Dada, a Zarude and guardian of the Forest of Okoya, discovers an abandoned human infant during his patrols. Unable to trace the child’s parents, he defies his tribe’s strict laws by adopting the boy, naming him Koko, and retreating into exile deep within the jungle. His tribe, bound by tradition at the Great Tree, views this act as a betrayal, severing ties with him.

For ten years, Dada trains Koko in wilderness survival, shielding him from the truth of his humanity despite the boy’s growing curiosity. Tensions rise when Koko encounters humans, prompting Dada to reveal his origins through a faded photograph found in a crumbling laboratory—a site linked to Koko’s parents and their studies on the jungle’s restorative springs.

As Dr. Zed’s machinery threatens the jungle’s destruction, Dada reunites with his tribe, forging an alliance between Pokémon factions to combat the encroachment. In the ensuing clash, Dada nearly perishes shielding Koko but is revived by energy channeled through Koko’s bond with the land. Post-battle, Dada guides the restoration of the Great Tree and healing springs, witnessed by a Shiny Celebi’s arrival—a silent testament to renewed balance.

Once an outcast, Dada emerges as a mediator, bridging divides between his tribe, wild Pokémon, and humans. His journey—rooted in sacrifice and unconditional kinship—culminates in Koko venturing into the human world, carrying lessons from his Pokémon upbringing while Dada safeguards the rejuvenated jungle.