Pokemon Horizons Episode 36 recap: Love Blooms for Oinkologne

Pokemon Horizons Episode 36 "Operation Oinkologne Friendship!" debuted in Japan on January 19, 2024. As something of a side episode similar to Episode 35, this entry in the series sees Liko and Roy assist a trainer in Pigton Town and her Oinkologne in the town's Tag Battle event. Things don't go quite well at first, but our young protagonists learn a few things about companionship in the end.

Moreover, this Pokemon Horizons episode focuses on those initial feelings between a Pocket Monster and its new partner, which can sometimes be a bit tumultuous. Fortunately, a solution can be found, and Liko even got to look back at the times when she first met Sprigatito in the pilot episode. Forging a bond isn't always easy, but once it's done, the bond can stand the test of time.

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Breaking down Episode 36 of Pokemon Horizons "Operation Oinkologne Friendship!"

Dot/Nidothing offers advice to her viewers in Pokemon Horizons Episode 36 (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Our Pokemon Horizons episode begins with Dot streaming as Nidothing when she receives a comment from a user in Pigton Town. The user states that she recently obtained an Oinkologne and wants to enter it into the Pigton Town Tag Battle, but it doesn't want to team up with other Pokemon. Nidothing says she knows just the girl to help.

Liko realizes that Dot had her in mind as the girl to assist, which freaks her out momentarily. Nevertheless, Dot asks Liko and Roy to help the watcher with their Oinkologne, and the two Pokemon Horizons protagonists accept the challenge. The group head to Pigton Town as Dot takes some footage with her Rotom Phone until a girl named Yuno approaches Liko, Roy, and Quaxly.

Yuno states she was the commenter on the Nidothing stream and introduces her female Oinkologne, nicknamed Kuru, who seems to be in a dour mood. Liko states that growing into a partnership takes time, as it certainly did for her and Sprigatito. Yuno tells Kuru that she wishes to enter the town's Tag Battle, but not if it will upset her partner.

The Pokemon Horizons heroes agree to help Yuno and Oinkologne (Image via The Pokemon Company)

While exploring Pigtown, the group encounters Yuno's annoying childhood friend Renta and his male Oinkologne, named Prince, whom Kuru has feelings for. Yuno offers Renta to team up for the Tag Battle, but Prince declines haughtily. It uses its sweet-smelling tail to attract several nearby pig Pokemon, causing Kuru to run away in tears.

Dot suggests that Kuru get a makeover to make it more appealing to the other Pokemon in Pigtown and Prince as well. The Pokemon Horizons heroes wash Kuru and brush her, and Kuru strikes a confident pose. Meanwhile, Liko gets the feeling that Yuno might be putting up a front and might be interested in Renta instead of finding him irritating.

Meeting with Renta again, the trainer suggests that the Tag Battle request is a ploy to get Yuno and him together. Yuno denies this and sends out Kuru to pose, but Prince isn't moved. Just then, Quaxly challenges Prince and begins showing off its dance moves, impressing nearly everybody but upsetting Prince and causing the Pokemon to kick dirt on Quaxly. Yuno tackles Prince in response.

Renta and Yuno boil with anger in Pokemon Horizons Episode 36 (Image via The Pokemon Company)

As the two trainers in Pokemon Horizons reach a boiling point, Kuru releases her sweet scent from her tail, hoping to bring out the true feelings between Renta and Yuno. Prince shows new appreciation for Kuru, and Renta offers to join the Tag Battle with Yuno as well. The two trainers ask for a practice battle between their two Oinkologne, Liko's Sprigatito, and Roy's Fuecoco, and they accept.

From the beginning of the battle, Yuno and Renta are in a deep sync against the Pokemon Horizons protagonists. Kuru even takes a page from Quaxly and dances to dodge Sprigatito's attacks. Sprigatito and Fuecoco push back, but then both Oinkologne combine their might and send Liko and Roy's partners careening into the body of a nearby Mamoswine.

Kuru and Prince join forces in Episode 36 (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Later after the practice battle, Dot (as Nidothing) interviews Yuno after she and Renta win the Pigton Town Tag Battle, a win she attributes to help from Nidothing and SprigatitoSuperFan (Liko's name in Nidothing's streams). Dot also asks her if she's getting along with her perfect partner, and Yuno gets embarrassed. Dot says that Nidothing has "played Cupid" between Yuno and Renta.