Jan 12th: SM10 - Will the Z-Move Work?! Challenging the Grand Trial!!

[Dephender]

It's finally time for the Grand Trial against Island King Hala! Hala uses Fighting types, and his powerful battle style causes Satoshi great trouble. Satoshi goes up against him alongside Pikachu and Mokuroh! During the battle, Hala unleashes a Z-Move together with his partner Hariteyama, but Satoshi returns fire by using a fully powered Z-Move himself! It's a clash between two Z-Moves! How will it end?

Screenplay 松井亜弥 (Aya Matsui)
Storyboard 飯島正勝 (Masakatsu Iijima)
Episode Director 飯島正勝 (Masakatsu Iijima)
Animation Director 堀内博之 (Hiroyuki Horiuchi)

 

[Red and Blue]

Looks like Ash managed to beat the totem Pokemon in the previous episode. Wonder if Ash will lose the first time against Hala?

 

[Pokegirl Fan~]

Cool. I guess Ash might lose this island challenge. I'm still going with that this is an introductory island challenge to inform Ash, and the audience, on how island challenges will work out.

 

[Red and Blue]

I'm not sure I get why people are insisting this is a "test trial" instead of the real deal?

 

[Satomine Night]

So, it looks like Ash defeats the Totem Gumshoos (and its army of Yungoos) and earns the Normalium-Z in SM09, and now, he is taking on Hala's Grand Trial. A part of me feels like Ash may lose against Hala the first time, due to either Rowlet's battling inexperience or to Ash using the Z-Move at the wrong time and exhausting his Pokémon. However, a larger part of me feels Ash will win this battle, and this will mark the beginning of his travels around the island to compete in the Island Challenge.

I'm still hoping Hau makes an appearance, either in this episode or the previous one.

 

[Golden_Latias]

Well, color me surprised. I didn't expect SM10 to actually be the battle with Hala.

I think he's going to lose, though.

 

[ShadowForce720]

I think Ash might lose to Hala in this episode, because if he competles the Grand Trail already in this episode then that would mean that towards the beginning of next year Ash will be heading to Akala Island which it seems a bit to soon for Ash to leave for Akala Island considering he's only been on Melemele Island for 10 episodes.

So my guess is that Ash will lose here then go train for a few episodes and then come back for a rematch.

 

[Janovy]

WOW. Well that was fast.

Will Ash even have the time to practice using Normalium-Z after he gets it...

 

[Red and Blue]

WOW. Well that was fast.

Will Ash even have the time to practice using Normalium-Z after he gets it...

Probably not. All the more reason why he might lose on the first try

 

[Frozocrone]

Oh jeez, another filler come on Ash needs to move towards Akala to meet Olivia already /s

Did not expect episode ten to be the grand trail...maybe Ilima won't appear then...or that Ash needs to finish up school first.

 

[Golden_Latias]

I think Ash might lose to Hala in this episode, because if he competles the Grand Trail already in this episode then that would mean that towards the beginning of next year Ash will be heading to Akala Island which it seems a bit to soon for Ash to leave for Akala Island considering he's only been on Melemele Island for 10 episodes.

So my guess is that Ash will lose here then go train for a few episodes and then come back for a rematch.

Yep. And I think he'll catch Litten sometime in between. And we'll see that episode with Rowlet using the Z-Move.

 

[SkittleBox]

So, we're getting a Grand Trial this early? And Z-Moves?

I guess the anime just slammed the gas pedal and blew right past Ilima for now. But from this synopsis, I'm just excited to see the battle and clash of Z-Moves. Ash will probably lose, but whatever, the battle will probably be awesome anyway.

 

[Pepsi_Plunge]

I'm assuming Satoshi is losing here.

 

[Janovy]

I hope Ash loses to Hala and then Ilima appears for a special training session.

 

[ashsfuture]

I don't mind if Ash loses to Hala because Ash receives his z crystal just one episode before this and he's already going to try to use his z move without any training at least especially with rowlet, and once he completes this grand trial he'll be able to go to the next island. Just really feels like they're not really letting Ash prepare for this challenge, he could surprise us and win.

I would have like to see Ash asking kiawe to help him out with his z move since he's the only other classmate that can use z moves

 

[UltimateNinja]

Ash should loose this. Ten episodes for the first island is way to fast, even for the possiblity for a two years series. Wouldn't mind another loss against the first real trainer challenge.

Also I don't like how the grand trial just get focused right after the Totem Pokemon. Like just skipping the development Ash needs to master the Z-Crystal.

 

[Zoruagible]

He better lose, otherwise this is straight up rushing

 

[Golden_Latias]

Yeah, that's why I'm kind of hoping he loses here as well. Being completely done with Melemele Island in 10 episodes is way too soon. At that rate, he'd be done with the island trials within a year, which is rushing and doesn't make any sense.

Unless SM becomes filler hell to drag things out which hopefully doesn't happen either.

 

[ShadowForce720]

Interestingly enough this seems to be the only episode title revealed so far for episodes 10 and onwards, I wonder if this will mean we won't get the episode title for episode 11 until episode 9 airs or is close to airing? I'd imagine that the episode titles for episodes past 10 would give us more of a clue if he loses here or not.

Yeah, that's why I'm kind of hoping he loses here as well. Being completely done with Melemele Island in 10 episodes is way too soon. At that rate, he'd be done with the island trials within a year, which is rushing and doesn't make any sense.

Unless SM becomes filler hell to drag things out which hopefully doesn't happen either.

Yeah that seems a bit to fast no matter how you look at it, plus if they wanted Ash to beat the Grand Trail on his first try then it wouldn't make any sense to have it in the episode directly following the battle with the Totem pokemon.

 

[Red and Blue]

For some reason I get the feeling Rowlet will be the fall guy against Mankey/Crabrawler.