Pokémon: The Movie 2000

Pokémon: The Movie 2000
Japanese film poster
Japanese	劇場版ポケットモンスター 幻のポケモン ルギア爆誕
Hepburn	Gekijōban Poketto Monsutā Maboroshi no Pokemon Rugia Bakutan
Literally	Pocket Monsters the Movie: Revelation Lugia
Directed by	Kunihiko Yuyama
Produced by	Yukako Matsusako Takemoto Mori Chōji Yoshikawa
Written by	Takeshi Shudō
Starring	Rica Matsumoto Ikue Ōtani Mayumi Iizuka Tomokazu Seki Satomi Kōrogi Megumi Hayashibara Shin-ichiro Miki Inuko Inuyama Kōichi Yamadera Takeshi Kaga Masatoshi Hamada
Narrated by	Unshō Ishizuka
Music by	Shinji Miyazaki
Cinematography	Hisao Shirai
Edited by	Toshio Henmi Yutaka Itō
Production company	OLM, Inc.
Distributed by	Toho
Release dates	July 17, 1999 (1999-07-17) (Japan)
Running time	80 minutes[1]
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese
Budget	¥3 billion (US$30 million)[2]
Box office	$133.9 million[2]

Pokémon: The Movie 2000: The Power of One, commonly referred to as Pokémon 2000, originally released in Japan as Pocket Monsters the Movie: Revelation Lugia (劇場版ポケットモンスター 幻のポケモン ルギア爆誕, Gekijōban Poketto Monsutā Maboroshi no Pokemon Rugia Bakutan, lit. "Mirage Pokémon: Lugia's Explosive Birth"), is a 1999 Japanese anime science fiction action film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama as the second Pokémon feature-length film, complementing the Orange Islands saga of the series and featuring several new Pokémon, including Lugia and Slowking. Brock, who temporarily left during the season on which the film is based, makes a cameo appearance trying to protect the Pokémon in Professor Ivy's lab.

Pokémon: The Movie 2000 has two parts: the feature presentation and a 20-minute preceding short. The film is set during the Orange Islands saga, where Ash, Misty and Tracey enter Shamouti Island. While there, they discover the three legendary Pokémon, Moltres, Zapdos and Articuno. Meanwhile, a collector named Lawrence III attempts to steal the three Pokémon to awaken Lugia, which proves dangerous for the legendary Pokémon, Lugia, and Ash himself.

The film was released in Japanese theaters on July 17, 1999. The English version, produced by 4Kids Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros. in association with Nintendo, was later released in the United States on July 21, 2000. Pokémon: The Movie 2000 earned less at the box office than its predecessor, Pokémon: The First Movie, despite increased promotion and slightly better critical reception.

Story

Pikachu's Rescue Adventure

As with before, all of the faces of the main human characters are unseen. When Togepi falls down a dark hole, Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Marill, Venonat, and Psyduck give chase and find themselves in a giant tree that once was Pikachu's old home. With help from Pikachu's old friend, Elekid, the Pokémon find Togepi but he has been mistaken for an Exeggcute egg. The Pokémon head off into the depths of the tree to find the missing egg, meeting a trio of dancing Bellossom along the way. A severe storm hits the area and Pikachu and his friends try to protect the Exeggcute eggs from being blown away. The grass Pokémon lend a hand and Snorlax^[3] saves everyone with his great strength.The storm fades when a Dragonair appears and calms the storm and a Chansey appears, revealing she had the missing egg all along. The eggs are reunited. Exeggcute suddenly evolves into Exeggutor with the assistance of a Leaf Stone. Pikachu and his friends say farewell to Elekid and the others and head back to their trainers. Meanwhile, Meowth tries to find his way to a campsite but ends up getting caught on Pikachu's mishaps and gives up.

The Power of One

Lawrence III, a Pokémon collector, strives to make a legendary prophecy occur. His plan to capture the legendary birds Moltres, Zapdos and Articuno will ultimately lead to the capture of the "Beast of the Sea" Lugia. Lawrence sets out in his flying hovercraft to the heart of the Orange Islands to capture the three legendary birds, referred to as the Titans of Fire, Ice and Lightning. He successfully captures Moltres, but the balance of power the birds have over the world's climate begins to collapse, causing all sorts of weather phenomena across the world, alerting countless Pokémon to the change. Ash Ketchum and his companions Misty and Tracey Sketchit get caught in a freak storm, and are washed ashore Shamouti, set in the centre of the Orange Islands. Learning the island festival celebrating the legend is about to begin, Ash is selected as the festival's chosen one by a girl named Melody, the festival maiden.

At the festival's banquet, Melody explains to Ash he must retrieve three glass balls from each of the legendary birds' islands and take them to Shamouti's shrine, guarded by a talking Slowking, where Melody will end his task by playing the festival's song, actually the song of Lugia. Ash immediately sets out, led by the troubled Pikachu. Taken to Fire Island by sea captain Maren, Ash and Pikachu find Moltres' treasure, but are interrupted by Team Rocket. Misty, Tracey and Melody arrive via Melody's multi-purpose boat, followed by Zapdos who attempts to conquer the island. Lawrence appears overhead, absorbing Zapdos' electrical energy and captures it along with Ash and co. accidentally. Meanwhile, Professor Oak, Professor Ivy, and Ash's mother Delia Ketchum fly to the islands but their helicopter crashes on Shamouti. Lawrence frees Ash and the others and attempts to capture Articuno, accidentally awakening Lugia in the process. Meanwhile, Ash and the others manage to free Moltres and Zapdos who escape and bring down Lawrence's hovercraft.

Afterwards, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres have engaged in all out war, unleashing all of their powers in a bid to destroy each other. Ash and co. manage to escape, gaining Zapdos' treasure in the process, and are transported back to Shamouti by a mysterious water spout revealed to be Lugia. Lugia at first tries to stop the battle himself, but is outmatched by the birds powers combined against him. Telepathically he then explains the birds and the weather can be stopped by the legend's Chosen One, actually Ash in reality. Ash agrees to go to Articuno's island to get the final treasure, but his progress is halted by the legendary birds. Team Rocket arrive on a speedboat made from a dingy and the helicopter's discarded propeller, wishing to save the world in order to continue their villainy. The group race up to Articuno's shrine and retrieve the treasure, but before they can escape, the legendary birds appear. Zapdos destroys the speedboat and Ash watches on as Articuno is knocked out by Moltres and Zapdos. Lugia rescues Ash and Pikachu, but Team Rocket heroically fall into the sea upon realising they are slowing Lugia down. Lawrence tries to catch Lugia, but Lugia uses its Aeroblast attack to destroy his airship and take out Moltres and Zapdos before collapsing into the sea.

Misty and Tracey rescue Ash and Pikachu, who venture to Shamouti Island's shrine and place the final treasure with the others. Melody plays Loggia's song, ending the storms and bringing peace to the legendary birds. Lugia rises from the sea, bringing the true Beast of the Sea with him, an underwater current that has been altering the climate. Later, after the birds returned to their islands, Lugia departs after thanking Ash. Delia and the professors arrive. Delia, having witnessed her son's actions, asks him to be more careful which he complies with. Lawrence laments on his decisions, deciding to start his collection again. Team Rocket reach the island a day later, and are told by Slowking that the audience saw their heroics, the trio contemplating changing their ways.

Cast

Main characters

• Rica Matsumoto (Veronica Taylor in the English adaptation) as Satoshi (Ash Ketchum in the English adaptation), the main protagonist of the film. He is selected as Earthia Island's/Shamuti Island's "Chosen One" and must save the world from a certain crisis.
• Ikue Ōtani as Pikachu, Satoshi's/Ash's first Pokémon.
• Mayumi Iizuka (Rachael Lillis in the English adaptation) as Kasumi (Misty in the English adaptation), a Pokémon trainer and Satoshi's/Ash's travelling partner.
• Tomokazu Seki (Ed Paul in the English adaptation) as Kenji (Tracey Sketchit in the English adaptation), a Pokémon watcher and Satoshi's/Ash's travelling partner.
• Satomi Kōrogi as Togepi, a Pokémon owned by Kasumi/Misty.
• Mika Kanai (Kayzie Rogers in the English adaptation) as Marill, a Pokémon owned by Kenji/Tracey.
• Megumi Hayashibara (Rachael Lillis in the English adaptation) as Musashi (Jessie in the English adaptation), a member of Team Rocket.
• Shin-ichiro Miki (Eric Stuart in the English adaptation) as Kojirō (James in the English adaptation), a member of Team Rocket.
• Inuko Inuyama (Maddie Blaustein in the English adaptation) as Nyarth (Meowth in the English adaptation), a member of Team Rocket. He is a Pokémon who can walk upright and speak the human language.

Film characters

• Akiko Hiramatsu (Amy Birnbaum in the English adaptation) as Furūra (Melody in the English adaptation), a young shrine maiden who lives on Earthia Island/Shamuti Island, who has taken a liking to Ash.
• Takeshi Kaga (Neil Stewart^[4] in the English adaptation) as Jirarudan (Lawrence III in the English adaptation), a Pokémon collector who lives in a gigantic flying palace and the main antagonist.
• Emi Shinohara (Emily Rees^[5] in the English adaptation) as The Computer, an artificial intelligence that acts as the main controller for Jirarudan's/Lawrence's flying palace.
• Aya Hisakawa (Michelle Goguen^[6] in the English adaptation) as Yōdel (Carol in the English adaptation), Furūra's/Melody's older sister.
• Kotono Mitsuishi (Tara Jayne in the English adaptation) as The Captain (Maren in the English adaptation), a ship captain that takes Satoshi/Ash and his friends to Earthia Island/Shamuti Island.
• Chikao Ōtsuka (Norman Altman in the English adaptation) as The Elder, the ruler of Earthia Island/Shamuti Island.
• Hirohiko Kakegawa (Jack Taylor in the English adaptation) as The Reporter
• Junichi Kagaya (Robert O'Gorman in the English adaptation) as The Announcer

Guest Pokémon

• Kōichi Yamadera (Eric Rath in the English adaptation) as Lugia, the legendary Water god of Earthia Island/Shamuti Island.
• Rikako Aikawa as Fire (Moltres in the English adaptation), the legendary Fire god of Earthia Island/Shamuti Island.
• Yumi Tōma as Freezer (Articuno in the English adaptation), the legendary Ice god of Earthia Island/Shamuti Island.
• Katsuyuki Konishi as Thunder (Zapdos in the English adaptation), the legendary Lightning god of Earthia Island/Shamuti Island.
• Masatoshi Hamada (Nathan Price in the English adaptation) as Yadoking (Slowking in the English adaptation), a prophet who lives on Earthia Island/Shamuti Island.

Other characters

• Unshō Ishizuka (Stan Hart in the English adaptation) as Professor Okido (Professor Oak in the English adaptation), a Pokémon scientist.
  • Ishizuka also voices the Narrator (voiced by Ken Gates in the English adaptation).
• Masami Toyoshima (Veronica Taylor in the English adaptation) as Hanako (Delia in the English adaptation), Satoshi's/Ash's mother.
• Keiko Han (Kayzie Rogers in the English adaptation) as Professor Uchikido (Professor Ivy in the English adaptation), a colleague of Professor Orchid/Oak.
• Yūji Ueda (Eric Stuart in the English adaptation) as Takeshi (Brock in the English adaptation), an assistant of Professor Uchikido/Ivy.
  • Ueda also voices Barriered (named Mr. Mime and voiced by Kayzie Rogers in the English adaptation), a Pokémon who serves Hanako/Delia.
• Tokuyoshi Kawashima as Kamex (Blastoise in the English adaptation)
• Chinami Nishimura as Morphon (Venomoth in the English adaptation)
• Tetsuya Sakai as Coil (Magnemite in the English adaptation)
• Hisayoshi Izaki as Onidrill (Fearow in the English adaptation)

Release

When Pokémon: The Movie 2000 was released, select movie theaters dispensed exclusive cards. The first week, a replica of the Ancient Mew card featured in the movie was given out. The following weeks gave out various cards for legendary birds. (In Japan, one of the promotional cards was a special edition of Slowking/Yadoking as drawn by the voice actor who portrayed him, famed comedian—and infamously bad artist—Masatoshi Hamada.)

During the Japanese release, the first run of Ancient Mew had ‘Nintendo’ spelled as 'Nintedo'. This was corrected for future runs (and the US release) of the card.

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the North American adaptation of the film has a 15% "Rotten" approval rating, slightly higher than the first movie, based on the reviews of 65 film critics, with the consensus being, "Despite being somewhat more exciting than the previous film, this kiddy flick still lacks any real adventure or excitement. What it does contain is choppy animation and poor voice acting. Doesn't match up to virtually anything out there."^[7] Metacritic reports a 28 out of 100 rating, based on 20 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".^[8] Plugged In said that "the plot is as tiresome as it was in the first movie. But the violence is tamed somewhat, so the positive messages shine a bit more brightly".^[9]

A more positive review was given by Gene Seymour of the Los Angeles Times. Seymour believed that the film "charms without talking down to its audience." He also compared it favorably to the first movie, stating, "...unlike its predecessor, 'Pokémon 2000' doesn't assume that everyone who sees it will know how to tell Togepy from Bulbasaur or Squirtle from Pikachu. Sure, I know now, but I'm not telling because I don't have to."^[10]

At the 2000 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards, the film was nominated for "Worst Achievement in Animation" and "The Remake or Sequel Nobody Was Clamoring For".^[11]

Box office

The film was financially successful. It earned $9,250,000 on opening day,^[12] which was only less than $1 million behind the opening day of its predecessor.^[13] However, it only reached #3 for its opening weekend, grossing $19,575,608. On its second weekend it declined 68.3% to $6.2 million and descended to sixth place.^[14] It made $43,758,684 at the domestic box office,^[2] barely over half of the first film's domestic total.^[15]

As of January 5, 2015, the film is the 88th highest-grossing film in Japan, with ¥6.4 billion.^[16] The film made $133,949,270 at the end of its box office run.^[2]

Soundtrack

In Japan, J-pop artist Namie Amuro sang the ending song "toi et moi". A soundtrack containing Shinji Miyazaki's original score for the film was released on September 9, 1999 along with two original songs sung by Rika Matsumoto and Akiko Hiramatsu.

For the English dub, Donna Summer sings the closing song, also titled "The Power of One". "Weird Al" Yankovic also provided an original song, "Polkamon", which is played during the ending credits. The last song played during the credits was "Flying Without Wings" by Westlife. Italian singer Laura Pausini sings the ballad "The Extra Mile", written, among others, by Australian singer Tina Arena. The B-52's also recorded the song "The Chosen One" just for the movie.^[17]

The North American soundtrack was released alongside the film in 2000 by WB's then-sister company Atlantic Records on Audio CD and Compact Cassette and includes many songs by popular artists, such as "Weird Al" Yankovic (who later came into conflict with Atlantic) and The B-52's (once signed to Warner Bros. Records, a sister label to Atlantic), many of which do not actually appear in the film. The film score composed and conducted by Ralph Schuckett was also released on a separate CD, Pokémon: The Movie 2000 Original Motion Picture Score, but this CD still features "The Legend Comes to Life", which was the final song played by Melody.

The title track to the film was remixed by Jonathan Peters and Tommy Musto. Pokémon: The Movie 2000 Original Motion Picture Score is the orchestral soundtrack to the movie. The CD was originally released in some countries in Europe (the United Kingdom not included) in 2000. It was not until 2004 that American fans got their chance to own the music, when it became available for download on iTunes.

Pokémon: The Movie 2000 Soundtrack

Track listing

Chart performance

Pokémon: The Movie 2000 Original Motion Picture Score

Track listing

All music composed by Ralph Schuckett.

Herman Cain

Herman Cain, a former Republican candidate for President of the United States, quoted lines from the Donna Summer song multiple times throughout his campaign. He first used them in his official campaign announcement, mis-attributing them to the closing song of the 2000 Olympics. He made the same mistake at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans on June 17, 2011. During an August debate, Cain again quoted the lyrics, this time attributing them to a poet.^[21] In a December interview with GQ, Cain acknowledged that the song came from a Pokémon film, but reiterated that he heard it during the close of the 2000 Olympics and stated that he had not previously known that it had originated in this film.^[22] However, "The Power of One" was not played during the Olympics' closing ceremony.^[23]

During Cain's announcement that he would be suspending his presidential campaign, he again quoted these lyrics, acknowledging that they came from a Pokémon movie.^[24]

References

External links

• Pokémon: The Movie 2000 at the Internet Movie Database
• Pokémon: The Movie 2000 (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Pokémon: The Movie 2000 at Rotten Tomatoes