Pokémon: Jirachi Wish Maker

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Pokémon Jirachi: Wish Maker
Directed by Kunihiko Yuyama
Eric Stuart
Kathy Pillion
Produced by Norman J. Grossfeld
Kathy Borland
Written by Norman J. Grossfeld
Hideki Sonoda
Starring Veronica Taylor
Amy Birnbaum
Eric Stuart
Rachael Lillis
Maddie Blaustein
Wayne Grayson
Megan Hollingshead
Mike Pollock
Ikue Ōtani
Andrew Paull
Tara Jayne
Kayzie Rogers
Distributed by Toho (Japan)
Buena Vista Home Entertainment (US)
Alliance Atlantis (Canada DVD)
Universal Studios Home Entertainment (Canada DVD, distributing for Alliance Atlantis)
Paramount Home Entertainment (UK)
Europa Filmes (Brazil)
Release date(s) June 1, 2004 USA
October 23, 2006 UK
September 13, 2006 Brazil
Running time 67 min.
Country Japan
Language English
Japanese
Preceded by Pokémon Heroes
Followed by Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys
IMDb profile

Pokémon: Jirachi Wish Maker (劇場版ポケットモンスター アドバンスジェネレーション 七夜の願い星 ジラーチ Gekijōban Poketto Monsutā Adobansu Jenerēshon Nanayo no Negaiboshi Jirāchi?, lit. "Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation the Movie: The Wishing Star of Seven Nights: Jirachi") is the sixth film associated with the Pokémon animated series, and is the first one featuring the characters from Advanced Generation; as such, this is the first movie to not feature Misty, as she wasn't a part of the Advanced Generation cast. It was accompanied by the short Gotta Dance. It was released in theaters in Japan on July 19, 2003. The English adaptation was released directly to VHS and DVD by Buena Vista Home Entertainment on June 1, 2004. This was the second Pokémon film (the first being Mewtwo Returns) to be released directly to DVD & VHS in the US. The release date for the UK was October 23, 2006 to celebrate the Pokémon 10th Anniversary Tour in Britain. In the UK, the film was released by Paramount Home Entertainment. Although Cartoon Network currently airs the film, it aired on Toon Disney on March 9, 2007 (due to the fact that Miramax released the film), being the first Pokémon film to air on Toon Disney.

The featured song in this movie is Asuca Hayashi's Chiisaki Mono in both the English and Japanese versions (however, the English version, titled Make a Wish, adds English lyrics in addition to the Japanese lyrics). This is also the first movie in which the original song is also used in the English version (that can be clearly heard). It is also the first time in which the names of the guest characters were the same in both the English and Japanese versions.

Contents

[edit] Plot

[edit] Gotta Dance

The plot centers on Team Rocket and their newest base. The Pokémon of Team Rocket had managed to successfully captured three Whismur, which were to provide entertainment to Giovanni when he arrived. To force the Whismur to cooperate, Meowth had a baton that, when a switch was pressed on the end, made Pokémon dance uncontrollably.

Meanwhile, Pikachu, Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, and Lotad stumble upon the base, and attempt to free the Whismur. One of the running gags in the short would be how the dancing baton would be activated or deactivated by accident, which would lead to random accidental destruction of the base. Eventually, a Ludicolo and a Loudred would also be involved.

[edit] Jirachi Wish Maker

The story revolves around the Millennium Comet, which appears in the night sky for seven days once every thousand years. It is, at the same time, when the legendary Pokémon Jirachi awakens from a long slumber to absorb the comet's energy. This energy, in turn, is released into the Earth itself, making an area known as Forina glow. This time, however, a magician known as Butler, along with his longtime girlfriend Diane, unearth the stone that had encased Jirachi, and take it away from Forina.

Meanwhile, in celebration of the Millennium Comet appearance, Ash Ketchum and company arrive at a festival where May buys a seven-panelled novelty that is said to grant a person one wish if a panel is closed for each night the comet appears. When Ash and Max accidentally volunteer for one of Butler's magic tricks, Max is introduced to Jirachi, who takes a liking to the four main characters.

The intentions of Butler are soon revealed: he was a former scientist for Team Magma, who was seeking to resurrect the legendary Pokémon Groudon. Butler had devised the perfect system, but could not find the necessary amount of power. To this end, he had hoped to use the energy Jirachi absorbed for his own purposes. Seeing this danger, the Pokémon Absol, whose presence usually indicated impending disaster, takes Diana and Jirachi, along with Ash and friends, back to Forina. Unbeknownst to them, Butler had set a trap once they returned to where Jirachi was found, and manages to capture Jirachi.

The fake Groudon as seen in the film Pokémon: Jirachi Wishmaker.
The fake Groudon as seen in the film Pokémon: Jirachi Wishmaker.

When Butler sets his plan in motion, however, a fake Groudon is created instead and begins to turn Forina into a wasteland, and begins absorbing the life force of virtually every living creature in sight. When Diane is captured by Groudon, Butler realizes his longtime relationship with Diane is what was important, and, with Ash and Max's help, is able to reverse the process, setting everything back to normal.

Eventually, Jirachi reabsorbs the energy used to create Groudon, and leaves for another thousand years of slumber. May, in all the excitement, forgets to close the last panel of her novelty, but simply brushes it off. Though she never reveals just what she wished for, she is confident it will come true.

[edit] Voice Cast

Character Japanese Voice English voice
Satoshi / Ash Rica Matsumoto Veronica Taylor
Haruka / May KAORI Veronica Taylor (speaking)
KAORI (singing)
Masato / Max Fushigi Yamada Amy Birnbaum
Takeshi / Brock Yuji Ueda Eric Stuart
Musashi / Jessie Megumi Hayashibara Rachael Lillis
Kojirou / James Shinichiro Miki Eric Stuart
Pikachu / Pikachu Ikue Otani Ikue Otani
Nyasu / Meowth Inuko Inuyama Maddie Blaustein
Jirachi / Jirachi Tomiko Suzuki Kerry Williams
Butler Kōichi Yamadera Wayne Grayson
Diane Riho Makise Megan Hollingshead
Groudon Katsuyuki Konishi Katsuyuki Konishi
Achamo / Torchic Chinami Nishimura Rachael Lillis
Sonans / Wobbuffet Yuji Ueda Kayzie Rogers
Absol Megumi Hayashibara Eric Stuart
Narrator Unshou Ishizuka Mike Pollock
Additional voices Tara Jayne
Andrew Paull

[edit] External links

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Pokémon films
Original series
Advanced Generation
Diamond and Pearl