SM073

Why Not Give Me a Z-Ring Sometime? (Japanese: ロケット団の島めぐり！？Zリングをゲットせよ！！ 's !? Get the Z-Ring!!) is the 73rd episode of the, and the 1,012th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on May 3, 2018, in New Zealand on August 23, 2018, in Canada on September 22, 2018, and in the United States on October 6, 2018.

Blurb
When James’s Mareanie learns a Dark-type move, Team Rocket realizes this could be their chance to put their Dark-type Z-Crystal to good use! The Boss sends them to Ula’ula Island to get a Z-Ring from the kahuna, who’s a former associate.

Meanwhile, at the library, Acerola tells the story of the Greedy Rapooh—who turns out to be a real Gengar with thieving tendencies, and who steals Team Rocket’s Z-Crystal and takes off with Acerola on its back! When Kahuna Nanu sees that Team Rocket is battling to rescue his young friend, he lends them a Z-Ring—and after the battle, Acerola gives them a special Z-Crystal for Mimikyu!

Plot
Team Rocket is in their secret base, sitting around a table producing paper bags with a stamped Bewear logo. Jessie gets off her chair to get the group a snack. She quickly realizes there is only one cream puff left in the fridge, which James states is his. Before Jessie can take a bite, uses a new move,, on Jessie. The cream puff lands on the floor next to, and is quickly eaten to everyone's horror. Meowth then points out that Mareanie used a move, Knock Off, much to Jessie and James' delight. Jessie notes Mareanie now knows a Dark-type move, meaning they finally have an attack which is compatible with their Darkium-Z. All they need now is a Z-Ring to perform the move.

A call suddenly comes through from and Matori. Matori is quick to point out Team Rocket have been making slow progress. In the midst of the scolding, Jessie whispers to Meowth that she has an idea to set the record straight, then announces the trio's plan to use Z-Moves. Matori states that in order to use a Z-Move, a person needs a Z-Ring, only obtainable from an Island Kahuna, and she asks Giovanni for a possible lead. Giovanni states that the trio should go to Ula'ula Island to meet Nanu, the Island Kahuna and a past acquaintance of his. With that order, Team Rocket head for Ula'ula Island.

To avoid Bewear interrupting their plans, Team Rocket sets up hand-sewn puppets of themselves, as well as tape recorders that repeat the same sentences. Upon hearing the tape recorders, Bewear doesn't bother to check on Team Rocket and continues to collect fruit from the surrounding forest. Meanwhile, Acerola reads a fairy-tale, The Greedy Rapooh, to Piko and. The story is about a greedy spirit which steals items from people, but is eventually stopped when sealed away by the Island Kahuna. A Mimikyu nicknamed Mimikins floats around as Acerola reads the book.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket is walking through the forest. Meowth pulls out a bag containing some Mixed Fruits Malasada, a new product and offering to get the trio their Z-Ring. The trio stumble upon the Po Town Police Station. The trio and Wobbuffet quickly get changed into tourist outfits to avoid suspicion. They go on to open the police station's doors, and inside, they uncover a horde of Alolan Meowth. The group immediately spots Meowth's bag of food and resorts to attacking Team Rocket. After a brief squabble, the Alolan Meowth begin eating the Mixed Fruit Malasadas outside, while the disturbance wakes up Nanu. Upon losing their offering to the Island Kahuna, the trio decides to retreat to prepare another present. Nanu queries the group's intentions before stating that the Island Kahuna is on a martial arts training adventure for anywhere between a week to upwards of a year. Shocked, Team Rocket leaves in disappointment.

Meanwhile, Acerola agrees to take Nene and Piko to see the Greedy Rapooh's tomb. Elsewhere, Team Rocket are discussing amongst themselves how to get a Z-Ring. Jessie proclaims the group needs to get a Z-Ring no matter what. In the process, she forcefully puts her foot on an ancient tombstone with a red string around it, causing it to shatter. The Greedy Rapooh emerges from the tomb and it's revealed to be a, who scares Team Rocket and steals their Darkium-Z.

Acerola, Mimikins, Nene, and Piko stumble upon the scene. Before they can run, the Gengar blocks the fleeing group in their tracks. Acerola blocks Gengar from scaring the two children, and in response, it quickly picks Acerola up and flies into the clouds; Team Rocket and Mimikins follow. Gengar resorts to stealing more items in a frenzy, including a 's berries, a golden nugget from a man by a lake, and a 's Lucky Egg. It also scares a wild and. Acerola is still clinging on to Gengar, trying to get it to stop causing trouble. Suddenly, Mimikins arrives and engages Gengar in battle. Mimikins's repeated attacks fail, going through Gengar's body. Gengar throws Mimikins into the air out of frustration, and Acerola jumps off Gengar's back in an attempt to grab it. Gengar's attempt to capture the falling Acerola fails, and she continues to free-fall through tree branches, eventually hitting the ground.

Gengar follows behind and looks over at Acerola as she is holding Mimikins. Gengar suddenly produces all of the stolen goods from its body, surrounding Acerola in gifts to get her attention. Acerola is overwhelmed by the gesture, but is aware that the items are stolen. Team Rocket watches, noticing their Darkium-Z in Gengar's hand. Acerola states that she cannot accept the gifts, as she enjoys her time reading to the children in the library. Gengar goes into a tantrum, bouncing off the forest trees. It then tries to absorb Acerola into its body, but it is interrupted by Jessie's Mimikyu launching a. Gengar quickly turns its attention to Jessie and Mimikyu, while James retrieves the Darkium-Z from the pile of stolen goods. The Team Rocket trio teases Gengar for losing in front of Acerola and then runs off, with Gengar following in anger. Nanu finds Acerola, asking his niece if she is fine.

Team Rocket stops running and attempts to face Gengar. Meowth's claws grow in anticipation for a, though Gengar enters Meowth's body and possesses him. Mimikyu attacks, sending Meowth flying. Gengar emerges from his body and then possesses Jessie. In response, James commands Mareanie to use a gentle Knock Off against Jessie. The attack lands, and Gengar emerges from Jessie's body with tears in its eyes. As Meowth and Jessie quickly recover, Acerola, Mimikins, and Nanu stumble upon the trio. Nanu comments on the trio's skill before gifting them a Z-Power Ring. James places it on his wrist and has Mareanie perform for the first time against Gengar, defeating it.

Acerola reveals that Gengar must have been lonely, hence why it kidnapped her and offered all of the stolen goods to her. This assumption turns out to be correct, for Gengar begins twirling around with her, and the two decide to become friends. Nanu tells Gengar that if it continues to misbehave, he will reseal the Pokémon into a tomb. In the process, he reveals that he is the Island Kahuna, much to Team Rocket's disbelief. Jessie angrily reveals Team Rocket's true motives for coming to see him. Nanu confirms that he has a personal connection with Giovanni and is aware of Team Rocket. Meowth demands that they want a Z-Ring, and so, Nanu decides to let the Team Rocket trio keep the Z-Power Ring as repayment for looking after Acerola. Jessie and James' attention turns to Acerola and her flying Mimikyu. Acerola states that Mimikins is an actual ghost, upon which Mimikins gives Jessie a Mimikium Z. Jessie, James, and Meowth are left ecstatic over achieving something beyond their intended goal.

Meanwhile, Ash,, , and are aboard a ship headed for Ula'ula Island.

Major events

 * James's Mareanie learns.
 * receives a Z-Power Ring from Nanu.
 * James and Mareanie perform for the first time.
 * Jessie receives a Mimikium Z from Acerola's Mimikins.
 * heads to Ula'ula Island to participate in his third grand trial.

Humans

 * Acerola
 * Nanu

Humans

 * Jessie
 * James
 * Matori
 * Acerola
 * Nanu
 * Piko
 * Men
 * Piko
 * Men
 * Men

Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?:
 * (Acerola's; ; Mimikins)
 * (Nanu's; Alola Form; multiple)
 * (Greedy Rapooh)
 * (Acerola's; ; Mimikins)
 * (Nanu's; Alola Form; multiple)
 * (Greedy Rapooh)
 * (Acerola's; ; Mimikins)
 * (Nanu's; Alola Form; multiple)
 * (Greedy Rapooh)
 * (Greedy Rapooh)
 * (Greedy Rapooh)

Trivia

 * Poké Problem: The Pokémon that steals our Darkinium Z in today's episode…?
 * Host: Jessie
 * Choices:, , ,
 * Answer: Gengar
 * In Japan, this episode aired almost exactly one year after the episode where acquired a Darkinium Z (364 days later, to be exact, which is one day shy of a full year).
 * Team Rocket's Team Song is used as an insert song when James and perform.
 * The trio can also be heard singing the beginning of the song when landing on Ula'ula Island.
 * Jessie, James, and read out the title card in the Japanese version.
 * Nanu and Officer Jenny narrate the preview for the next episode.
 * This is the first time that Ash only appears near the end of an episode since Following a Maiden's Voyage!, 545 episodes earlier.
 * When mocking Gengar, James pulls a face that resembles the character of Iyami from .
 * This is the first episode since its debut where does not speak.
 * The man who had his Nugget stolen by Gengar in this episode bears a strong resemblance to the Man of Mystery from Pokémon: Magikarp Jump.
 * This episode marks the first time a notable specialist has appeared in the.
 * This episode's English dub title is a play on the phrase "Give me a ring sometime".
 * Jessie, James, and Meowth read the Who's That Pokémon? segment in the English dub.
 * The period from this episode to Guiding an Awakening! marks the longest time Ash has been without or classmates in the anime, being a span of five episodes.
 * The English dub of the episode was released on Amazon Video on October 2, 2018, four days before it aired in the United States.

Errors

 * When Team Rocket is seen from above before Jessie accidentally sets Gengar free, her hair is drawn as normal instead of as a bun.
 * When Gengar scares Team Rocket, James moves through 's arm as he stands up.

Dub edits

 * The Japanese text depicting is edited out in the dub.

In other languages
Wer wünscht sich nicht einen Z-Ring?! EP1016 SL073 SM073 SM編第73話 精灵宝可梦 太阳＆月亮 第73集