The Next Top 13 Pokémon Villains.

Hey everybody. It's been one crazy year. I found it marginally better than last year, but that's akin to me saying that walking barefoot for a mile on LEGO bricks and broken glass is better than having dental work done without Novocain at this point. So, I thought I would keep up a my celebration of New Year's Evil from last year. To follow up my Top 13 Pokémon Villains, I thought I would do a second list to feature more that I didn't before. Just a heads-up, I won't be including Guzma or the Aether Foundation just yet, since the former has yet to appear and the latter hasn't had their initial arc dubbed in English yet as of this writing. So, I present The Next Top 13 Pokémon villains!

13. Damien

Damien as shown in "The Fires of a Red-Hot Reunion."

This was the first major example when I was younger about having a trainer be so callous about how they treat Pokémon, considering friendship to be a waste of time compared to sheer power. In many ways, Damien was a precursor to rivals such as Paul and to some extent trip. Given how Charmander rejected an offer to return in favor of joining Ash's roster; he's a good character to lead off this list, and won't be the last entry like this either. It's worth noting that other versions (such as his counterparts in Yellow and the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga) tone down his abrasiveness, but the fact that he has no inhibitions about leaving Charmander to die in the rain makes him a good entry for this list.

12. Councilor Alva

I have pointed out before that when I first about the Volcanion movie, I wasn't sure about it, but I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would. Alva is a key reason why, since he's a villain that has a surprising amount of deceit and cruelty in his role in the film. The way he tricked the prince and ripped out Magearna's Soul-Heart: I still wouldn't put it past him to just kill the King and Queen and usurp their power for his own.

11. Team Galactic

Official artwork of Team Galactic grunts.

When I first stating compiling this list, I was split on which member of Team Galactic I would include. From Cyrus to Charon, as well as Saturn, Mars and Jupiter; I was wondering who would make the cut. Overall, though; I decided I would do something different and include Team Galactic collectively as a villain faction. Since Platinum was the game that got me back into the series as a teenager, their motivations stood out at me. With actions that were much more devious than just stealing Pokémon, they opted to reshape the entire universe in their image; and their leader Cyrus tested the limits of the idea of perfectionism. Given Cyrus' relationship with his parents and grandfather, my headcanon has the idea taken further: Cyrus actually saw his parents and grandfather as imperfections; meaning what his parents wanted for him worked too well. I digress, because I have ten more entries for this list.

10. Damon

With my look at all the movies this year, the villains of those ones were the hardest ones to choose from. Still, I knew that I would be including Damon in the top 10. While other entries may be well-known for their ambition and malice, this entry is a good example of a well-intentioned extremist: his motivation is simply to return the people of the Vale to their former home and glory; even if it does mean using one of the legendary dragons of Unova to do it. He's also one of the few villains in the series to actually redeem themselves, and from doing the thing they wanted to, no less. This is a good lead to the top 10 entries on my list, which will have plenty of characters I've wanted to talk about for ages.

9. Zero

The next entry is another villain from the movies that stood out at me. His fascination with the Reverse World is his motivation as well as his desire to use Shaymin to that end; and even though his conflict with Newton Graceland may not be the most unique character conflict, it still works well enough to make the Giratina film a solid middle entry in to the DP "trilogy." It was an overall strong series, and Zero is definitely not the last villain introduced in Generation IV to make this list either, as my next entries will tell you.

8. Marcus

Even if the Arceus movie was admittedly a very strange way to close out the DP "trilogy," Marcus was another villain that made the film more memorable than it would have been otherwise. Marcus has no problem framing Damos for everything that happened, trying to kill a deity and ruin the future, not caring at all the consequences it would have on the world in the future. The Jewel of Life actually isn't that different from Gray's Sports Almanac in his hands in that regard. 

7. Colress (Generations)

Boy, the adaptations just love making Colress a villain, don't they? I already mentioned how much I enjoyed Episode N's version last year, and I gather he has similar motivations in the Pokémon Special/Adventures manga. In the Generations short "The Frozen World," while he is similar to his character in the games in terms of motivation, he seems to be more willing to let Kyurem lay waste to Unova to prove his theories. The whole YouTube series was excellent, and this short was one of my favorites, not the least of which because of how Colress was rendered. He is still one of many reasons why I don't identify with this new trend of bashing Generation V, and that edit of one of Owl Turd's comics definitely furthers that. I'm not personally armed, but my first Emboar; Babe, my first Samurott, Nemo and my pair of Serperior Slick and Slide would like a word with you if you believe this. Still, I'm getting ahead of myself.

6. Phantom

I felt that the Ranger movie was a solid film for the AG films to go out on, and Phantom is a good reason why. Even though there are many similarities to the Jirachi movie, it still manages to distinguish itself in key ways; and is the better for it. I still can't believe WatchMojo included Butler on their list, since he was honestly one of the dullest characters I've ever seen. Phantom, on the other hand, easily trumps him in almost every way: better design, better plan, and overall better fit for the movie. I mean, why settle for a failed Groudon clone when you can take control of the legends of the sea and the real Manaphy? It's also not hard to imagine how popular Pirates of the Caribbean was getting at the time probably played some part in his pirate motif and the movie's swashbuckling action adventure theme. Even though the Ranger games made my wrists hurt, Phantom definitely helped the AG movies end on a better note than they started, which can also be said for this year in my eyes.

5. Viper

While I have made no secret of my dislike for Pokémon Chronicles, with "Training Daze" being my least favorite episode of the whole show (it likely won't be the last time I revisit Chronicles before my retirement, either); Viper was one of the few elements that I genuinely liked from it. The way Mike Pollock did his best R. Lee Ermey impression for a tough-as-nails drill sergeant was honestly the best part of the episode; and I honestly think it would have been much better if he had been more involved, trying to bust down the new recruits rather than taking liberties with the already-established backstory. Instead, he's one of the only enjoyable things in an episode that I, along with most of Chronicles consider to be apocryphal.

4. Darkrai

Official artwork for Darkrai.

I don't know if I have included Pokémon on any of these lists before, but Darkrai is definitely a good choice. If Arceus is a deity, then Darkrai is definitely the other side of the coin a sort of lord of darkness. Not quite like you'd see in a Shin Megami Tensei/Persona game; but the idea of having a Pokémon that can instill nightmares in you if you fall asleep near it in itself has been used quite effectively in both its movie as well as the main series during the season 11 finale, "Sleepless in Pre-Battle" (that there is a reference for the parents, I guess). Its game ability is Bad Dreams, and the Dark Void move has this effect easily. Whether it's being naked at school or work or the apocalyptic opening of Terminator 2; this is easily one of my favorite villains in the series and one of my favorite Generation IV Pokémon overall. That is one of my favorite kinds of children's stories: the kind that are not just the stuff of dreams, but of nightmares as well.

3. Cross

Yeah, you knew this was coming. Even with my love for the I Choose You movie, Cross was still nasty enough an antagonist to make this list. As the movie's answer to Gary and Damien (mentioned earlier), he's one of the most cruel rivals I've seen since Silver and Paul, and to some extent Trip. Even this attempted face turn near the end of the film was nowhere near enough for me to make up for an entire movie of being a black-booted, redheaded edgelord. He's basically just a purple suit, some green hair dye and clown makeup away from being the Joker to me. Even though the end of the movie teases a potential reappearance, I honestly don't know what the next movie will do. I mean, he's at least more interesting than Alain to me, but there are unconfirmed rumors of Zeraora being involved. Still, I knew Cross was a good choice for the top 3 entries on this list.

2. Grings Kodai

Yeah, it was definitely a foregone conclusion that I was going to include Kodai on this list ever since I compiled my first one last year. As a media mogul who has psychic powers, he actually made the characters in the Zoroark film think more actively about how to stop him. He also had no objections on willing to straight-up murder Zorua, Zoroark and Celebi; and is a big reason why Master of Illusions is my favorite DP film. It was a tough call between him and my top choice, so here we go.

1. Mewtwo

Official artwork as of Pokémon X and Y.

It was a very tough call for my top spot on this list, but given how many versions Mewtwo has had over the years; I ultimately concluded that I would make Mewtwo the top spot of this list. While Pikachu definitely represents the "cute" side of the series, Mewtwo is one of the monsters that represents the "cool" side as a powerful genetic experiment. No matter where the Pokémon has shown up, it's been some of the material I enjoyed writing the most about. As an addict since the first movie and someone who didn't even find the Genesect movie as bad as others said, I am glad to make Mewtwo the next top Pokémon villain.

Honorable Mentions include Archie, Maxie, Harlan/Tabitha, Isabel/Shelly, Unbound Hoopa, Riot and Merilyn and Millis and Argus Steel.

So, much like my anime I will never recap; I think there will be one final list to make this a trilogy. I don't want to keep milking this thing dry; I don't work for EA after all. I will also be back tomorrow for my next Top 13 anime villains to help ring in 2018! Happy New Year, everyone. Later.

The Problem with Live-Action Anime Adaptations.

Hello everyone. How was your Christmas? I enjoyed myself all right. I got a couple Blu-Rays of Ant-Man and Spider-Man Homecoming, some iTunes credit from my father and a few Star Wars plushes (Yoda, Chewbacca, Kylo Ren and a Porg to be exact). I hope to enjoy the coming year ahead of me, since I have much planned for 2018 from my 26th birthday onward.

That said, (sighs), it's time to finally address something I've been meaning to for some time. When I began my experiment with live-action coverage on this blog; I knew there was something else in all this. While I did get plenty of content out of covering the live-action remakes of Ghost in the Shell and Death Note (both are among my least favorite films of the year), there is still much more to talk about something that's been irking me for a long time: the problem with live-action anime adaptations.

To give you some perspective on this, this post was originally going to be titled "Voltron, Robotech and the Problem With Live-action Anime Adaptations." However, while both those series will still come up later; it's clear to me that it's not just one or two series that have this problem. It's an issue that has spread over the entire idea of adapting the genre in live-action.

Sadly, it's not a simple problem either; and it's been one that's been going on for years. While adapting any piece of animation in live-action is never easy, anime and manga in particular seem to have the most trouble. Even though the medium of tokusatsu has many similarities to the genre, the overall success of direct adaptations has been less than impressive to say the least. Most of them, no matter who makes them; have been panned by critics, and their performance at the box office varies significantly.

Yet, despite being polarizing among critics and fans; and most of them doing middling business or outright bombing at the box office, there are still more in development or planned to come out over the coming years. So, I will be putting ones that have come out in my lifetime (as well as a handful before that) into several categories.

First, we have films that are not outright adaptations, but bear some stylistic similarities in terms of story, characterization and visuals. Some of them even have the benefit of being based on works that already take influence from anime and manga or at least have some noticeable influence, admitted or otherwise. They include, but are not limited to: Scott Pilgrim VS The World, Tron Legacy, Pacific Rim, James Mangold's The Wolverine and Logan, and Edge of Tomorrow: Live Die Repeat (which was also based on the light novel series All You Need is Kill).

Next, we have ones that try their best to be faithful to their source material, but go in different directions. They do come close to replicating their seniors, but go in different directions for their new medium. Even though they're not the best, they do have some cult followings. Examples include the DTV adaptations of The Guyver and Fist of the North Star, and the Wachowskis' live-action version of Speed Racer.

Then, there's the unfortunate films that make up the justification for me doing this post. Ones that have the same problem that video game adaptations and many past adaptations of American comic books do: Basically, the creative staff just says: "Let's take this successful, genre-defining property and do almost nothing that made it popular! It'll make millions!" Infamous examples include Dragonball Evolution, and this year's adaptations of Ghost in the Shell and Death Note. The latter two I riffed extensively this year, I'm contemplating making the former my first official live-action recap, depending on what happens.

Even though the whole "racebending" thing is still a problem, it's not the only problem these adaptations have (I do mock The Last Airbender frequently as a fan of the TV show, but that trainwreck had many things wrong with it). More than often, the visual style itself is so distinct that it's difficult to replicate in live-action. Admittedly, however; the productions are starting to look less like chintzy low-budget messes and more like glossy high-budget messes.

Still, it's often tricky to make the transition. While a character with an unusual hair color or style may be easy to swallow in an anime, in film; it can often look awkward. Even more when you have an IP with very bizarre characters you wouldn't see in real life. Even though I'm still not doing the third
Yo-Kai Watch movie until after I hear confirmation of the third game getting a Western release, there was just something that felt off to me. The fans claimed it was like an evolution of the effects in Roger Rabbit and Space Jam, but I disagree. To me, a non-fan, it looked like a mix of one of my old PS2 games and those live-action Scooby-Doo movies they had in the early/mid 2000s. I admit they tried given the budget and time constraints, but it will definitely be something I'll address further if and when the time comes.

What's more, the casting is even trickier. Even though the "racebending" is fairly well-documented here and seems to be in its death knell (what with the failures of the aforementioned Ghost in the Shell and Death Note movies, as well as big series such as Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe proving successful with new, ethnically-diverse actors), it's still interesting to see how Japan handles it. Notably, reception to the 2017 Ghost in the Shell and Death Note was less hostile in Japan, but still mixed. It also turns out that people were actually as divided on the casting of the Full Metal Alchemist and Attack on Titan adaptations there as something like casting ScarJo as the Major or Nat Wolff as Light was here. Even though FMA did prove to be successful, the AoT/SnK films were roundly panned in both Japan and the US, despite relatively decent box office numbers. The one thing that both countries can agree on is that if the script and actors are bad, the whole thing falls apart.

Suffice to say, both countries have had trouble getting proposed franchises off the ground. The live-action Jojo's Bizarre Adventure movie was intended as the first of a planned trilogy earlier this year, but didn't meet expectations of ticket sales; so the second and third installments likely won't happen.


There's also how long most of these films have been in development Hell, many of which have never left; and are unlikely to. Even if they do, sometimes it makes you wonder if they should have left well enough alone.

In the case of the former, Akira is nearing its 30th anniversary next year, and is still my favorite anime movie and one of my all-time favorite movies. FYI: my final recap on this blog before retirement will probably be a positive one of that. I am still skeptical, but with the success of Thor Ragnarok, I am glad that Taika Waititi is attached to the project; and wants to be faithful to the source and cast unknown Japanese actors in the lead roles. This, along with the original director Katsuhiro Otomo having final say on everything; gives me some cautious optimism; since both are subtle digs at the last director's infamous claims before he left the project.

On the other hand, I am much more skeptical about the live-action Voltron and Robotech ever getting made, especially in the wake of Pacific Rim just barely getting a sequel and the relative box office disappointments of Transformers: The Last Knight and the new Power Rangers. At this point, I submit a documentary about trying to get them made would probably be more interesting than any actual films would be. If you want a Voltron movie, I implore you to go watch Legendary Defenders on Netflix. It's as close as we're going to get right now, if ever.

In the latter case, there is another catalyst for making this post: the live-action remake of Battle Angel Alita next year. The film has been in development for ages, and will be released next July for the 25th anniversary of the franchise. The film will be a co-production between James Cameron and his company of Lightstorm Entertainment, with Robert Rodriguez directing with help from his company of Troublemaker Studios. While this should normally get me interested, based on what I've said above; I still have my doubts. It doesn't help that the design for the title character looks like this.

Alita, as played by Rosa Salazar (Maze Runner: The Death Cure).

Even in an age where CGI can do many great things on film, that image is squarely in the uncanny valley. In fact, attempts to rationalize it by commenters online and a tweet that accused the detractors of being "fake woke" (really? That sounds like a 4-year-old that doesn't want to take a nap.) were shot down for the simple reason of this: how something looks in an anime or manga is not the same as how it looks in a movie. Although some people are suggesting that this could finally break the curse, I have my doubts. I mean, it has all the same red flags I saw with Ghost in the Shell, and spending $200 million to remake an anime that I am aware of; but not everyone is, is a very high risk. Though Cameron was understandably waiting for the technology to reach the stage where it could be done at all, it still ends up coming off somewhere in between a game of Tekken and those horrible YouTube videos with Spider-Man and Elsa doing unspeakable acts. The other cast members (including acclaimed actors Christoph Waltz and Jennifer Connelly) look fine, so I have no idea why she's the only one that had this done. It doesn't help that I can think of plenty of ways to have Rosa Salazar appear like Alita with makeup and practical special effects, since this looks like it was done by someone fiddling with Microsoft Paint.

Rosa Salazar or Meowth: who wore it better?

I mean, when this screencap of Meowth looks more convincing than millions of dollars of special effects, maybe it's time to step back a bit. In an age where a raccoon and a talking tree can be movie stars, a neurosurgeon can bend reality to his will and Peter Cushing can take part in a movie despite the notable handicap of being dead; this doesn't make me want to part with my Hamilton. So, my plan for this one is to stay home, watch the original material (as well as Altered Carbon on Netflix); then buy a ticket to Mission: Impossible 6.

As for any more live-action anime adaptations, I will say this: if people are willing to put effort into the script and characters as much as the visuals and special effects; then I will support them.  I am glad that Toei is getting directly involved with the live-action One Piece TV show, and I submit the Pirates of the Caribbean films would definitely be a good model to follow.

However, if they continue to crank out these miscast; badly-written, over-produced CGI trainwrecks, then I will continue to avoid them. If you keep giving these films a pass, then studios will keep making them. Without any compelling scripts or engaging characters to go with your creative sets and CGI androids, it's all a bunch of rattle and hum. It's less sound and fury, and more merely flickering lights and toys. Part of me is also hoping Alita could beat the odds, but with competition from Ant-man and the Wasp, Hotel Transylvania 3 and the aforementioned M:I 6 also on the docket for next July, it's a tall order to say the least. 

Like with Ghost in the Shell, I will try to keep up with any more information as I get it, and continue the live-action experiments next year. For now, however, I just got back from my second viewing of The Last Jedi a while ago; so I will wait for the Dragon Ball Super marathon on Toonami tonight, and I will be back over the next couple days for my own brand of New Year's Evil: The Next Top 13 Pokémon Villains and the Next Top 13 anime villains! See you, space cowboy!

Recap: Pokémon The Movie- I Choose You!

"I think that inside every adult is the heart of a child. We just gradually convince ourselves that we have to act more like adults." -Shigeru Miyamoto

Hello everyone. Merry Christmas, Happy Life Day, whatever you’re into, and here is my big gift to you all: it’s finally time for me to address the 20th installment of the Pokémon films, Pokémon The Movie I Choose You! It’s been a long time coming for this movie; and I’ve been eager to talk about it ever since I saw the first trailer last year, so let’s open this up and get started!

The film opens with a new take on the battle Ash watches on TV, which takes place between Corey and Neesha from the first movie. I guess Fergus wasn’t around. Right off the bat, the animation is absolutely amazing; since this movie was handled by the same people as Origins and the XY series. Even those who didn’t care for the movie at least gave it that much credit.

After that, the film uses the titular “I Choose You” episode as a sort of prologue; to the point where the late Takeshi Shudo even was credited as one of the writers of the script. There some differences, but to be honest; I’m glad I can enjoy the movie without mixing tons of “member berries” into my popcorn. Ash unwittingly breaks his alarm clock in his sleep, and runs to Professor Oak’s lab after tripping over some cartoon sound effects to get his first Pokémon.

He asks the professor for Squirtle, which has been already taken. Oh hi, Gary! Again, I still love that joke the writers of Mewtwo Strikes Back made about his agent making too many demands for him to be in the movie. So, not a stretch for his character.

His second choice is Bulbasaur, which has been claimed as well! Oh hi, Marina! While I don’t know what to make of this one cameo as opposed to the others in the movie; it’s still better than Legend of Thunder.

He then asks for Charmander, and as Oak tells Ash that “being a second late for a train, or even a Pokémon can be life-changing” as we get a brief cameo from a recolor of Tierno from the XY series. So, right off, this movie is rife with mythology gags to the franchise as a whole; which is much more of what I wanted for the 20th anniversary than just glorifying one fragment of the series’ lineage; then making inaccurate claims that things had been “erased” or “rewritten” because it doesn’t include everything from that one fragment. We’ll talk more as I continue my look at this movie.

So, Pikachu is Ash’s partner, but Pikachu isn’t too happy about it; and zaps Ash! His mother Delia comes in with his outfit (so he won’t be traveling in his PJs like Arthur Dent) and bag; so he can officially set off on his journey! I rather like the costume design given for this movie, and I may consider cosplaying with it next Halloween if I can find all the components for it. I want that new hat.

He tries to get Pikachu in its Poké Ball, but he doesn’t want to go inside! Some things never change, huh? Interestingly, he still uses his clothesline as a makeshift leash even though he doesn’t use his rubber gloves. He does still tell Pikachu that he likes him even if the feeling isn’t mutual. 

Ash tries to catch a Pidgey unsuccessfully, and then things get crazy when he throws a rock at a Spearow by mistake. In this version, Spearow not only attacks Pikachu for laughing at his misfortune, but there’s also no bike to steal; so Ash just has to run! 

The thunderbolt in the rainstorm is as impressive as ever; and the story officially kicks off when Ho-Oh flies overhead, dropping a Rainbow Wing into Ash’s hands! It’s not quite a driving force, but is an inspiration to him and the other cast members.

After that, we get a great remix of the Pokémon theme; which sets the stage for a montage of Ash on his journey, which shows how he caught Caterpie as well as a somewhat amusing scene where they’re playing in the river and Pikachu knocks off his hat. Seriously, I think I’ve got a new ringtone if I can find it somewhere.

The first act of Ash and Pikachu’s Excellent Adventure begins officially in Celadon City, where Ash’s gym battle with Erika is the third one he goes through rather than the fifth. I guess he did what I have to in the games: bypass the blockade in Saffron City by taking a shortcut through Lavender Town. 

Ash wins the Rainbow Badge from Erika, who in addition to being more accurate to her design in the games; also seems much nicer than someone who would force Ash to crossdress just to get in the door. That may not have been my favorite gym battle from those days, but it was delightfully silly.

Ash calls his mother at the Pokémon Center, and he appears to be using some form of software like Skype or FaceTime to do it. There are many modern flourishes in this movie, such as smart phones and flat panel monitors; but a lot of the touches are still recognizably ‘90s. Kind of like how the new Star Trek movies have much more money behind them, but still have the female crew members in miniskirts and go-go boots. More recently, the stormtroopers in these new Star Wars movies have sleeker designs, but are still recognizable with the helmets having a permanent scowl on their faces.

Anyway, Delia may be a bit disappointed her son hasn’t called that much; but she is glad he’s all right. After his Pokémon are healed, Ash catches wind of an Entei in the area; and heads off to try to catch it! He also meets a young woman from Twinleaf Town, Verity; who has a Piplup voiced by my good friend, Michele Knotz! I will address more on her later, but keep in mind I might not say what you think I will.

The two have a battle, which Ash easily wins; but Entei proves to be more than they can handle. It reminds me of how the beast is in Pokémon Go: I know legendary Pokémon are usually powerful, but wow, dude!

This leads to a chase scene in a canyon with a bunch of rampaging Onix, which is really crazy; but also a pretty enjoyable action set piece. Not quite as dangerous as the Rathtars in The Force Awakens, but a close second in my eyes. 

They are able to quell the Pokémon, but a young man named Sorrel from Veilstone City warns them that it’s going to rain soon. He also partners with a Lucario, which I am pleased to tell you since Lucario is my favorite Pokémon.

We enter the second act as the rain starts, which I shall call “Of Charmander and Butterfree.” Ash and Verity are trying to get out of the rain when Ash spots a Charmander sitting on a rock. After that, we are introduced to this movie’s rival and antagonist; Cross. He is this film’s answer to Gary and Damian; but in many ways, he gets close to Paul and to some extent Trip for how nasty he can be. If anything, he’s the closest I can see for the main series version of Silver; both in looks and personality. I mean, think about it: red hair, admittedly nice black boots, and an abrasive persona towards people and Pokémon alike, as shown when he kicks Charmander and has his Midnight Lycanroc attack Ash before insulting them both. … Not cool.

Many people have suggested that Cross is an anti-villain, but I disagree. I will get into more detail as I continue, but personally; he’s as much of an anti-villain as Denethor, which is not at all. Billy Bob Thompson also seems to have a thing for voicing antagonists. 

Ash and Verity are able to find Sorrel in a cave; and they set about treating Charmander while they wait out the storm. We also get a little taste of this movie’s version of the episode “Snow Way Out,” which I’m not doing right now; but is a sweet gesture nonetheless: seeing the Pokémon bond with their trainers to stay warm through the night.

At the half-hour mark, Entei and a bunch of other Pokémon join them; and Sorrel tells of the legend of the Bell Tower from Generation II. He mentions the fire that claimed the lives of three Pokémon, but Ho-Oh restored them into the Johto legendary beasts. Ash then pulls the Rainbow Wing from his pocket, and I’m quite pleased to see that it’s actually rainbow-colored in this movie rather than just red, white and green like it usually is.

Sorrel continues on, telling a legend of a “Rainbow Hero” that will be granted eternal happiness when they find Ho-Oh. Not the most unique idea for a story, but it works, and it fits the world that the show and the games have built over 20 years. It’s a simple way for Shoji Yonemura to not only help me relive some of my favorite experiences, but also appeal to new fans.

The sun rises over a new day, and Charmander joins Ash’s roster! While some people had mixed feelings about this; I actually liked how the movie handled Charmander. As for the other Pokémon: while it’s not shown, I’m going to presume the other members in his roster are still around; if not in the way we would expect. 

So, Verity and Sorrel decide to join Ash in his quest to find Ho-Oh; and in spite of what some of the movie’s detractors have said; they actually seem like nice kids. The journey to Mt. Tensei in the Horizon Mountains leads to a battle with a Pinsir, and Ash’s Metapod apparently evolves under different circumstances than I remember. That’s totally fine with me, since just doing a note-for-note adaptation with a fresh coat of paint would have been kind of boring. Sometimes I like it when a franchise has different versions. The Batman analogy still fits quite well: one version can have him fighting in bright pastel colors; another can have him fighting Russian gangsters in a dingy warehouse.

Also, Verity apparently has mommy issues; possibly with Cynthia. She also sees Suicune appear before her by a lake; and I must also say the music in this movie is very nice. This slow theme in this scene reminds me of “The Lonely Man” from that old Incredible Hulk show.

Overall, I like the tone of this movie; especially in this bit where Ash’s Charmander evolves into Charmeleon after battling! He’s also more willing to obey Ash than he was in the original show, which I think is a nice touch. Not that different from my head canon either.

Ash speaks with his mother over the phone, and she’s glad that he’s doing all right. She’s also pleased to meet Verity and Sorrel, as we get more on the legend from a book written by a man named Bonji! I was wondering what he and Cross would be named in English, but I’m rather glad they kept their Japanese names.

Speaking of which, Ash and Charmeleon have a battle with Cross and his Incineroar; but they’re totally outmatched! In addition to Incineroar launching Flamethrower from its torso like it does in the games; Charmeleon gets totally wrecked when he’s knocked through some of the concrete barriers! “Oh my god, the quarterback is toast!” 

After the battle, Verity and Sorrel try to console Ash about what happened, but he will have none it; even going so far as to tell Pikachu he wanted a Squirtle or Bulbasaur! … Wow, I know the movies tend to be more intense than the show itself, but that’s dark.

Ash then runs off into the forest, and as he falls asleep beside a tree, the Rainbow Wing loses its luster! I forgot to mention, that when the Rainbow Wing is held by those with impure hearts, it loses its color. This will come up again later, in case you’re wondering.

We then get a dream sequence of what the world would be like if Ash had never gone on his journey. Namely, he and everything else in the world is totally ordinary; and they’re just regular people studying under Professor Oak. It’s not even the Pokémon Academy in Alola either: it’s just another school, and life seems quite miserable.

As Ash wonders what’s beyond the town, he sees an image of Pikachu in the sky; and realizes what Sorrel was trying to tell him. He was acting no different than Cross, and he apologizes to everyone for how he was behaving, especially Pikachu.

Everyone then gathers around a campfire, and I’m realizing more how much this movie reminds me of the original movies from when I was younger; as well as the 1986 Transformers movie and the first two TMNT movies from the 1990s. Even though the concept is admittedly ludicrous, the film does a really good job putting a darker spin on it. The battles are more intense and the storytelling is more serious than the main TV anime; and it doesn’t let you forget that the main characters are just 10-year-old kids dealing with subject matter that’s quite adult for their age. 

Case in point: Sorrel tells of when he was younger, and he had a Luxray that froze to death trying to keep him warm in a blizzard! While there have been Pokémon that have sacrificed themselves before, such as Latios in the fifth movie and Lucario in the eighth movie, this is one of the few cases where I’ve seen a Pokémon die of natural causes, another being the elder Stoutland earlier this year.

After that, everyone is attacked by a group of Primeape, and they’re able to escape with the help of Ash’s Metapod evolving into a Butterfree! Reminds me of when I was younger, and this time they didn’t take Ash’s hat! Still, it’s a reasonably fun action scene; and it reminds me of them playing a game of Donkey Kong Country.

Also, Team Rocket has been mostly playing a supporting role in this movie; though they at least have more screen time than in Pokémon Heroes.

After crossing the river on the back of Verity’s Lapras, Ash’s Butterfree rescues a pink Butterfree from a Fearow, who now has the little accents on its wings like in the games to show it’s female. The movie follows Butterfree’s arc relatively closely from the TV episode “Bye Bye Butterfree,” complete with an emotional sendoff so he can have children. As for the whole “Butterfree dies after it mates” thing in the Japanese version: it’s not true. I have been watching the uncut subtitled episodes whenever I can find them, and all it said was that he couldn’t have offspring if it didn’t cross the ocean. Glad I could help clear this up.

Also, I like the appearance from Raikou; and it’s a much better use of him in just one scene than the entirety of the Legend of Thunder.

Now, we arrive at the final act; and by proxy, Mt. Tensei! They come across Bonji, who wrote the book Sorrel was reading earlier in the movie, and he’s voiced by my good friend, Mike Pollock! I do like the eccentric, but wise old mentor quite a bit as a character type; and his outfit is a nice touch, since it was actually based on some old promotional artwork for the series seen in early merchandise such as the trading card game.

He helps guide everyone the rest of the way towards Mt. Tensei, and also warns about Marshadow, a rather mischievous Mythical Pokémon that’s been following everyone ever since the movie started. I rather like Marshadow, this fighting/ghost type has a lot of great tricks and special moves. Many people claimed Marshadow was the villain of the movie, but I don’t see it. Marshadow is just doing what it does out of circumstances, unlike Cross. As everyone climbs up the mountain, Ash checks his shadow for its presence. Before you go any further with that Ash, I just have one question: what are those?!

Everyone reaches the summit, and Ash is confronted in a final battle by Cross! Ash’s Charmeleon engages Cross and his Incineroar as Marshadow looks on! Given the contrast between Ash and Cross as characters, it reminds me of what Mr. Glass said in my favorite Shyamalan film, Unbreakable.

While Marshadow is a sort of neutral entity, Cross is the polar opposite of Ash in every way: while Ash is idealistic and willing to do anything to help those close to him; Cross is much more cynical and sees strength as his lone valuable asset.

Charmeleon then evolves into Charizard! This has joined the list of my favorite versions of this Pokémon. While some people didn’t enjoy how the movie handled Charizard, I disagree. I found this movie’s retelling of Charizard’s story to be excellent.

Furthering this is Cross claiming incorrectly that “even when weak Pokémon evolve, they’re still weak!” He sounds like someone I used to know. On that note, while in the show it took Charizard quite some time to start listening to Ash, here; they’re perfectly in sync! If anything, I daresay that he’s more powerful than he was before! 

Ash and Charizard win the battle, but Cross just takes the Rainbow Wing and tries to claim Ho-Oh himself, turning the feather and the sky black as his heart! While Marshadow mostly does stuff in the movie because of circumstance, I submit Cross has no redeeming qualities at all; even threatening to crush Ho-Oh rather than learn from his mistakes!

Outraged, Marshadow takes control of all the Pokémon in the area; as the sky goes dark and the final battle takes place among a volley of powerful attacks! The animation is really impressive here, full of some fluid movements, dramatic lighting and some of the best use of color I’ve seen in any of the movies. This has honestly joined the list of one of my favorite re-imaginings of the series ever.

Ash, being one “you shall not pass” away from his best Gandalf impression; ends up getting caught in the wake of Marshadow’s “Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike” along with Pikachu! 

Now comes the part everyone is inevitably going to talk about: Pikachu speaking to Ash like a person after taking all of these attacks. While many thought was a dream, others thought it was Ash’s point of view, I am taking a third option: the power of the world around him and their bond together is actually letting them say what they truly want to each other. It’s also not as ridiculous as others suggest. I once said that Ash would take something like that for Pikachu before, and it turns out I was right.

So, Ash finally gets Pikachu into the Poké Ball as he’s disintegrated by the Pokémon attacks, with Pikachu tearfully holding Ash’s hat as he unleashes a 10,000,000-Million Volt Thunderbolt! Never expected they would have found such a dramatic way to work in that tie-in, or to retcon a running gag that’s been there from the beginning.

Ash, through the goodwill of his actions and his bond with Pikachu, is then restored along with the Rainbow Wing and granted eternal happiness as the Rainbow Hero! Based on my own fan theories and what Yuyama has said in interviews, I guess I can officially say this: He’s a Time Lord.

I’ve often tried to find recurring themes throughout the series, especially in the movies; and given the presence of Pokémon and elements from Generation IV, it reminds me of that line: “when one life meets another, something new is born.”

So, we close on Ash and Pikachu vowing to continue their journey; and the other characters vowing to meet again, even Cross. We’ll see: TTFN, you overly-dramatic edgelord! We also get the world of Pokémon segment at the end this time, as well as a very nice arrangement of the Pokémon theme played on piano, by the original composers no less. As for the cameos from Brock and Misty and the other companions: again, it’s no different to me than Nick Fury showing up at Tony Stark’s house or Rey finding Luke Skywalker on a distant planet. Overall, I can say this is my new favorite Pokémon movie.

It’s been a long time over these last 20-odd years I’ve been into the series, but I’ve been waiting a whole year to do this movie and I’m glad I’ve finally gotten a chance to look at it. Even considering all the hubbub online, do you really think I would have spent so much time looking at the other movies and parts of the series if I didn’t have the slightest iota of enthusiasm for it?

I mean, in this day and age; I am glad to have been a part of this fandom. Even if we come from different places, different eras and different ways of getting into the series; I am very happy that I have been able to do this for one simple reason: when I was very young, it was the first thing that made me feel like I belonged to something. Much like a young man from Japan who parlayed his experiences into one of the biggest Nintendo series ever, I have managed to use my own experiences to do my look at this movie. So when I tell the detractors of the film that them not liking it is nothing personal, they’ll know that I mean it.

That’s why I consider this film to be an ideal way to celebrate this wonderful series, warts and all. As a milestone of 20 years, it pays homage to everything that’s come before it and gives new perspective to some of my favorite stories from the series. As a movie on its own, it has great animation, glorious sounds and a story that is a simple, but effective way of retaining the appeal of the series that’s far more respectful to its source material than any Uwe Boll film or the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie. At the end of the day, that’s all that matters to me.

Whatever lies ahead for the series, I hope to enjoy it as much as this; and I want to continue my work here as long as I feel like it. Thank you for all your support over the years. Later.