JN097

An Evolution in Taste! (Japanese: ヤドキング！カレーなる遭遇！！ ! Curry Encounter!!) is the 97th episode of Pokémon Journeys: The Series, and the 1,182nd episode of the Pokémon animated series. It first aired in Japan on February 11, 2022, in Canada on July 9, 2022, in the United Kingdom on September 9, 2022, in South Africa on September 13, 2022, in Australia on September 23, 2022, and in the United States on October 21, 2022.
==Blurb==
Ash and Goh pay another visit to Slowpoke Island, where the masses of Slowpoke are as spaced out as ever. After Goh catches a Slowpoke of his own, he and Ash discover another group of Slowpoke, as well as a Slowbro and a Slowking, who look a little different. They’re from the Galar region, and they want to make friends with the Slowpoke, Slowbro, and Slowking from Kanto. After offering to help, Ash and Goh once again end up with Shellder clamped on to their heads, and an ensuing rap battle results in the creation of a delicious curry noodle dish that everyone absolutely adores!
==Plot==
 and Goh have returned to Slowpoke Island, with Goh being determined to himself a this time around. They quickly find the island's Slowpoke, and while Ash feels like just relaxing with them, Goh quickly shakes off this distraction and accomplishes what he came here to do, easily catching himself a . However, he barely has time to celebrate his newest capture before the entire island is shaken by another island making contact with it.
A new group of Slowpoke appears, with Goh's Rotom Phone identifying them as Slowpoke. One of them takes a taste at a local Slowpoke's tail, but is disappointed by its sweet taste. When the regular Slowpoke returns the gesture, it is overwhelmed by the Galarian Slowpoke's spices. does the same and is equally overwhelmed. Consulting Goh's Rotom Phone again, Ash and Goh learn that Galarian Slowpoke's diet of Galarica seeds is the reason for their tails' spicy flavor. The two boys then spot a and follow it as it tries and fails to knock down a coconut from a tree. It receives unexpected help from a Galarian Slowbro, who uses to shoot down a coconut, but the Kantonian Slowbro mistakes this for getting its food stolen and leaves.
A loud cry suddenly echoes across the island, which Ash and Goh follow to find the Galarian Slowpoke and Slowbro being joined by a Galarian . Goh is creeped out by it, especially when his Rotom Phone tells him that with Galarian Slowking, the is the one in control. Slowking uses to bring over a big pile of Galarica nuts from its island, but the island's resident Slowpoke and Slowbro leave before it can offer them any. Galarian Slowking's group heads back to their island, with Ash and Goh following them and only now noticing the new landmass that's appeared next to Slowpoke Island. Galarian Slowking notices the two and shows them the island it and its subjects call their home. It then offers the boys and their Pokémon some Galarica seeds, which, while very spicy, they also find delicious. Goh figures that Slowking was trying to offer the island's Slowpoke Galarica seeds to make friends with them, and Ash agrees to help it in that.
Seeing Ash's like of Galarica seeds and willingness to help, Galarian Slowking suddenly detaches its Shellder crown. Goh barely has time to be horrified at the realization of having to relive the nightmarish experience of their last Slowpoke Island visit, when the crown already lands on Ash's head and turns him into "Galarian Ashking," who starts speaking in -style rhymes. Remembering Galarian Slowking's Pokédex entry, Goh realizes, to his horror, that Shellder is now controlling Ash. "Galarian Ashking" requests Goh's help in making friends with Slowpoke Island's Slowpoke, boasting that he's got a master plan to make it happen. Goh, while creeped out by Ash being possessed, agrees to help and tries to tell the Slowpoke that while Galarian Slowking's group may look scary, they're not mean and just want to meet them again. However, the Slowpoke just respond with their usual blank stare, leaving Goh unable to figure out if they actually understood what he said.
Goh then notices another Pokémon approaching, which he recognizes as the -loving Slowking from their previous visit to the island. However, just when he tries to ask for its help, the possessed Ash returns, tossing Goh a ladle and challenging him to a , much to Goh's bewilderment. Seeing this, Slowking detaches its own crown and, ignoring Goh's horrified protests, has it land on his head and turn him into "Gohking." While both kinds of Slowpoke watch, Ash and Goh begin their rap battle, with "Galarian Ashking" expressing his love of curry, while "Gohking" refuses it in favor of udon. In the midst of the battle, the two side's dishes suddenly fuse together to form curry udon, which both sides find tasty. Ash and Goh join all the Slowpoke in eating this new dish, and once they're finished, the Shellder crowns return to their respective Slowking, releasing the boys from their possession.
As a sign of their new friendship, the two Slowking exchange gifts in the form of a Galarica tree and an udon bowl. With the friendship established, Galarian Slowking uses Psychic to make its island float as its kind resumes its journey, with Ash and Goh joining the Slowpoke Island's residents in waving them goodbye and hoping they'll meet again someday.
==Major events==
* Goh a .
===Debuts===
====Pokémon debuts====
* (Galarian Form)
* (Galarian Form)
==Characters==
===Humans===
* 
* Goh
===Pokémon===
Who's That Pokémon?: (Galarian Form)
* ()
* ()
* (; new)
* (Professor Cerise's; Rotom Phone)
* ()
* (multiple)
* 
* (Galarian Form; multiple)
* (Galarian Form; debut)
* (Galarian Form; debut)
==Trivia==
* Get Inspired! Let's Solve a Poké Riddle!!: 
* Slowpoke Song is used as an insert song in this episode.
* As of this episode, Goh has 100 individual Pokémon under his ownership.
* This episode features the least amount of human characters out of any Pokémon Journeys: The Series episode, with only two.
* The title of this episode is identical to a previous one of the same dub.
* , Goh, and narrate the preview for the next episode.
===Errors===
* When Goh checks his Rotom Phone for his newly caught , his hand is colored the same as Ash's.
* The episode blurb on the iTunes Store and the Pokémon website mentions that is from Kanto instead of Johto.
===Dub edits===
* In the English dub, Goh's Rotom Phone doesn't mention Slowking's type out loud, unlike in the Japanese version.
==In other languages==
097
Category:Episodes written by Yūko Kakihara
Category:Episodes storyboarded and directed by Yasuhiro Noda
Category:Episodes storyboarded by Yasuhiro Noda
Category:Episodes directed by Yasuhiro Noda
Category:Episodes animated by Masaya Ōnishi
Category:Episodes animated by Chiaki Kurakazu
Category:Episodes by multiple animation directors
Category:Episodes in which a main character obtains a new Pokémon
Category:Episodes which aired in Canada before the United States
Category:Episodes which aired in the United Kingdom before the United States
Category:Episodes which aired in South Africa before the United States
Category:Episodes which aired in Australia before the United States
de:Eine wahre Geschmacksexplosion!
es:EP1186
fr:LV097
it:EP097
ja:新無印編第97話
zh:宝可梦 旅途 第97集