SM066

Smashing with Sketch! (Japanese: スケッチでスマッシュ！激闘ポケピンポン！ Smash with Sketch! The Fierce Fighting Poké-Ping Pong!) is the 66th episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, and the 1,005th episode of the Pokémon animated series. It first aired in Japan on March 15, 2018, in New Zealand on July 10, 2018, in Canada on August 4, 2018, and in the United States on August 13, 2018.
==Blurb==
Our heroes are learning all about Pokémon Ping-Pong, with Pokémon School graduate Ilima showing them the ins and outs of the game! Ilima plans to compete in an upcoming Pokémon Ping-Pong tournament, where he hopes to settle an old score and defeat Ikari, the winner in previous years. But while Ilima believes that consideration for his Pokémon partner is key to success, Ikari takes a more aggressive strategy. After Ikari berates his partner Mienshao during the heat of the tournament’s final game, the two lose coordination, and Ilima and his partner Smeargle emerge victorious!
==Plot==
 announces to the class that they will be learning about Poké-Ping Pong, and he welcomes Ilima as a guest tutor. Ilima greets the class while his is on his shoulder before explaining the rules, but Ash remains uncertain of them. To demonstrate the rules, Ilima selects as his opponent and sends out his to go up against Lana's Popplio. Ilima serves the ball by hitting it with his racket, adding that Pokémon can use either a racket or attacks to hit the ball. records the demonstration game and states that the game functions as a set of three matches.
Ash and his classmates begin a series of practice sets across three Ping Pong tables. Though Ash grows tired of the games' repetitive nature. challenges Ash to a real game, though the match is quickly quashed when Pikachu's causes the ball to hit Ash in the face twice. Meanwhile, and begin to argue after missing the ball and colliding into each other mid-game against . Ilima arrives in the midst of chaos and settles the situation. He lectures Ash and Sophocles on the priority in Poke-Ping Pong, he states that empathy as key to a strong bond between Pokémon and partner. Sophocles goes on to apologize to Togedemaru and the others are encouraged by Ilima's words of wisdom. Professor Kukui brings out a score board, with Ash and Pikachu versus Mallow and as the first match up.
Steenee's scented hits the ball across the net and as a secondary effect temporarily confuses Ash and Pikachu. The balls bounces off Pikachu's head and into Steenee's court. A seals the fate of the game with Mallow taking the victory. Kiawe and Rotom are astounded how Mallow and Steenee's tactics changed quickly. Next game is Lillie against Sophocles, with Lillie taking the serving hit and the victory because Sophocles failed to hit the ball.
In the final match, Lana and Popplio face Kiawe and his . Kiawe throws his shirt and performs a Z-Move pose for an serve. The dramatics prove to be faint, taking Lana by surprise, though she just manages to hit the ball. Marowak slams it with and Popplio hits back with its fin, causing the ball to spin and change direction. The drive technique impresses Ilima, who tells Ash that Popplio hit the ball away and even changed its course. Kiawe manages to hit the ball before it hits the ground. Lana returns the ball and Marowak uses to deflect it. Popplio's Aqua Jet hits but Kiawe catches the ball in time. Lana makes a Z-Move pose to use , though the feint proves almost successful. In a tantrum, Marowak throws its club and deflects the ball. Lana anticipated this, and actually has Popplio use Hydro Vortex, causing the ball to rush off and fall, soaking Kiawe and Marowak in the process. Kiawe and Marowak are frustrated because of the loss, but Lana clarifies that Kiawe got the point as the ball did not hit the board. The class had lots of fun, so Ilima invites them to see him play in the Pokémon Ping-Pong tournament next Sunday, to which they accept.
Sunday comes around and the group are sitting in the crowd anticipating the start of the tournament. Sophocles states there is a player who always wins every year. Kiawe refers to that player as Ikari the Dragon, and explains the nickname is because of the vibe he gives off. Mallow spots Ilima talking to Ikari on the courts in a heated exchange, though Ilima remains confident and calm. Ikari walks off with a gritted smile on his face. The first match begins, and Ikari calls on his against a competitor and his . Despite having won a point Ikari scolds Mienshao for being soft. Kiawe and Mallow conclude Ikari's victory over Ilima last year and his lack of empathy is the reason why Ilima has returned for this year’s tournament.
Meanwhile, Ilima's match begins against Jessie, disguised in a blond wig and pink dress, with her , who is wearing a brown wig. James and are in the sidelines cheering her on. Jessie serves and Ilima responding well. Wobbuffet uses , and Smeargle uses its to copy the attack. In an attempt to earn Jessie the victory, Meowth shines off his charm, to blind Ilima. Though the strategy fails, Ilima hears the ball and hits it. Meowth turns to Jessie and Wobbuffet, but accidentally shines the reflecting light onto them, causing them to miss the ball. Just as the score is called, drops through the ceiling, grabbing Team Rocket before jumping away with them, much to everyone's surprise.
Ilima and Ikari advance through to the final stage after competing in three rounds each, and are up against each other. The scene transition indicates there was sixteen competitors, including Jessie, Ilima, Ikari and his competitor with a Machamp. Eevee and fans offer Ilima sideline support. Mienshao's gives Ikari One Love, putting him in an early lead. Ilima is unfazed, and he tells Smeargle that it is still early in the game. The next set evens the score, with the ball bouncing off Ikari's racket and hitting the ground. Several rounds pass, and the score is again even at 10 points each. Smeargle's drive hit causes Mienshao to miss, and gives Ilima an additional point.
Ikari becomes increasingly frustrated with Mienshao and Ilima and lecturing on his negative technique. Ikari serves the ball in an intense manner, though Ilima returns. Ikari has Mienshao use , and Smeargle returns the ball with a Sketch attack. Ikari slams the ball, however Ilima jumps and retaliates. Mienshao uses , which Smeargle again uses Sketch to copy. The force causes Ikari's racket to shatter, and Mienshao jumps across Ikari to catch the ball, much to his shock. Ilima is declared victorious and thanks his Smeargle for its efforts. The two competitors shake hands, and Ilima apologizes for the out of turn lectures. Mienshao is seen nuzzling Ilima's Eevee and Smeargle. Ikari requests that Ilima not lose to anyone else before their next match up, Ilima agrees and thanks Ikari for being a good rival.
Ilima waves his goodbyes to his crying fans as he boards a ship destined for surrounding islands around Alola and onward to the Kalos region. Professor Kukui and his students are also on the dock watching Ilima's departure. Ilima promises to return one day, wishing everyone the very best in their goals. The ship leaves the dock, with the class waving to Ilima as he sails off into the distance.
==Major events==
* Ilima heads back to Kalos.
===Debuts===
====Pokémon debuts====
==Characters==
===Humans===
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* Jessie
* James
* 
* Ilima
* Ikari
* Referee
* Ilima Girls
* s
===Pokémon===
Who's That Pokémon?: (US and international), (Japan)
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* (; Alolan form)
* ('s; Alolan form; Snowy)
* ()
* ()
* (Samson Oak's)
* (Ilima's)
* (Ilima's)
* (Ikari's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* ()
* (multiple)
==Trivia==
* Poké Problem: What tournament does Ilima compete in today's episode?
** Host: 
** Choices: Poké-Soccer, Poké-Rugby, Pokémon Base, Poké-Ping Pong
** Answer: Poké-Ping Pong
* Despite having made numerous appearances in the ever since the original series, this episode marks the first time in the animated series when a Smeargle is seen using a move.
** Also, this episode marks the animated series debut of Smeargle's signature move, , which was introduced alongside Smeargle in Generation II.
* Ikari acts as a homage to Ryūichi Kazama of the sports manga .
* 's disguises in this episode are a reference to the characters of the tennis manga .
* Kiawe's pose when mentioning Ikari's nickname "Ikari the Dragon" is the same pose of Gendo Ikari from the series .
* Laki, , and narrate the preview for the next episode.
* The rival battle music from and the battle music from are heard in this episode.
* The VS screen preceding the ping pong matches of Ash and resembles the VS screen that preceeds Wi-Fi battles in the Generation VII games.
* Ash, , , , Kiawe, , Ilima, and Ikari read the Who's That Pokémon? segment in the English dub.
* At one point, Ash makes a reference to the Pokémon Ping Pong Tournament that he participated in To Thine Own Pokémon Be True!.
* This episode expressly focuses on moves in smashes, while in the aforementioned Sinnoh episode, the Pokémon were not allowed to use moves at the risk of disqualification. Pokémon can also use a paddle in this tournament.
* Ash, his classmates, and Team Rocket don't wear their regular clothes at any point in this episode.
===Errors===
===Dub edits===
* The Japanese texts depicting and 's names are removed in the dub.
==In other languages==
066
Category:Episodes written by Shōji Yonemura
Category:Episodes storyboarded and directed by Maki Kodaira
Category:Episodes storyboarded by Maki Kodaira
Category:Episodes directed by Maki Kodaira
Category:Episodes animated by Masaya Ōnishi
Category:Episodes which aired in New Zealand before the United States
Category:Episodes which aired in Canada before the United States
de:Ein schmetternder Sieg!
es:EP1009
fr:SL066
it:SL066
ja:SM編第66話
zh:宝可梦 太阳＆月亮 第66集