Recap: Yo-Kai Watch The Movie- Great Adventure of the Flying Whale and Two Worlds

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens; brown paper packages tied up with strings. These are a few of my favorite things!

I was somewhere in Oregon when the drugs began to take effect... yet anything I experienced under the influence was absolutely placid compared to what's in this film made by people who are stone-cold sober; or I can only hope. -Raoul Juke, Founder of Kermit Journalism


Well, this has been a long time coming. After months of stringing their fans along with cryptic social media posts; Yo-Kai Watch 3 has been announced for release in the US this February and in Europe in winter 2019. So, true to my word; I am recapping the third movie as one of my final two recaps of the series; "Yo-Kai Watch The Movie: Great Adventure of the Flying Whale and Two Worlds."

While Level-5 contemplated doing a full live-action or all-CGI movie for this one; the decision was made to instead make a hybrid of those ideas with a traditionally-animated film. The result, as I am about to show you, is okay; but still has plenty to talk about nevertheless, since the time constraints of the production definitely affected the story, and it shows. Honestly, Solo wasn't this rushed.

Also, even though the film opened at #1 ahead of the Japanese release of Rogue One (one of my favorite films of 2016), I must once again point out that they measure success differently there; basing it more on overall ticket sales than overall gross revenue. Therefore, while Star Wars technically made more money, Yo-Kai Watch sold more tickets. I really don't know how the third game will do, since the second one was a nonstarter and Blasters hasn't been doing so hot (the game peaked at #3 on the 3DS eShop, has been steadily declining and I haven't even heard any official sales). So, let's open this thing up and get stated.

We open on thankfully not an overzealous intro from Whisper, but a news report of a giant object 300 meters in size! There's plot convenience news for you. Elsewhere, Jibanyan is attending a NyaKB concert with Robonyan Type-F and Bushinyan (Shogunyan in English).

Then, a giant humpback whale lets out its cry, which turns everyone in town into a mix of live-action and cheap CGI! Boy, do I have plenty to say about this. As the credits start to roll, Whisper remarks that this is weird. Whisper, you have a gift for understatement. "Weird" is when you wake up earlier than you expecting to. This is more like "what the fuck did I do last night?"

That ether is a wicked high.

After the opening credits, Keita and Whisper decide to go investigate the events of what's going on; but not before the movie actually counts down the live-action appearances of his parents. OK, I know this movie was written for 7-year-olds, but even I think they can tell what's animated and live-action and the differences in how characters behave in other mediums. At least it's not as blatant as the first two movies talking down.

Looks like a bogey in more ways than one.

Admittedly, while I don't think the live actors are that bad; the rushed production definitely shows in the often uneven script and the visuals not being up to par. The fans may have claimed it's an evolution of the VFX in Roger Rabbit or Space Jam, but to me; it's more like those live-action Scooby-Doo movies they had a while back. They looked all right at the time, but now they look more like a live-action cartoon than the reasons they originally intended.

Also, Keita is astonished at the fact he can see all the pores on his skin. Arbitrary thing to be obsessed with, but then look at what I do for a hobby; so it's all relative. There are 20,000 on your face alone; so if you've seen one of them, you've seen them all. He then vows to get to the bottom of this in the name of his grandfather.

I'M A SAILOR PIG AND I'VE LOST MY LEG!

Sorry, I couldn't resist. His first stop is to check in with Fumiko, and decides to just walk up to the front door after stopping short of climbing the fence. Maybe he could try playing Peter Gabriel music outside her window.

Instead, we get another thinly-veiled dose of romantic tension; as the live-action Fumiko is oddly amorous of Keita; even though they're in elementary school. As for her words to Keita: hold that thought for now.

I want to touch the light, the heat I see in your eyes!

Also, it turns out the pores are going to be a running gag. You know, I think I finally managed to pinpoint the moment I officially gave up on the original Yo-Kai Watch anime; and it was the pores. At least I understood the Hyperfuel subplot in The Last Jedi, Russian "nerfherders" be damned.

I digress: Keita then decides to go see his friends Kuma and Kanchi, and his first instinct is to check one of the boroughs in the shopping district. (Sighs) You know, this reminds me of when you watch a movie when you're younger and the effects look cool; and you watch it again 10 years later and realize they haven't held up that well. It's already 10 years later for this movie.

Once again, when Keita spots Kuma at a capsule machine, the movie points it out like it's a Wikia character bio; and Keita claims Kuma looks like a middle-aged man. That's funny, because I went to high school with people about that size.

Insert "Profile picture VS tagged pic" joke here.

Kanchi is also behaving more like a salaryman with a checkbook than usual, and the same treatment is given to him. 

Looks like some kid who keeps killing me in Splatoon.

As for this bit where they get into a bidding war over Kuma's gashapon prize and Jibanyan is mortified at how Emi is behaving in this world: it's not worth addressing, since I have bigger fish to fry in more ways than one. I will point out the live-action Jimenken, who's only slightly as creepy as he is in animated form. Ironically, I actually find him more entertaining than Jibanyan even after all this time.

Do I creep you out?

After spending almost the first quarter of the movie scuttling around the neighborhood, we are finally introduced to one of the factors behind what's going on: Koalanyan! I much prefer Komala, though I'm not using the "ripoff" card if I haven't after all this time, since both Generation VII and Yo-Kai Watch 3 came out in Japan the same year; but still. Hell of a convenient coincidence.

Koalanyan only $19.95 wherever toys are sold!

I missed that joke. He's also apparently a sort of bridge between worlds, and his powers are triggered by dancing. This is going to be one of those days, isn't it?

After everyone briefly returns to their animated selves, USAPyon meets up with Keita to further confirm what's going on. He's mortified that Inaho is acting crazier than usual, even brewing some weird potion to reverse the effects of what's going on! Though we're thankfully spared her mugging this time around, I can't believe that I actually agree with how creeped out USAPyon is. That's a face that someone makes before they ice someone from Los Pollos Hermanos.

Nitrogen bonds to oxygen, which in turn...

After trying to use Bakuroba to get information from Koalanyan fails, Keita decides to regroup at home to determine his next move; which results in another dancing scene! I wish I was more toasted right now, since that's one of the few ways someone whose age is in more than single digits could take this movie. Excuse me a moment.

Mamma mia! Here I go again!

As their investigation continues, not only do they realize that pressing Koalanyan's nose allow them to move between worlds; but the whale's cry does indeed hold the key to what's going on.

Admiral! There be whales here!

Also, Koalanyan is apparently afraid of water; as shown by this old lady throwing out her dishwater. So, much like the aliens in Signs; his Kryptonite apparently covers two-thirds of the planet's surface. However, even with what we learn later, it's still as lame here as it was there; and a key reason that movie hasn't aged well for me. 

The whale's name is Dai-Hoge, and in a hospital overlooking the candy shop; we are introduced to one of our villains for this film, Kanami Mikami. (sighs) I have many choice words for what happens next, especially when the third act comes around.

It turns out that Kanami was originally going to be a ballet dancer, but she was injured in a traffic accident when it was raining out. She then claims, to paraphrase the late, great George Michael that "she'll never dance again" when the information is extracted by Bakuroba. (sighs) I am going to take this part and come back to it later, since it's going to be one of those times.

Anyway, even though her feelings may just be a tad misplaced; her plan is to use the power of the titular flying whale to merge both worlds so she can conquer them both. ... This may be marginally better than the last two movies, but it's not doing itself any favors by reminding me of the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. movie.

She then uses the power of whale songs to transform into an enchanted ballet dancer. I don't know why, but this is dangerously close to a G-rated Perfect Blue. 

See that girl, watch that scene digging the dancing queen!

Elsewhere, Fuyunyan goes to see King Enma and Emperor Nurarihyon; who are in an utterly terrible-looking CGI shrine even if their makeup and costumes look all right. For that matter, WHY did they have to use CGI for the shrine? I could think of plenty of ways they could have built a set or filmed at a real shrine, but this looks somewhere in between a kid fiddling with Microsoft Paint or one of my old PS2 games, budget constraints be damned.

(Digitized voice) Good morning!

This leads to what's probably one of the most astonishingly bad chroma key shots not just in this film, but of my entire life of viewing movies this far. I even made a .gif to show you, please forgive 

the watermark and Spanish subtitles.

I mean, wow: this may not be as bad Dragonball Evolution, but this definitely proof that they didn't have the budget or time they needed to get everything just right. The "Chilly Down" scene in Labyrinth had better chroma key than this; and that movie was 30 years old by then!

I also know that while $17 million may be frugal by Western cinema standards, it's still downright astonishing someone greenlit this given how good other films looked that holiday season. Doctor Strange showed how a neurosurgeon could bend the fabric of reality to his will. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them depicted a New York City that no longer exists and a bunch of magical beasts that never existed. Rogue One depicted a story that the Star Wars saga had hinted at for years, and even included Peter Cushing in a supporting role despite the notable handicap of being dead. While some suggested that a potential US release of this film would involve reshooting the live-action scenes with domestic actors; between the budget cuts and the original team being let go, that's no longer logistically possible. I don't think it ever was, based on the changes that have already been made. Yo-Kai Watch 3 may be finally coming stateside next year, but that's already going to be a translation nightmare. I can't even put up my Awkward Zombie comic joke, because it's not worth it this time.

After Fuyunyan tells them what's going on, King Enma presents him with a new weapon to use and toy to sell before they go to face Kanami and the dancing in bad blue screen effects continues: the Enma Blade!

Enma Blade only $29.99! Watch and medals sold separately, batteries not included!

Entrusting the blade to Keita, he grabs the blade and hoists it to face Kanami and the whale! 

I HAVE THE POWER!

The attacks collide in midair over New Sakura Town's skyline, but Enma's power wins, which causes the Yokai Whale Dai Hoge to reveal its true form! It's amazing how casually I can type about his one-winged angel form now; having spent almost three years covering this anime.

Oh dear, what's Avalanche up to now?

This forces Kyubi and Orochi to assume their most powerful forms, Dark Kyubi and Light Orochi! Yet, in an aversion of talking is a free action (which series of this type are notorious for abusing); the whale eats them alive and spits out their banners unceremoniously. OK, that's actually kind of funny.

So, as the third act is about to devolve into yet another mess of overcooked CGI action; the gag is immediately used again when the whale eats Bushinyan. You know, a joke is never as funny when you hear it more than once. That also applies to the old lady throwing out her dishwater, which even annoys the other yokai. That's not a good sign.

Komasan also gives Keita a Yokai Bazooka to attack the whale, but he transforms into his final form: Whaleman, aka Kujira-Man!

"Let her go, Grimace!"

Whisper's dismissive treatment of his name notwithstanding, wow is this CGI bad. I can only imagine how this would have played out if they used practical effects or a live actor in a rubber costume. He also can apparently use bubbles to turn people, yokai or objects into fish; like a bargain bin Thanos after he got his hands on the reality stone.

Also, the final battle takes place at a theme park; with "highlights" including Kujira-Man using a roller coaster track as nunchaku and bouncing around on the Ferris wheel. It may not be as bad as the Netflix Death Note remake, but still very over-the-top. (Note: still skeptical about the sequel being made, it would probably be better to just reboot it with what's already happened.)


Conveniently, USAPyon has a model tank kit to combat Kujira-man; though it does take a while to assemble amid all the shenanigans of Komasan and Komajiro trying to wrangle Koalanyan and tell the old lady to knock it off with the dishwater. When the movie itself is getting sick of its own running gags, you know it's time to wrap it up. Just as well: when Koalanyan's nose is pressed, USAPyon finishes the tank just in time to start turning the tide!

Yet, even after that, Kujira-Man still won't let up! Christmas on a bike: how the deuce does a movie that's only 90 minutes long feel like twice that?! Return of the King didn't have this many endings!

With few options left, Robonyan Type F drinks the potion Inaho was working on; and transforms into his final form: Ultimate Robonyan!

KAMEN RIDER DRAGON KNIGHT! TOGETHER WE CAN FIGHT THE FIGHT!

Then, Ultimate Robonyan transforms into a tank, and the other remaining Yokai are turned into missiles! ... I do plan to wrap up my coverage of Transformers Energon before Bumblebee comes out, so I can finally put that behind me as well.

TRANSFORMERS! MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE!

As the barrage of yokai missiles is fired, all the yokai attack in a "Million Paws of Fury" and Kujira-Man explodes in a mass of CGI bubbles! ... This bit was funnier when they did it in Scott Pilgrim VS The World, to be honest.

KO! "Sweet! Coins!"

Now, as the battle is over, here is the scene from earlier I am coming back to. Keita went to go speak with Kanami's ballet teacher after that; and we now see that her injuries not only aren't permanent; she can actually recover with three years through a physical therapy plan that her instructor worked out. ... Allow this late memetic pitchman to express my disbelief for me.

There are numerous problems I have with this reveal, least of all how Kanami's behavior was throughout this movie. This not only undermines her whole motivation, but also has some very troubling subtext that I don't think the writers are aware of. Even with what happens next, based on how she treated her parents and her teacher after the accident; it seems to indirectly send the message that it's better to lash out at people who are trying to help you, and that it's better to blame your condition on an external force than to try to live with it or seek treatment for it. I find that disturbing, and speaking from personal experience; that's the wrong message to send to people who suffer from a disability of any kind. Even Jibanyan is calling her out for giving up on herself and turning her back on everyone!

Though she is convinced to undergo the physical therapy under her teacher's guidance, this ending is the very definition of "too little, too late" after how she was acting the whole movie. If they developed this plot thread more, maybe I might feel differently. Back on Doctor Strange, which I mentioned earlier, they got this plot thread exactly right: despite Strange's arrogance, he is a brilliant neurosurgeon who is devastated when his hands are injured in a car accident, and the film does show that most of his wealth and many conventional treatments are exhausted before he even gets to Nepal; and his arc is built on healing himself and overcoming his own flaws. By the time of the final battle in Hong Kong, I definitely believe he's one who can master the Mystic Arts even when fate denied him the ability to legibly write his name. Still, the one way I can damn this part faint praise is that it makes the movie shorter, making the denouement a cleaner wrap-up than an episode of Full House.

Everywhere you look, there's a heart and a hand to hold onto!

One of the last two things we see in this movie is the fact that Keita now has a picture of the live-action Fumiko; and I guess this is the inversion of Eddie Valiant "dabbling in watercolors" in Roger Rabbit.

I hope you're proud of yourself, and those pictures you took!

We then close, along with a tease for the next movie, on a positively horrifying live-action face from Whisper that looks like a Japanese Pennywise. Cue the Plinkett clip one last time. 

OH MY GOD! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR FACE?!

Before I give my final thoughts on this movie and offer some suggestions for the upcoming localization of Yo-Kai Watch 3; I need to vent with some of Darth Vader's rage.

This movie may be okay compared to the previous ones, but it still has many of the same issues of the previous two; least of all how it stumbles in its third act when things start to get interesting and how the plot and characterization suffers from the rushed script, especially with how Kanami behaved as an antagonist. Honestly, I've seen Marvel villains with more consistent motivations. Yeah, I went there. Moreover, the live-action scenes are filmed and edited the same way as the animated ones; and it shows. I honestly don't know what to expect come February 2019, and even with enthusiasm of #PokémonLetsGo being somewhat quieter than I expected, even people who are more interested in the series have their doubts.

My advice is this to Level-5: you need to convince people that your product is worth investing in. With the mainline Pokémon games (as well as Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee) moving onto the Switch, you have a good opportunity to fill the void and try to earn the trust of people who aren't ready to upgrade from the 3DS yet, repairing the foundations in the process. Also, abandon the notion of trying to sell the series as a rival to Pokémon, and try to sell it as an alternative instead. With the budget cuts made to the anime, instead of pouring money into reshoots for the live-action scenes, just skip this movie and go straight to dubbing Shadowside. Market that series as a soft reboot, and put it online for streaming; so you won't have to deal with the bizarre edicts forced on you by standards and practices. As for Megaton Musashi, Snack World and Inazuma Eleven Ares: that will have to wait for now. 

In short, I am still not a big fan of this series overall; being more into Pokémon and Ni No Kuni; but Shadowside, Yo-Kai Watch 4 on Switch and possibly Forever Friends give me hope that the series can adapt to a changing market like Pokémon has over the years. Next time will be my final Yo-Kai Watch recap: Yo-Kai Watch Shadowside The Movie-Return of the Oni King! Until then, I'm just another freak in the freak kingdom.