Sonic The Hedgehog: The Movie (1999) Review

Hello everyone, and welcome to my look at the Sonic OVA movie! I know I wasn't planning on looking at this before, but my exact words were that I wasn't going to recap it. I didn't say anything about reviewing it. This OVA, originally meant as a TV pilot; was instead edited into a movie in the year 1999 around the time Sonic Adventure was first released on Dreamcast, so let’s open up the anime version of Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie!

We open on a wall of monitors, and we see Hyper Metal Sonic (voice of Gary Dehan) awaken to ominous, pulsing music. Dr. Ivo “Robotnik” Eggman (voice of character actor Edwin Neal) just needs one component to complete his work on him.

Elsewhere, we see Sonic (voice of Martin Burke) relaxing on the beach while Tails (voice of Lainie Frasier) tools with a jet-powered bogie board of his own design! Sonic then turns on his stereo, blasting loud rock music in the BGM. Ah, 1999: still close enough to the new millennium you could do this un-ironically. Tails is then clipped by an “old man,” who is actually an owl whose plane is on fire! Despite his reluctance, Sonic springs into action just in time! 

The “old man”, whose name is Steward (voice of Chris Campbell), tells them the president needs to see them; and Sonic and Tails head off in the Tornado to find out what’s happening! It’s Robotnik leading them into a trap; and the President (voice of Edwin Neal) and his daughter Sara (voice of Sasha Biesi) are being held hostage in exchange for South Island! He asks for Sonic’s help in stopping the “Roboticizer” in Robotropolis; or it will explode by the next sunrise! Usually, the doctor doesn’t want him to stop this; but it’s no weirder than Jim Carrey in a Snidely Whiplash mustache.

Reluctantly, Sonic agrees; and Tails is given a tracker to get them to Robotropolis! Wonder if that can also show where a holocron is to get them to Exegol. Sonic and Tails then head to Robotropolis; while Robtonik keeps Sara company with video games and going out for a drive. Ah, the joyful madness of the 1990s!

By way of the “Land of Darkness,” Sonic and Tails make their way to Robotropolis; though it’s kind of a rough landing. I will say the music in this anime is really good; and the animation is kind of like a larger scale version of the intro and outro of Sonic CD. The two encounter Metal Robotnik, leading to a skirmish on the streets as they try to find a way out. They do so, but not before Sonic gives Metal Robotnik the bird. He would have done it before, but the network censors wouldn’t let him.

I also don’t know why Sonic’s shoes are red hot and smoking: I thought they were supposed to be friction-proof and heatproof. Metal Robotnik keeps shooting at them, which draws the attention of Knuckles (voice of Bill Wise). They’re nearly tripped up by a glue gun, but Knuckles frees them! Also, I don’t know why Knux has an Australian accent in this movie, but that is a nice hat. 

It turns out that Metal Robotnik is really just another suit from Robotnik; and Knuckles is a treasure hunter in this movie. I cannot begin to tell you how long I spent hunting for fragments of the Master Emerald as a kid.

The three heroes enter Robotropolis, and they have to stop the generator before sunrise! They do so just in time, quite literally at the last possible moment! Knuckles gets Sonic free of the generator, but this awakens Hyper Metal Sonic!

Metal Robotnik crumbles, and Sara isn’t happy that she’s been had. Now, Sonic must face Hyper Metal Sonic; and we have our obligatory “this is terrible” from Tails.

I must say, this anime does a really good job at providing its own take on their fight and the Stardust Speedway Zone. I haven’t seen that many errors; but there was this one bit where Sonic apparently became a ventriloquist on top of a mountain. 

Hyper Metal Sonic confronts Steward, and apparently his HUD is on loan from Cyberdyne. Sonic comes to in a meadow, and Tails returns home to find his lab in shambles! Thankfully, however, Steward is all right; and wearing “Sonic’s favorite clothes,” which apparently came from an old Capri-Sun commercial. You can actually unlock those items for your avatar in Sonic Forces, with the candy colors; Mega Drive logos and everything! That’s what the Genesis was called in other countries, couldn’t clear the red tape here apparently.

While Robotnik presents Sara with a wedding dress, none the wiser when she says she loves it; Tails is able to track Hyper Metal Sonic and the real deal using the circuits in the tracer Robtonik gave him! That seems like poor planning, knowing Tails’ technical skills; but no matter. Robtonik has also donned a blue suit, wanting to marry Sara and have lots of little “Egg babies!” Naturally, Sara isn’t too thrilled. Not sure whether her or Elise has the more awkward romantic subplot.

Knuckles contacts the president, and is able to tell him that Hyper Metal Sonic is out to destroy the glacier in “the Land of the Sky!” I guess this is the movie’s stand-in for the Floating Island from the games, and we’ve only got about 15 minutes left.

Thankfully, Sonic reappears just in time; right there in the war room! No relation to that crappy inspirational drama, but now he must confront Hyper Metal Sonic again! This is kind of prescient about that scene in Sonic Adventure 2 where he buzzes the president in his limo to let him know what’s going on.

Robotnik and Sara head to the glacier, now; the final battle begins! Once again, the animation is actually pretty good for its time. Though, this part about Sonic taking a shot to the groin and Hyper Metal Sonic leering at Sara is kind of cringey. Get your mind out of the gutter!

Knuckles saves Sara from falling, and Tails hits Hyper Metal Sonic with the Tornado! Just 10 minutes left!

Sonic and Hyper Metal Sonic clash, and Knuckles gets a kiss from Sara to help save the glacier and the “Planet of Freedom!” His hat also briefly catches fire, and it was also in the comic as well.

Sara then starts banging on Hyper Metal Sonic as Tails is able to hack him, allowing Sonic to finish him! The president is in a wrecked airship about to explode, but Metal is almost down! His body gets more cracked and broken, even briefly taking part in a game of whack-a-hedgehog!

Hyper is able to incorporate the last of Sonic’s data, freeing the president and sacrificing himself to protect the glacier by dropping into the magma! Well, somebody saw T2.

We then close on Robotnik vowing to return with another robot as our heroes run into the sunrise! That was totally insane, but I had a lot of fun with it.

As the 30th anniversary is upon us; this OVA is a very strange find; just over 20 years later. While the OVA never went to full series, causing them to go back to the drawing board for Sonic X, it’s somewhat enjoyable as a piece of Sonic animation and 1990s pop culture. Though not spectacular, the animation is quite good for the time. Even if the voice cast isn’t the best, they do at least fit for each character. It may not be my favorite Sonic adaptation or video game anime, but I definitely enjoyed talking about it. That will be all for now, gotta go fast.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba- Mugen Train First Viewing Thoughts.

When I said I wanted to experiment more after my change in direction; I really meant it. I have been deliberately holding off addressing this until it debuted on Funimation and other digital platforms, so here are my first viewing thoughts on the runaway box office hit "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba- Mugen Train!"

Rather than other feature film adaptations of anime which are non-canon stories set in the same fictional universe; this movie is canon to the events of the anime and the bestselling manga as well. This will also serve as an informal first viewing thoughts on the anime itself; since I watched the first season in its entirety on Crunchyroll to make sure I understood what was going on. Doing otherwise would be akin to watching the Infinity War without the other films that came out beforehand, making one confused about why Thor and the Incredible Hulk are being attacked by a big, bald; gold-gloved flying purple people killer. Or like watching The Rise of Skywalker without seeing the other main Star Wars films would leave one wondering why the Supreme Leader of the First Order is killing a bunch of people to get just one Sith Holocron. I've also read enough the manga to understand who the characters are and how they operate. So, let's get this started.

The film acts as a setup to the upcoming second season of the anime. As Tanjiro and his sister Nezuko, along with colleagues Zenitsu and Inosuke end up aboard the titular "Mugen Train," they cross paths with fellow a Demon Slayer named Rengoku Kyojuro and do battle with a pair of demons named Enmu and Akaza; who are linked to a powerful circle known as the "Twelve Kizuki." 

Notably, even given the circumstances, on a budget equivalent to $15 million USD, the film has surpassed the 2016 film "Your Name" as the highest-grossing anime film ever at $455 million worldwide; with $367 million of that in Japan alone. Some estimates have even pegged the film at over $500 million worldwide. The film has even made a respectable $47 million domestically; something that surprised me given the circumstances (I deliberately waited till the digital/streaming release; since I was giving priority towards the Mortal Kombat reboot and the few theaters open near me weren't showing this movie). Though it remains to be seen what this decade will hold for film and anime overall; one thing is clear- there is still a market for the theatrical experience; and for Hard-R content in that venue as well. Nothing mysterious about it, just making sure I have all the details in front of me; and that I don't officially move forward with a whole universe of plans until I know someone else actually wants that.

Though I don't put the TV show on the same pedestal as others, I understand its appeal. Having binged the whole the first season, I can definitely say it's better than Black Clover. Even with the infamy of the later seasons; much like in Game of Thrones, I do rather like how being a main character doesn't automatically grant one plot armor; establishing how anyone can die; friend and foe alike. There's a clear sense of escalation of threat with each passing installment; and even though I was skeptical at first, I can understand why other people like it. It's no different than me and my Mandalorian obsession, to say nothing of all the crossover art in my feed.

Likewise, I can now say something similar about this movie: I am more than old enough to know what I like and what I hate, and I don't hate this. It definitely has a similar appeal to Snowpiercer (loved that film, still been meaning to see the TV series) and the animated series Infinity Train (even more given what Mugen Train roughly translates to). Again, though I'm not putting it on the same pedestal as others; I understand its appeal. Definitely not worth getting salty about it outgrossing other movies I like, because I've honestly seen worse ways to kill an hour and 57 minutes even in just the last year alone.

I honestly don't know about any comparisons to "Ninja Scroll" or any alleged "xenophobia" over the R rating in the US release like Deadline was suggesting; but as someone who knows full well the difference between what's acceptable for families here and in Japan; and who has Akira listed as their favorite anime film and one of their all-time favorite movies, I will be very open and honest as I am known to be. Given how the demons are dispatched by cutting off their heads, destroying their brains or turning them to dust in sunlight; it's both in tune with the TV anime and honestly not much worse in terms of violence than the Mortal Kombat reboot.

The one constant the movie has with other feature-length anime adaptations I've addressed is that the scale and budget are much larger than a typical episode of the TV series. Though the show is no slouch in the animation department, this movie has been seen as a rival by Hayao Miyazaki and other Studio Ghibli alumni; and rightfully so: even just watching this at home, the animation is quite spectacular. Not only is the train itself well-suited to the Taisho-era period setting; the fights are quite impressive. Even though there are still some instances of CGI that looks like it came from an old Playstation game; the traditional animation is easily some of the best I've seen in recent memory. 

While I don't have any plans to formally review this movie, I will state that it is a good film and I congratulate the fans and creators for its success ahead of the upcoming second season. Definitely liked it more than Last Kizuna anyway. Have something a bit lighter in mind for next time, and I will see you all soon: take care.

Yo-Kai Watch 2 Five Years Later: Why the Sequels and Series Didn't "Bloom Like a Flower."

Akihiro Hino (translated by Noriko): "...Because the previous [Yo-Kai Watch] title was such a big hit in Japan, and so I want to make this into a huge title, just as big in the [United] States as well."

To paraphrase Ron Howard: He didn't, and now the story of how a pair of sequels meant to give the series its legs ended up losing to competition and the developer that just can't seem to make it work outside Japan. This is Yo-Kai Watch 2, five years later.

As another E3 winds down, and the first we've had since the before time; the long long ago in 2019, it's time to once again explore how Yo-Kai Watch 2 failed to set the world on fire; only selling a fraction of what it did in Japan and how it left the wrong kind of impact on the brand.

To give the proper context for the sequels' international failure, let's wind the clocks back again to 2013 in Japan. The first game released that July, and it sold a respectable 1 million copies in its home country alone. While nowhere near the 16 million sold worldwide by Pokémon X and Y; it did make a solid foundation for what came next.

Yo-Kai Watch 2 launched the following year in Japan in 2014; building on the success of the anime adaptation and the first movie that same year. This of course, led to the plans for the international release; where things took something of a drastic turn.

As the year 2015 laid out the plans for the US release; I made no secret of the fact that I was at best, skeptical and at worst; very much not onboard with the idea. I never bought into the "Pokémon ripoff" narrative (that would be like calling Fire Emblem a Zelda ripoff to me); and even though others keep insisting on that, I must continue to reaffirm that isn't the main stigma; and was never going to be as detrimental to Level-5 as the one of being an international failure. The anime and toys never drew the numbers that the people in charge hoped, and the game sold 440,000 copies in North America; much less than expected.

This brings us to the year 2016. Though the first game didn't pull the numbers that were expected; Level-5 and Hino were still convinced that the strategy in Japan for the sequels would work outside the country, when they released that September in North America. Here is where the trouble began.

Upon their release, while the sequels were admittedly more polished than the first game; the flip side to the coin was how the first stretch of the story was effectively a retread of the first game. The multiple versions also did nothing to help the comparisons to Pokémon, which was in the midst of its second big popularity wave that will be addressed in a moment. For now, another JRPG that released in the same season came out around the same time that eclipsed the sequels: Final Fantasy XV, which has sold over 8 million copies worldwide to date.

The summer of 2016 also saw the release of Pokémon Go, which; despite the bugs and mayhem of its initial launch, managed to accrue a considerable following on its own and help reinvigorate the franchise to a level not seen since its initial peak in 1999. 

A side note before I continue: while other IPs such as Harry Potter, Jurassic World and Ghostbusters have also made AR apps with followings of their own, Yo-Kai Watch World unfortunately had nowhere near the same amount of success; and a proposed international release was canceled due to lack of interest from publishers wanting to take it on.

Despite Hino's best efforts, Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls ultimately sold 220,000 copies domestically upon their launch on September 30, 2016. The sequels ultimately met with mixed critical feedback as well, and despite fans' attempts to rationalize why; having to essentially replay the bulk of the first game's plot within the sequel didn't help matters at all. It's a tricky business whenever you include material from a previous game in a later one; something that's very difficult to get right and easy to screw up. For every Age of Calamity that makes it work, we dozens of titles like the infamous Ninjabread Man, Rock and Roll Adventures and Anubis II. I mean, what if you waited to watch The Bad Batch and you found out it was just the test footage from The Clone Wars at Comic-Con? You'd be angry, wouldn't you? Though the sequels did introduce features not present in the first game, they ultimately did little to win over new fans. By contrast, Pokémon Sun and Moon ended up selling over 16 million copies when they launched November 18, 2016; with many praising how they shook up the longstanding conventions of the games. 

This ended up doing far greater damage to the brand than any ripoff accusations ever could, and the international failure stigma ended up replacing it instead. Instead of "blooming like a flower," this started a decline that has yet to be reversed domestically; and has even impacted the brand in its native Japan as well. What Hino hoped would be a "modern Doraemon" in terms of appeal has instead been on something of a downward spiral. At this point, it will be lucky if the new reboot will be remembered as a modern Gu Gu Ganmo; and I forgive you if some of you have to Google that one.

So, instead of following the same pattern they did in Japan, the sequels started a downward trend that had every subsequent game sell less than the one before; and Hino's goal of getting out content the same time or before Japan ultimately hasn't happened. The games sold less and less with each new title, the gap between each country's release got wider and wider; and after nearly two years; an international release of Yo-Kai Watch 4 remains in limbo (the recent closure of Level-5 Abby and potential closure of Level-5 International not helping matters).

Admittedly, the series isn't the first one to be less successful overseas than in Japan. Despite its influence on both sides of the Pacific, Lupin III has only proved to be a cult hit at best. Detective Conan (aka Case Closed) could never really find its footing here; and One Piece is only fairly recently getting the recognition it deserves.

So, as it has been observed before; there are a number of factors why the sequels and the series overall didn't "bloom like a flower" like Hino hoped; and might have even salted the land so it might never grow again. The inherently Japanese nature of the material didn't make things easy; and the attempts to downplay that didn't exactly pan out. As has been previously noted, yokai as a whole are as well-known there as zombies here; but most westerners don't exactly know about them. There was extensive competition no matter when they launched: even giving the sequels breathing room with a new Pokémon game was undercut by launching them the same time as Final Fantasy XV.  Though the Japanese culture in the game's content (which the English translation did little to dispel) and ripoff allegations didn't help matters; I still submit the fact people as a whole simply weren't interested in the series stopped the momentum it had dead; especially as each subsequent game sold less than the one before it. 

Now, we're in limbo about what's coming next; and near radio silence about the localization of Yo-Kai Watch 4 has caused many to wonder if it's even still happening. It's been nearly two full years since the game's initial JP launch and the informal announcement at Anime Expo 2019; though the recent closure of Level-5 Abby and potential closure of Level-5 International doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Seeing as how the Nintendo Direct and Treehouse today will likely have other stuff I'm more interested in; my next post about this subject matter will depend on what's said, if anything today about an official international release of Yo-Kai Watch 4.

Regardless of what happens next; it's kind of a disappointment on the fandom and company's part that the international plans for the series never came to fruition. Though there isn't much else that can be done right now; this further draws an uncertain picture for the future of the series. Yet, that's what's happened with Yo-Kai Watch 2 five years later: the sequels and series as a whole never did "bloom like a flower," and the series now seems further and further from the peak it once held in its native Japan. That will be all for now, and I will see you all again soon.

Review: "Battling the Beast Within/Parallel Friendships" (Pokémon Sun and Moon: Ultra Legends)

Alola everyone: if you’re seeing this; I will have had my second dose, so I had this done in advance just in case I end up feeling loopy for the next couple weeks. So, what better way to ease back in than with my look at more Pokémon Sun and Moon Ultra Legends, with both the episodes covered here bringing me to the 100th episode of this series. Let’s open up the first half of this two-parter with “Battling the Beast Within.”

We open on Kukui’s lab, where Ash finds Professor Kukui and his wife Professor Burnet doing exercises early in the morning on their surfboards. On top of the TCG Easter egg with the surfing Pikachu on Ash’s shirt; this is one aspect I really like to show how the professors are more than just his hosts: they’re mentors that become a surrogate family over the course of this anime; and a major reason why they’re often my favorite characters in the series.

After chucking a pair of Pyukumuku back into the ocean; Ash joins them before breakfast and before he heads to the Pokémon Academy. As he’s taking it all in, Tapu Koko looks on from above.

"Mr. Stark, it smells like a new car in here!"

After the intro, Ash runs to the Pokémon Academy to have a match with Kiawe when he comes across Tapu Koko. In a bright flash of light, Ash and Pikachu are transposed into a parallel universe; separating them from much of the regular cast throughout the bulk of this story. In their place, is a world much like theirs, but a much more desolate one at that.

"Hear me and rejoice... You may think this is suffering, no- it is salvation, the universal scales tip toward balance all because of your sacrifice..."

As the two explore the ruins, they come across the massive Ultra Beast “Gluttony,” better known by the name Guzzlord! 

"I know what it's like to lose: to feel that you're right, only to fail nonetheless..."

The two are narrowly saved by a Zeraora and another trainer. While some initially believed this was an older Ash or this continuity’s version of Red; what it turned out instead was an entirely new character known as Dia. It’s just one of the creators’ many recent ways of saying: “and now for something completely different.”

As Dia and Ash evacuate the premises, I will point out that I really like how this two-parter makes the normally colorful setting much more muted; which is a major advantage of the new art direction to play with lighting and color palettes. Ash is thankful for the rescue; though Zeraora isn’t too pleased about having its tail snuggled.

"We don't do that here."

Dia then reveals he once tried to battle Guzzlord as part of an elite team known as the Ultra Rangers; and I also note this is one of the few times Passimian was used here: not just in the dub, but it seems OLM really tried to use the monster very sparingly after that one episode got skipped.

The Ultra Rangers and most of the civilians were driven away from Melemele Island, leaving Dia as the first, last and only line of defense against Guzzlord devouring everything in its path!

"You should have gone for the head."

Dia stayed behind to protect what’s left of the island, and as we see shots of what it once was; and although this story never spells out exactly; this young man with the Litten is heavily implied to be a younger Dia. 

"Let me guess, your home?" "It was, and it was beautiful."

Ash vows to help Dia stop Guzzlord and restore peace to the land; though Dia is reluctant, especially after a sparring match with Zeraora.

Later, Dia gives Ash a bag of Poke Beans for Pikachu; and as they continue exploring; they come across the remains of the Pokémon Academy in this universe. To be continued, right now.

Everyone enters the school, and Ash discovers old photographs on the ground! Once again, the episodes never outright state this; but it’s a heavy hint that the boy with the Litten is a younger Dia. 

We then formally enter the second part of this story: “Parallel Friendships.”

Dia then explains the concept of parallel universes to Ash; which, since they’re already inside the school; helps they already have the chalkboard handy. Though it initially baffles Ash, Dia does get through to him, and no matter where they appear, parallel universes and alternate timelines are a concept that have always fascinated me. The mirror universes in Star Trek, Biff getting the almanac, the Flash messing with timelines: the list goes on and on.

Dia then explains how Guzzlord appeared 10 years prior to the events of the story, and stresses that Ash’s timeline must not share the same fate as his own. After this solemn warning, Ash is given dinner as he hasn’t eaten since he got to Dia’s parallel universe.

After Dia eats some rations himself, he explains how he began fighting alongside Zeraora to send Guzzlord back home. He also reveals that he has a Z-Ring, but the Z-Power has long since left his land. I haven’t mentioned this yet, but Ash reveals the same thing happened when he arrived in his universe. Guzzlord’s weak spot is the head; so Ash vows to help send Guzzlord back where it came so he can return home as well! They begin training, but the only problem with bean cans is the same with any training dummy: they don’t fight back.

After Pikachu and Zeraora spar again, Ash and Dia opt to put their plan into action against Guzzlord! Drawing it back towards the Ultra Hole in the center of Hauoli City, this engagement is quite well-constructed and shows how this art direction is just as valid as the animation style for the previous generations of the show. On that note; I still submit this anime does respect the canon of the games and is just as valid as the other adaptations.

Just when things seem lost, the Tapu Koko of this timeline restores their Z-Power! With their combined strength, their Gigavolt Havoc Z-Moves send Guzzlord back where it came from!

With peace being restored to Dia’s home and one last energetic battle, Ash and Pikachu are sent back home to their universe! However, much to their surprise and delight; what was days for Ash and Pikachu was only moments for everyone else back home! We close on the two reflecting on the events that they just went through. I’ve been wanting to address this for ages, and I’m glad I finally got a chance to.

With 100 episodes of this anime as of this two-parter, I can honestly say this third season of the “Sun and Moon” series is easily the best one I’ve covered so far already. These two episodes in particular have helped  take the series from initially being written off as the runt of the litter and trying to cash in on Yo-Kai Watch and now being looked back on quite favorably. It’s no surprise the new series already has a lot of story similarities; and I’m open to talking about both more in the near future. Thank you for all your support, and I will see you all again soon. Alola. 

#PokémonBrilliantDiamondShiningPearl Coming November 19, #PokémonLegendsArceus Coming January 28, 2022!

Well, this is a pleasant surprise: as it turns out, earlier today, the release dates of the next main Pokémon games have been revealed on the Pokémon Company’s official feeds. 

On November 19, the long-awaited remakes of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl; “Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl” will release on Nintendo Switch. I intend to pre-order the twin pack as soon as I can; and I can definitely see myself enjoying these games.

On that note, it turns out Pokémon Legends Arceus will be released on January 28, 2022. This prequel, set centuries before the events of the other games in the series; will detail the creation of the very first Pokédex. I ended up making a very good guess about all three titles in a previous post; and I will definitely be pre-ordering this as well.

I will bring you any new information as it becomes available; and I will talk with you all another time. Later.

"Freeze Frame" Review (Pokémon Johto League Champions)

Welcome to the final review of this three-part story arc! With the recent critical and commercial success of New Pokémon Snap; I proudly present my look at "Freeze Frame!"

We open on the base of the mountains, where Ash's Noctowl is helping search for Articuno. Though they initially have no luck, Brock's Golbat has found something near Snow-Top Mountain: it's Jigglypuff frozen in ice!

After the intro, Ash uses Cyndaquil to thaw Jigglypuff out, and Todd believes Articuno is responsible for this. Elsewhere, Team Rocket is trying to scale the mountain to set a trap for their enemies; but a series mishaps trap them on a ledge!

Todd gets some pics of some Stantler; and everyone reaches a Pokémon Center cabin near the base of the mountain. Brock then remarks that he'd like to curl up with a cup of hot chocolate and a warm Nurse Joy... then corrects himself and says fire. ... Good night, everybody!

All joking aside, I do like this part where they're all warming up around the kettle; and seeing this when I was 10 did answer a question I had about Misty: Yes, she did wear socks depending on who was animating the episode. This time around, definitely don't want one's feet to get cold and blistered in the red lightning bolt running shoes.

Anyway, the next step is to figure out how to take a snapshot of Articuno. Ash suggests using Jigglypuff to make it sleep; but Todd declines on the grounds that he doesn't need shots of the Legendary Bird sleeping. I've got loads of objectives in the new game that would be inclined to disagree.

Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy then inform everyone that Articuno has made a refuge in the mountains; and a wooden statue has been a key marker of its being ever since.

Joy continues to exposit that the statue was brought there over 1200 years ago; and that Articuno has been a guardian over people's journeys ever since. If the upcoming Legends Arceus has something similar going on in its world building; I know that alone will be worth the price to me.

Elsewhere, Team Rocket is stuck on a ledge after losing their climbing gear in a previous scene; and Meowth fantasizes about resting on a coffee table; which is actually a kotatsu. My associate Dogasu turned me onto this, and it's apparently a play on the Japanese colloquialism about that.

Back with Jenny and Joy, as they finish their story; everyone pledges to help Todd find Articuno in the mountains. Todd only gets a glimpse of the legendary in the snow, and Team Rocket is brought inside! As they thaw out near the kettle and Meowth gets his wish; they tip off everyone about Articuno! Despite the risk involved, Todd vows to find Articuno in the mountains; and everyone else decides to help search after bundling up.

Of course, Team Rocket has their own ideas about Articuno, stealing Officer Jenny's snowmobile to head up the snowy mountains! Side note as this storm kicks up: I do rather like the matching snowsuits they wear on this trek up the mountain as well.

As everyone tries to navigate the blizzard in the mountains, they see Articuno appear before them! Articuno could not have come at a better time, as they almost walked right off a cliff!

Todd readies for a momentous photo of Articuno, but Team Rocket has other ideas for the Legendary Bird! I do believe it's time for a sudden change !

Ill-concerned that Articuno saved them before; Jessie and James intend to bag the bird and deliver it to Giovanni! Old habits die hard, don't they?

Predictably, Articuno doesn't appreciate the thievery attempt; and as Team Rocket is blown away by a blizzard; the Legendary falls into a crevasse with Ash, Pikachu, Jigglypuff and Todd! That's why we have the Zero-One and now the Neo-One. 

Articuno is able to slow their fall, and Pikachu is using Jigglypuff to float down. Well, it is the balloon Pokémon after all: it's the 99 red ones you need to watch out for.

Team Rocket is also in the crevasse; and they still want to abscond with Articuno! Still, their attacks do little to slow Articuno down; and they're quite literally blown away and sent blasting off with one last Blizzard attack! The sky clears; and a way out of the crevasse is revealed; but not before Todd finally gets his picture of Articuno! 

Todd decides to stay in the mountains to continue his photography research; and he and Ash go their separate ways. I don't know about this Easter egg with the new movie (which I still intend to review upon its EN release); but with many characters from the past returning in the new series, I am very much open to Todd returning with the success of the new game (finally got a pic of Xerneas earlier today).

We close on a stinger with Meowth warning Jessie and James not to fall asleep; saying they might freeze in the cold mountains... right as Jigglypuff appears at the opening of the cave. Insert cheesy creepypasta reference here.

"Freeze Frame" is a good end to this trilogy of episodes that saw Todd Snap reappear; and I'm pleased to say that I enjoy them as much as I did when I was 10. The fact that it took multiple console generations to get a sequel to the original game, yet the original is still held in high regard by many is a sure sign of the impact this part of the series has left on me and others. It's personally one of my favorite spinoffs ever, and I do love it when other parts of the series pay tribute to it. As previously stated, with the Journeys series having brought back characters from all corners of the series with more to come in the near future; I would have no objections to Todd showing up again. Thank you for letting me share my thoughts with you all, and I will see you again another time. Later.

"Berserk" creator Kentaro Miura dies at age 54.

Earlier this week, "Berserk" creator Kentaro Miura died from an acute aortic dissection. He was 54 years of age. His work had an impact on fantasy manga and has been adapted for other mediums several times over the years.

I respectfully wish the best for those close to Miura and his fans at this difficult time. May he rest in peace.