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Pokémon Anime Daily: Sun & Moon Episode 12 Summary/Review

The latest episode of the Pokémon anime has aired. Team Rocket achieve a personal best. Come read the recap here!

The latest episode of the Pokémon Sun and Moon anime has aired! This week’s episode is more focused on Team Rocket and was interesting overall. The episode opens with Team Rocket lounging around in Bewear’s lair after being captured again. They discuss amongst themselves how it is pretty nice in the lair with all the free berries and nice beds. They don’t feel like moving at all, but they then get a call prompting them to action. Giovanni is calling to check up on Team Rocket’s progress in Alola as they have not filed any mission reports recently.

Giovanni asks about how many Pokémon they have caught and at first they say only one Mimikyu. However, upon realizing that the boss seems disappointed, they lie and say that the Bewear (who is lifting a boulder behind them) is also their Pokémon and very strong. Giovanni seems a bit happier and tells them he expects to hear more soon. Jessie is upset by the way Giovanni’s assistant treated them during the call and when she hangs up, she throws and breaks the communication device. Meowth then ponders what they can do and the group wonders what they should catch. James suggests Bewear, but Jessie states that is impossible. This leads Team Rocket to go hunting for something else instead.

Look how strong Bewear is!

The scene shifts and we see the whole Pokémon school group relaxing and having fun at the beach. Kiawe is laying in the sun with Turtonator, Sophocles is playing with a Clawitzer water gun, Lana is swimming with Popplio, Lillie and Mallow are sitting in the sand, and Ash and Pikachu are having a splash fight. We also see Kukui laying underneath an umbrella reading, while Rotom Dex and Rowlet sit next to him. Ash invites Rotom to come swimming, but it replies that water is dangerous and it doesn’t want to be damaged. We then learn from Kukui that the Rotom Dex is water proof (makes sense when you think about it)! Rotom is still uncertain, but then Sophocles blasts it with his water gun to prove it is waterproof.

Ash sees the water gun and is impressed by it. He asks Sophocles about it and we learn that he made the water gun himself! He then shows Ash how Togedemaru and his water gun make him invisible in the water (we see Togedemaru spin like a hedgehog and across the water hitting Pikachu in the face.) Ash accepts this challenge and he and Pikachu unleash a giant splash of water at Sophocles and Togedemaru. Rotom comments how splashing is pointless since most of the water goes through the hands of the person and it only has a 30% chance to hit.

Lillie, Mallow, and Lana then decide to join in the splash war and decide to take on Ash and Sophocles. Bounsweet creates a giant whirlpool that hits the two and the battle begins! Ash and Sophocles call for backup and convince Kiawe to join them in the fight. Even Rockruff decides to join them! We then see Kukui talk to the Egg and talk about how it should hatch soon so it can come join the fun. The Egg then bounces in the air.

The scene changes to a different part of the beach and we see Team Rocket are fishing for Pokémon. As a neat callback, Jessie has an Ekans lure, James a Koffing lure, and Meowth a gold Meowth lure.

We miss you, Arbok and Weezing!

They are having no luck and Jessie complains about how long it is taking. We see her pull out a bag and take a Malasada donut from it (Hau would love one of those), which gets taken by a Wingull. Jessie is angry that it stole her donut and James asks if they should catch it. Jessie replies no angrily since it stole her food.

The poor Wingull had a family to feed.

Meowth then spots a Cloyster sleeping. Jessie remarks how strong it looks and they try to catch it. She throws a Poké Ball at it, but it takes it and hides it in its shell. Team Rocket try to pry the shell open but to no avail. The Cloyster gets mad and swims away, throwing the Poké Ball into the ocean.

We then see Ash and Kiawe are having a race in this same area, with Rowlet as the judge. Ash loses by an inch and Rowlet declares the winner. The two remark how it was a close race. Ash then spots some Corsola. He wants to go and catch one and approaches them, however they start to run away back into the water. Ash is surprised and Kiawe tells him to get back. We then see a swarm of Mareanie rise from the ocean, who were likely targeting the poor Corsola. Ash and Kiawe swim back to the beach to avoid being poisoned. and tell the others.

They don’t look very happy!

Ash then mentions how he wants to battle a Corsola and the others tell him how he will likely see one again since they are so common.

Back to Team Rocket, we see them trying new techniques to catch Pokémon. James catches a Carvanha in a net but it breaks free with its jaws. Meowth then spots Mimikyu laying on the water, but there’s one problem – it’s just Mimikyu’s disguise. We then see its dark and shadowy body move around in the water and glare down Meowth when he spots it.

Mimikyu’s true form is scary!

We then learn that Meowth touched its body again and briefed was sent to the other world just like the first time he fought it. Meowth’s spirit floats back down and takes back his body again.

We then see that even Wobbuffet is trying to help by fishing for Pokémon while the Corsola watch with it. However he only gets a sandal. James then tries out something quite different. He dons a Team Rocket branded swimsuit with a Corsola for the head. James is forced to go into the water to lure out Pokemon to land for them to catch. Jessie won’t go to avoid sunburn, and Meowth says he is staying so he has the advantage when fighting whatever James catches.

Will this disguise work?

James finds Alolamola and tries to lure one in, when all of a sudden a Mareanie latches on starts attacking his head thinking it’s a real Corsola. This breaks the glass protecting James and so he must swim back to shore. James does some research on Mareanie and then Jessie makes him try to catch as it’s a Poison type which she likes. Mareanie then latches onto James’s head and attacks him. When it lets go, James looks like a Mareanie to and the wild Mareanie falls in love with him and starts following him around, much like Ash’s Bayleaf had in the Johto season.

The scene shifts to Ash and co again, and we learn that Kukui is having the gang look for various Pokémon and observe their behavior. The scene then goes to a montage of various Pokémon and then back to Team Rocket.

Pichu are adorable!

We still see Mareanie chasing James around while Jessie, Meowth and Wobbuffet ponder what to do. Meowth tells James that the Mareanie thinks it looks just like him (which Jessie agrees on) and that it finds James to be cute.

Mareanie is feisty!

While still dealing with the situation, Ash ends up stumbling upon Team Rocket while looking for Pokémon. They both question what each other are doing and then Mimikyu notices Pikachu and with an evil glare, gets ready to attack! Meowth and Wobbuffet are about to attack but then they get blasted by Thunderbolt. Mareanie notices that James wants to capture Pikachu and so it joins the fight too. Mimikyu chases Pikachu, until Rowlet interrupts with Leafage. Mimikyu turns and goes to blast Rowlet with Shadow Ball but misses.

James uses this chance to attack with Mareanie. Mareanie attacks Rowlet with Sludge Bomb and poisons it, which then knocks it out. It’s attack creates smoke which blinds Pikachu. Mimikyu uses this chance to strike and hits Pikachu with Shadow Claw, knocking it out! Yes, for the first time ever, Team Rocket beats Ash in a battle! Even Team Rocket are shocked at their first taste of victory.

That look when you finally beat your greatest enemy.

Not satisfied with winning, Mimikyu moves in to finish Pikachu off for good, by enlarging its tail and surrounding it with dark aura. However, in the last second Bewear rises from the ocean and grabs the Rocket gang, taking them back to its lair. So close, and yet so far…

Ash then rushes back to the others to get help. Using a first aid kit, Rowlet and Pikachu get better, and the gang tells Ash to worry no more. Mallow then suggests they play some volleyball and Lana has Popplio make a water bubble for the ball. Rowlet gets stuck in one, and then Togedemaru frees it, and falls into the sand.

Oh no! Good thing Bewear saved the day!

We then see Team Rocket back at Bewear’s lair where it has gathered a lot more berries for them to have and prepared food for them. They are happy to have all the food but upset that it interrupted their moment of triumph. James says that with how great Bewear is, they should catch it. James then talks to Mareanie and thanks it for its help and asks for it to join him. It happily agrees and James catches Mareanie. With their new member, and plans for another member,

Team Rocket decides that they should also make Bewear’s lair their secret base and they all jump in the air at how great that would be as the episode ends.

James catches Mareanie!

Edited by bobandbill, colours and Kostas.
*Episode 11 summary coming soon!