2019 Wrap-up, See You in 2020.

Hey everybody: how was your Christmas? I got a copy of The Killing Joke Deluxe Edition, DVDs of Star Trek V and VI, a Blu-Ray of Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) and my personal favorite, a Sega Genesis Mini console. Overall, the last one of the decade was a "merry little Christmas" like the ones I used to know; if you'll pardon the parlance.

I also note that I'm glad the experiments I've done seem to have worked fine, even if I am still formally retired from doing recaps. While "Alita: Battle Angel" didn't "save anime movies" as it was expected to, I am at least glad that it wasn't an unmitigated disaster like other adaptations have been.

I am much more pleased with how "Pokémon Detective Pikachu" turned out: it took 26 years to make a good live-action movie about a hit anime and video game franchise; and I'm glad it was this one. With a box office take of $144 million in the US alone, it's surpassed 2001's "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" as the most successful live-action video game adaptation domestically. Depending on the estimate you go with, it's also potentially surpassed 2016's "Warcraft"  worldwide. Regardless, making upwards of $430 million worldwide has generated more talk of potential follow-ups being made, as well as the upcoming sequel to the video game on Nintendo Switch. Whether the next movie uses existing material or writes an entirely new story, I welcome it.

I still would like to do a review of "Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution" after its official release domestically. While it would have been ideal to do it for the 20th anniversary of the US release of the original, I will be glad to see it get an English dub in the near future; hopefully.  There are also other CG anime adaptations, and while not every one works; there is potential in both artistic and storytelling standpoints for the medium if the success of "Lupin III: The First" (a reimagining of the title character's origins) is any indication. As long as they're better than the infamous 2016 "Berserk," I'm fine. I'm not the biggest fan of that series (more into its distaff counterpart, Claymore); but it was laughably bad.

That said, I would also like to do reviews of other episodes and individual series; as well as give some thoughts on story, characters and art from some of my favorite works. The Akira recap a year ago was a test run for that, and I'm most likely going to be approaching them with a structure that's a bit different from the previous work I've done here. Similar to my old style, but not exactly the same. The movie reviews and my look at "Snow Way Out" were kind of test runs for that. I still mean it when I say that I'm done with more recaps, but that still doesn't mean I'm totally abandoning this blog. I'm 27, soon to be 28; I intend to keep this up and hopefully write professionally one day. None of the events of this decade will change that plan, just so you know I'm not just watching Toonami and playing my Switch to close out this year (though that's admittedly also true).

As for Yo-Kai Watch: I explained this in much greater detail in my postmortem and its follow-up; but whatever happens next with the series I cannot say for certain. I can say that "Yo-Kai Watch 4" hasn't been doing too great, selling only in the range of 300,000 copies to date; with its expansion launching outside the top 10 in Japan and the PS4 port not even cracking the top 30. This is well below what fellow Switch titles Pokémon Sword and Shield and Super Mario Maker 2 have sold to date.

While the first episode of the Yokai Academy TV series was decent (a moment in the ending aside), the movie has continued to underperform; having made roughly the equivalent of $2 million USD amid competition from "My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising" and the Japanese release of "Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker." Even people who are fans are starting to wonder about the future of the series. The series will be re-entering reruns starting on January 4 (after being dropped in favor of "Inazuma Eleven Ares") on Disney XD, though no word of a fourth season or other material such as Shadowside being dubbed has surfaced (though the latter has a subtitled version on Animax Asia in some territories). I also don't know what this means for The Snack World, Ushiro or Megaton Musashi; let alone a potential "Yo-Kai Watch 4" localization (the only thing that's been said so far is a leaked 3/31 date for Finland, which has yet to be confirmed as of this writing).

Live action coverage will continue, even though the "Akira" remake has again been shelved (with Taika Waititi currently pursuing other ventures); and the long-rumored "Voltron" and "Gundam" adaptations have still not announced a filming start date, cast or directors; and I'm not entirely sure the same screenwriter is involved with the latter. There is supposedly some announcement coming 1/1, but we'll see.

That will be all for now, I hope you all have a happy new year as the new decade approaches! Later.

"Snow Way Out" Review (Pokémon Indigo League)- Winter Solstice Special

Hello everyone: happy winter solstice.  First off, Star Wars was great. Second, given the recent success of “Pokémon Sword and Shield” and the new anime; I think I will review something that gives me a chance to say: and now for something completely different! Yes, I know I’ve talked about individual episodes before, but here’s one I haven’t that’s a rather curious piece for how it’s aired. More on that later, but for now: let’s open up “Snow Way Out!”

We open on a fork in the road that leads to a mountain range, with everyone getting caught in the cold. I have a bad feeling about this…

Also, Ash addresses Pikachu as “Pik.” I’ve nicknamed my Pikachu many things over the years: “Pik” is not one of them. Rather than turning back, they decide to “stay the course.” Ha! Never heard that one before.

They decide to keep going to the peak, but the iron in the mountains is throwing off the magnetism of Brock’s compass! I guess it would be a while before they came up with Nosepass (whose nose always points to magnetic north), let alone other monsters that evolve in a magnetic field.

Misty then demands Ash do something to get them out of the mess they’re in, and Ash sends out Pidgeotto as a sentry to find a way down the mountain! Pidgeotto finds one, and they continue on their way.

Elsewhere, while Meowth and James are bothered by the cold; Jessie is not. We then get a flashback to when she was a little girl: due to her mother being missing, presumed dead on a mission, one of the foster homes she was in was so poor that they had to eat snow because of the low food budget; a “snowgasboard” as she calls it. Though the episode order in canon may be debated, this element is still canon.

Puffing up their balloon, they decide to go catch up with the “twerps” before it gets dark. However, it takes so long to say their motto that it floats away as the clouds roll in and a snowstorm kicks up!

As Team Rocket chases their errant balloon, our heroes must find shelter from the storm before it consumes them all! Brock gets the idea to start digging a bivouac in the snow, but Pikachu is nearly blown away by the strong winds!

Pikachu almost falls down the cliffside, but Ash sends out Bulbasaur to hoist him up with Vine Whip! Unable to find their way back to the others due to the storm, they then take shelter in a cave until it passes!

With the help of Charmander, they’re able to get inside the cave just in time! As for why Charmander is there as opposed to Charizard: there is a reason for that, and it’s related to the airing order being shuffled because of the “Electric Soldier Porygon” incident. More on that later, but for now: Squirtle and Bulbasaur help seal off the door of the cave until morning. 

As they all huddle around Charmander for warmth, elsewhere; Team Rocket isn’t doing as well. Also, on top of roughly 24 seconds of footage being cut from this scene (maybe they’re somewhere with the old man from Scene 24), 4Kids redid Meowth’s matches into candles; somehow glossing over you’d need something to light the candles as well as showing the used matches anyway in the next part. Remember: only YOU can prevent wildfires and continuity errors!

Now, comes the most-recognized part of the episode: as the storm rages on, Ash orders everyone back inside their Poké Balls; but Pikachu refuses! Not only that, the others pop back out to help Ash stay warm through the night! While I will discuss how the airing of this episode has led to some confusion about its place in canon; I can’t deny how much emotional weight this scene has, further compounded by Ash confiding in his Pokémon and subtly crying as “Tears After the Cloudy Weather” plays in the BGM.

The sun rises the next day, and the storm has broken as Ash reunites with Brock and Misty. After sharing some banter about their respective nights; they continue down the mountain pass.

They find the Meowth balloon blown near them; so they set about fueling it up so they can ride it down the mountain! Well, I guess it’s only one step above “borrowing” a bike.

So, with Vulpix’s help, Ash, Brock, Misty and Pikachu ride the balloon back down the mountain into the next town. We then close on Jessie, James and Meowth resting in a hot spring in the mountains.

As an added bonus, the Pikachu’s Jukebox segment is the title track from the “2BA Master” album! Finally got it on a digital sale earlier this year, been listening to it a lot lately.

While many elements from this episode were canonized in later ones (notably Jessie’s foster care and Ash’s night in the cave); the airing order is a strange one. In both the Japanese and English airings, the episode was to be a companion piece to “Holiday Hi-Jynx”; but both ended up being postponed due to the “Electric Soldier Porygon” incident, not airing until way later than intended. Hence why Ash has a Charmander and not the Charizard it became, and why Misty’s Togepi isn’t present yet. This has also caused some confusion on official home media releases and digital streaming. Though the Pokémon TV service puts it in between “It’s Mr. Mime Time” and “Showdown at the Poké-corral,” I am one of many who sees the episode’s numbering as apocryphal. Oxford defines the adjective as “of doubtful authenticity, though widely circulated as being true” or “belonging to the apocrypha.”

As for the episode itself: while it’s not my favorite one, “Snow Way Out” is an overall solid experience with some good animation for its time and surprisingly heartfelt moments. It may not be in rotation as much as some others, but I do like to put it on once every so often; so I can recommend it for that at least. What else can I say: “it’s rock climbing, Joel.” I hope you all have a good winter’s tidings, and I will see you all again soon.

Yo-Kai Watch Postmortem Followup: "Yo-Kai Watch 4++," "Jam Project" Flop in Debut, Potential Consequences for Series and Level-5.

One month ago, I posted my postmortem of the “Yo-Kai Watch” franchise on this blog. Many fans of the series have been dismissive of this mentality: why are so many people quick to declare the franchise dead just six years in? Surely the fact they’re still making content and releasing games means it’s no reason to worry, right? With a new movie and animated series coming, as well as the fourth game having released an expansion ahead of a planned English localization; things will turn around, right? Well, not exactly. Quite the opposite: things are so dire for the franchise that not only will the series be impacted; but the disappointing returns of the new content may cast a shadow over Level-5 as a whole. I am still not going to be doing anymore recaps, but the Jam Project will also be addressed for both the movie and its TV series making a High School AU after the fact. So, here is my followup to my Yo-Kai Watch postmortem.

Let’s start with the performance of “Yo-Kai Watch 4++” in sales. When this expansion of “Yo-Kai Watch 4” launched on December 5, many hoped this would kickstart sales of the game; especially after the title being the first to release on the Playstation 4. This hasn’t happened: on the contrary, “Yo-Kai Watch 4++” has only sold around 10,000 copies at launch on Nintendo Switch, with the PS4 port selling just under 3,000 copies; placing that version outside the top 30 on Famitsu’s charts.  To date, the Switch version has only sold 20,000 copies for this expansion; with sales for the PS4 version yet to be confirmed. These are absolutely abysmal numbers for consoles that have respective install bases of 41 million units and 100 million units as of this writing. By contrast, “Pokémon Sword and Shield” have sold well over 6 million copies since their launch; becoming the fastest-selling Switch title to date, surpassing “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” from last year. This expansion only brings the sales of “Yo-Kai Watch 4” to a meager 303,000 units as of this writing for all versions, and the sales of the Switch remaster of the first “Yo-Kai Watch” haven’t had concrete numbers to report since its launch. In many ways, this reminds me of when Sega tried to release three different consoles in three years one after the other: the Sega CD, the 32X and the Saturn, all of which being met with mixed reception and mediocre sales. Though Level-5 still intends to give the game an English localization, it remains to be seen how that would work. He also wants to localize some of the movies that have yet to be released, but that also hasn’t been made clear how it will work. The second has only seen a release on Latin American and Spanish-speaking countries, and the TV series has been dropped from Disney XD as of this year. My guess is that putting them on digital streaming would be the way to go, given how the anime never became the ratings success the English dubbers hoped it would; which makes a good segue into my next subject.

On December 13, “Yo-Kai Watch Jam Project The Movie: Yokai Academy Y (Can A Cat Really Be a Hero?)” was released in theaters in Japan with an absurdly long title. Much like Shadowside before it, the film is essentially the feature-length pilot for the anime of the same name. I will also note that with the Shadowside’s underperformance, and the outright failure of the Forever Friends movie last year, Level-5 said they would not be making more spinoffs that did not feature characters already established beforehand. Now, they’re releasing something that fills a loophole in that edict by making a High School AU; a la My Little Pony Equestria Girls, and also piggybacking on the success of My Hero Academia (both series I actually prefer, but I digress). So, how did this fare upon release?

Well, despite heavy promotion, the film has outright flopped at the Japanese box office; opening at number 4 behind the Japanese releases of “Frozen II” and “Jumanji: The Next Level” as well as “Shijin-sou no Satsujin,” making just over the equivalent of $1 million USD in its opening weekend. This is also roughly half of what the fifth film made in its opening, leaving an uncertain fate for this part of the series; let alone the franchise going forward. This was a Hail Mary pass that ended up being judged a safety, and though the TV series will be starting on the 27th; I don’t know how it will do given the movie’s underperformance.

This also casts a shadow over Level-5’s other plans; with a localization of “The Snack World” in 2020 for English-speaking regions and the development of “Megaton Musashi,” “Ushiro” and the new “Inazuma Eleven” being chief among them. It’s truly ironic that the third “Yo-Kai Watch” game, a title that was deliberately developed to appeal to Western audiences ended up having the lowest sales in the entire franchise; selling just 4,000 copies at retail in NA amid competition from Kingdom Hearts III and the remake of Resident Evil 2; as well as the 3DS slowly but surely making way for the Switch. There is talk of most of Level-5’s branches outside Japan closing, though this has yet to be confirmed as I type this. It wouldn’t surprise me personally, but it is another thing to consider going forward.

So, let’s see how all this fares. Even with “The Snack World” having an English dub in production by 3Beep (best known for the dub of the series “Winx Club”), there has yet to be confirmation of an official airdate since its debut at Anime Expo this year. The video game will also be launching on the Nintendo Switch on February 14, forgoing its release on the Nintendo 3DS. It remains to be seen how it will perform, as reception to the changes made to the English release has been mixed. “Inazuma Eleven: Ares” aired on Disney XD after “Yo-Kai Watch” ended its run, and hasn’t pulled the same ratings on the Anime Block its fellow series “Pokémon” and “Beyblade Burst Turbo.” The video game for that has been delayed so much that its title has been changed. “LBX: Little Battler’s Experience” stumbled out the starting gate, which it never recovered from. “Dragon Quest” was never fully theirs to begin with (despite some work on a few entries, generally more Square-Enix’s doing). “Dark Cloud” and its sequel are currently entangled in rights issues with Sony preventing a third game or even remasters of the first two (though they are available on PSN store under the “PS2 Classics” banner). “White Knight Chronicles” was a nonstarter that the company has distanced themselves from. The only franchises that have succeeded outside their homeland are the “Professor Layton” and “Ni No Kuni,” largely thanks to having proper promotion to their target audience and grassroots support from fans. Most importantly, they didn’t try to puff them up into something they weren’t. Even series creator Akihiro Hino admitted the success of “Yo-Kai Watch” surprised him, which may be why the franchise has yet to find a real identity beyond “charming” and “yokai cause hijinks, hilarity ensues.” With the newest game and movie being outright bombs even in their native Japan, that’s not a good sign for the future.

I mean, other franchises in a similar vein have been able to figure this out. Despite not everyone liking all versions the same, each iteration of “Pokémon,” “Digimon” and “Yu-Gi-Oh” has a distinct style and tone. Before any of them get released, the creators typically have a long-term plan for what they want to do and how they want to do it for the stories they tell. Even other Level-5 IPs I mentioned earlier were distinct for the developers, both released and in development. From my understanding, “Yo-Kai Watch” didn’t really have any long-term plans beyond each individual iteration. Six years in, this business model may not be sustainable for the series or the company. On top of the branches outside Japan potentially closing, there are also reports of tumult inside the main branch; ranging from an exodus of development staff and failure to bring in partners for other projects. Again, these have yet to be confirmed; but even Hino himself admits he wants to win back the confidence of fans and audiences. In order to do this, he himself has admitted that he wants to release more content on schedule that gets players excited for what comes next. So far, none of the company’s current or future projects are off to a good start for meeting any of these criteria.

Using “Shadowside” (which I prefer to the main anime and its 2019 revival) as a yardstick, after the film released to decent but not spectacular box office amid a decline from the previous movies (and the Japanese release of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”); the TV series debuted in 2018; lasting one season after its main story arc concluded (though its characters do play a part in the fourth game’s story). With the “Jam Project” starting its airing in Japan on December 27, I can expect something similar; though it’s going to have an uphill battle given how the games and movie are doing as of late. It also doesn’t help that as opposed to more modern J-Pop acts, the film’s song was performed by Pink Lady, who are nowadays more known for a series of scandals and starring in a terrible variety TV show that was intended to save their careers; but instead ended their popularity and killed that genre in the process. (Note: For more information on that last one, see TV Guide’s “50 Worst Shows of All Time”, the Agony Booth’s recaps of the complete series, and its entry in the book “What Were they Thinking: The 100 Dumbest Events in Television History” by David Hofstede. The show was also notable for being a factor in NBC’s then-head Fred Silverman being ousted in favor of Brandon Tartikoff replacing him; who subsequently rescued the network from bankruptcy after Silverman’s failures.) I still think digital streaming would be the best outlet for future anime content outside Japan, especially given how Hino wants to localize the fourth and fifth movies alongside the upcoming Western localization of “Yo-Kai Watch 4” so as not to confuse audiences who haven’t seen them.

As for the games, that’s harder to guess. Given how the series never achieved the success that was expected outside Japan, I’m thinking that releasing “Yo-Kai Watch 4” as a digital-only title on the Nintendo eShop and PSN store would probably be the way to go. By that same token, I don’t know how “The Snack World” will perform when it launches. There hasn’t been an announcement yet about the TV series airing or the toys, special treasures known as “Jaras” (that function kind of like Nintendo’s Amiibo figurines for unlocking special content), and the game has an interesting place for its launch next Valentine’s day. On one hand, “The Last of Us Part II” has been delayed to May 2020 to help polish the game more before it ships. On the other, there are numerous other titles in the same launch window competing for attention in Q1. These include, but are not limited to the highly-anicipated remakes of “Final Fantasy VII” and “Warcraft III,” but also new titles in established series such as “Ori and the Will and the Wisps.” “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” and “Doom Eternal.” Bringing up other anticipated games such as “Cyberpunk 2077” and the remake of “Resident Evil 3: Nemesis” would just be overkill. I also think that the mecha game “Megaton Musashi” and the horror-themed “Ushiro” could work; with Hino openly admitting the case of the latter game it allows him to do things he can’t with Yo-Kai Watch.

Given how vastly the series has declined and the current situation with the company, the potential consequences at hand are immeasurable. So this isn't a total downer, I will state this: if and when "Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution"  releases an English dub; I will review the movie here in full. I know that there are people working on subtitling the JP movie; but I try to support the official release every chance I get (I will probably watch the subs when they come out though). One last thing: I may have a surprise ready for the winter solstice, and I will begin work on it before I go see Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker this evening. That will be all for now. Later.

Pokémon Sword and Shield: The First 48 Hours.

Hello everyone: seeing as how I’m still occupied with dealings outside this blog; I thought I would give you all my experiences with “Pokémon Sword and Shield” from the first 48 hours of gameplay combined. I will keep things relatively spoiler-free, only remarking that I’m just about to take the challenge for my eighth and final badge.

I am definitely enjoying the Wild Area, and I’m still exploring parts of the map to train and catch good monsters for my roster. I only kind of skimmed the now-infamous “Affleck leak,” and I’m only just now getting more details to corroborate the information it contained. Though sometimes these can be red herrings in this day and age (such as the infamous “Grinch leak” last year for “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate”), most of what I’m seeing definitely checks out. Least of all, the leak confirmed details surrounding the story and monsters before many of them were officially revealed. Least of all, monsters such as Sirfetch’d and the villain faction of Team Yell were confirmed well before their official reveals; and I can also verify the information about the exclusive gym leaders and monsters was accurate. I am definitely enjoying the stage 1 and 2 forms of the Galar starters, especially in the case of Cinderace and Inteleon. All three fit the setting in some way, in both design and special moves. Cinderace resembles a soccer player with its special move, Pyro Ball; which makes me want a new Mario Strikers game, or at the very least the previous ones getting rereleased on eShop. As for Inteleon, with its Snipe Shot: “Hey boys, it’s a spy!”

The control is very natural for traversing the in-game world, and despite what some claim, the user interface and type balance are changed so subtly that it’s a natural progression from what the previous titles established. Though not everybody was into the visual style, I think the graphics being stylized is the right way to go. The detractors’ claims were never going to work on someone like me, who still plays games from earlier console generations. Besides, it’s actually pretty fitting for the setting; combining colorful stadiums full of giant monitors with steampunk-infused castles and rustic villages. In-game dialogue is peppered with British slang terms (Hop calls you “mate” as his friend, running shoes are called “trainers” in apparel shops, and so on), and I’ve often joked about the bag my avatar got from his father as being “bigger on the inside.” One of the police officers I battled with was even named (who else?) Bobby.

Though I concede I also had mixed feelings towards the changes from previous installments at first, in a way; approaching the titles with this design philosophy actually makes sense from every angle I can look at it from: if a developer has finite resources of time, money, and manpower; it’s considerably more important to me that they’re invested into making the game work rather than trying to cram in so much stuff that nobody can tell what they’re actually trying to do, leading to the game being a buggy and disappointing mess (looking at you, Anthem).

I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating that throwing money at a problem doesn’t automatically solve it. It’s also not the first time they’ve had to make this call: well before the series became the phenomenon it is now, there were monsters and ideas that didn’t make the cut in the original games before they influenced later ones.

By that same token, there are contingencies for the near future; least of all this mobile app they’re coming out with in 2020: probably going to opt into it when I get a chance. It’s not like the older days, where you had to physically take your Game Boy to special events that only took place in some areas. I’ve already opted into the special Meowth, probably going to figure out the other special monsters after I beat the main quest.

I am quite pleased with the experience so far, and I definitely think it was the right call to focus on the gameplay and world-building this time around. Whatever lies ahead for the series, I look forward to seeing what comes next. Later.

Pokémon Sword and Shield Set New Switch Sales Launch Record!

Hello everyone: I am enjoying “Pokémon Sword and Shield” so far, and I am currently training for my sixth badge at roughly over 32 hours logged combined. One week has passed since launch, and one thing I wondered about was how the games would do despite all the strong reactions some people had online. I was hoping that the titles would beat the odds with this in mind, and I’m glad to say my cautious optimism was justified.

Since their launch worldwide on November 15, the games have sold 6 million copies combined; factoring in standalone versions and the twin pack, as well as both digital and physical copies of the game. For specific regions, the games sold around 2 million copies in the US and 1.36 million copies in Japan. They also launced at #1 in the UK, surpassing other titles that week such as “Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order,” and causing a 30% spike in sales for the Nintendo Switch. They are second only to the launch of “Pokémon Sun and Moon” in 2016 in the region, and have surpassed the previous worldwide record by the launch of “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” last year. There is also a “Spirit Board” event in that game where spirits from the Galar region can be unlocked until November 26 in Pacific Time Zones and November 27 in Eastern Time Zones.

In many ways, I can even submit that maybe some parties’ attempts to discourage enthusiasm from the games may have had the opposite effect and made people who otherwise wouldn’t have known about the titles seek them out. This is often known as the “Streisand effect,” so named for singer/actress Barbra Streisand asking a surveyor to stop taking pictures of her house for a map; which resulted in the pictures getting posted online where everyone can see them. Basically, if you tell someone not to look at something; they will want to look at it out of natural curiosity. Another recent example would be the DC Comics adaptation “Joker,” where concerns about the movie’s content ended up getting people who usually don’t read comic books or watch superhero movies to check it out; eventually leading to it becoming the first R-rated film to ever make over $1 billion worldwide.

I’ve mentioned this before outside this writing, but it bears repeating: sometimes what you hear online isn’t always indicative of the bigger picture, and the popular mindset might not always be the right one. Whatever the case may be, I’m going to keep training; and after I finish the main quest, my Switch FC is still the same for anyone who wants to join me online. I will also make sure to renew my online subscription before the year is out. That will be all for now. Later.

Pokémon Sword and Shield (Switch) First Impressions.

Hello everyone: while I have been quite busy as of late, I thought I would give you my first impressions of Pokémon Sword and Shield from the first couple hours of gameplay of each version. For the sake of argument, I will be mainly focusing on the games themselves and not addressing others’ reactions for the most part. So, let’s open them up and get started.

The games take place in the Galar region, a land heavily influenced by England and surrounding areas. While the visuals may not quite be what others were expecting, I personally like the style they went with: I enjoy how the stylized art design compliments the setting, and I was never as bothered by the graphics’ fidelity as others. I still play a lot of games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras, and it’s definitely clear we’ve come a long way since the original entries on the Game Boy. The music is also really catchy, I’ve enjoyed listening to it even before the games officially came out. While there might not be any voice acting, I actually don’t mind; nor do I feel it’s necessary. I also submit that both Super Mario Odyssey and Zelda: Breath of the Wild had the right idea to make the side characters speak, but only have Mario exclaim when he does something cool and Link yell when he swings his weapon. In many ways, I actually prefer being given a character I can choose the name, look and identity of. All I need is the imagination of my inner 10-year-old, and the rest is done for me, but I digress.

The gameplay, obviously; sees many shakeups to the long-running formula, which have been viewed as divisive to put it mildly. Though I understand the skepticism to a fault, personally; if they just kept the same mechanics with each installment in any video game, we’d all still be playing Pong. How do I feel about this latest take in the series, both as a longtime fan and someone who tries their best to take each game on its own merit?

Well, I am pleased to say the experience is nowhere near as bad as many people that shall not be mentioned here worried it would be; and is actually the experience I’ve wanted out of a home console version of the game ever since I was 10. The controls are very intuitive, building on last year’s “Pokémon Let’s Go” and all the way back to the original games on Game Boy. I also don’t mind the XP Share being integrated into the level-up mechanics, since it’s actually not uncommon in other RPGs I’ve played. Final Fantasy, for example, has been doing it like that for years. 

As for the Wild Area: if you’re someone like me who’s been a fan for years; or a newcomer who wants something to enjoy, exploring this world is like a dream come true. In many ways, this section reminds me of playing some of the Grand Theft Auto series when it began the transition to 3D. Not for stealing cars or getting into gang fights, certainly; but in the sense of just having the ability to explore the place at your own pace. I actually don’t mind that some monsters aren’t accessible until you reach a certain skill level; though I do admit being chased by an overpowered Machoke reminds me of CJ’s first meeting with Big Smoke in San Andreas. The game is also no cakewalk either: even at this early stage, trying to catch a Ninjask in the Wild Area was much tougher than I thought.

I have also been trying not to worry about all the uproar online, though at this stage it’s unclear whether or not the more hostile detractors’ actions will make much of an impact in the grand scheme of things. Though concrete sales numbers probably won’t be out for a bit, the games have consistently been in the bestseller charts for Amazon, Gamestop, Walmart and Nintendo eShop each time I’ve checked. Also, even amid attempts to claim otherwise; critical reception on both versions has been relatively positive, with an 81 score on Metacritic as of this writing. Even the mixed reviews admit there’s a lot to like here, despite the detractors claims otherwise. I have never been too concerned about what others think, especially since if you peel back the layers; their complaints really aren’t that different from when they tried to dismiss it as a “fad” twenty years ago.

Though I will probably learn more as I keep playing, I will definitely enjoy these games well into 2020 and beyond; no matter what lies ahead. Before I go, don’t forget what happened to the man who got everything he always wanted: He lived happily ever after.

A Yo-Kai Watch Postmortem: From "The Next Pokémon" to an Uncertain Future.

Earlier this year, after roughly six months of delays, “Yo-Kai Watch 4” was launched on the Nintendo Switch in Japan. After declining sales of the previous installments, many hoped that this game would help reinvigorate the series by introducing new gameplay mechanics and appealing to older fans. If sales data thus far is any indication: it has not. As of this writing, the game has only sold slightly over 270,000 copies to date; and has dropped off the sales charts since its launch this past June. For frame of reference, Super Mario Maker 2 launched the same month and sold well over 2 million copies in its first three days. With its competitor in Pokémon doing well thanks to the success of Generation VII, the all-CGI “Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution;” their first live-action film with “Pokémon Detective Pikachu” and much planned for the release of “Pokémon Sword and Shield,” now would be a good time to explore what has transpired so far. In this postmortem, we shall go over a brief history of the series to examine how Yo-Kai Watch as a whole has gone from being groomed as “the next Pokémon” to facing an uncertain future.

2011-2012: The Spark

In the year 2011, the first pitch for “Youkai Watch” was unveiled at Level-5 World in Japan. Originally being developed for the Playstation 3, this version was sometimes referred to by the title “Ghost Watch.” The video has since been uploaded to YouTube as of 2012. Though this pitch didn’t get too far before development moved to the Nintendo 3DS; it does have the basic template for the series. Namely, it revolves around mythical Japanese creatures known as “youkai.” They are often blamed for life’s unexplained daily occurrences. Though invisible to the naked eye, a timepiece known as the titular “Youkai Watch” can enable the wearer to see these creatures.

2013: The Beginning

In July 2013, the first “Youkai Watch” was released in Japan for the Nintendo 3DS. While not a runaway success at first; the game did eventually sell over 1 million copies in its homeland alone. Even though the game had not yet become the phenomenon that would grip the country, it is what would happen the next year that would truly get the series its spotlight.

2014: The Fever

In January 2014, the “Youkai Watch” anime began airing in Japan; and the video game 

“Youkai Watch 2” would launch on the 3DS later the same year. The three versions of the game, known in Japan as “Ganso,” “Honke” and “Shinuchi” would sell a combined 6 million copies in Japan alone; and the TV series would be the first major competitor to Pokémon in years; regularly going toe-to-toe with the series for both ratings and sales numbers. Plans then were set in motion for an international release. Here is where things start to get complicated.

2015: The Journey to the West

I have mentioned before that I’m not the biggest fan of the series, and I have expressed skepticism about the prospect when the plans to localize the series were set in motion in 2015. Rather than try to come up with a new marketing strategy for English-speaking regions, the parties involved tried to use the exact same strategy as the original Japanese release for the launch in North America. Their rationale was seen by many as an attempt to ape the strategy used when Pokémon first came stateside, not realizing how much had changed about the media landscape since 1998. I was highly skeptical of the idea, and many things I wrote on the matter now come off as more rash than necessary in hindsight. That said, I still don’t like the anime all that much and I will not hold back in explaining why in this piece. The animation was great, but I found the humor banal, the plot nonsensical and the characters more cardboard than of the contents my recycling bin. Still, any personal thoughts aside; the anime got off to a rocky start in its initial airing on Disney XD; which it ultimately never recovered from. This is the case for the game as well: it only sold 71,000 copies during its launch in November 2015, with the first game having only sold 440,000 copies to date in the US. This will be important to remember for what comes next, especially with many outlets attempting to position the series as “the next Pokémon.” To say that Pokémon fans were less than pleased would be putting it mildly.

2016: The Plateau

Despite the initial warning signs, most parties involved with the series said that it would follow the same pattern as it did in Japan when the sequels launched; with Akihiro Hino himself giving the most optimistic prediction that the series would “bloom like a flower” in the West. He and Level-5 were even so confident that it would work out that they developed the third game specifically to appeal to Western players, and the three version of “Yo-Kai Watch 3” in Japan have sold a respectable 2 million copies to date in their home country. Unfortunately, the reality of the situation was much different. Though Hasbro was originally invested in the tie-in merchandise, it didn’t sell as well as hoped; and is often a staple of dollar stores and bargain bins. Even when Toys “R” Us was closing, there still weren’t any takers on the last day of business (talk persists of a potential revival). The company initially promised more, but they seem to have quietly moved on to other licenses (such as their purchase of the “Power Rangers” series in 2018). There were talks of having the brand deals “reset,” but that never really went anywhere. As for the games and the anime: rather than re-evaluate their strategy; they decided to double down by releasing “Yo-Kai Watch 2” in the versions of “Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls,” and greenlighting a second season of the anime with 50 episodes rather than the 26-episode first season. However, this did little to change the tide of the series’ main rival in Pokémon. The year 2016 marked the 20th anniversary of the series, which saw a massive resurgence of popularity that hadn’t been seen in years. Two of the most notable factors were the mobile game “Pokémon Go,” and the release of “Pokémon Sun and Moon.” Instead of getting the series its legs, “Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls” have only sold 220,000 copies domestically to date; about half of the first game and significantly less than they did in Japan. By contrast, Sun and Moon have sold over 16 million copies to date and are only a few hundred thousand away from surpassing “X and Y” on the 3DS.

2017: The Decline

The year 2017 is where the decline in popularity for the series was becoming evident. Though series creator Akihiro Hino was initially optimistic about the future of the series; news breaking of the decline in sales caused him to reconsider his plans. On top of the release of the “Shinuchi” version of “Yo-Kai Watch 2” as “Psychic Specters” outside Japan (a sort of Yellow, Crystal or Platinum version of the game that has more content and fixes some issues with the previous versions), Level-5 began projects that attempted to reach older players: the first of which debuted that winter as “Yo-Kai Watch: Shadowside,” starting with a movie that would lead into a TV series in early 2018. While many purists disliked the darker tone and shifting the focus away from the slice-of-life aspect, I was among those who liked the bigger focus on story and characters; and the show being more of an “urban fantasy” with more jokes that landed for me and supernatural horror elements. Unfortunately, the movie underperformed at the Japanese box office amid competition from the Japanese release of “Star Wars: Episode VIII- The Last Jedi,” after previous films in the series outperformed “The Force Awakens” and “Rogue One” in ticket sales (though the “Star Wars” movies technically made more money, I’ve pointed out before that Japan bases success on overall ticket sales; and the US bases it on overall gross revenue). The TV series also lasted one season, concluding after the main story arc was resolved in early 2019. Though not a total flop in ratings, the story outside Japan was quite different.  To date, “Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters” has only sold 120,000 copies; which led to decisions that will be addressed in the next couple points. The anime also aired its second dubbed season, but the budget ended up being cut and the English voice actors were recast that December; not helping was the fact the anime had sagging ratings compared to other shows airing on Disney XD, such as Gravity Falls, Star VS The Forces of Evil, the 2017 version of Duck Tales; Star Wars Rebels and even Pokémon. Not only did “Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon” sell over 8 million copies to date, “Psychic Specters” couldn’t even outsell that year’s version of FIFA on previous generation consoles. Though Hino initially wanted to get content for the series out at the same time as or before Japan, that ultimately hasn’t happened. Instead, the series got in a position of decline that’s also impacted other parts of Level-5; with both existing and upcoming IPs currently in limbo (“The Snack World,” “Inazuma Eleven,” “Megaton Musashi” and “Ushiro” being notable examples).

2018: The Fall

The year 2018 is where things really started to fall for the series. That December saw the release of another “Elseworlds” story of sorts of the series, known as “Yo-Kai Watch: Forever Friends.” I said before that I wouldn’t be recapping this one, but I personally liked the movie even as someone who isn’t a big fan of the series. Many hoped that the more emotional story and complex characterization would help them reclaim lost ground for the series with the fourth game in development at the time. Unfortunately, it didn’t. The movie outright flopped at the Japanese box office, with numerous films competing with its release that December. The disappointing performance of the movie also saw Level-5 state they won’t be making more content for the series that doesn’t include already established characters. This was later followed by them making the “Jam Project” for the series, which is essentially a High School AU where the characters are humanized versions of the yokai. The project will be released this December, and is the proposed first installment of a new spinoff akin to the “My Little Pony: Equestria Girls” series. While this is intended as the first in a new side series, it remains to be seen how this will do. The English release of the spinoff “Yo-Kai Watch Blasters” (changed from "Yo-Kai Watch Busters" to avoid legal issues with Sony) was also launched in the US… the same day as Marvel’s Spider-Man on Playstation 4. Blasters has only sold 70,000 copies to date, with the games being tangled in Spidey’s critically-acclaimed and bestselling web. The puzzle mobile game spinoff “Wibble Wobble” also shut down outside Japan, and this help set the stage for what would happen in 2019. Most of all, the English release of “Yo-Kai Watch 3” was announced… to be released at the same time as “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” for its European release and in the same window as “Kingdom Hearts III” and the remake of “Resident Evil 2” for the US release. So, they once again undercut the breathing room between a new Pokémon game by pitting their title against much larger releases.

2019 and Beyond: The Uncertain Future

Now would be a good time to address how I feel about all this before I go any further. To do that, I will be briefly talking about how I feel about the games in the series I have played. The first “Yo-Kai Watch” was an okay game: I may not be a huge fan of the series, but it was an all right experience hampered by some design flaws that kept the game from reaching its full potential.

The “Fleshy Souls” version of “Yo-Kai Watch 2” addressed many of these issues, further compounded by the “Psychic Specters” version (note: I have not played the “Bony Spirits” version and do not plan to). Admittedly, many artifacts from the first game remain; which does hold the experience back for myself and others. I haven’t played the “Blasters” spinoffs and don’t plan to, though “Wibble Wobble” was a reasonably fun puzzle game as “Bejeweled” clones go; even if the game ceased operations outside Japan as of May 2018 (the Japanese version, “Puni Puni” is still active as of this writing).

As for “Yo-Kai Watch 3”? (shrugs, sighs) It’s okay: not the best game I’ve ever played, but definitely not the worst either. The title doesn’t fully succeed at appealing to players in the West, but it’s definitely the most polished of the three main titles. The game is based on the “Sukiyaki” version of the Japanese release, with content from the “Sushi and Tempura” versions as well. I am currently working on fine-tuning a full review for another outlet from here; so I will keep things succinct as I can. There are design choices that remain from previous titles, such as often spending hours on end to get a certain item or yokai you need to complete missions; and the numerous sidequests feel like busywork to prolong playtime. The localization calls attention to the changes made in previous games in weird ways, such as an early mission revolving around a language barrier between new neighbors having been extensively rewritten. Personally, I would have cut the mission entirely; but that’s just me.

On a larger note, the US release of the game takes place in the fictional country of “BBQ,” due to the aforementioned changes made in the previous games; with the main plot centered around the player’s family transferring to a new job. The setting is a sort of pastiche of the USA seen through a Japanese-tinted lens, much like Unova in “Pokémon Black and White” or Eagleland in the cult classic “Earthbound.” The visuals take cues from content such as space travel and American superhero comic books to try and appeal to players in the west. For a game that originally came out three years ago in Japan; the graphics are decent even as the 3DS seems to be making way for the Switch slowly but surely. Even with the “Zombie Night” minigame being hampered by uneven collision detection and sluggish melee combat controls, the gameplay itself is probably the most competent of the three. The “Blasters T” minigame is a massive improvement over the previous games; and the wheel that yokai were placed on for the first two games has been replaced with the “Tactics Board,” a 3X3 grid to place your yokai on in battle (though they still move on autopilot). Overall, while it’s arguably the best of the three main games; it’s still not enough to appeal to those not already immersed in the world of the series. Personally, as I was among those that decided to stick with Pokémon and transition to the Nintendo Switch.

Though both the game and TV series were well-received by critics and those who did seek them out, the story among general audiences has been different. Even with the dub being recast, the ratings did not improve; and in early 2019, Disney XD pulled the series and replaced it with “Inazuma Eleven: Ares” in their anime block alongside “Pokémon” and “Beyblade Burst Turbo.” Unfortunately, the ratings still haven’t improved, with the series being among the lowest-rated series not just on Disney XD; but on all the major kids’ networks. Amid all the competition, “Yo-Kai Watch 3” has sold only 30,000 copies in Europe to date. It took quite a while for me to find any sales numbers in North America; but to date, the game has only sold 4,000 copies according to Medium’s “Shinkansen Retrogaming.” Though I don’t agree with everything in his article, I can’t deny that bit of information was vital to this writing. For frame of reference, “Pokémon Let’s Go” has sold around 10 million copies and “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” has sold over 13 million copies in less than a year since their respective launches. With just four years and three main games released stateside, “Yo-Kai Watch” has gone from being groomed as “the next Pokémon” to an international failure with an uncertain future.

So, even with the fourth game now having been released (talk persists of localization); a new movie coming out in Japan and other series both in and out of Level-5, where does the series go from here? That’s something I believe Level-5 is wondering as well; since sales numbers this dire are not something that anyone involved, least of all Akihiro Hino will have had any contingency plans for. Though they are releasing a remaster of the original game on the Nintendo Switch, it remains to be seen how it will do. Even my associate Kohdok couldn’t really add anything after some back-and-forth on Twitter. Update-10/16/19: The remaster of the original game has sold only 9,426 copies since its launch on October 10, ranking at number 4 below Disney Tsum Tsum Festival, Dragon Quest XI S, and the Japanese release of Ghost Recon Breakpoint. This is well below the 53,681 copies the original 3DS version sold in its first week on the market; and I will potentially let you know more after the launch of Yo-Kai Watch 4 ++ and the Jam Project this December.

I will not be doing any more recaps about the series, I just felt this article was necessary to show that even after my initial thoughts in 2015; I don’t feel the way I was expecting to at that time. It's not the worst I've ever experienced; but it flew too close to the sun. So, to play the series off: Here’s “Flight of Icarus” by Iron Maiden. Later.

Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019) Review

In 2005, when “Batman Begins” was released; the consensus was the film was a much-needed shot in the arm to not only its franchise; but to the genre it was a part of after the disappointing reception to years of lackluster comic book superhero films and the previous installments killed the franchise for years. Looking back, its influence is clear; but the film is definitely a textbook example of how to do a realistic adaptation of an outlandish premise right: it captured what made the original story work and made a movie that worked on its own merit even to people who normally aren’t fans of the source material.

This film ended up having something similar done, even though many of the same questions were raised: Focusing on a little-known spinoff video game rather than the main RPGs or the TV show? Casting lesser-known actors as leads and making the story a “neo-noir” film instead of a straight-up effect-driven sci-fi/fantasy tentpole? Giving a budget of $150 million to a director and crew not known for making movies of this scale? Doing all of this to adapt a medium and IP often dismissed as being little more than forgettable kiddie fare? Yet, by some miracle; the filmmakers managed to pull it off and make a movie that respects its lineage while also being a good movie on its own merit. Given the rocky track record both video game and anime adaptations have had (Super Mario Bros., anyone? How about Dragonball Evolution?), what I’m about tell you is proof that it can be done. I will also give you one warning about spoilers for both this movie and the Nintendo 3DS game on which it’s based; so with that out of the way, let’s open up my full review of the summer’s hit blockbuster movie: 2019's “Pokémon Detective Pikachu!”

We open on PCL Labs, in the mountains outside Ryme City. The facility contains Mewtwo, and right off; this movie lets you know exactly what you’re in for the moment you get to the theater, or press the play button. Not counting DTV movies or Fathom Events releases of the newer anime films, this is the first entry in the franchise to be rated PG; the first to get a wide theatrical release in 18 years, and the first live-action adaptation of any Nintendo game in 26 years!

"Starring a CGI character, a British Villain, a Gratuitous Cameo, Directed by an Overpaid Tool."

There’s some sparks, the lab goes into a red alert like the Enterprise because of a power loss; and Mewtwo says, “They’re outside” as a car tries to flee the scene! What follows is admittedly a pretty freaky rampage: as Mewtwo escapes from the lab in a similar manner to the first movie, the film establishes a darker tone right off as the researchers are killed and the car crashes off an overpass in a fairly realistic manner. 

We then transition to a field in the countryside, and are introduced to Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) and his friend Jack (Karan Soni). Right away, the Pokémon in the movie definitely show that the film has made the visuals work in a real-world context. On top the Mewtwo rampage, the film uses 54 of the 809 (and counting!) Pokémon in some creative setups that put a unique spin on the long-running series while not forgetting what made it work to begin with. Anyway, Jack has brought Tim out to catch a Cubone; and while Tim is reluctant, he still decides to give it a go anyway. Before I continue, I will also note that the Poké Ball prop in this scene is actually a cell phone powerbank in that shape; with the LED lights on the button being replaced with one LED running down the stripe of the ball.

"It's Christmas sunshine, and I'm after someone on my Naughty List."

Tim takes the ball and starts talking to Cubone, and the way he mentions Cubone’s skull mask also foreshadows Tim’s own background. He throws the ball, and while it at first seems he’s caught Cubone; the ball not only pops back open, but Cubone throws its bone at Tim so hard that it doesn’t just knock him down, there’s actually a small explosion! After that, we find out that Tim is apparently an insurance salesman who just turned 21 years old; making him both older and already more expanded than in the game, where he’s 17 and essentially a cipher that players can apply traits to. Also, the game is basically a point-and-click adventure like the ones I used to play on PC: Maniac Mansion, Day of the Tentacle and my personal favorite; Full Throttle. The movie takes a different direction, but one that still fits. He then gets a signal on his phone, which he admits finally happened. Probably using Boost Mobile or something. He checks his voicemail, and finds out his something happened to his father Harry. 

Getting on the train from Leaventown (see what they did there?), he heads to Ryme City; and is greeted by a Lickitung licking him. He just takes this in stride as he dries himself off, and this is another moment that establishes the tone of the movie and how the Pokémon are used: rather than try to shy away from the absurdity, they embraced it while also making it work in the context of our world. A video then plays on the monitors of the train, which introduces Howard Clifford (Bill Nighy), a character unique to the movie who helped build Ryme City. There’s also a cameo from a Pokémon Trainer in a familiar looking outfit (Ryoma Takeuchi, “Kamen Rider Drive”). 

Despite having a degenerative illness that’s left him wheelchair-bound; his wealth and skills not only created a vast array of business deals, but also made Ryme City a place where people and Pokémon coexist peacefully rather than train, battle and rest in Poké Balls. I also kind of like how some of the footage in this video is made to look like it’s from the 1990s; with his hairstyle, the relative video quality and aspect ratio being made to match. 

Tim steps off the train in Tahnti Station, which is the London Underground being reworked with special effects to portray Ryme City. This shot of Tim walking to the Ryme City Police Department is a great example of the approach the filmmakers took to portray the Pokémon World: though CGI has reached a point where they can believably work on film, the movie actually was shot on 35mm film and mainly on location (London for the majority, with some scenes in Scotland and Colorado) and practical sets rather than relying on digital cameras and chroma key. This is similar to how films like Mad Max: Fury Road and these new Star Wars movies have been made, which I appreciate. On top of this, by downplaying reliance on battles; greater emphasis is placed on making the setting seem like a developed world rather than just another cliché “live-action cartoon” aesthetic countless other adaptations have done. So, seeing people accept a Snorlax sleeping on the road and Machamp acting as a crossing guard fits this world perfectly.

Entering RCPD HQ, Tim meets with Lt. Hide Yoshida (Ken Watanabe) about his father’s disappearance and apparent death. Yoshida also has a Snubbull, and I guess this was a natural progression for Watanabe among genre films: he’s helped train Batman, researched Godzilla and was a samurai Transformer that fit in a sports car; among other roles. On that note, he’s a composite of Detective Baker and Inspector Holiday from the game; filling the same role as Harry’s former colleague and Tim’s mentor/surrogate father in Ryme City. After the two talk about Harry and Tim being a former Pokémon Trainer, Yoshida gives him the key to Harry’s apartment. I definitely like this shot of Tim heading to the apartment building, and it’s full of great little details like a Joltik scurrying on a vent and a group of Aipom climbing on the sign to the apartment building (more on that in a moment). The movie is already establishing itself as a sort of blend of films like “Blade Runner” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” and the title character still hasn’t appeared yet!

In the apartment building, Tim encounters a Psyduck while checking his father’s mail; and its partner; CNM intern Lucy Stevens (Kathryn Newton)! Oh boy, it’s the noir trifecta! The lead is new in town, his parents are dead; and the love interest just happens to be an intrepid reporter! On top of being like our April O’Neil, Lois Lane or Vicki Vale for this movie; she seems to be a composite of Emilia and Meiko from the game: combining the former’s spunk with the latter’s investigative reporting skills. Despite being relegated to writing online fluff pieces (I can relate), she definitely is a great help to Tim as the movie goes on. That’s also a nice outfit Tim is wearing: it would be a shame if something happened to it.

Tim goes into his father’s apartment, and shuts off the TV; which is playing the film within a film from “Home Alone,” “Angels with Filthy Souls.” “Keep the change, ya filthy animal!” I will also deal with the potential reboot as it comes, as well as a reversion as an offbeat adult comedy. 

We then get some flashbacks to when Tim was younger that expand on his past: He’s not only estranged from his father, but in a notable difference from the game; his mother apparently died of an unspecified illness when he was a child. Both of these caused him to turn his back on being a Pokémon Trainer; and he’s been living with his grandmother (Josette Simon) ever since. In the game, Tim’s mother isn’t seen; but is stated to be alive and well by his dialogues, providing moral support as he searches for his father Harry in Ryme City.

Searching through his father’s belongings, Tim finds a sample of R amid his case files; and ends up unwittingly poisoning the Aipom with it as he opens the window to air the place out after almost getting a whiff of it. While this is the only form of R from the game in the movie, it has the same effect of bringing out the more aggressive traits of a Pokémon and enhancing their powers. 

Tim then notices some rattling in the kitchen, and picks up a stapler to investigate the source. The tone of this movie is now firmly established at this point: at just about 20 minutes in, we’re introduced to the titular Detective Pikachu (voice of Ryan Reynolds)!

Oh Hello there!

As Tim is a bit uneasy at the fact there’s a Pikachu that can talk like a person, I must give some major props to the VFX artists: rather than turning Goombas into knockoff Stormtroopers, they nailed what worked about the original designs while also giving us something that can work on film. Definitely beats a bunch of juiced-up Ninja Turtles or Transformers that look like they came out of a junk pile.

While in the game, the worst thing the Aipom did was steal a piece of jewelry from someone; the Aipom here all attack Tim and Detective Pikachu like a group of crazed, purple-eyed zombies! One of them leaps on Tim’s head and others start climbing on his body, causing Detective Pikachu to look for something to throw at them! Maybe the cream cheese spreader could work. The two are chased on the roof, with Tim being briefly pulled out of his shoes; dress shirt and pants, almost saying "oh shit" before it’s cut off by the crazed Aipom and they escape through the garbage chute! The way Smith is exclaiming as it happens kind of reminds me of Cleveland and the bathtub.

Running into an adjacent alley, while this bit of Tim running around half-dressed is clearly for younger viewers; I’m honestly more amused at the fact that nobody seems to react to Tim yelling about what’s happening. They only really address Tim when he calls attention to Detective Pikachu, and the latter lampshades this as Tim reclaims his pants from the Aipom: “I figured you’d be more of a briefs guy, I don’t really wear underwear; I’m not modest.”

"This guy has the right idea : He wore the brown pants!"

Said alley also has a Charmander and an Octillery grilling at a hibachi, and on top of Tim being the only one who can understand Detective Pikachu (everyone else hears the voice of the anime VA, Ikue Ohtani); he warns Tim that people might get suspicious about him mentioning “the stuff he put up his nose.”  R: it's a Hell of a drug.

Noticing Harry’s name and address written in the tag of Pikachu’s hunting cap, the two regroup over coffee at the nearby Hi-Hat Café, a location from the game I’m pleased made it in.

I also like the little touches of Detective Pikachu’s love of coffee; and the inclusion of Pablo (Alejandro de Mesa in a bit part) and Ludicolo acting as a barista. 

There’s also a brief cameo from Jigglypuff (voice of an uncredited Rachael Lillis), and I also like this part of the Purrloin and its partner; reminds me of the part with Gaff in the noodle shop in Blade Runner.

So, there’s the story: while it does take come creative liberties with the game, the basic plot thankfully remains the same: Tim is a young man who has come to Ryme City to search for his father Harry; who went missing, presumed dead two months prior to the film’s events. Teaming up with Detective Pikachu, the two form an unlikely bond to figure out the truth about what happened and uncover a greater mystery that could threaten the entire Pokémon World. I actually am glad they started with this one first, since it’s logistically easier than trying to condense over 20 years of video game lore and over 1,000 episodes of TV into one 104-minute movie. 

Back at the apartment, Tim and Detective Pikachu get cleaned up and try to determine their next move. I also like how actual character posters and TCG cards are used as props in Tim’s childhood bedroom. He tries to claim they were set up for visits by Harry, but Detective Pikachu naturally isn’t fooled. 

The next day, after Tim puts on an outfit that his father left for him (including an Unown shirt that I have the official replica of); he and Detective Pikachu try to determine what happened with the R and Harry’s investigation. Before the two leave to start asking around for Harry’s informant; the movie even spoofs the cliché of the “Wall of craziness” made of potential clues. Reminds me of trying to find Pepé Silvia.

After Detective Pikachu describes the situation as “caliente fiesta,” he and Tim decide to go “press” Lucy for what she knows at CNM. Um, phrasing?

At CNM, a news broadcast announcing the Pokémon Carnival is underway with Howard Clifford and his son Roger (Chris Geere); with an instrumental of the Pokémon Theme playing in the BGM. While their working relationship isn’t too bad, their relationship as father and son is strained. Roger sees his father’s work with Pokémon to help his condition as overly frivolous, Howard is just as put off by his son’s cynicism. It kind of reminds me of the relationship between Norman and Harry Osborne in most versions of Spider-Man. 

On that note, while Geere somewhat resembles Roger’s appearance in the game; his character is much more condescending, inheriting some traits from rival detective Brad. I can at least tell that Geere is enjoying himself: I never watched that show he was on, but he’s making a meal of the scenery as a sort of parody of these pompous TV personae. Case in point: when Lucy comes over with a tip about the incident at PCL Labs, Roger dismisses the idea; telling her to find a source and commenting that “it isn’t news if it can’t be verified.” That’s more commentary on journalism ethics than I expected from this movie, to be honest. Again, I can relate.

Tim then meets with Lucy about the information, and while it’s not exactly the same way it played out in the game; the TV station fulfills a similar role in providing vital information about the case. In some ways, it kind of reminds me of the dynamic in Venom: young investigators good, older corrupt corporate executive bad. Lucy presents Tim with more samples of R, and tells him that Harry’s informant is at the docks; warning him that “they’re pretty dangerous at night.” Tim replies that he’s “pretty good at being alone at night.” Hey! Phrasing!

Detective Pikachu also lampshades how awkward that sounded, and I gotta say; I’m surprised at how naturally the cast plays off each other. Not only do the human actors fit surprisingly well for the setting and tone, the way the Pokémon occupy Ryme City is seamless. This is vitally important when they’re the emotional center of your story, least of all; the title character. On that note, he and Tim head to the docks; and discover that Mr. Mime is Harry’s informant, crashing as he tries to get away on an invisible bicycle. “Mr. Mime! This isn’t the time to use that!”

This scene is notable for several reasons: not only is Mr. Mime much more savage without saying a single word than in previous versions (such as the main games or “Mimey” from the anime), but its tone was influenced by; of all films, David Fincher’s thriller “Se7en.” Moreover, while the studio wanted this scene cut initially; director Rob Letterman was able to convince Tsunekazu Ishihara himself (president of The Pokémon Company and a key figure to the series since the beginning) to keep it in. Sure enough, it’s one of the most memorable parts of the movie. Tim actually starts pantomiming matches and gasoline to try and find out where the R is being moved; and I am very impressed with how expressive he and all the other Pokémon are in this movie.

"I'm about to do to you what Limp Bizkit did to music in the late '90s!"

Eventually, Mr. Mime does get spooked enough by his interrogation to reveal where one of the shipments of R was sent; and Detective Pikachu also lampshades that the location is “not from the games.” Even with the track record live-action video game and anime adaptations have had; I’m ok with changing things if the changes make sense for the different medium. I’ve beaten the game at least twice (planning a third playthrough before the sequel on Nintendo Switch), and I’ve taken many hours depending on how much I want to spend finding all the secrets and unique cutscenes.

The location is an underground battle arena known as “the Roundhouse.” How does this club introduce you to its approach to Pokémon battling in the seedy underbelly of Ryme City? Two words: beatboxing Loudred. 

I mean, when I heard this movie was going to render its Pokémon in realistic CGI; I was expecting something like how they look in “Super Smash Bros.” or “Pokkén Tournament,” but they went all out with it. There’s also a small appearance from Diplo as a DJ/fight MC. I don’t listen to him, but I imagine this will be remembered in 20 years the same way the campy OST from the first movie is now. Their investigation draws the attention of the arena’s head, Sebastian (Omar Chaparro); who has had a run in with Detective Pikachu before, along with his Charizard.

"Nice to see you, Jared! I'll take a footlong: fully loaded."

The investigation also draws the attention of a mysterious woman with pink hair named Ms. Norman (Suki Waterhouse in a non-speaking role). Sebastian shows how the last time Detective Pikachu was there, the encounter damaged his coat and scarred his Charizard! While some people were put off by how Charizard was rendered in this movie; it’s actually not that different from how other live-action fantasy works like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings have rendered their dragons and other creatures. Personally, I think it actually looks pretty badass.

Now, comes what’s probably my favorite part of this movie: the Roundhouse fight. Sebastian says that he will tell Tim what he knows about the R and what happened to Harry on the condition that Pikachu wins a rematch with his Charizard. He grudgingly agrees, and Detective Pikachu hands Tim his hat for safekeeping. “Big CGI fight coming up!” 

Courtesy: IGN

As the doors to the ring are locked, Sebastian doses his Charizard with a year’s worth of R; as Pikachu realizes this won’t be as easy as before! While Tim does give recommendations from his move pool, Pikachu replies that due to his accident with Harry; not only does he not remember his past, he doesn’t remember his attacks either! This is similar to how it was in the game, but the movie plays with it in ways that honestly made it one of the most fun experiences I’ve had in the theater this year. As Pikachu realizes the danger at hand, he shouts at Tim, and I quote: “GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE!” … Guess that’s expected when you cast the same guy as Deadpool in the title role. I actually don’t mind it within reason, and it kind of reminds me of the 1986 Transformers movie and the 1990 TMNT movie in that context.

What follows is actually a creative way of handling Pokémon battles in live-action: the way both Pikachu and Tim rely on both their wit and their other skills to win actually does a good job of putting its own spin on both the 3DS game and the series as a whole. The way the fight is staged is like a mix of the Rancor scene in Return of the Jedi; the Bonesaw fight in the first Spider-Man and the Hulk VS Thor fight in Thor Ragnarok.

I must also compliment the crew that everyone put together to help make this movie: the production designer Nigel Phelps (“Wizarding World of Harry Potter”), award-nominated cinematographer John Mathieson (“Logan”, “Gladiator”) and the two editors of James Thomas and Mark Sanger. With these and other crew members’ credentials, that alone tells me they weren’t just looking for who they could get: they were looking for someone who they knew was good to get this on the screen. The music by Henry Jackman (whose credits include both “Wreck-it Ralph” films, both “Kingsman” films and the second and third “Captain America” movies) also does a great job at blending the series’ sounds of orchestral music, electronic music and driving rock. Case in point: when Tim starts trying to stomp out the flame on Charizard’s tail; the beatboxing Loudred I mentioned before start going nuts when the other vials of R in Sebastian’s coat are broken and Sebastian starts yelling like a screaming banshee! Again, I’m not familiar with Omar Chaparro; but he must have known full well what kind of movie he signed up for when he did that.

As the arena starts turning even more into a madhouse than before, Tim; as the victor, is able to get the location of the R’s source: a doctor at PCL Labs will know more, but there’s still the matter of the rampaging Charizard juiced up on R! The noise from the Loudred and all the other Pokémon rampaging broke an aquarium with a Magikarp, which is able to evolve into a Gyarados through sheer will! I am very impressed with how expressive the CGI Pokémon are in this movie. The moment Charizard starts sobering up from the R is also the exact moment it knows it’s lost the battle; as if to say, “Oh man: this is gonna hurt!”

After a misunderstanding with the RCPD, Yoshida shows Tim the security footage of the crash before Harry disappeared. He also tries to talk Tim through his grief, but Tim will have none of it. After that; Tim realizes that in order to really get closure on what happened to Harry, he and Detective Pikachu need each other. Even in moments of this movie where I’m not laughing (which are rare), I’m invested in other ways of how they made this story work. As the two vow to solve this mystery; I am impressed at how much emotional weight they’ve given to an electric mouse and a supporting cast member from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

Then, the two are accosted by Ms. Norman; whose black SUV is immediately referred to as a “Bad Guy Car” by Detective Pikachu. Of course: He’d definitely be savvy enough to know that. On top of being voiced by the same actor as Deadpool (putting a family-friendly spin on the role in the process), the script definitely does a good job at poking fun at the conventions of the genre even if you’re not familiar with noir detective stories. 

"Have fun at your midnight showing of Blade II."

Ms. Norman is an aide to the Cliffords at CNM, leading Tim and Detective Pikachu to Howard’s office. Among the sights here are an array of evolutionary stones, and some statues of Dialga, Palkia and Arceus. Insert “Sinnoh Confirmed” joke/reference here. I must once again compliment how the VFX artists really did a great job with this movie. The way this Eevee touches the Fire Stone and transforms into a Flareon while cloaked in a bright light is right on the mark.

On that note, Bill Nighy’s performance in this movie has a different approach to Howard’s character than Geere’s does for Roger. Even in a movie full of interactive holographs and shapeshifting Ditto (that last one will be important later, by the way), he reads his lines in a surprisingly dramatic and serious fashion; like any professional would. Though this scene does foreshadow his true intentions later on, he is committed to his craft as Howard tells Tim that Harry was trying to solve a mystery for him! Detective Pikachu lampshades this, remarking “that’s a twist, that’s very twisty.”

(Gasps) "Fourth wall break inside a fourth wall break!"

Howard then shows Tim and Detective Pikachu a hologram of the crash footage; which reveals more details that help the case. On top of a brief glimpse of Harry, we get the reason why Detective Pikachu has no memory of what happened: his mind was wiped by Mewtwo (voices of Rina Hoshino and Kotaro Watanabe)! I definitely like this approach: in a similar manner to the game, the mystery slowly unveils more of what happened while also unraveling the larger mystery at hand. Definitely makes more sense than how Alita adapted its story.

After entrusting Tim and Detective Pikachu to find out what happened, the two meet back up with Lucy at the Hi-Hat Café. Since Roger snubbed Lucy’s tip earlier, she decides to give the information to Tim and Detective Pikachu instead. This ends up corroborating the incident at PCL Labs, and all of them decide to go check out the laboratory in the mountains the next day! As many others have been, I am very amused by this whole scene of Detective Pikachu riding in a booster seat in Lucy’s car; as well as the foot massage and spa music to prevent an explosive headache from Psyduck.

"Mm, rich Corinthian leather!"

Breaking into the laboratory, as it’s been condemned; it’s revealed the real reason why Roger dismissed Lucy’s story idea: he was actually one of the financiers responsible for the creation of the R and the capture of Mewtwo! So, the next key to what happened is to find out what Clifford covered up at the lab! Another key figure in the incident is Dr. Ann Laurent (singer/actress Rita Ora in a bit part), who was part of the experiments the night of the accident! 

As they discover some Greninja and Torterra that were part of the experiments, Lucy starts getting some pictures of the lab while Tim and Detective Pikachu scope out the site of the breakout. Outside, what appears to be Roger uses some controls in his briefcase to “tie up some loose ends” while Tim and Detective Pikachu start probing what’s left of the computer at Dr. Laurent’s workstation to find out the exact details of the incident. One brief thing before I continue: I definitely like the little details of Psyduck’s pupils dilating and the Greninja emerging from their stasis pods right as the doors open. The way this scene is filmed and how the sound is cued creates the ideal mood for what comes next.

While some of the files are corrupted, enough of them are intact to confirm the information about Dr. Laurent’s experiments; and reveal another one about a device for a neural link! Why, it’s the new Nintendo Brain Switch! On top of other properties, it allows you to immerse yourself in your favorite games by plugging directly into the base of your spine!

All joking aside, Tim and Detective Pikachu continue searching for more information about the incident two months before Mewtwo’s escape. The latter is able to find Dr. Laurent’s video diaries from the beginning, which explicitly state that it’s the Mewtwo that escaped from Kanto nearly 20 years ago! There are many parallels with the first movie, and this is one of the more notable ones. The creators have even expressed interest in doing a full live-action Mewtwo Strikes Back adaptation, which I’m actually intrigued to see them try.

Now, Tim and Lucy need to get back to Ryme City and let everyone know what’s going on; but first they need to escape from the lab! What follows is another great action scene centered around the Greninja and Torterra; both species that suit this sequence alarmingly well! Not only do the designs look great on film, I actually like how the scene alludes to the monsters doing the more absurd things they’re described as doing in the Pokédex: not just with Greninja’s Water Shuriken being able to shatter glass; but Psyduck’s explosive headaches steal the show. 

The effects of the experiments on the Torterra also start to take hold, making them into massive beasts the size of mountains! … I must say, on top of being a good template for a big-budget Gamera reboot; this does make me want to play Golden Axe again for the umpteenth time.

Everyone starts climbing and jumping around as the landscape starts shifting around them! Detective Pikachu even quips, “At this point: How could you not believe in climate change?!” You and me both, Detective Pikachu: it’s basically the same as not believing in oxygen at this point. They’re able to clear the gap back to the city, but Pikachu is then injured in a rock slide! He’s this close to meeting his maker, but some Bulbasaur are able to lead everyone to the Forest of Healing! As they march in the view of some Comfey and Morelull floating in the background, I can officially say that this movie has had some of the biggest VFX breakthroughs since Jurassic Park. Naturally, this inspired some image macros even before the film came out.

The sound design in this movie is also something I’ve been meaning to compliment: on top of Reynolds’ performance, while some Pokémon say their names like on the TV show; others have arrangements of their cries from the games. I think that’s actually a pretty good compromise. Mewtwo then heals Pikachu’s wounds as well as restores his memory right before Mewtwo is captured by the true villains of the movie! Not only did Pikachu help Mewtwo escape, but the two of them realize they need to split up in order to stop them! 

This final act at the Pokémon Carnival’s parade has the same general idea as the final chapter of the game, but takes a different direction to make it work for the movie’s story: while Pikachu takes the long way back, Tim rides back with Lucy and Psyduck to let everyone know what’s going on! While in the game, there were only a few areas and a clock tower to search for clues; the movie makes use of nearly the whole city. Artistically, it blends the European architecture of the London filming location and a sort of neon-lit “Far East” aesthetic in the vein of Gotham City in Batman Forever; in a good way. 

While Tim goes to warn Howard about what’s going on, Lucy decides to alert the public while slipping into the coat of fellow CNM reporter Cynthia McMaster (an uncredited Abbie Murphy); and Pikachu is singing a somber; yet strangely humorous rendition of the Pokémon Theme.

"Rock, meet bottom."

Making his way back to Ryme City, Pikachu finds the crash site; and what’s left of the Water Shuriken that Greninja launched! This also confirms that the opening car crash wasn’t an accident: it was an assassination attempt! While in the game it just cut to black and hinted at that idea; that’s surprisingly dark. Not quite as dark as the “December 16, 1991” plot thread in Captain America Civil War; but it fits what they’re going for. Also, I kind of like how it’s a subtle nod to Greninja’s initial reveal in Super Smash Bros. 3DS/Wii U. Pikachu realizes what Mewtwo was actually trying to do, and that Tim is in danger! Back in Ryme City, Tim has also learned the sickening truth; and decides to confront Howard. However, Howard anticipated this; and already has the neural link on!

How do you like it? It's the new Nintendo Brain Switch: care to try it when I'm done, Tim?

Dosing Mewtwo with copious amounts of R, Howard transfers his mind into Mewtwo’s body! On top of Mewtwo’s height from the Pokédex of 6’7” being accurate (using Tim as a yardstick), this whole final battle is going to be insane; much like Howard has become. I love it and this movie for that. He is the true villain of the movie, playing all the angles and using his condition as a front for his real plan: to fuse everyone with the bodies of Pokémon! … I’ve never given much thought to it before, but my Pokésona would probably be of my favorite, Lucario. 

Trapping Tim in his office, Howard uses Mewtwo and a bunch of R hidden in the parade balloons to set his plan in motion! For all the weirdness people accept with the Pokémon, they do at least notice when Mewtwo starts causing havoc at the Pokémon Carnival; making all the Pokémon and their partners “merge to one!” 

Pikachu reaches the city just as everything starts going crazy, remarking dryly that “this really blows his bridge discovery out of the water.” Climbing on top of the balloons, he engages his newly-restored powers, shouting: “Game on!”

He then starts bouncing on top of the balloons and off other flying Pokémon, jumping and weaving through Mewtwo’s attacks! This does remind me a lot of the Poké Floats stage in Super Smash Bros. Melee, hopefully it comes back as DLC for Ultimate: still working on the new stage creator feature.

As Pikachu engages Mewtwo, Tim is freed from his bonds and notices some banging inside a nearby cabinet. He opens it to find Roger, the villain of the game and supposed secondary villain of this film bound and gagged! His role and form have been assumed by Ms. Norman, who is actually his Ditto that’s turned on him! While Ditto’s eyes are slightly obvious CGI, the way they stay the same in each form it shapeshifts into is a nice little nod to how its face doesn’t change in some other versions of the series.

While the battle rages, Tim realizes he needs to remove Howard’s neural link to Mewtwo as he and Roger clash with Ditto; who has been enhanced by Howard’s experiments! Pikachu also continues clashing with Mewtwo outside, putting up an impressive fight against this fearsome genetic experiment! Not bad for adapting a battle that was basically a quicktime event sequence in the game. 

Though Pikachu is nearly downed by the recoil from its Volt Tackle, he tells Mewtwo that he wasn’t trying to win: he was just trying to distract Howard! Yes folks, much like how Judge Doom was done in by his own “dip,” Ditto and Howard end up getting bested by their own R: the two are dosed with so much that it destabilizes Ditto and allows Tim to remove Howard’s neural link to Mewtwo!

Tim Goodman wins! FATALITY!

Mewtwo is able to save Pikachu from falling, and as Howard is taken away by the authorities (presumably to the ward or at the very least a “white-collar resort prison”); Roger sheepishly gives Lucy his father’s position, and agrees to undo the damage his father has wrought. Likewise, Mewtwo has been convinced of the value of human life by Pikachu; and to make up for previous slights, Mewtwo declares “I will undo what has been done.” That does make me wonder what they’ve got in mind for the planned sequels and spinoffs, and I will explain more in a moment.

We close on what’s arguably the biggest difference from the game: while the end of that does reveal that Harry is still alive, there aren’t any specifics beyond invoking “and the adventure continues” (looking forward to the sequel on the Nintendo Switch). Here, Harry reunites with his son Tim; and the two are at last together! He’s even played by none other than Ryan Reynolds himself!

"Go be a role model for someone, and tell Beast to stop shitting on my lawn!"

I do like how the movie has the foresight to be self-contained like this. The credits roll to a really good arrangement of the original “Pokémon I Choose You” music, and the art is even drawn by Ken Sugimori in his style! Even the credits are as interesting to watch as the movie itself. As for the songs “Carry On” by Rita Ora and “Electricity”: again, I think they’ll be remembered the same way as the first movie’s OST in another 20 years.

Well, these reviews were definitely interesting experiments; and it's the most fun I've had writing in a long time. This also marks my 500th post on this blog, and though I'm still mostly retired; I might post something when I want, but I better wrap this up.

It took 26 years for them to make a good live-action movie about a beloved anime and video game franchise; and even with my lofty expectations as a longtime fan, “Pokémon Detective Pikachu” is a great first live-action entry for the franchise. Whether or not the proposed sequels and spinoffs (the first of which is currently in development from the writers of “22 Jump Street”) use existing material or write new stories, I welcome the idea.

As I pointed out before, it took years if not decades of sifting through lousy movies based on American superhero comic books till we got ones that were good consistently; and I am definitely open to the idea of adapting the main games and anime along these lines. With a proposed live-action Red and Blue adaptation and Mewtwo Strikes Back remake, hopefully they’ll make it work: my ideal pitch for a film set in the Kanto era would be “Stand By Me” meets “Star Wars: A New Hope,” by way of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I also wouldn’t mind a similar visual style to this film, and to embrace the insanity of the plot and “colorblind casting” for the human characters. One last thing: drop the “Red and Blue,” just call the standalone adaptation “Pokémon.” One word is much easier to fit the title on a theater marquee; store shelf or digital streaming list. That will be all for now. Later.