Between Pikachu's exuberant reactions to Misty upon reunion and at the end of the episode, and Rowlet just being chill enough to perch on her head without hesitation and have that get specific focus, to the point that this was basically the little dude's role here, this episode really highlighted for me just how Ash and Misty vibe on an identical wavelength when it comes to Pokemon bonding. Clauncher even reverses the quirk in a way, coming out of his ball and gravitating to Ash's side, even if it was specifically for Corphish.
In a series about Pokemon, I think it's ideal for any pairing with the Pokemon-loving protagonist to incorporate the Pokemon into the dynamic, and this episode got this aspect in with three separate Mons that embody different points in time for the two of them: Pikachu the timeless companion, Rowlet the companion that came and went during the cameo era, and Clauncher the newest companion now that Misty's back for the last leg. Fantastic.
And tbh, it was that, and just the expressions going on, that were the highlight of the episode for me. All the expressions, all the light jabbing, the two of them even having an identical gag scene to one another almost down to the frame, you feel the staff really like writing, acting, and drawing their bond. They have highs and lows, but they're equals, and the Pokemon are there to express what they won't say, just the way I like it.