Professor Kukui (anime)/History/SM

Professor Kukui debuted in Alola to New Adventure!. He was first seen entering his classroom, where he was introduced to Ash, apparently not recognizing him from his youth. He later watched as Ash battled Team Skull and was impressed by his battling skills. After Team Skull's defeat, he told Ash about Z-Moves and the island challenge. Following Ash's decision to attend the Pokémon School, he allowed Ash to live with him during his stay in Alola. At the end of the next episode, he handed Ash a new Pokédex, which then got inhabited by a.

In Rocking Clawmark Hill!, he and Ash returned home one night, only to notice the absence of. Rockruff soon returned injured, prompting Kukui to heal it with a Potion. Upon further investigation, they found out that it had been training on Clawmark Hill. After watching Ash train Rockruff, Kukui noticed the bond they had developed and encouraged Ash to Rockruff.

In Alola, Kanto!, Kukui accompanied his students and Samson Oak to Kanto for an extracurricular activity, where they visited Professor Oak's Laboratory. In the following episode, he and the others traveled to the Cerulean Gym, where his students battled and. Seeing these battles inspired him to realize his childhood dream an official Pokémon League in Alola.

In A Dream Encounter!, Kukui told Ash about Professor Burnet and her research on Ultra Wormholes. He later introduced her to him when she, along with the president of the Aether Foundation, , and Wicke, visited his home to meet Ash and. During his class's sleepover in A Dream Encounter!, Kukui began to bond with Burnet, who also stayed over at his house.

In Family Determination!, Kukui accompanied his students to the Altar of the Sunne on Poni Island to catch up with, who had ran away from home with her brother, , in search of a way to save Lusamine, who had been abducted by a. Later, while watching Alola's guardian deities bless Nebby, he received a phone call for help from Professor Burnet and left to help her out. He soon witnessed Burnet and her being surrounded by a group of  and, but using his  he was able to drive the Scaly Pokémon off. By the time the two professors returned to the altar though, Ash and the others had already ridden off on Nebby into an Ultra Wormhole. Kukui and Burnet stayed behind and waited until the group finally returned with Lusamine. In The Professors' New Adventure!, during a walk on the beach with Burnet, Kukui proposed to her. A few days later, the wedding ceremony, which was arranged by his students, was held on the beach outside his house. Since their marriage, Burnet has moved in with Kukui and Ash. Kukui's alter-ego, the Masked Royal, debuted in Pushing the Fiery Envelope!. When Ash and visited the Battle Royal Dome, Ash's  got agitated upon seeing Royal's. This prompted him to invite Ash, along with and, to take part in a Battle Royal, which the Masked Royal easily won. Days later, after seeing Litten training to master, Kukui, dressed up again as the Masked Royal, showed up to have a one-on-one battle with Ash. During the battle, Litten evolved into and was able to perfect Flame Charge. Despite this, however, the battle ended in the Masked Royal's victory. Afterwards, the Masked Royal declared that he and Incineroar were now Torracat's rivals.

The Masked Royal reappeared in A Young Royal Flame Ignites!, where he faced a member of the Revengers, Mr. Electric, and his in a Battle Royal. However, due to interference Mad Magmar's, Mr. Electric was disqualified. The Masked Royal then got challenged by Mad Magmar to a battle for the title of the strongest fighter, which he accepted. The next day, Kukui accompanied Burnet and his students to the Battle Royal Dome, but began feeling nervous as he had to take on his role as the Masked Royal without his identity being found out. After managing to sneak away, he was able to reach the ring in time, where his battle would begin. However, Mad Magmar played dirty again by having other members of the Revengers gang up on Incineroar until Ash's Torracat interfered. Teaming up with Torracat and Ash, the Masked Royal and Incineroar took on Mad Magmar and Mr. Electric and eventually managed to beat them, despite all the interference.

In Filling the Light with Darkness!, mysterious dark clouds appeared over Alola, leaving Kukui and all other adults tired and without motivation. Later, after this was resolved, Kukui met up the Ultra Guardians, Burnet, Lusamine, Faba, and Wicke inside the Ultra Guardians base, where he oversaw recovering. Later, when the Ultra Guardians left for Ultra Space with Lunala, Kukui and Faba volunteered to aid them. On Ten Carat Hill, he and Faba confronted Team Rocket's Matori Matrix by using their Pokémon to damage the team's airship and prevent them from entering the Ultra Wormhole. Afterwards, Kukui and Faba faced Gozu and his in battle, but their Pokémon were swiftly beaten. In the next episode, Kukui asked Faba if he had more Pokémon, and the latter replied he did not. Thus, Kukui was forced to send out his Incineroar and perform its Z-Move,, which managed to defeat Mega Aggron. However, this also caused him to reveal his secret identity to Faba, who in turn revealed that he was a big fan of the Masked Royal. Later, alongside Incineroar and Faba, Kukui joined the rest of Alola in showering with Z-Power so it could return to its. After Necrozma returned to its Ultra form, Kukui watched as the Ultra Guardians, Nebby, and Lunala returned to Alola, alongside Faba, Burnet, Lusamine, and Wicke.

In Turning the Other Mask!, the Masked Royal announced a handshake event to be held on Melemele Island. When Ash and Burnet told Kukui they wanted him to go with them to the event, Kukui asked Molayne to help keep his Masked Royal identity a secret. The day of the event, Molayne prepared to change into the Masked Royal costume, only to be tied up by Faba and James, who had mistaken him for an imposter. When Mad Magmar came around looking for revenge, Faba donned the Masked Royal costume and tried to defeat him with Incineroar, only to be easily defeated. After freeing himself, Molayne had his shut the lights off, giving Kukui the time to slip back into his Masked Royal costume and defeat Mad Magmar.

In The Dealer of Destruction!, Kukui hosted a press conference at Aether Paradise, where he announced the formation of the first-ever Alola and revealed the stadium that was being constructed to host it, called Manalo. The next day, Guzma arrived at the Pokémon School and told Kukui that Alola didn't need a Pokémon League. When Ash challenged Guzma to a battle, Kukui refereed the match. The battle ended prematurely when Guzma's returned to its  due to. As Guzma left, swearing to destroy the Alola League, Kukui confronted him, claiming that Guzma was running away like he did in the past with the island challenge and the Island Kahunas.

In Chasing Memories, Creating Dreams!, Kukui announced the completion of the Manalo Stadium to the people of Alola. He also revealed that the winner of the Alola League would get to have an exhibition match against the Masked Royal.

In League Offenders and Defenders!, Hala revealed that Kukui and Guzma were once friends and students at the Pokémon School. However, the two had a falling-out after Guzma expressed beliefs that Z-Rings and Z-Moves were pointless.

In SM139, Kukui, as the Masked Royal, handed Ash a trophy as a recognition of him winning the Alola League. However, the award ceremony was interrupted by a emerging from an Ultra Wormhole. In the next episode, Ash and Royal battled another, a one, which was endangering the Manalo Stadium docks. During the battle, Ash's, having evolved into since Ash parted ways with it, arrived through a wormhole of its own. With Naganadel's help, Royal was able to help Ash perform a double that sent Guzzlord through Naganadel's Ultra Wormhole and back into Ultra Space. However, the shock-wave caused by the Z-Moves and Guzzlord's attack colliding caused the Royal's mask to be blown away, revealing his true identity to Ash.