Yo-Kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls (3DS) Early Impressions.

Hello everyone. Well, I did have some parts of my main computer replaced; but there's still more work to do before I can reinstall the OS. On top of that, I'm also looking at other material to do after I get back on track with what I had planned.

As for Yo-Kai Watch: it's been quiet on most fronts. Only thing that I've seen lately from the series stateside is an alternate piece of cover art for "Psychic Specters" leaked on Best Buy's website. I also have some episodes that I'm contemplating doing; and a host of others that I couldn't find enough material for a full recap. Unless the third game officially is brought stateside, I will not recap the third movie (plus, I've only begun experimenting with live-action coverage; and doing those parts of the movie would be a bit more to talk about than me just riffing on the new Ghost in the Shell).

In the meantime, I have also got myself some souvenirs from my visit to California, one of which is a copy of Yo-Kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls. Like the last game, after 9 months of no flowers blooming; I finally caved and got a used copy of the game, and... it's actually not that bad. It's definitely not on the same order of magnitude as Pokémon Sun and Moon or Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, but it is a slight improvement over the first game in many respects. I will give you some early impressions of the first few hours of gameplay, and I will skip the rap version of the opening in favor of something else, something juicy.


I will definitely admit for the first six hours of gameplay, there is an aura of familiarity hanging over the game. The rationale for this is a case of amnesia that causes many events of the first game to be done over again. While this is a point of contention among many, I will admit I have mixed feelings about the idea. On one hand, this may seem a bit weak on paper. The first few hours of Gold and Silver weren't a rehash of Red and Blue, after all. The first events of Majora's Mask weren't a rehash of the ones in Ocarina of Time either. On the other, it does also allow some wiggle room for the new mechanics. The changes are not as noticeable as they would be in a Pokémon game (I have been trying not to use the P-word too often, but sometimes it fits), but there some tweaks that I appreciate as someone who was disappointed with the first game. For example, the map system is much easier to figure out where you need to go for certain missions; especially since the area of the game is still daunting to navigate at times. While a newer Pokémon game or Breath of the Wild can easily make exploring the land feel satisfying and free, this game still feels like someone trying to cram the entire Bay Area into a shot glass. There are also some modifications to combat and finding certain Yokai for your quest. Still, there is some guesswork to finding out what you need to do as opposed to just throwing a Poké Ball after lowering an enemy's HP; and the autonomous combat system still lacks the challenge of most Pokémon games or other RPGs. The graphics, while competent for a game that came out in Japan in 2014; still feel a bit too much like a cutesy Saturday morning cartoon for my tastes. Even bosses such as Gutsy Bones lack the sheer power of Primal Groudon and Kyogre.

Though I have gotten to the point where I will be going to see relatives in Harrisville (Kemamoto in Japan), the pacing feels much slower than it did in Sun and Moon; let alone other RPGs I've played. Maybe it's just me, but I'm just not feeling the whole "everyday life with yokai" premise. Despite that selling point, the only major difference between our world and theirs is that there are yokai. Again, I have to ask: does it even need to be in our world? Here's an idea: why not have a world where there are yokai and go from there? Why have the series in our world at all? I know the whole thing is ludicrous; but a concept doesn't have to make sense for someone to enjoy playing a video game about it. Sonic can run at speeds that break the sound barrier but sinks like a stone in water. Mario can get big from eating mushrooms but dies when he falls down a pit. A 10-year-old can bomb around the world with an electric mouse and a waterbending ninja frog and nobody will ask questions.

I don't know if Psychic Specters will be able to succeed where its seniors failed in the US, but we'll see. Given how the game is once again coming out against a murderer's row of anticipated installments from big series, Hino has an uphill battle on his hands. The third game could potentially come to the US if Level-5 published it on their own, but nothing has been confirmed. I will also give you more thoughts on the game as I continue playing it in between the latest Global Mission for Sun and Moon. In short: it's OK. Definitely not horrible, but also far from my favorite. With this, the first half of 2017 draws to a close at the stroke of midnight. It's been crazy, but at least better than 2016 was by this point. Hopefully things will go well, and I will be able to give you more soon. That will be all for now. See you, space cowboy.

Fact-Checking "15 Reasons Why Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon Will Be Terrible."

Hello everyone. I know that I didn't do as much of my plans as I hoped, but I will still give you something that I've been meaning to address for a while.

Earlier this month, not long after the Pokémon Direct presentation was streamed, an article was posted online entitled "15 reasons why Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon will be Terrible." For the sake of argument, I thought I would try something different and fact-check this article on each of its points. I will not be addressing the author by name. Now is not the time to get angry, that comes later. I will also be offering counterpoints for reasons that are more subjective than others. Here we go.

15. Running on Sun and Moon's Engine

Quote: "As a game franchise grows, each installment should have improvements over the last one. The first of these is a graphical upgrade. Look at most big franchises and you'll see how the graphics have gotten better over time. Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon don't have this benefit. Instead, the games look the same as Sun and Moon because they are running off of the same engine."

This is the first point brought up and I already feel like the author doesn't really understand how graphical limitations work. This won't be the last time I'll mention this, but it also seems to denigrate the hard work Game Freak has put into the series since the transition to 3D began in Generation VI (with elements of it being set up in Generation V). On top of that, the argument doesn't make a whole lot of sense when developers often can work with similar assets over a period of time before a whole new set of tools can be implemented. This is a highly subjective viewpoint, but I submit that the Sun and Moon engine will be the standard for some time; and I think the potential it has to be used in other mainline games is intriguing.

14. Still on 3DS

Quote: "Now that the [Nintendo] Switch is a thing, it would be entirely possible to have gorgeous graphics yet keep the classic experience alive; but for some reason, Game Freak decided to make Ultra Sun and Moon on the 3DS. This console is already going out of style ever since the Switch launched, so it's perplexing that such a big franchise would still be coming out on it."

This is kind of right, but mostly wrong. Game Freak is developing for the Switch, but the company has only fairly recently hired people to work with the architecture of the console. On top of that, the Switch has only shipped about 3 million units so far worldwide (it only fairly recently cracked the 1 million mark in Japan); compared to the 3DS officially passing 66 million worldwide. So, it's not at all perplexing to develop for a system which has a larger install base right now until all the kinks are worked out for the Switch. This won't be the last time I'll address this point either, so keep that in mind.

13. No New Pokémon

Quote: "There are several problems with Game Freak releasing enhanced versions of their main games. One of them is that there will be no new Pokémon."

Wrong. In the presentation, Junichi Masuda (a figure who has been a key part of the series since the beginning) outright says there will be Pokémon that were not present in the previous installments of Generation VII. While the author does admit that Marshadow and the Ultra Beasts will play a role in the game, the claim is also made that the games are enhanced versions rather than direct sequels set in the same fictional universe. The direct will come up again in this list, and there will be more statements that suggest that the author wasn't paying too much attention to it.

12. Uninteresting Story

Quote: "Very seldom does Game Freak create interesting stories for the Pokémon series. However, Sun and Moon proved they still had it in them. Those games presented something interesting that we could also invest in. It was a refreshing change of pace. Unfortunately, traveling through the same region again will only make it more difficult for them to create a unique story. Game Freak stated in their announcement that Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon would have a different story than their predecessors, but that doesn't mean that it will be good."

Again, this is a fairly subjective assumption to make. Not only is this claim in itself a point of contention, it's a rather bad idea to say this under faulty to no evidence. Even though the author does express interest in continuing the Ultra Beast plot, it's immediately dismissed as "wishful thinking." Still, it would have at least been more interesting to see speculation about the matter rather than continuing to denigrate games that aren't coming out till November for another 11 bullet points.

11. Not Enough New Content

Quote: "There could very well end up being a painful lack of new content."

There is no strong evidence for or against this claim, so I'm just going to move on to the next point.

10. Won't Bring Over Sun and Moon Players

Quote: "Based on what we've seen, these titles are going to function very similarly to Sun and Moon. As an owner of Pokémon Sun, I'm simply not convinced that I need these games."

Another subjective statement at best. While many people had mixed feelings toward the news, most people I've talked to are still interested in these sequels. These aren't really spinoff titles either: main entries tend to be the biggest draw no matter the generation. It's also somewhat implied that the author can't distinguish between "needs" and "wants." Examples: I "need" to eat dinner, so I "want" to have a pizza. I "want" to wear my favorite outfit today, since I "need" to avoid getting arrested for indecency. Therefore: even though I may not "need" these games, you bet your bottom dollars I "want" to get my preorders paid off by November. I may be on vacation, but I do like to put my English major to good use all the same.

9. Roaming Legendaries

Quote: "One of the easiest ways to bring in Legendary Pokémon from past games is to let them roam around the region."

That's interesting, considering this idea has its own entry on the series' page for the scrappy mechanic.   Most people I've talked to haven't really missed it either, and it's more common that Legendaries are given as event DLC instead. Barring any more memes online and fodder for VG Cats or Awkward Zombie, I don't see roaming legendaries making a comeback anytime soon outside the Virtual Console releases of Gold and Silver.

8. Only New Forms

Quote: "Ever since Pokémon Platinum, Game Freak has gotten into the habit of justifying enhanced versions of their own main games by creating a new form for the Legendary Pokémon in question. Giratina went through it, Kyurem went through it, and Groudon and Kyogre went through it. As they go down the list, it seems that Solgaleo and Lunala are the new guinea pigs."

Yet again, this could go either way. The author assumes this is rationale for not being any new legendary Pokémon and that the redesigned legendaries will not excite people; when in fact, many people are interested in the new forms for Solgaleo and Lunala. Also, just because Game Freak hasn't announced anything new yet, doesn't mean they won't at all.

7. No Partner Pokémon

Quote: "While this has yet to be confirmed or denied, I strongly believe that Game Freak will not bring back the partner Pokémon mechanic from Heart Gold and Soul Silver into Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. While there were initial plans to include it in Sun and Moon, a revelation that was discovered thanks to some dataminers, it seems that it was left out due to hardware restrictions."

Partially correct, as some of the walking animations can be viewed on YouTube such as this one.
However, the writer not only seems to answer his own question on the matter; but I find the idea that people would hate a pair of unreleased games over such a trivial feature to be absurd. It's like complaining that Breath of the Wild doesn't have a partner chiming in all the time.

6. Doesn't Bode Well for the Future

Rather than quote the author like I have before, I shall simply state that the "gut reaction" at the time of the article's posting was proven false by Nintendo's E3 conference a week later by an announcement from Tsunekazu Ishihara, another individual who has been a big part of the series since beginning. The Nintendo Switch entry is, again, in development; and we can expect to see it in some capacity in 2018. Again, I somehow don't see a series which has sold over 200 million copies collectively as "not boding well."

5. Defied Expectations (Negatively)

Again, I will forgo any more quotes from the author in favor of stating that the reaction has been more mixed than outright negative. The author also suggests that going for the Switch instead of the 3DS will "greatly hurt sales," which doesn't make sense when the Switch has only been on the market for 3 months and only has a fraction of the install base the 3DS has built in 6 years. It has also been confirmed that the 3DS will be supported past 2018, carrying the portable torch of the original DS and the Game Boy line (something to think about when it celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2019).

4. Holiday Release

Now we're really getting into some of the juicy stuff. The author suggested that the Holiday release pattern will harm the games, when such a prospect has never really harmed them at all. The claim is also made that Super Mario Odyssey will be "competing" with the game in November, though this was written before E3 revealed that it would be releasing on October 27. Still, I find odd that two of Nintendo's biggest names would be "competing" despite being released on different platforms and different genres. Even with the date being shared with other highly-anticipated releases such as the 2017 version of "Star Wars Battlefront II" and the film "Justice League," I highly doubt this will harm sales in any way. Remember, this is one year to the day that its seniors came out; and Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the following week. So, this release pattern won't be a problem at all. Heck, my closest Gamestop and Walmart always make sure to have enough copies to go around; and that's not even getting into people who will preload the game from eShop from the comfort of their own home. Birthdays, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Life Day, whatever you're into: I will definitely be doing the Wonder Trade Celebration again to celebrate (not sure what I'll breed in Ultra Sun/Moon yet, but I'll see).

3. Marketing for Kids

Here is something that really rustles a few Jimmies. I mentioned earlier the author didn't seem to be paying too much attention to the direct despite basing the whole article on it. The author seemed to be under the impression that Game Freak was alienating its older fanbase in favor of targeting children. While the series has always been targeting children, I am once again going to play Darkrai's advocate and suggest that the opposite could also be true. Much like other Nintendo franchises such as Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda, the Pokémon series has seen an increasing effort to not only attract its older fans but also appeal to a new generation of fans. To this day, I am among many folks that grew up with the original installments that are excited for new material and also the next generation of kids playing with Poké Balls in public. It's really not all that different than how other multimedia franchises such as Star Wars or the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been able to attract everyone from 8 to 80 to everyone in between. Just because a series is marketed to children doesn't mean it can't be profitable from teenagers, adults and young adults. I'm just saying.

2. Riding On Sun and Moon Hype

This is basically not all that different from how marketing works in a nutshell. If the public has a taste of something they like, they're obviously going to want more. The video game industry in particular does this all the time. This year also marks the milestones of other big series such as Mortal Kombat and Kirby (probably going to so some of Stars/Right Back at Ya for the 25th anniversary of Kirby's Dream Land in August, but that's not important right now).

1. Nothing New

Now we arrive at the cherry on top of this sundae of how not to write about video games. The author goes to the hackneyed well of comparing the games to series such as Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty. Last I checked, Game Freak didn't develop games like that. Not with Pokémon, and definitely not with other IPs they've done such as Quinty/Mendel Palace, Pulseman, HarmoKnight and most recently Tembo. Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of Assassin's Creed and may be interested in the back to basics approach of WWII, but that's not important right now. What is important is this belief is not only tired, it's also factually inaccurate. Game Freak shouldn't "throw their history out the door" because of this article. Rather, they should embrace it; as I have embraced my fandom of it.

I know it's late, but I just thought I would get this off my chest. I know the term "fake news" may get tossed around a lot these days, but I still believe that knowledge and facts are the best weapons I have against ignorance and inaccurate information, and I intend to keep using them. Right now, I am going to bed so I can keep playing the next Global Mission while I wait for these games. See you, space cowboy.

Recap: Pokémon Sun and Moon episodes 3 and 4

Hello everyone. As I said in my look at the Darkrai movie, I will probably have to bump some of what I had planned to July to my dismay; because I am currently writing this at my father's place. I am also working on getting my primary computer repaired still; and it turns out that needs more work than I thought on it. So, I thought I would try to at least get some of what I had planned out by the end of this month; and take a little breather in the process. Let's open up the next couple episodes of Pokémon the Series: Sun and Moon! 

For the sake of argument, I will be looking at the third and fourth episodes as one recap, since that is how they were aired in Japan. The first part is entitled "Loading the Dex!"

 

After a brief cold open that shows Team Rocket's arrival into the Alola Region, we pick up where we left off, where Professor Kukui has given Ash the latest model of the Pokédex and is about to help him set it up!

A Rotom merges with the Pokédex, and this gives us the Rotom Pokédex, or RotomDex for short! I was wondering how the dub would render this one, but I'm rather pleased with the VA's performance. It sounds kind of like Alpha-5 by way of C3P0. As for this bit about trying to grasp Ash's vernacular: again, I submit that while a dub may not always be able to get the letter across of the original; I'm at least happy if they can get across the spirit of what they were going for.

Later that day, Ash shows the RotomDex to everyone at the Pokémon Academy; and they're all impressed! Sophocles is especially intrigued, so much that he wants to examine RotomDex's insides! I'm fairly certain that would void the warranty, Sophocles.

After Roto and Principal Oak bond, Professor Kukui gives everyone an assignment to catch Pokémon in the forest, and also gives the RotomDex a chance to show his worth! To be honest, I actually rather like some of the things being implemented in this series. As for any comparisons of the RotomDex to Whisper: again, I don't see them. Personally, I get more of a vibe of Kremzeek by way of R2D2 and now BB8.

In the forest, Team Rocket runs afoul of a Mimikyu, and when Meowth tries to translate what it says, he instead concludes "This is a family show, you're better off not knowing what it's saying!" Guess Mimikyu has been through the bad parts of Reddit. 

Meowth then makes the mistake of looking under Mimikyu's cloak, and is then trapped in limbo between a fantasy of Glaceon, Gardevoir and Lopunny, as well as a nightmare of Gastly, Haunter and Gengar!

As Jessie and James try to bring Meowth back, I think I will share this fellow's Pokédex entry in Sun: "Its actual appearance is unknown. A scholar who saw what was under its rag was overwhelmed by terror and died from the shock." Once again, very morbid for an E-rated game.

Everyone else enters the forest, and they come across Mimikyu! Funny, I didn't see this guy until I did the Ula'Ula Island trial. Wonder how the series will handle that? They just started the Akala Island story as of the most recent Japanese episode.

Team Rocket then interferes with Ash and Pikachu's battle with Mimikyu; and it turns out that Mimikyu has a bone to pick with Pikachu! Again, I have no formal opinion on that fan theory, but I wonder how this would affect other appearances from Mimikyu. The trial on Ula'Ula Island I just mentioned, for example.

Anyway, Mimikyu decides to side with Team Rocket, Bewear takes them away and Ash continues his search for new Pokémon! I'm going to take a quick break, and I will do the second half when I come back.

Now, we enter the second half of this double feature: "First Catch in Alola, Ketchum-Style!" After a brief cold open with Litten getting some food from an old vendor, we see another failed attempt to catch a Grubbin! Again, barring any shinies, if you've caught one of those, you've caught them all. The island is crawling with them, too.

Anyway, Pikachu is injured when the Grubbin tries to escape; and Mallow leads Ash to the redesigned Pokémon Center! In addition to the Nurse Joy here having a very nice design, her assistants in this region are Blissey and the new Pokémon Comfey! Again, I haven't compiled my list of my favorite Alola monsters yet, but there's a good bet this fellow will be on the list.

We then cut to a nest of Toucannon and its pre-evolved forms, but then; a Rowlet they have taken in has mistakenly brought a wind chime in with their food! Even with what we find out later, still pretty good of Toucannon to take the fellow in, his anger has become a bit of a meme.

Toucannon? (Translation: What in tarnation?)

The next morning, Rowlet comes and meets Ash and Mallow at breakfast. I must say, the new art style is actually fairly well-suited to this anime. I've only seen a couple errors in this episode, which is pretty good. There was Ash's Z-Ring disappearing while Comfey was on his neck, and now his hat fell off when he tried to save Rowlet; but it's back on him even though he doesn't put it on. Guess it must have been the same way I got an Alola Hat Pikachu from a guy on the GTS in Spain who didn't know what he had for a Barboach! Happens sometimes.

Ash then tries to request a battle, but before he can finish the request; Rowlet grabs a melon and flies off into the forest!

Rowlet brings the melon back to Toucannon, and I rather like how TPCI kept Rowlet's Japanese voice. In addition to saving them money in ADR, the voice for his counterpart, Mokuroh, is absolutely adorable.

Meanwhile, Jessie has captured Mimikyu and befriended Bewear; and they try to steal all the Pikipek and Trumbeak after they claim they stole Bewear's food! That's interesting, the place is full of berries both in the forest and the market. Interesting course of action.

While Pikachu engages Mimikyu, Ash has Rowlet free his adoptive family, and the two of them work pretty well as partners! After XY being the first series for him to forgo any grass-types, and I will tell you more in a moment.

Rowlet rescues Toucannon and the rest of his family, and Bewear once again takes Team Rocket back to its home before they can strike the final blow. Ash then congratulates Rowlet for a job well done. I've been wanting to do these ones for a while, and I'm glad I was able to do them now to give you all something even if I couldn't do all I wanted this month.

While Ash initially decides to leave Rowlet with his adoptive family, Rowlet instead decides to join Ash on his journey! I am among many people that believe the anime can change your opinion on certain Pokémon, and this birb is definitely proof of that. I plan on starting with one in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon (what I call it will depend on whether it's a boy or a girl in each version).

So, Ash catches Rowlet; and it turns out that before the credits roll; Rowlet seems to like Ash's bag! Looks like a reverse Nebby on our hands (note: I am not sure how this leaked animation test from longtime animator Masaki Iwane will play into future events; but it intrigues me based on how the games' story played out. We'll see.).

We then close on some photographs of Ash and Rowlet as their journey in Alola has only just begun, as has my vacation!

These next couple episodes of "Pokémon The Series: Sun and Moon," are further proof that the journey in Alola fortunately isn't the disaster many were expecting it to be. I have enjoyed it more than Yo-Kai Watch as the series is thankfully more than just a halfhearted attempt to ride the coattails of that series. While there are still some detractors (I will address one piece in particular fairly soon), it's actually been a relatively enjoyable series on the whole. The animation is still nice and colorful, and I can definitely buy the humor value on RotomDex being an "absent minded professor" more than Whisper. As for Litten as opposed to Jibanyan: hold that thought until my next recaps I have planned for this anime.

Even though I must once again delay some of what I had planned to July, I still have something in mind to close out this first half of 2017. I will still do the next couple DP movies; bad mecha series and video game anime then; but this is something I've been meaning to do ever since I first read about it. This will be all for now. See you, space cowboy.

Recap: Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai

Hello everyone, and welcome to my look at Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai! My marathon is moving onto the Diamond and Pearl films, and as the 20th installment draws ever closer, I am looking at the 10th installment with this one! Let's open it up!

This time, the "World of Pokémon" segment has a little "Greatest Hits" reel about all the previous films and Pokémon they featured before we even get to the main cast! Even though the series has come a long way since I got into it, and the same deal with this blog; I am glad I am finally getting a chance to look at this film.

It also turns out that this film is the first entry in a trilogy of sorts; which will take our heroes through space and through time!

The film opens proper on a fight between two of Sinnoh's Legendary Pokémon: Dialga and Palkia!

Dramatization of the fanbase reactions to the new game announcements.

We then see a man named Tonio, who is researching the danger of these beasts from reading an old manuscript about them! He is also voiced by Rich McNanna, who is taking a different route from the role he played in the last movie. Still, even if he's not in the same league as Jack Walker; he is still a character that I enjoy in this movie.

Then, one of the computer monitors in Tonio's lab starts going crazy; even giving away some of the Engrish on the screen! Notably, Alamos Town, the movie's setting is rendered as "Aramos Town," and I will point other examples out as I go. Kind of the reason why OLM began transitioning to this not-quite English; not-quite Japanese linguacode around this time.

We then cut back to the battle I mentioned earlier, and as many have pointed out, the anime version of Palkia sounds like Boga from Star Wars: Episode III-Revenge of the Sith. A legendary Pokémon that sounds like a Krayt dragon is always a plus for me.

Dialga and Palkia clash in some relatively impressive animation for the time, and one of Dialga's attacks cracks the gem on Palkia's shoulder! This is going to be important later, in case you're wondering.

An hourglass in Tonio's lab breaks, and this smash cuts to our title card!

Minor side note, but I really love how Shinji Miyazaki's G/S/C battle theme was arranged here. I agree that it's disappointing that there aren't any DP remakes yet (though the company is now officially developing for the Switch, according to an announcement from Tsunekazu Ishihara), I also agree that it will be great to play Gold and Silver on VIrtual Console. I plan on downloading them the moment they go live.

We then see Ash, Brock and Dawn on their way to Alamos Town so Dawn can take part in a Pokémon contest and Ash can take part in new battles! Also, no comment on Dawn's "so little dresses and so little time" line.

They find out that Alamos Town is on the other side of the valley, but luckily, they're given a lift by a young woman in a hot air balloon!

The woman's name is Alice, and in addition to Brock being smitten with her; this lady's name is going to bring up a lot of Alice in Wonderland references in this movie. Still, this movie at least makes more sense than Alice Through the Looking Glass.

Brock then tries to add Alice to his address book, and his Croagunk responds by Poison Jabbing him. That still has to be one of my favorite variants of that running gag. I also really want to play as him in Pokkén DX (been Japanese DLC for a while now).

Alice is also good at music, and can even play a melody on the leaf! Nice, but I wonder how she'd do on the paper and comb.

They're also being followed by a familiar group in a Carnivine balloon!

 

Team Rocket then crosses paths with some Drifloon and a Drifblim, and Jessie tries to catch them with her net! Drifblim, not amused, then blow them away with Gust! Geez, they go any further; they'll be halfway to Oz!

The balloon makes its way to Alamos Town, where the contest will be held at the Towers of Space and Time. Brock's guidebook also mentions that the towers where constructed 100 years ago. Ash then tries to figure out how to get that times 10, and Dawn finishes that it's times 10. ... We'll talk when I do some more of the Sun and Moon series in a bit.

At the 10 minute mark, everyone decides to take the grand tour with Alice! Rather than a remix of the first DP theme (which I still find to be enjoyably cheesy, and at least a better rap than the One Piece rap or Transformers Cybertron rap), we get a demo version of the Battle Dimension theme, "We Will Be Heroes!" After the AG films were inconsistent with their musical arrangements, things do get better with this movie. Have a listen for yourself.

There's also another appearance of the little girl and her mother from the Lucario movie; and I still have no formal opinion on that fan theory, nor any rumored spoilers about the I Choose You movie. Such as it is, I'm halfway there.

Alice takes everyone to a garden so their Pokémon can frolic, and as a result: hijinks ensue.

A fight breaks out between the Pokémon, but Alice is able to quell them by playing the leaf again! I think I'm really going to like this character.

Then, the garden is being damaged and the Pokémon are being spooked, and this regal figure says that Darkrai is the cause! This is Baron Alberto, a character that has varying reception depending on who you ask. In my case, I find his ego to be supremely entertaining; even if the movie goes onto show that he's in over his head. Do you take your ham rare or well-done, Baron?

Brock then exposits that Darkrai makes those who fall asleep near it have nightmares while Team Rocket watches through their macrobinoculars. They then devise a plan to steal Pikachu by getting close to the Baron. Of course, that should go swimmingly! Just like whenever people try to mess with the King of Wakanda! 

Alberto then sends out Lickilicky to take on Darkrai! Yeah, while the Baron is totally full of himself; he's also not very smart. Not a total stretch for someone in a position of power today, but still.

 

He has Lickilicky use Hyper Beam, but all he gets is Tonio! I know I've got a joke here, but I don't feel comfortable using it right now.

 

Even though the Baron wants to marry Alice, Alice and the others make clear that she doesn't love Alberto; she loves Tonio! Alberto, however, doesn't believe a word of it. Yeesh, sounds like that rambler who thinks that Ultra Sun and Moon will suck because they weren't what he was expecting! Long story, will probably do my take on the matter before I do the Arceus movie.

Further evidence for this is the fact that Tonio apparently saved Alice when they were children! Works in a pinch, and it's not that different from how Ash and Serena met in the XY series later.

So, right at the 22-minute mark of this 89-minute movie; we see Darkrai make his appearance! I can honestly say that this is one of my favorite Sinnoh legendaries; and one of my favorite Generation IV Pokémon overall.

Darkrai then attacks everyone, and traps Ash in a nightmare!

Tracey: Why? Why? Why have you forsaken us?

The nightmare shows Ash alone in a desolate environment where Alamos Town once stood!

Misty: You never came back, you left us. You abandoned your purpose.

Then, after seeing a vision of Palkia; he's confronted by Darkrai!

You have forgotten your purpose! YOU HAVE FORSAKEN US!

After dreaming about being enveloped in an abyss alongside Pikachu, Ash comes to in a hospital bed set up in the Pokémon Center! So, basically a reverse version of "A Chansey Operation," a bit of an oddball in the original series (to the point where I don't even know if I like it, let alone feel like recapping it in hindsight. Dogasu's revamped comparison has given me a lot to think about, to be honest.).

Nurse Joy explains that Darkrai's ability is Bad Dreams, and falling asleep in his presence will bring the worst nightmares imaginable. While Dawn and Brock were worried about Ash, they're glad he's all right as he greets Pikachu. I have been wanting to work on this movie for some time, and I am glad that I have finally gotten a chance to after all these setbacks. 

 

As Tonio tries to determine what the cause of Darkrai's presence is, the festival begins that night to celebrate their centennial!

Tonio looks over his notes, and discovers an old photograph of Alice's ancestor Alicia, who met Darkrai in the same garden when she was a little girl! We'll, that's convenient.

We even get a flashback to when Alicia was a little girl, complete with everything in sepia tones! Fancy that!

It also posits that Darkrai is a misunderstood Pokémon; despite being the closest thing the series has to the lord of darkness so far. If all these protest groups are still getting their shorts in a knot about the subtext of the series, Persona 5 is going to blow their minds.

The next day, Dawn buys a Cresselia feather from a hippie vendor (who may or may not be related to the one in the Jirachi movie) to ward off nightmares; which is one of the few elements from the movies that actually cross over into the TV anime. While many of them take place in alternate continuities (this also applies to OVA series such Origins and Generations); some elements do make their way in.

Before Dawn's contest, Alice takes everyone to visit Tonio in the Space Time Tower! They find him passed out on the floor; but Tonio has also discovered more about the link between Darkrai and Alicia!

They also discover a bunch of discs with music on them, which leads to a gag about trying to get to the top of the tower first. Cute, but I'm willing to bet this is probably going to be important later. Also, that makes the third straight movie I've done from the series with Breath of the Wild references aplenty. In this case: more is revealed after they all climb the tower!

With a series of etched discs, the tower is also the world's largest music box! As I said before, I get the feeling this will be important later. Just like you have to climb the towers to get more information on Hyrule! 

Everyone decides to take further part in the town's festivities, but Darkrai appears in the town center once again!

 

Team Rocket, posing as a TV news crew; tries to film Baron Alberton saving everyone, but this just results in his Lickilicky and other Pokémon getting caught in the crossfire, and the Baron turning into a Lickilicky! Well, here you go.

Cocaine is a Hell of a drug.

Ash insinuates he's having another nightmare, and asks Pikachu to wake him! Pikachu then complies by shocking him. I wonder what role Pikachu plays in his dream, or what would be Ash's totem.

At the Pokémon Center, all the Pokémon are having strange dreams; and their visions are taking form as Dawn's Buizel is one of many Pokémon that's swimming through the air!

When Dawn points out the talking Lickilicky, Baron Alberto indignantly points to his sash and corrects her! So, not a total stretch to see a pompous blowhard in this movie that tries to inflate his own ego; but nobody takes him seriously.

After Team Rocket brings Lickilicky into the Pokémon Center; Tonio brings up the data on his computer; and I never noticed this when I was a teenager, but apparently the screen has Lickilicky's Japanese name, "Beroberuto" on it. Imagine that. This is a very strange movie, and my current state of mind has made that even more amusing.

I'm not afraid of dying, anytime will do...

Everyone is also trapped in town by a mysterious mist, which can't be cleared by a Defog attack! Every time they try to escape, they end up back in town!

The Baron once again insinuates that Darkrai is the cause of all this, and wants it destroyed! Always a logical course of action: "we don't know why this is happening or how the source is causing this, so let's kill it!"

Come in peace, shoot to kill!

So, without any plans or any indication that attacking Darkrai will work; Baron leads everyone back into town to do battle with Darkrai; more or less on a suicide mission that's based on a faulty assumption that Dakrai is evil because reasons. If this doesn't work, maybe he could get a job at the Crimson Permanent Assurance.

While everyone else tries a different course of action, we get another flashback to when Alice and Tonio were children! It turns out that Alice almost fell off a cliff when she was a little girl; and Darkrai saved her! OK, since I'm going to be seeing my father out of town soon; might as well start playing Cinema Sins at the halfway point.

"Character in a fantasy film has history with the main antagonist" cliché.

As Tonio continues researching the nature of Darkrai's appearance; predictably, Baron's assault against Darkrai doesn't go well. It doesn't help that a fair number of the trainers where attacking with moves that would be totally ineffective against Darkrai.

Tonio then deduces that Darkrai was trying to warn everyone, and that Palkia was the true cause of everything going on!

Now, the climax begins as everyone heads back to the Space Time Tower! Boy, I love a hobby where I get to type stuff like this! 

Is this the future, or is this 1999?

Palkia begins materializing in Alamos Town, and the Pokémon awaken as the Baron is restored! He immediately begins admiring himself when he's back to his original form. Do you take your ham medium or well-done, Baron?

On a more dire note, it also turns out that Alamos Town is suspended in space/time like Sokovia was in the final battle in Age of Ultron!

I must say, that this battle between Dialga and Palkia is very nicely put together for this time; and I'm once again glad I'm finally doing this movie. Beats dealing with Vogon bureaucracies. 

I'm telling you, Ultra Sun and Moon will be good games if you give them a chance! "NEVER! Give me DP remakes or give me death!"

Their battle starts destroying Alamos Town, and everyone tries to find a way to quell their fighting! Darkrai even tries to intervene, to no avail!

At the 1-hour mark; Tonio determines that if the fighting doesn't stop, the city really will be destroyed! Jeez, this really is like the final battle in Ultron; eight years before that movie came out!

Alice then determines that the song from before, "Oracion" is the key to stopping the battle; and everyone heads back to the Space Time Tower to get the disc they need to play the song! I also really like how Brock's Croagunk is able to fend off one of their attacks just by Poison Jabbing it. I really liked that Pokémon, and I still look forward to playing as him in Pokkén Tournament DX (I have an episode to recap in mind when it comes out, as well as the Virtual Console versions of Gold and Silver).

Conveniently, everything else BUT the Space/Time Tower is disintegrating around them! I may be among the people that like this movie, but even I will admit there's a lot of conveniences in this finale alone.


Fortunately, Darkrai is able to contain the explosion just long enough so Ash and Dawn get the disc they need in place and start playing the music!

Right before the final blow is struck, Ash is able to get the disc in place and the song starts playing to quell the chaos: "Oracion!" It's a great song, and I think I'll post a link of it for you all.


So, the fighting has ceased, and Palkia's wounds are healed as he undoes the damage in town! After that, he returns from where he came. Yes, I know Legendaries are genderless, but Palkia's head is a bit suspect depending on your POV.

Ash then says solemnly, "I'm sorry, Darkrai." (Laughs) I know that's supposed to be a serious scene, but I can never help chuckling at that line.

Then, it turns out Darkrai is OK, as we close on one more unintentionally hilarious image of Darkrai with legs and everyone else thanking him for his help.

Darkrai will return in Spider-Man Homecoming.

"Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai" is a solid 10th entry into the long-running series; and even though it's not my favorite film in the series, it is a film that I can see why many others like it. While there are some scenes that are admittedly silly, the battles and large doses of nightmare fuel definitely make this film worthy of being the 10th installment as well as the first main film to be rated PG by the MPAA (not counting TV movies like Mewtwo Returns).

I also must mention that I'm finally seeing my father in California on Friday, so I might have to bump some of the stuff I had planned to July. Next up in my Pokémon movie marathon is another movie I've been wanting to talk about for a while: Giratina and the Sky Warrior! See you, space cowboy!