Thoughts on Pokémon: Everyone's Story (2018) and Zeraora.

Before I get started, I apologize in advance for the delays I'm having. I also said I was waiting for enough information on this matter before I addressed it. Now I have it, so I present my thoughts on this year's Pokémon movie, Pokémon: Everyone's Story.

The current Japanese poster for the film.

The film, which is coming out roughly a year after the success of "Pokémon The Movie I Choose You," is another film that takes a different direction from the previous films; which I am definitely interested in. While some people are still skeptical of the new direction as well as demanding a total reboot, I submit the film could definitely build on the success of last year's film (which I absolutely loved) as well as put a fresh spin on previous concepts of the series.

I will address how I feel about Ash's latest redesign in a moment, but first I shall address the ensemble of new characters who will take part in this film.

First, is a young woman named Lisa. While many initially believed this character would be an older version of Serena or Lillie, I correctly suggested she would be a totally new character. She is an older female lead than normal; and a newcomer to the world of Pokémon who also has a younger brother in the hospital.

There is also an oddball named Kagachi (note: until there are official English names for each character, this and future posts about the movie shall use romanized Japanese names), who has gained a reputation for his tall tales. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Other players include a researcher named Trito, who lacks self-confidence despite his intelligence. I don't know whether he'll be a sort of discount Clemont, but we'll see.

There is also a curmudgeonly old woman named Hisui, who is constantly being followed by Pokémon despite disliking them. Ha! Never heard that one before.

Last, but definitely not least, is a young woman named Largo, an apparent orphan who lives in the forest. Insert Rey or Square Enix reference here.

Team Rocket will also play a supporting role in the movie, as will the mayor of the setting "Windy City" (roughly translated from the Japanese "Fuura City") Oliver and Lisa's aforementioned infirm brother Riku.

While not a complete remake of "Pokémon The Movie 2000" (still my favorite of the original three) as some suggested, the film does have a similar premise: it's an ensemble cast taking part in a "Festival of Winds," and it will deal with how they all cross paths.

Though I admit Lugia coming back is cool, as a Pokémon I still love; like the last movie; the powers that be decided to say: "and now for something completely different: Zeraora!"

Official artwork of Zeraora.

Yes folks, the rumors regarding the worst-kept secret of Generation VII (thanks to that datamine a while back) are true: Zeraora will be making its official debut as Pokémon no.807, and will be playing a role in the new movie. While some objected to how the official reveal was handled, personally, I'm already liking the design and initial moves; and I can't wait to hear more. Much like the movie itself, I can imagine this beast will get an official release stateside before the year is out.

Although some detractors of the last movie still have reservations towards this one, personally, I can't wait to see how the story plays out. I am also well aware that rebooting any beloved property in this day and age is a crapshoot, regardless of how frequent they are. Besides, even if a story uses elements from what came before; if they didn't screw with my expectations at least a little bit, it would honestly be kind of boring. That's why I'm enjoying the new incarnations so much lately, and I'm eager to see more (especially with Nintendo, Game Freak and Creatures hard at work for Generation VIII on the Switch, saving up for that after I get repairs done on my computer and 3DS).

One thing that most people can agree on, however, is that the animation looks fantastic. Studio WIT (Attack on Titan, Seraph of the End) is doing some very impressive work with OLM even in these early stages of promotion; and even though Kunihiko Yuyuama is handing the reins to Tetsuo Yajima; I believe the movie is in good hands with him; given his work on the XY series and the "Pokémon Origins" miniseries.

Now, I shall address Ash's latest redesign. Even though I don't know what to make of all the Rule 63 of him (though I still think he makes a surprisingly good lady given the most recent Japanese episode I've seen), it's really not that different from the design we have right now. It uses elements from all the previous incarnations of the character, least of all his outfits using all three primary colors. I still would love a real version of his new hat (since mine are seeing a bit of mileage), and I'm still working on another new cosplay for Halloween this year. Fortunately, given how the character customization in the game is (really hope the Switch entry expands things further), it shouldn't be too hard to find the combo for the jacket, pants and running shoes. It's like a fusion of all his previous outfits from other series (OS, AG, DP, BW, XY, the new show and the last movie), and this racing stripe on his shirt I feel is pretty sharp. 

One last thing: regardless of what I decide to do for my next episode of the series to recap, I think I shall make my full look at the movie my last piece of Pokémon content for this blog. There's been a lot going on outside this blog lately, and I've been contemplating retirement for a while now. So, like with the last movie, I will do a full recap once the English dub is released officially in the United Sates; since I don't want to inundate my blog with as much content as I did with the last movie. Before I go, don't forget what happened to the man who got everything he always wanted: He lived happily ever after.