack break. She also notices Shaymin, and the sight of the Mythical Pokémon surprises Team Rocket. A sudden gust blows through. Mallow's hair ornament flies away in the wind, and Shaymin follows after it. Everyone realizes that Shaymin is gone, as are Sandy and. They all begin to panic. Ash calls out to locate the missing trio, and appears to be sniffing some trace of them. As the classmates begin their search, Team Rocket spots an opportunity to grab the three missing Pokémon for themselves.

Later, Shaymin spots Mallow's hair ornament on the ground, but the wind picks it up again. The headband then gets stuck on a wooden post, which proves too high for Shaymin to reach or climb to. Lillie and Lana alert Nurse Joy to the missing trio, and she promptly sounds an announcement through the city. Meanwhile, Meltan and Sandy are also looking for Shaymin, but the Malie Garden Pokémon haven't seen it. Sandy picks up a scent and runs towards it. Soon, the three Pokémon have found each other and Shaymin has also recovered Mallow's headband.

Suddenly, a giant spherical cage traps the trio inside. Team Rocket laughs and performs their. Sandy tries to the cage open, but fails and ends up with a bruise on its head instead. James declares that the cage is made of a steel alloy that Meltan cannot eat through. Meltan promptly latches onto one of the bars and dissolves it as its slides downwards. As the three Pokémon make a break for it, Jessie calls on to deal with the runaways. and also help to surround the escapees. Shaymin is initially scared, but notices that Meltan and Sandy are keen to fight their way out. Mareanie s Sandy with a attack. Meltan fires two s, but Mimikyu simply shifts its head around to avoid them. Shaymin calls out in desperation which alerts Mallow to its location, and the fact that it is surrounded by Team Rocket. Jessie explains that they are simply trying to steal some Pokémon, before being knocked to the ground by Lycanroc arriving on the scene. Ash and Lana soon arrive as well. Ash orders Meltan to Mareanie out of the way. But she attempts a Sludge Bomb, but the poisonous onslaught doesn't affect Meltan because of its Steel typing. Meltan continues to advance and lands a direct hit on Mareanie. Shaymin then heals Sandy from its poisoning. Lana has Sandy knock Mareanie out with a. Jessie is still confident of a victory because she has her Mimikyu. She goes to order it into the battle, but notices it walking away. Jessie informs it that Pikachu is around, and it returns to the field. Its clashes with Pikachu's, so Ash decides to concentrate on the rest of Team Rocket. Suddenly, walks over to Team Rocket with a Bewear-shaped kite in its paw. As expected, appears and prepares to whisk them away. She straps Team Rocket and their Pokémon to the kite, and also interrupts Mimikyu's match with Pikachu before running off with them. Malie City's strong winds prove gusty enough to sweep even Bewear off its feet, and fly it off into the distance.

Mallow, Ash and Lana are simply glad to be reunited with their respective Pokémon. Shaymin also returns the hair ornament, leading Mallow to realize that Shaymin ran off to recover it for her. The rest of the group arrive on the scene, and are equally relieved to see that everyone is safe. Sophocles stomach crumbles once again, so the group makes another stop off at a restaurant. Everyone watches as Sophocles and Ash gorge themselves on food. Later, the group returns to the Pokémon Center where they are greeted by Nurse Joy and their guide Chikuwa. Having also heard the news, Chikuwa is glad to see the missing Pokémon have since been recovered. He announces to the group that he has made plans for tomorrow, to visit the Kantonian Gym. Chikuwa reveals that he is one of the s at the Gym. Ash is immediately excited by the prospect, and he and his classmates unanimously approve the idea.

Major events

 * and travel to Malie City.
 * is revealed to have left with her father for the duration of the Malie City trip.
 * Ash's Meltan is revealed to know.
 * Ash and his classmates learn about the Kantonian Gym and decide to visit it.

Humans

 * Chikuwa Anaaki

Humans

 * Jessie
 * James
 * Nurse Joy
 * Abe
 * Chikuwa Anaaki
 * Tourists
 * Citizens
 * James
 * Nurse Joy
 * Abe
 * Chikuwa Anaaki
 * Tourists
 * Citizens
 * Citizens

Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?:  (Japan)
 * ('s; Sandy)
 * ('s; Alola Form; Snowy)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (×2)
 * (×2)
 * (×4)
 * ('s; Sandy)
 * ('s; Alola Form; Snowy)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (×2)
 * (×2)
 * (×4)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (×2)
 * (×2)
 * (×4)
 * (×2)
 * (×2)
 * (×4)
 * (×4)
 * (×4)

Trivia

 * Poké Problem: The place we go in today's episode is...?
 * Host:
 * Choices: Hokulani Observatory, Malie City, Ten Carat Hill, Altar of the Sunne
 * Answer: Malie City
 * Future Connection is used as an insert song during the montage scene of and  exploring Malie Garden.
 * Ash,, , Mallow, , and narrate the preview for the next episode.
 * The opening animation is updated to include Lillie's Z-Ring.

Errors

 * When Ash is searching for, his cape briefly takes on sleeves.

In other languages
Shaymin, Meltan, Nagisa! Maigo no Tankentai!! EP1060 SL117 SM117 SM編第117話 精灵宝可梦 太阳＆月亮 第117集