Pokémon Live!

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Pokémon Live! was a musical stage show that toured the United States in late 2000. It was based on the popular Pokémon anime, and was well-liked among fans of the franchise. In late 2002, it was scheduled to tour Europe, but was cancelled.

Although the show did not receive a video release, its (rather rare) soundtrack can be found at the Pokémon Center in the Nintendo World Store in New York City or on amazon.com. Among the songs introduced in the show, three of them were originally written for the anime's second US soundtrack, Totally Pokémon.

Although Pokémon Live is based on the anime, it is inconsistent with the anime up to the end of the second season, in which Ash is preparing to leave for Johto. For example, Misty's Togepi and Tracey Sketchit are absent from the show.

Contents

[edit] Cast

[edit] Story

[edit] Act 1

The story begins with Ash declining on joining his mom, Delia, and Professor Oak to a lecture on Snorlax behaviors, because he has plans of his own today. A mysterious Gym Leader is inviting trainers to battle him for the one-of-a-kind Diamond Badge, and Ash has decided to accept the challenge. As he prepares for the journey, Misty chastises him for not taking her to the movies for her birthday as promised three weeks ago. Ash promises to make it up to her somehow, insisting that his friends are as important to him as his Pokémon.

Meanwhile, several trainers face off with the mysterious Gym Leader, but fail to win against his robotic super-Pokémon, MechaMew2, which copies the attack of its challengers and uses it against them. After the trainers leave in defeat, the Gym Leader, revealing himself to be Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket, gloats over the fact that his MechaMew2, based on the powerful Mewtwo he had late in the anime's first season and Pokémon: The First Movie, will soon be unstoppable. He then orders Jessie, James, and Meowth to go capture Ash's Pikachu, because it has Thundershock and Thunderbolt, the last two techniques that MechaMew2 doesn't have.

Jessie, James, and Meowth rush to the forest and dig a pit trap for "the twerps" to fall into, but Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu walk right over it without incident because the Rockets left the supports in. Unfortunately for them, Jessie and James don't realize this until they've pulled them out, causing them to fall into their own trap; Meowth, very frustrated, runs off to get a rope to pull them out.

In the meantime, as she and Professor Oak approach the old, run-down building where the Snorlax lecture is supposed to be held, Delia confesses that she feels she's losing touch with her son. The Professor reassures her, saying that things never stay the same for long. Suddenly, several Rocket Grunts rush out of the shadows and surround them, for the "lecture" was in fact a trap by Giovanni to lure Professor Oak into his clutches. The Boss also recognizes Delia, who insists that anything between them was in the past, to which Giovanni remarks that she has changed as well.

Back in the forest, Ash and company are lost and alone thanks to Brock having thrown the map in the river while asking a girl trainer for directions earlier. They try getting help from a deaf trainer, who agrees to share his map on the condition that he and "the guy with the weird hair" have a battle first. Ash agrees to this, but the deaf trainer sends out Jigglypuff, who instantly starts singing and puts everyone but its trainer to sleep. In spite of this, the deaf trainer leaves his map with the trio as Jigglypuff draws on their faces. Afterwards, Misty wakes up and starts wiping Jigglypuff's marks off of Ash's face while singing about her secret feelings for him and her fear of rejection. Ash and Brock soon wake up as well, with the former wondering aloud who was singing just now (Misty claims it to be an effect of Jigglypuff's song), and they continue on to the next part of the path with the deaf trainer's map in hand.

While that's going on, Meowth gets Jessie and James (who also fell asleep from Jigglypuff's song) out of the pit, all the while complaining about their incompetence. Realizing that the cat is right, Jessie and James lament their status as failures, but Meowth cheers them up by telling them that being failures is something they're successful at. With that, the Rockets set out to find Pikachu again. By way of their Magikarp submarine, they manage to catch up with the trainers at Cerulean Blue Lagoon, where Ash declares that he's going to use Pikachu against the gym leader. But while the kids get caught up in the following song, Team Rocket uses a net to nab the rodent. By the time Ash realizes Pikachu is missing, Team Rocket is long gone.

[edit] Act 2

After an intermission segment in which Dexter, Ash's Pokédex, explains his vitality to Ash's success, the heroes return to the forest, with Ash positive that his favorite Pokémon has been kidnapped by Team Rocket again. But Misty, apparently still upset about being ignored on her birthday, suggests that maybe Pikachu has just left Ash of his own will because of the trainer's new habit of ignoring his friends. With that, she runs after Brock, leaving Ash to ponder her words.

Over at the Gym, Delia and Professor Oak are locked in giant cages located in Giovanni's battle arena, with the Professor wondering why the Rocket Boss recognized Delia. She explains that when she was a teenager, she used to hang out with an unpleasant crowd, and Giovanni is an old boyfriend of hers; she never told this to Ash because she fears he wouldn't understand. After Giovanni boasts to them about his plan, Jessie, James, and Meowth arrive with the captured Pikachu. Giovanni orders them to "challenge" MechaMew2, using Pikachu ("Why don't you do it, Boss?" "I can't battle myself, you idiot!"). They attempt just that, but Pikachu shocks them instead, and the electricity causes the cages to break open, allowing Oak and Delia to escape. Giovanni doesn't care about their escape, but he does realize that Pikachu's trainer is necessary to make it battle, so he orders Jessie, James, and Meowth to bring Pikachu's trainer to him.

Meanwhile, as she and Brock search fruitlessly for Pikachu, Misty admits that she just wanted Ash to realize that he's alienating his friends, asking why some guys never notice girls; Brock responds to this by telling her that that's not how it is with him, especially when it comes to Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny. Ignoring him, Misty continues to lament over her feelings for Ash. Not far away, Delia and Professor Oak continue their discussion about her past and Delia's conflict over whether or not to tell it to Ash. Elsewhere, Ash tells himself that he may have to go on without Pikachu.

Soon, all five of them come upon each other in the forest. Oak tells Ash that Giovanni is the mysterious gym leader, and he has Pikachu in his hideout. Ash is furious, determined to get his Pokémon back and win the Diamond Badge. Delia then quickly tells Ash of her past, even though she still fears what he'll think of it. Instead, Ash understands. Suddenly, Jessie and James appear on scooters, ordering Ash to come with them, and are utterly shocked when Ash agrees and follows them calmly without a fight. As they leave, Ash's mom is surprised that her son understood her situation and doesn't think less of her because she had a bad past.

When Jessie and James enter Giovanni's arena announcing their capture of Ash, he grows annoyed with them and orders them to leave, which they then do (and somehow crash their scooters). Joyfully reunited with Pikachu, Ash finally meets Giovanni face-to-face and prepares to battle for the Diamond Badge. Giovanni mockingly gives Ash the badge before the battle, saying he'll retrieve it after Ash loses. Determined to win, Ash orders Pikachu to Thundershock, then Thunderbolt MechaMew2. With that, Giovanni proclaims his victory because his Pokémon has now learned every single attack, and orders MechaMew2 to attack Ash. Suddenly, Mewtwo itself appears and attacks MechaMew2 with what appears to be a collection of Ash's happy memories. MechaMew2 then rebels against Giovanni, revealing that it just learned "love, friendship, and caring", and, no longer willing to carry out the Boss's evil plan, prepares a Selfdestruct that destroys the building; Ash, Pikachu, Mewtwo, and even Giovanni (as shown by the curtain call) manage to survive. Mewtwo then exits, but not before explaining to Ash that it took the trainer's memories and love to defeat MechaMew2. Ash's friends then come in, asking what just happened here. Reaching into his pocket, Ash pulls out the Diamond Badge, saying that he won after all, and gives it to Misty as her birthday present while everybody else celebrates his triumph.

[edit] MechaMew2

MechaMew2
MechaMew2

MechaMew2 is a mechanical Pokémon created by Team Rocket in the live stage show "Pokémon Live!". Giovanni, leader of Team Rocket, is using this new Pokémon for world conquest; MechaMew2 has a special ability that instantly copies any attack used against it. Giovanni has challenged to give any Pokémon Trainers that can defeat his new Pokémon the rare Diamond Badge. Of course, this is just a scheme to get every known Pokémon special attack. Eventually, MechaMew2 learns every attack except two: Thundershock and Thunderbolt. Ironically, these are two special attacks known by the Pikachu that belongs to Ash, which is the Pokémon Giovanni's subordinates Jessie, James, and Meowth are constantly attempting to steal. The three Team Rocket flunkies finally succeed in capturing the small mouse Pokémon, but Ash, Misty, and Brock are in pursuit, in an attempt to rescue Pikachu.

When Ash finally reaches Giovanni's Gym and rescues Pikachu, he mockingly gives Ash the Diamond Badge, saying he'll retrieve it when the young trainer loses. Ash has Pikachu attack MechaMew2 with Thundershock and Thunderbolt. Neither attack has any effect on MechaMew2, but Giovanni then claims MechaMew2 has learned every Pokémon attack. Just when Giovanni is about to order for MechaMew2 to destroy Ash, Mewtwo enters the Gym. Mewtwo then attacks MechaMew2 with a new and strange attack. MechaMew2 then says that the attack was full of love, caring, and friendship. Having experienced these feelings, MechaMew2 cannot go along with Giovanni's evil scheme any longer. As a sacrificial move, MechaMew2 grabs Giovanni by the throat and performs a Self-destruct, blowing up the lab and destroying itself. However, the sacrifice is in vain, as, although he is roughed up, Giovanni survives. Mewtwo says the attack he used was the memories of Ash being such a kind person.

[edit] Physical Appearance

MechaMew2 appears to be a version of Mewtwo created solely out of machinery. Instead of legs, however, it has tank treads to move around, and a large power source on the front of it.

[edit] Attacks

By the end of the stage show, MechaMew2 knows every standard Pokémon attack. This is due to its special Attack Back (which has also been referred to as Learn), which allows it to copy, use, and amplify any attack used against it, while being unaffected by the original attack itself.

[edit] Cards

Although no cards of MechaMew2 have been released in the official Pokémon Trading Card Game, there was one special trading card that was released at the time of the stage show's run. Other than the Pokémon's name, picture, height, and weight, it also shows a picture of the coveted Diamond Badge. Also on the card is this description:

"This mechanical marvel was created by Giovanni, the diabolical leader of Team Rocket. It has the power to learn, then amplify and return, the attacks of any Pokémon it meets in battle, making it virtually unstoppable. To insure that MechaMew2 learns every type of Pokémon attack, Giovanni lures trainers to battle him by offering the one-of-a-kind DiamondBadge to whoever can defeat him."

[edit] Soundtrack

Some of the songs were used in the "Karokemon" segment at the end of The Johto Journeys.

  1. "You & Me & Pokémon" - Ash, Misty, and Brock
  2. "You & Me & Pokémon (Playoff)"
  3. "It Will All Be Mine" - Giovanni
  4. "It Will All Be Mine (Reprise)" - Giovanni
  5. "My Best Friends" - Ash, Misty, and Brock
  6. "Everything Changes" - Professor Oak and Mrs. Ketchum
  7. "Everything Changes (Reprise 1)" - Giovanni
  8. "Misty's Song" - Misty
  9. "The Best At Being The Worst" - Team Rocket
  10. "Pikachu (I Choose You)" - Ash
  11. "What Kind of Pokémon Are You?" - Dexter and the Dextettes
  12. "The Time Has Come" - Ash
  13. "You & Me & Pokémon (Reprise)" - Giovanni
  14. "Double Trouble" - Team Rocket
  15. "Double Trouble (Reprise)" - Team Rocket
  16. "Two Perfect Girls" - Brock
  17. "I've Got A Secret" - Mrs. Ketchum, Misty, and Ash
  18. "Everything Changes (Reprise 2)" - Mrs. Ketchum
  19. "You Just Can't Win" - Ash and Giovanni
  20. "Finale" - Company

[edit] Trivia

  • Giovanni mentions his and Delia's past when he kidnaps her and Professor Oak. Although Pokémon Live! is very inconsistent with the timeline, this is some of the proof that lead some to believe Giovanni may be Ash' father.

[edit] External links