SM120 : The One That Didn't Get Away!
Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
SM122 : Spying for the Big Guy!
A Recipe for Success!
SM121.png
SM121   EP1060
マオ奮闘!森のポケモンカフェ!!
Mao's Valiant Effort! The Forest Pokémon Café!!
First broadcast
Japan May 12, 2019
United States September 9, 2019*
September 10, 2019*
September 14, 2019*
English themes
Opening The Challenge of Life
Ending
Japanese themes
Opening キミの冒険
Ending 心のノート
Credits
Animation Team Kato
Screenplay 藤咲淳一 Jun'ichi Fujisaku
Storyboard 尼野浩正 Hiromasa Amano
Assistant director 箕ノ口克己 Katsumi Minoguchi
Animation directors 大西雅也 Masaya Ōnishi
中矢利子 Toshiko Nakaya
山崎玲愛 Rei Yamazaki
海老沢咲希 Saki Ebisawa
No additional credits are available at this time.

A Recipe for Success! (Japanese: マオ奮闘!森のポケモンカフェ!! Mao's Valiant Effort! The Forest Pokémon Café!!) is the 121st episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, and the 1,060th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on May 12, 2019, in Australia on September 10, 2019, and in the United States on September 14, 2019.

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Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
201

Blurb

When the Family Restaurant runs out of Big Mushrooms, Mallow visits Oranguru’s place in the forest to ask for more. When she arrives, she finds Meowth looking for some peace and quiet, but the place quickly becomes busy with Pokémon customers. Mallow decides to stay and help Oranguru, and she prepares scrumptious food and drinks for all kinds of Pokémon. When Tapu Koko turns out to be one of those customers, she prepares a special dish for the Island Guardian. Thrilled with its meal, Tapu Koko presents Mallow with a Grassium Z, and Oranguru gives her a Z-Ring! Now all our heroes have Z-Rings of their own!

Plot

As she eats at Aina's Kitchen, Olivia thanks Abe for the meal. Tsareena and Mallow emerge from the kitchen and present Olivia with another dish. After Olivia enjoys the food's fluffy yet crunchy texture, Mallow explains that it is her "Fluffy Radish" dish made from Poni Island radishes. As Olivia thanks Mallow, Abe asks Mallow to retrieve some more Big Mushrooms from "Master Oranguru". Mallow accepts the task and decides that she will give him a Poni radish in exchange for the mushrooms.

At Oranguru's place, Team Rocket tries to take some time to relax, but when Jessie and James complain loudly about Matori's overbearing nature, Bewear arrives and scoops the pair up in her arms. She then hands some sacks to Oranguru and buys a drink for her child, Stufful. Bewear then runs away with Jessie and James, leaving Meowth to enjoy his beverage. Right afterwards, Mallow and her Pokémon arrive. Meowth accuses her of disturbing the peace, while Mallow believes Jessie and James are planning another scheme. Oranguru emerges from its storeroom and hands Mallow the Big Mushrooms. Suddenly, the Melemele Greens enter the café, leaving Mallow surprised with the café's increasing popularity.

Ash arrives at Aina's Kitchen to return a frying pan he borrowed. Instead of finding Mallow, he sees Olivia waiting on tables. Olivia explains that Mallow is out on a chore. In the midst of showing off her waitress skills, Olivia manages to break a tray of glasses as she spins around. Seeing this, Ash decides that he will help out at Aina's Kitchen.

Similarly, Mallow offers her assistance at Oranguru's place. She puts straws in the Melemele Greens' drinks, which takes Oranguru by surprise. However, the Passimian troupe doesn't mind and reward her with a large coconut during their departure. Next, a Gumshoos enters the café, and Meowth reveals that it is actually Officer Jenny's. Oranguru accepts a payment of one Pecha Berry, and then it orders Mallow to prepare Gumshoos's order, which she accepts. Mallow considers what Gumshoos likes to eat and settles on some Moomoo Milk. Gumshoos looks at the drink for a moment before gulping it all down in satisfaction. Meowth is annoyed but declares that Mallow just got lucky.

Oranguru beckons Mallow outside and shows her its edible garden. Mallow and Meowth, who followed behind them, are both shocked by the array of fresh produce. Oranguru hands Mallow a basket and tasks her with collecting some Berries. Mallow proceeds to fill the basket with Pecha Berries, and Shaymin samples a few in the meantime. Meowth sees the Berry-picking tasks to be easy, so he plucks a Berry off the tree and learns it is a spicy Tamato Berry after taking a bite into it. Tsareena later calls Mallow over and points up to the sky, alerting her Trainer to a flock of swarming Fearow. Meowth recovers from the heat and rushes to alert Oranguru to the potential crisis. However, when Meowth returns to the orchard with Oranguru, the Fearow are revealed to be customers and give Mallow a Heart Scale.

Mallow prepares to make the Fearow a drink, and she eventually learns that they prefer Belue Berries. She goes onto make a Belue and Durin Berry combination, and the refreshers go down well with the Fearow. Meowth is curious as to why Mallow selected the odd mixture, and Mallow replies that Lillie informed her of the complementary flavors. Mallow continues to serve the café's customers, with a Pancham and Pangoro enjoying a bamboo salad and later a pair of Heracross sipping a sap drink. Oranguru prepares its signature Flower Nectar Spring dish for some Ribombee and Cutiefly. Grandpa Forest arrives and Mallow presents it with a freshly squeezed Haban Berry drink. The order refreshes Grandpa Forest, who lets out a mighty roar to say thank you.

Meanwhile, Kiawe soars into Aina's Kitchen to drop off a canister of farm-fresh Moomoo Milk. When he opens the door he is pleasantly surprised to be greeted by Ash and Olivia as they serve the diner's tables, and he goes on to assist. Later on, Lillie, Lana and Sophocles arrive at the busy eatery to also lend a hand. Olivia drops several plates, but Primarina and the other Pokemon manage to catch them in time. Without Mallow, Abe is beginning to feel the pressure as Rotom calls for another ten juices to be made.

 
Mallow after receiving her Z-Ring

The night begins to settle in and Shiinotic takes its post as the Oranguru Café's light source. Meowth orders another drink, and this time Mallow makes it for him. He has his doubts, but a quick sip and Meowth finds the drink to be delicious. A sudden knock at the door and Tapu Koko arrives. Oranguru is happy to see the guardian deity again and suggests that Mallow make its order. Mallow begins to panic from the pressure, but Oranguru assures her by placing its hand on her shoulder. Shaymin and Tsareena chirp in their support, so Mallow pledges to do her best. Mallow grabs the Poni radish she had given to Oranguru earlier and begins to make a dish from it. Some peeling, squeezing and kneading later, she places the dough into a pan heated by a Torkoal. Mallow places the piping hot loaves onto a leaf, but she is still not satisfied with her efforts. She goes on to whip up a "Fluffy Radish Burger", topped with honey, nuts and a Pecha Berry. Mallow encourages Tapu Koko to eat up. The island guardian tosses the dish into the air and consumes it while inside its protective shell. Tapu Koko opens up again and a clean plate lands on the serving counter. Mallow remains confused and awaits feedback. Tapu Koko lets out a cry before presenting Mallow with a Grassium Z for her efforts, before vanishing. Meowth informs Mallow that the gifted Z-Crystal is a symbol of Tapu Koko's gratitude and approval of her cooking. Mallow recalls her busy but fulfilling day, and settles on making Aina's Kitchen an eatery for both human and now Pokémon customers. Meowth is impressed with the idea and declares that he might even drop by for a Fluffy Radish Burger sometime. Oranguru gives Mallow the ordered Big Mushrooms and as an additional thank you, an old Z-Ring.

Mallow returns home to Aina's Kitchen where she finds her friends lying exhausted from the hectic food service day. Abe declares that everyone helped him to avoid a complete disaster. Mallow apologizes before handing her father the requested Big Mushrooms. She informs everyone that she also had a busy day at Oranguru's place. Mallow goes onto show everyone her new Grassium Z and Z-Ring, which she admits appears to be broken. Olivia takes the Z-Ring, with a few repairs and some threaded green-colored beads to create a new wrist strap, the Z-Ring is as good as new. She also notes that the entire experience Mallow just went through might've actually been a trial that Oranguru set up for her. Mallow places the Z-Ring on her wrist and inserts her Grassium Z onto it, proudly holding up her gift. Lillie declares that everyone now has their own Z-Ring. Together, the group of six form a circle and show off their respective Z-Rings as their Pokémon, Abe, and Olivia smile on.

Major events

 
Mallow holding the Grassium Z
For a list of all major events in the anime, please see the history page.

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

Characters

Humans

 
Dare da?

Pokémon

 
Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Gumshoos (US and international), Fearow (Japan)

Trivia

Errors

Dub edits

In other languages



SM120 : The One That Didn't Get Away!
Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
SM122 : Spying for the Big Guy!
  This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of the Pokémon anime.