Pokémon Presents 7-22-25 Thoughts.

Hey everyone- have had a solid idea of what to say since the stream Tuesday morning; and now I've figured out how to say it. Here are my thoughts on this month's Pokémon Presents.

After a quick refresher on the PWC in Anaheim, CA taking place August 15-17, we are given a trailer for the second season of Pokémon Concierge streaming on Netflix starting on September 4. Though I am not sure what impact the ex-lover of Haru, Ken will have on the story; I can say that I'm looking forward to it as a fan of the first season (it also understands the Pokémon world from an adult perspective way better than Horizons does).

On that subject, we got a first look at the stop-motion spinoff from Aardman (Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run, The Pirates: Band of Misfits), now entitled "Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd and Pichu." Releasing in 2027, the spinoff will also feature fan-favorite Wooloo in stop-motion.

While there is no expansion for Super Nintendo World (yet), there is a smaller scale PokéPark Kanto coming to Inagi in early 2026. The approach is actually very sweet, and I really like the arrangements of the classic music.

Now, onto the many announcements surrounding the video games. There are a number of additions to the mobile service games; with the standouts being Eternatus coming to Pokémon Go, Carmine coming to Pokémon Masters EX and Latios and Latias coming to Pokémon UNITE (With the Pawmot line joining in the near future as well).

Regarding the trading card game, Mega Evolution will be returning in a new set that will ship on September 26 of this year. There is no date for Colosseum/Gale of Darkness on Gamecube Classics (yet), but there is a new spinoff that debuted on mobile and Switch after the presentation- Pokémon Friends, which revolves around solving puzzles to get daily rewards.

We also have a reminder of the recent Switch 2 update for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet (which has vastly improved the games' reputation); and some new events. We have new tracksuit cosmetics that correspond to each game, which can be claimed with the Mystery Gift codes STRACKSU1T and VTRACKSU1T. There also mass outbreaks and Tera Raids for shiny forms of the Treasures of Ruin, currently in progress. Once the titans have been defeated 1,000,000 times each; they can be captured.

Pokémon Champions will also be releasing on console and mobile next year; and I am lowkey excited for this one as a longtime fan of the Pokémon Stadium duology- it's like the third game from that I never got.

Now, it's time for the biggest reveal for myself and others have been waiting for- more details on the highly-anticipated Pokémon Legends Z-A. It seems in many respects, the leaks and rumors were true- we do indeed have a Mega Evolution for Dragonite; and I rather like the design. Character customization is back, and while I'm not entirely onboard with Mabel acting in the stead of Professor Sycamore; I am onboard with Emma returning as a detective. Allies include Team MZ, containing the fashion-conscious Naveen and aspiring dancer Lida. I am eager to see what role the Rust Syndicate and their leader, Corbeau play in the game. Suffice to say, I definitely plan to place my preorder once I have the money.

I'm actually kind of glad they didn't tip their hand with 30th anniversary plans yet; and I will bring you more information as it becomes available. That's all for now, take care and seek out all Pokémon.

Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road delayed to November 13.

(sighs) I was really hoping I was done with this. Just coming off house-sitting ahead of seeing my father and the next round of dentistry. City the Animation and New Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt just started; as did the next course of Sakamoto Days. I even had myself all hyped for the next Pokémon Presents (hoping for more Legends Z-A footage and dates for Colosseum/Gale of Darkness on Gamecube Classics); but leave it to Level-5 to pull out one more yellow card.

That's right- with just under a month left to release, Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road has been pushed from August 21 to November 13. Here is a statement from Level-5 on the matter.

“Due to the content volume exceeding our initial expectations, additional time is required for voice recording, multi-language localization, and other related processes. As we work toward the final stages of development, we have decided to adjust the release date to ensure the best possible quality. The release date of Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road has been changed from August 21, 2025, to November 13, 2025 (GMT)]. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to all the fans who have been eagerly waiting for a long time, and truly appreciate your understanding and continued support.”

As you can imagine, this news once again fills me with mixed feelings. On one hand, this last delay can help the game avoid an uncharacteristically crowded launch month (including Gears Reloaded, Snake Eater Delta, Mafia the Old Country, Kirby and the Forgotten Land on Switch 2, and my primary target, Shinobi Art of Vengeance). On the other, this sends the game directly into an even more crowded fall window (including Ghost of Yotei, Ninja Gaiden 4, Digimon Story: Time Stranger, Outer Worlds 2, the HD2D remakes of the first two Dragon Quest games and especially Pokémon Legends Z-A). 

I'm not the only person who's invoked comparisons to Duke Nukem Forever or Beyond Good and Evil 2; and it's admittedly not hard to be concerned. Here's hoping that this last quarter of a year can put the last coat of polish on this game, so don't unlace your cleats just yet. Might not be a huge fan; but even I want this game to succeed amid all the setbacks and delays, just like Fantasy Life did. That's all for now, take care.

PS: Go see the new Superman, it really is that good.

Pokémon Legends Z-A Countdown- 90 Days Remaining

Hey everyone- with 90 days remaining to the release of Pokémon Legends Z-A; I thought I would expand upon points I have mentioned ahead of next week's Pokémon Presents livestream; and correct a few misconceptions I keep seeing.

Courtesy: Nintendo/The Pokémon Company/Game Freak

First off, this game isn't a spinoff- it is canon to the main games; as shown with the presence of characters and mechanics from previous titles. This is also the case with Legends Arceus. I also don't think the size of the map will be a problem, as I've played titles with similarly-sized ones before. Lastly, I do not see the similarities to Xenoblade as someone who isn't a fan of that franchise. Honestly reminded way more of SMT/Persona, which is a very good thing.

Now, let's expand on ideas that I've been wanting to for a while. I am curious to see what role Quasartico plays, especially if there are ulterior motives in their "urban redevelopment plan." Having said motives for urban development and profiting off it is certainly not a stretch these days. The presence of characters and ideas from X and Y does tell me those games are still canon.

Gameplay-wise, I am still eager to see how the real-time combat system fares. Given how this is a first-party Nintendo title with all that comes with it; it will indeed be the ideal game to send off this era of the franchise. Some are claiming this is a "make or break" moment, and I would respond "is it though?" Even with the launch kerfuffle, the Switch 2 will be cementing the redemption arc for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. I keep hearing this game was going to be out a year ago, before the SV launch and all its fixes. So, it was likely an internal delay.

That will be all for now, and I will see you after the Pokémon Presents next week. Take care, and seek out all Pokémon.

James Carter Carthcart Dies at age 71.

This is not the update I originally intended, but it must be addressed. It is with great sadness I report the death of James Carter Carthcart; who has succumbed to throat cancer at age 71. The news was broken by his family on his social feeds. His illness was the key factor in his retirement, but the news nonetheless comes as a shock.

James had a long career, which included voice director, script adaptor and pianist. His best known voice acting role was Gary Oak in the Pokémon franchise; with him being the only actor to keep the role throughout the show's original 25-year run. He also took over voicing for Professor Samuel Oak, James and Meowth from Battle Frontier onward; alongside a host of supporting characters.

As a longtime fan of the man and his work, I wish the best for James' family; friends and colleagues at this difficult time. May he rest in peace.

Cyberpunk Edgerunners to Receive Sequel Anime and Prequel Manga.

Hey fellas- going to be mainly working on writing bigger projects I've been working on a while this month; so here's a quick update on something I'm looking forward to.

As revealed at this year's Anime Expo, the highly-acclaimed hit anime Cyberpunk Edgerunners will receive more content due out next year- both a sequel anime that directly links its events to the source material of the games and a prequel manga centered around fan-favorite character Rebecca. As a big fan of Edgerunners and its source material,  I am looking forward to them both; and I will bring you any further information as it becomes available. That's all for now, and I will see you again later.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024) Review

Welcome to my review of Sonic The Hedgehog 3! This latest installment of the trilogy is easily its best, so let’s open it up and find out why.

We open on Prison Island, which is in Tokyo Bay in the live-action timeline. As two of a contingent of GUN mercenaries keep watch, we get the first of many parts of Shadow looking back at his time with Maria set to “Live and Learn.” We’ll come back to this song later, and this movie made good use of it even with the legal issues. Much of the cast reprises their roles, with much to discuss in new and familiar people.

The security mainframe is hacked as Shadow awakens, shattering the stasis tube! Though they never outright name his “Chaos Control” in the movie, certainly not a stretch as he’s voiced by someone who was Neo. He fights his way out of the compound, speed skating into the city and our title card!

"Are you sure this line is clean?"

Back in Green Hills, Sonic is on a camping trip with his companions. There’s even a fun friendly race at the campsite, set to Goldfinger’s cover “99 Red Balloons.” I prefer the original German version by Nena, but it’s a nice touch that sets up Tails’ holograms. There’s even the stage clear music from the games; as the trip is to celebrate his arrival on earth! Yet, not even that is respite from a global cataclysmic event. 

It is a nice moment, especially as Tom and Sonic talk in his old knothole. There’s a lot to touch on in this movie; but it definitely takes the best elements from the games and the other adaptations. In many respects, Tom is something of an adult take on Chris from Sonic X; albeit without the more divisive qualities of that character. These movies work quite well for an unofficial live-action adaptation of that anime.

Back in Tokyo, Shadow discovers he’s been in stasis for 50 years; as GUN summons “Team Sonic” to help contain Shadow. The scene of them diving into the city and into battle is quite effective. The subsequent battle on the streets is great; and the following motorcycle chase is full of visual Easter eggs from in and out of the franchise. As Sonic gives chase, Shadow uses a GUN sidearm when it’s clear he won’t let him go easy.

The chase goes up and above the Tokyo Tower skyline, complete with an Akira slide up the tower. Got to give it to DP Brandon Trost and editor Al Levine- their work here is great. Though Shadow escapes, the three regroup to determine their next move.

The Chao Garden cafe is a signature scene; and seeing all the details from the cakes to the Chao in Space poster in the background is a delight. Also like the joke of a Japanese girl mistaking Tails for Detective Pikachu (nice nod to another successful video game turned successful live-action film).

As Commander Walters meets with Team Sonic, he explains to them about Shadow. His story started like Sonic’s; but while Sonic found family and friends, Shadow found pain and loss. I especially like how the next action scene is set up- the lights go down, then back up to a J-pop cover of “I Want You Back,” lulling the audience into a false sense of security before the cafe is attacked for real. Though it’s not clear what really happens to Walters; this ends up remixing the GUN storyline from the games in a way that makes sense. He does give Sonic one of the two keys to the Eclipse Cannon, which will be important later.

Stone breaks up the attack, and in order to find Shadow; the heroes must form a reluctant alliance with an old enemy- Dr. ivo “Robotnik” Eggman, played again by Jim Carrey. Well, this is consistent with what he said after the last movie. Knuckles remarks “this is sad, even for you.”

He finally got his wish for his game character’s body type, thanks to a mixture of Olive Garden (among other caloric takeout) and campy telenovelas. He grudgingly forms an enemy mine with our heroes, and even has a new, game-accurate suit. Also, yes, he really did get his haircut during this part. Eggman tracks the drones back to their point of origin, in exchange for one of Sonic’s quills.

We flashback to 1974, where Shadow’s backstory takes place with Maria, played by Alyla Browne. Though she lacks her game counterpart’s terminal illness, there are constants between her role in Shadow’s story. I especially like the donut angels and Easter egg of the Bio-Lizard in an old kaiju movie they watch.

Everyone starts exploring the old GUN base, and I really enjoy the way the characters play off each other; especially Tails and Stone. Stone is also something of a remix of Snively of the Archie comics and SatAM- though in Stone’s case, he remains friendly and loyal to Robotnik to the end. From making his coffee to building his various machines, he’s willing to do anything for him. 

Riddle me this, Batman- what’s better than one Jim Carrey Robotnik? How about two- Jim also plays Gerald Robotnik. It’s a comedic goldmine; and it’s also done with a more advanced version of the tech in the Eddie Murphy Nutty Professor films. As they bond and make up for lost time (nice Eggman Land Easter egg in VR); Stone later tries to warn Ivo about his grandfather’s ulterior motives, but Ivo fires him in response.

Chaining Team Sonic to an old defense silo, Shadow takes their key to the Eclipse Cannon and activates a miniature black hole device! In the nick of time, they’re able to use a ring to go back to Green Hills before the base is enveloped!

The other key to the Cannon is in London, and this whole sequence in act 2 is setup like a heist film; and even with Maddie and Tom taking up baking and puppetry respectively; they’re happy to help. Also kind of neat how puppets were used to place the characters for the VFX team.

The key is protected by three trap countermeasures- a shield and laser grid are two; both of which could end Sonic in a way that actually wouldn’t be out of place in the games. Why, may you ask; can’t he just use a ring? That requires an idea of where you’re coming out, and the third countermeasure and trap is off the books. As for his request for Tom Cruise- I think he was shooting a movie in the Baltics.

Tom and Maddie slip in disguised as Randall and Rachel; planting a “crash drive” in the compound’s servers. I like the little bit of Tom blowing the dust out of the contact points- I am old enough to remember doing that to my Sega games.

As Shadow waits for Sonic to make his move, he ends up getting invested in Eggman’s telenovelas; which is a deep-cut in-joke I rather enjoy. On the other side of the coin, the film does not hold back in depicting Maria’s tragic fate- though not exactly the same as the games; the one constant is this- Maria was the only one who showed him kindness, and her death made Shadow who he is.

Though this is the darkest film in the trilogy by far, the humor is still in abundance. The scene where Ivo and Gerald dance through the laser grid to the Chemical Brothers’ “Galvanize” is a riot and predictably went viral online.

The hidden third trap is a floor with artificial gravity controls; which can decrease or increase at the touch of a button. Knuckles gets called in; but accidentally breaks the control panel, and even starts a collapse of the concrete roof! Sonic is able to spin dash just in time to stop Tom and Maddie from being struck by falling rebar! 

After that close call, it’s a similar bait and switch from the Chao Garden scene- Tom secures the key while disguised as Walters; but Shadow takes it and gravely injures him in the process, benching him for about half the movie. 

With few options left, Sonic demands to know where the Master Emerald is. Knuckles remains hesitant, as they decided after the last movie it’s too much power to wield lightly (again, like Sega’s own Infinity Gauntlet). He does grudgingly agree to tell him where the gem is- in the care of Wade; showing that the Knuckles event is still canon. Also, Sonic gets it from him practicing hockey on the roof- well, somebody saw Clerks.

Taking the Emerald, Sonic, having learned the sickening truth, decides to confront Shadow and the two Eggmen. When Ivo tries to dissuade Gerald from global destruction and to mutual conquest; Gerald coldly dismisses the idea with just three words- “You’re no Maria.”

Both Eggmen and hedgehogs come to blows, with the sequence being a major highlight. Shadow even removes his inhibitor rings after crashing into a crater, always a sign he means business. 

Though Iizuka denies the connection, if Sonic is like our Goku, then Shadow is something of our Vegeta; an antagonist who comes around to the light; as the fight reminds him of what Maria meant to him. 

Cue “Live and Learn,” and as Sonic and Shadow become allies for the assault on the Cannon to both the song from Crush 40 and a full orchestra arrangement. Seriously- Chaos Spears, game-accurate robot soldiers; cutting the moon in half- they do it all. Even with the behind the scenes drama with the band, it’s still a great song. As for how the non-human characters can breathe in space- well, it is in keeping with the games; and they are functionally aliens in this continuity, something Sonic lampshaded near the beginning.

Ivo zaps Gerald into the cannon’s energy field, and as he stays behind to stop the cannon; he sends a last goodbye message to Stone. As for what comes next, Jim has said “anything is possible.”  Holding him to those words.

We close on the camping trip from before, Tom getting out of the hospital (guess NHS fixed him up) and finally finishing the race we started with. The credits roll to “Run It” by Jelly Roll. On top of it being a good song (single has been in heavy rotation even as someone who’s otherwise unfamiliar with the singer); I once again like the visuals recalling the low-polygon graphics of the Saturn (very underrated console, most people I knew had/liked the N64 or original Playstation).

The first stinger sees Sonic winning the race; but also going all the way to New York in the process. He’s attacked by a wave of Metal Sonic drones; but they are in turn smashed by a familiar pink hedgehog’s hammer! Her hood comes down, revealing her as Amy Rose! So, I would presume they’re going to be adapting Sonic CD next (my favorite game on Sega CD in fact). Also, my shortlist of celebrity voices for her is still the same: Scarlett Johansson, Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Emma Stone and Zendaya.

The second stinger has Shadow picking up his inhibitor rings from the crater he landed in. We’ll see where his storyline goes next; since this movie ended up omitting the amnesiac aspects of the character. A TV spinoff about him is in early development for Paramount Plus, which I am open to as someone who enjoyed the Knuckles event.

This is one of the rare examples of a film franchise getting better with each passing installment (only others I can think of are the Wolverine trilogy and the Mission Impossible franchise). Though I do not know if the upcoming fourth film in 2027 will be a total conclusion; I do know I enjoy this film heartily on its own and as adaptation of the games. I’m not the only one either- its blend of offbeat humor, video game and anime-infused action and surprisingly engaging characterization make it easily my favorite entry so far.

Naturally, the movie also became the biggest hit of the trilogy; taking in more than $236 million in the US and over $491 million worldwide. I can also now officially say that the Sonic films are better film adaptations of The Flash than the actual one. I am eagerly awaiting what’s next, and I will see you again soon. Take care.

Luca and Turning Red- Pixar's Western Anime Films

Hey everyone- with Pixar's Elio releasing this summer solstice weekend; I thought I would take the opportunity to say: and now for something completely different. Let's take a look back at two of my favorite films from the past few years and how they've been accepted among people of my persuasion with great enthusiasm. Here's a quick look at Luca and Turning Red, especially how Pixar made them something of Western anime films.

Let's start with the former- Luca, directed by Enrico Casarosa in his feature debut (looking forward to his follow-up, "Gatto"), the story follows the titular humanoid sea creature Luca (voice of Jacob Tremblay) as he tries to navigate the surface world of a small town known as Portorosso, Italy in the year 1955. In this, he forms a friendship with fellow humanoid sea creature Alberto (voice of Jack Dylan Grazer) and a young woman named Giulia (voice of Emma Berman) to discover more about himself and grow as a person of both land and water.

Courtesy: Buena Vista Entertainment/Pixar Animation Studios

Since its debut on June 18, 2021; I have seen the film numerous times. I have particularly gotten into a habit of watching it near the start of summer each year; and it does a great job of capturing that feeling of discovery and wonder the season invites. The film does bear a few similarities to The Little Mermaid (both the book and the classic 1989 film); I would argue at has more in common with my favorite version of that story- the Studio Ghibli anime film Ponyo. The conflicts are less rooted in cataclysmic sea monsters and more in the ebbs and flows of summer days as they often are. Alberto's boisterous persona comes from being estranged from his father. Even the closest thing the film has to a villain, Ercole (voice of Saverio Raimondo) is portrayed as more of an arrogant pain in the tailfin than an actual threat (with Yosemite Sam and Pepe Le Pew being used as reference points). I especially like how both a traffic cop and the town cardinal respond to his introduction with a reaction to the effect of "Dear Neptune, not this guy again." Another underlying theme in this movie I like that's still resonant now is this- discovery and perseverance in the face of outside challenges are rewarded and bigotry and callousness don't pay in the long run. Even the ending is a bittersweet, but ultimately hopeful one to show how the leads will keep learning even after the credits roll.

The following year saw a film that ended up sharing even more of its storytelling and artistic DNA with anime- Turning Red.

Courtesy- Buena Vista Entertainment/Pixar Animation Studios

Though it would have been cool to see theatrically (saw trailers and posters like the one here when I went to see Matt Reeves' The Batman), I was among the many online who dove right in when it went live on March 11, 2022. Marking the feature directorial debut of Domee Shi (who is also one of the co-directors of Elio); the story follows 13-year-old Meilin Lee (voice of Rosalie Chiang). As she tries to navigate the challenges of coming of age while honoring her family's bloodline, she must also deal with turning into a massive red panda when she experiences strong emotional states- something that happens fairly frequently at that age. 

I have also seen this film numerous times since its debut, and have spoken quite highly of its mix of humor and earnestness in depicting coming of age. Each viewing brings new layers to appreciate, and it's a story that I can very well see becoming a future classic.

Of course, the animation is certainly one of the biggest talking points. As I have stated before elsewhere- I like it. On top of the angles, lighting and color palettes showing an increasing willingness to integrate elements from 2D animation (thank the acclaim and success of Spider-Verse biting the rest of the business); I especially like how the art direction as well as the story take cues from works I've enjoyed. Key ones include Fruits Basket, Sailor Moon and especially One Piece. Come on- you think a man who stays up till 2AM watching that last one has an issue with the art direction?

As for a (now-retracted) question from another creator about why they weren't talking about the war at the time; my first response was this: do the words "Remember Me" mean anything to you? (Disclaimer: I said in years past I supported Pattinson's willingness to experiment as a performer- I never said each experiment was a success.)

One last note- it's another film where the growth has connections. The thrill of a kaiju fight/Dynamax Battle in the Toronto Sky Dome to Mei-Mei's favorite band is an energetic rush, but the ensuing heart-to-heart that follows with the essence of her mother (voice of Sandra Oh) as a teenager in the bamboo forest is what cemented my appreciation for it.

Bottom line- as a longtime fan of both anime and Pixar films; I never pass up a chance to share my enthusiasm for both. Hope we can all have a great summer, and I will see you all again soon. One last thing- go see Elio, it really is that good. Take care.