Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!

Pokémon the Movie:
I Choose You!

Japanese release poster, designed and illustrated by Yoshitoshi Shinomiya[1]
Japanese 劇場版ポケットモンスター キミにきめた！
Hepburn Gekijō-ban Poketto Monsutā Kimi ni kimeta!
Literally Pocket Monsters the Movie: I Choose You!
Directed by Kunihiko Yuyama
Produced by Satoshi Shimohira
Susumu Matsuyama
Atsushi Chiku
Hidenaga Katakami
Screenplay by Shoji Yonemura
Based on

Pokémon: Indigo League
by

Narrated by Unsho Ishizuka
Music by Shinji Miyazaki
Cinematography Aya Aoshima
Edited by Toshio Henmi
Production
company
Distributed by Toho
Release date
  • July 6, 2017 (2017-07-06) (Japan Expo)
  • July 15, 2017 (2017-07-15) (Japan)

| runtime = 98 minutes | country = Japan | language = Japanese | gross = ￥516 million
(US$4.61 million)[2] }} Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!, known in Japan as Pocket Monsters the Movie: I Choose You! (劇場版ポケットモンスター キミにきめた！, Gekijō-ban Poketto Monsutā Kimi ni kimeta!) is a Japanese Adventure anime film produced by OLM. Both released as the twentieth Pokémon movie and the first film in the Sun and Moon series, it is a remake/retelling of the Indigo League Saga, released to commemorate the anime's 20th anniversary. It premiered at Japan Expo in France on July 6, 2017[3] and was released in Japan on July 15, 2017.[4] Fathom Events will release the film in the United States on November 5, 2017.[5]

Plot

There is a world that is inhabited by mysterious and powerful creatures called Pocket Monsters, or Pokémon for short. For the time eternal, both humans and Pokémon had interacted with each other, befriend each other and fight alongside each other in tournaments. In the small town of Pallet Town in the Kanto Region, a brash 10-year old trainer named Ash Ketchum dreams of becoming a Pokémon Trainer to travel across the world and earn the title "Pokémon Master". But when he accidentally got a Pikachu from the town's local Professor, his life as a Pokémon Trainer begins in a rather fun but, bittersweet way as Ash must forge his bond with his new friend as well as discovering the secrets of the world they're living in.

Cast

Returning cast

Character Voice Actor
Ash Ketchum (Satoshi) Rica Matsumoto
Pikachu Ikue Ōtani
Professor Oak (Professor Okido)
Narrator		 Unshō Ishizuka
Jessie (Musashi) Megumi Hayashibara
James (Kojiro) Shin-ichiro Miki
Meowth (Nyarth) Inuko Inuyama
Nurse Joy Shoko Nakagawa

New characters

Development

The film was officially revealed during the December 15 broadcast of TV Tokyo's Oha Suta program, revealing a teaser trailer and poster of the film.[6] The teaser trailer of the film, as well as the poster reveals Ash Ketchum and Pikachu alongside the Legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh. The film will be more of a retelling of the first season, exploring some of the important plot points of the series. Ho-Oh's appearance in the film will also be important to the film's storyline.[7] A second trailer for the film was revealed at the March 1 broadcast of Oha Suta, revealing remake scenes of the first episode and the official English Title.[8] It was then officially posted on the official YouTube page on March 2, 2017.[9]

Later on, the film's second official trailer, which also features a new version of "Mesaze Pokémon Master", is previewed on April 7, 2017. In April 8, the producers announced that the last Pokémon in the Alola Pokédex, Marshadow will debut in the film alongside several new characters exclusive to the remake.[10][11][12][13] Also despite being a remake, the film will divert itself from the original season that was based on and will have a much more original story.[14] 2 Days before the film's release, Yoshitoshi Shinomiya, who draw background art for Kara no Kyoukai: Mirai Fukuin and Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works made a new poster for the film.[15]

As the film is confirmed to be released first on the 2017 Japan Expo, American fans are not only requesting for the film to be released in theaters in the United States, but that voice-actress Veronica Taylor reprises her role as the English voice of Ash Ketchum.[16]

The title of the film is also a reference to the first episode of the anime.

Music

Shinji Miyazaki who had composed the anime, and collaborated with Kunihiko Yuyama on the movies, will compose the film's musical score. The film's opening song is titled "Mezase Pokémon Master -20th Anniversary-" (めざせポケモンマスター -20th Anniversary-, Mezase Pokemon Masutā -20th Anniversary-, "To Become a Pokémon Master -20th Anniversary-") by Rica Matsumoto while the ending is titled "Oración no Theme ~Tomoni Arukou~" (オラシオンのテーマ ～共に歩こう～, Orashion no tēma ~ tomoni arukou ~, "Oración's Theme ~Let's Walk Together~") by Asuca Hayashi.[17]

Release and promotion

The movie premiered at Japan Expo in France on July 6, 2017, and officially released in Japanese Theaters on July 15, 2017. Advanced pre-orders the movie tickets in limited time periods allows moviegoers to receive a serial code to obtain any one of the six Pikachu in Pokémon Sun and Moon, each wearing one of Ash's signature hats in each anime season and a Pikashunium Z-Crystal.[18] Also, both Marshadow and Ho-Oh will be distributed during the film's release in Japan.

Merchandise coinciding with the film will also be released. Bandai will release official Pokéball Breath Mint Cases in both regular and Premium-Bandai release to coincide with the film's release.[19][20] The first set will be released in August 2017, while the second will be released on September 2017, with preorders started on April 23, 2017.[21][22] Bandai also released S.H.Figuarts figures of Ash Ketchum and the Team Rocket trio on July 2017,[23] while Good Smile Company also announced they will release a Nendoroid Ash Ketchum in December 2017.[24][25]

Reception

Older fans of the anime expressed negative criticism over the film on social media[26] due to the exclusion of Misty and Brock in favor of two new companions, calling the change "It’s almost like Brock and Misty never existed".[27] At the film's first screening on the 2017 Japan Expo, most of the main characters from the first six series were delegated to cameos, which also caused major criticism to older fans.[28]

Despite criticism, reviews of the movie were mostly positive. Callum May of Anime News Network called the film a "Pokémon movie for classic Pokémon fans" and "While it features new Pokémon from Sun and Moon like Lycanroc and Incineroar, many of the stories and references are from the series 20 years ago, repurposed into far more emotionally moving encounters.". It is also praised for having a stronger narrative than the other movies in the franchise, but often criticized on Sorrel and Verity's personalities, calling them "more like bystanders of someone else's story, and the attempts at creating backstories for them aren't built up at all."[29]

The film also topped Japanese box office records, earning first place and grossing more than 516 million yen (US$4.61 million) in the first two days, beating Gintama on its premiere.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.animatetimes.com/news/details.php?id=1499917794
  2. ↑ "Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! Film Opens at #1, Live-Action Gintama at #2". Anime News Network. July 18, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  3. ↑ "劇場版ポケットモンスター キミにきめた！：ワールドプレミア開催決定！！".
  4. ↑ "20作目は何かが違う……!? 『劇場版ポケットモンスター キミにきめた！』2017年7月15日公開決定、トレーラーが公開 - ファミ通.com". ファミ通.com.
  5. ↑ https://www.polygon.com/2017/7/31/16068672/pokemon-i-choose-you-movie-release-date-us
  6. ↑ http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-12-14/new-pokemon-i-choose-you-film-announced/.109906
  7. ↑ Inc., Natasha,. "劇場版ポケモン新作タイトルは「キミにきめた！」、ポスターにホウオウの姿".
  8. ↑ Frank, Allegra (March 1, 2017). "Pokémon’s next movie takes Ash back to the beginning". Polygon.
  9. ↑ "Here’s the first trailer for the Pokémon reboot/remake anime movie【Video】". March 2, 2017.
  10. ↑ "映画『ポケモン』佐藤栞里らゲスト声優発表　山寺宏一は20年連続".
  11. ↑ "「劇場版ポケットモンスター キミにきめた！」ゲスト声優に本郷奏多、佐藤栞里、古田新太 - アニメ！アニメ！".
  12. ↑ Inc., Natasha,. "劇場版「ポケモン」に本郷奏多や佐藤栞里が出演、ガオガエン登場の予告編も解禁".
  13. ↑ http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-04-08/pokemon-i-choose-you-anime-film-2nd-trailer-reveals-guest-cast-new-mythical-pokemon/.114550
  14. ↑ Frank, Allegra (April 10, 2017). "Pokémon’s next movie revisits the show’s first season before shaking everything up". Polygon.
  15. ↑ https://twitter.com/cagerow555/status/885368365862309892
  16. ↑ "Fans Clamor for Veronica Taylor to Return as Ash Ketchum for New Pokemon Movie". WWG.
  17. ↑ http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2017/07/02/pokmon-reprises-the-rise-of-darkrai-song-for-20th-summer-movie
  18. ↑ "A Special Hat-Wearing Ash Pikachu Is Headed To Japan For Pokémon Sun & Moon". March 15, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Poké Ball breath mint holder series will keep you from being a smelly Pokémon otaku". April 20, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Become a Pokémon Master with Bandai's Poké Ball Collection!". otakumode.com.
  21. ↑ "Premium Bandai Now Offering Real* Pokéballs".
  22. ↑ http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2017-04-24/pretend-youre-a-pokemon-master-with-poke-balls-on-your-belt/.115074
  23. ↑ https://otakumode.com/news/58b673fdddad3a8274a3e24a/S-H-Figuarts-Brings-Ash-and-Team-Rocket-Together-Again!
  24. ↑ http://mikatan.goodsmile.info/en/2017/07/12/nendoroid-ash-pikachu-pokemon/
  25. ↑ https://www.destructoid.com/still-not-a-pokemon-champion-ash-ketchum-is-now-available-in-nendoroid-form-with-a-catch-448673.phtml
  26. ↑ http://comicbook.com/gaming/2017/07/10/pokemon-movie-brock-misty/
  27. ↑ http://kotaku.com/new-pokemon-movie-rewrites-history-ditches-brock-and-m-1796767604
  28. ↑ http://www.nme.com/blogs/the-movies-blog/pokemon-brock-misty-written-out-2107989
  29. ↑ https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/pokemon-the-movie/i-choose-you/.118917
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