Japanese Title: It's an Infestation-chu! The Pikachu Valley!!
Original Airdate: October 7, 2018
US Airdate: February 16, 2019
Ash, Kiawe, and Mimo visit the Pikachu Valley, a refuge for various Pikachu, and the home of Pikarla, who takes Pikachu fandom seriously. Ash's Pikachu ends up in a rivalry with her Shiny Pikachu.
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- Audience Surrogate: Pikarla is basically the embodiment of every Pikachu fan.
- Breather Episode: After four episodes of fighting to prevent yet another apocalypse, Pika-Hilarity Ensues!
- Mythology Gag: All the hairstyles on the different Pikachu in Pikachu Valley reflect the styling available in Pokémon Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.
- Cuteness Proximity: Mimo is over the moon at being in a field full of Pikachu.
- Defeat Equals Friendship: The Shiny vis-a-vis Pikachu.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: The duel between Ash's Pikachu and the Shiny ends when one bites the other's tail.
- Imaginary Love Triangle: Pikachu wasn't really pursuing the one female that the Shiny likes.
- Reality Subtext: The Japanese title includes the term 発生チュウ,note which is where lots of Pikachu fursuits pop up like a flash mob in various areas of Japan.
- Shout-Out: Shiny's haircut resembles that of Josuke Higashikata.
- Verbal Tic: Pikarla makes sure to add "Pika" somewhere in every sentence. She even makes Ash, Kiawe, and Mimo follow suit.
