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M20

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← M19 : Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel
Pokémon movies
M21 : The Power of Us →
I Choose You!
キミにきめた！ I Choose You!
M20 English poster.png
Premiere
Japan July 15, 2017
United States November 5, 2017*
November 25, 2017*
Home video
Japan December 20, 2017
United States February 13, 2018
English themes
Opening Pokémon Theme (Gotta Catch 'Em All)
Ending I Choose You*
Future*
Japanese themes
Opening めざせポケモンマスター -20th Anniversary-
Ending オラシオンのテーマ　～共に歩こう～
Ratings
United States G
Great Britain PG
Ireland PG
Canada ?
Quebec ?
Japan G
Germany 6
Australia PG
New Zealand PG

Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! (Japanese: 劇場版ポケットモンスター　キミにきめた！ Pocket Monsters the Movie: I Choose You!; officially known as Pokémon the Movie 20: I choose you! in Japan) is the twentieth Pokémon movie, and the first released during the broadcast of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon.

It premiered with Japanese vocals and French subtitles at Japan Expo on July 6, 2017. It was released in Japan on July 15, 2017, and received a limited release in North American, South American, and European theaters starting on November 5, 2017, in Australia and New Zealand starting on November 11, 2017, in Singapore starting on November 23, 2017, and in Malaysia starting on December 7, 2017. It premiered on Disney XD on November 25, 2017 as part of a marathon including Mounting an Electrifying Charge! and Alola, Kanto!.

It was first revealed in a teaser trailer that aired on Oha Suta in Japan on December 15, 2016. The full trailer was later released on March 2, 2017. A new trailer was released on April 8, 2017, officially revealing Marshadow to have a role in the film.

In a departure from the previous movies, this movie is a loose reboot of Ash's original journey through the Kanto region, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Pokémon animated series. It is the first movie of a trilogy and is followed by The Power of Us, Secrets of the Jungle, and Distant Blue Sky!.[1]

Other posters and logos

Blurb

When Ash Ketchum oversleeps on his 10th birthday, he ends up with a stubborn Pikachu instead of the first partner Pokémon he wanted! But after a rocky start, Ash and Pikachu become close friends and true partners—and when they catch a rare glimpse of the Legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh in flight, they make plans to seek it out together, guided by the Rainbow Wing it leaves behind.

Trainers Verity and Sorrel join Ash on his journey. Along the way, Ash catches an abandoned Charmander, raises a Pokémon from Caterpie to Butterfree and then releases it to follow its heart, and meets the mysterious Mythical Pokémon Marshadow. When they near their goal, the arrogant Cross—Charmander’s former Trainer—stands in their way! Can Ash and Pikachu defeat this powerful Trainer and reach Ho-Oh as they promised, or will their journey end here?

Plot

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Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
201

Ash Ketchum, a young boy from Pallet Town, is watching a battle between two Pokémon Trainers, Neesha and Corey, on television, all while preparing to start his journey the next day.

Later that night, Ash is asleep, dreaming about training his Pokémon as he throws his alarm clock in his sleep. The next morning, Ash's mother Delia wakes him up, letting him know that he'll be late to receive a Pokémon from Professor Oak. Realizing that he overslept, Ash gets out of bed and rushes over to Professor Oak's Laboratory. When he arrives, Professor Oak tells Ash that all of the first partner Pokémon are taken, except for one. Just then, Ash spots a Pikachu wandering around the lab and chases after it. Oak introduces Ash to the Mouse Pokémon and Ash is thrilled about Pikachu being his new Pokémon. Pikachu is not so thrilled, however, and proceeds to shock him. Delia enters the lab to give Ash his clothes and his belongings to begin his journey. After Ash gets dressed, he orders Pikachu to get in his Poké Ball, but Pikachu refuses, hitting it back at him. Delia says that they seem to be getting along well, and Ash agrees, saying they're best friends already. He picks Pikachu up, who shocks Ash, Delia, and Professor Oak.

While dragging Pikachu out of Pallet Town, Ash asks Pikachu if he hates him. He says that he is willing to make friends with Pikachu and tries to shake hands with him, but Pikachu still does not cooperate. Ash then spots a Pidgey and tries to catch it before realizing that he has to battle it to weaken it first. Unfortunately, Pikachu is still being disobedient, so Ash just attempts to hit Pidgey with a rock but hits a Spearow instead. The Spearow sees Pikachu laughing and since it believes that Pikachu was the one who hit it, it begins attacking him. After Pikachu hits Spearow with a Thunderbolt attack, Spearow calls a whole flock to attack him. Ash and Pikachu begin to flee as the Spearow catch up to Pikachu to proceed in attacking him. Ash picks Pikachu up and carries him until they are injured and tired. Ash then tells Pikachu to get inside its Ball, but it once again refuses. Instead, Pikachu defends Ash from the Spearow by summoning a large Thunderbolt that scares them away. As the storm ceases, a Ho-Oh flies above and drops a Rainbow Wing, which Ash catches. Ash and Pikachu make a promise to go and meet the Legendary Pokémon someday.

Ash and Pikachu continue on their journey, catching a Caterpie, having battles with other Trainers, and even challenging the Celadon Gym, earning his third Badge, the Rainbow Badge from Erika. The group eventually settle at a Pokémon Center, where Ash gives his mother a call. A Trainer bursts in claiming that they encountered an Entei, a Legendary Fire-type Pokémon, causing Ash, as well as several other Trainers, to rush into the woods to look for it. Team Rocket, a group of Pokémon thieves, also decide to try and catch it. Ash finds the Entei, but ends up fighting over it with a Trainer named Verity, who uses a Piplup to try and battle it. They are also joined by an aspiring Pokémon Professor named Sorrel who uses a Lucario in battle. When Entei escapes, Ash and Verity get into an argument, and Sorrel leaves, telling them that they should find shelter soon. As Ash and Verity have a battle, they accidentally disturb an Onix that starts chasing them. They manage to get it to leave just as it begins to rain. As they look to find shelter, they find a Charmander that has been left out. They quickly learn that it belongs to a ruthless trainer named Cross who left it out in the rain. He carelessly refuses to take it back, calling it weak and abandoning it. Ash and Verity decide to find shelter.

They come across a cave where Sorrel and Lucario happen to be and help Charmander back to health. Entei and several other Pokémon arrive to sleep for the night and Ash reveals the Rainbow Wing. Sorrel reveals that Ho-Oh only gives the Wing to the "rainbow hero" who is destined to fight it, as a shadow Pokémon named Marshadow watches. The next morning, Ash convinces Charmander to join them. Team Rocket follows the group, as they venture on a journey to Mount Tensei to find the Legendary Pokémon. During their travels, Caterpie evolves into a Metapod, Verity spots a Suicune and Charmander evolves into Charmeleon. After giving his mother a call at another Pokémon Center, Ash learns from Sorrel that the Rainbow Wing can lose its color when it is in the possession of someone with a cold heart. Eventually, while battling other Trainers in town, Ash is challenged by Cross to a Pokémon battle with his Charmeleon against his Incineroar. Charmeleon is savagely defeated, and Cross talks down to Ash, causing him much grief.

Still upset over his loss, Ash openly admits that he could have won with Pikachu and runs away. Pikachu follows Ash, as the two argue over Ash's behavior. He states that he wished he had gotten Bulbasaur or Squirtle as his first partner Pokémon instead of Pikachu. Ash realizes that he's all alone, as Pikachu has stopped following him. As Ash declares that he doesn't need anyone, Marshadow puts Ash in a sleep-like state as the Rainbow Wing turns dark. Ash dreams he is in a world where no Pokémon exist and where he attends regular school with his friends. Realizing that something is missing, he remembers Pikachu and wakes up to his friends, and the Wing regains its color. Sorrel shares a story of a time he lost a friend being a Luxray, who died protecting a young Sorrel from a snowstorm. The group is soon surrounded by some angry Primeape. Ash calls out his Metapod, who evolves into Butterfree as they escape from the pack of Primeape. They rescue a pink Butterfree from a Fearow and realize that Ash's Butterfree needs to mate. Ash decides to lets his Butterfree go so that it can be happy with its mate. Although Ash is sad about releasing Butterfree, he feels like he made the right decision, and that they will always be friends no matter what. The group soon spots a Raikou and realizes they are getting close when the Wing begins to glow in the direction of Mount Tensei.

The group makes it there and meets Bonji, an old researcher who has been studying Ho-Oh for years. They make it to a crystal-like structure at Mount Tensei, with Jessie, James and Meowth still hot on their trail. They are interrupted by Cross, who wants to fight Ho-Oh himself, as he also saw Ho-Oh, but didn't receive a wing from it. Cross's Incineroar fights Ash's Charmeleon, who quickly evolves into Charizard and defeats Incineroar. Cross, refusing to accept his loss, takes the Rainbow Wing away from Ash and places it on the crystal. But due to the wing being in the possession of a Trainer with a cold heart, it turns dark, causing Marshadow, as Ho-Oh's agent, to possess the wild Pokémon and Cross's Midnight Form Lycanroc to attack the humans. The Trainers use their Pokémon to fight back. After Charizard protects Cross from an attack, he sees the error of his ways and helps the group out, even snapping his Lycanroc out of Marshadow's control. Being weakened by Marshadow and the other Pokémon, Ash tells Pikachu to get in his Poké Ball, but Pikachu refuses because he always wants to stay by Ash's side. However, Ash finally forces him into his Poké Ball as the Pokémon attacks Ash, causing his body to disappear. In despair, Pikachu emits a large Thunderbolt attack sending Marshadow and its army flying, releasing them from the Rainbow Wing's corruption. Marshadow notices the wing has disintegrated as Pikachu continues crying out for its Trainer.

Ash finds himself in a parallel world but is brought back, presumably through Ho-Oh's power when Ash protected Pikachu. Ash and Pikachu embrace as he takes the newly formed Rainbow Wing and places it on the crystal structure. Ho-Oh arrives, healing Ash, his friends, and the Pokémon and Ash challenges it with Pikachu to battle. Later that day, the gang return to the Pokémon Center after Pikachu's battle with Ho-Oh. Back at Mount Tensei, Bonji makes a speech about Ho-Oh finding a new Trainer to leave its Wing to, as Marshadow watches. Cross leaves on good terms with the group and makes a promise to Ash that they will have a battle again someday. Eventually Ash, Verity, and Sorrel split up so they can achieve their own goals: Verity to become a famous trainer like her mother, Sorrel to find the three legendary birds of Kanto, and for Ash to become a Pokémon Master. Ash and Pikachu decide to continue their journey, hoping to encounter many friends and Pokémon in the incredible world of Pokémon.

During the ending credits, Brock, Misty, Tracey, May and Max, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Clemont and Bonnie, and Serena are seen, while none of their officially-owned Pokémon are. Verity and Piplup are seen returning home to Twinleaf Town; Sorrel and Lucario spot an Articuno that Sorrel wanted to study; and Cross, Lycanroc, and Incineroar are out on their own journey. Meanwhile, Ash and Pikachu are seen traveling together, preparing to battle a wild Heracross while being tailed by Team Rocket in their Meowth Balloon. The movie ends with Ho-Oh dropping a Rainbow Wing as it flies across the sky.

Featured Pokémon

Major events

Debuts

Characters

The film's main cast

Humans

Closing credits

Brock Misty Tracey May May and Max
Dawn Iris Cilan Clemont and Bonnie Serena

Pokémon

Cast

Cast
Ash Sarah Natochenny Satoshi Rica Matsumoto サトシ 松本梨香
Pikachu Kate Bristol Pikachu Ikue Ohtani ピカチュウ 大谷育江
Jessie Michele Knotz Musashi Megumi Hayashibara ムサシ 林原めぐみ
James Carter Cathcart Kojirō Shin-ichiro Miki コジロウ 三木眞一郎
Meowth Carter Cathcart Nyarth Inuko Inuyama ニャース 犬山イヌコ
Narration Rodger Parsons Narration Unshō Ishizuka ナレーション 石塚運昇
Special appearances by
Professor Oak Carter Cathcart Dr. Okido Unshō Ishizuka オーキド博士 石塚運昇
Delia Sarah Natochenny Hanako Masami Toyoshima ハナコ 豊島まさみ
Nurse Joy Michele Knotz Joy Shōko Nakagawa ジョーイ 中川翔子
Sorrel David Oliver Nelson Souji Kanata Hongō ソウジ 本郷奏多
Verity Suzy Myers Makoto Shiori Sato マコト 佐藤栞里
Bonji Mike Pollock Bonjī Arata Furuta ボンジイ 古田新太
Cross Billy Bob Thompson Cross Ryōta Ōsaka クロス 逢坂良太
Erika Nathalie Gorham Erika Kyoko Hikami エリカ 氷上恭子
Marshadow Simona Berman Marshadow Kōichi Yamadera マーシャドー 山寺宏一

Soundtrack

Main article: I Choose You! Music Collection

Events

Original Cap Pikachu and the Pikashunium Z
Bulbanews

CoroCoro revealed that the special distribution for the movie is Pikachu in a cap, which was distributed to those who pre-book tickets to the film. There are six variants for this special Pikachu, each based on one of the various anime series Ash was in. Regardless of variant, it came with a serial code that unlocked the special Pikashunium Z, which allows Pikachu to perform the exclusive 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt Z-Move. In order:

  • Original Cap Pikachu is distributed between April 15 and May 1;
  • Hoenn Cap Pikachu is distributed between May 3 and May 15;
  • Sinnoh Cap Pikachu is distributed between May 17 and May 29;
  • Unova Cap Pikachu is distributed between May 31 and June 12;
  • Kalos Cap Pikachu is distributed between June 14 and June 26;
  • Alola Cap Pikachu is distributed between June 28 and July 17;

In addition, the Pikachu in a cap variants were redistributed at a later date post-film release. Specifically:

  • Original Cap Pikachu is distributed between July 19 and July 31;
  • Hoenn Cap Pikachu is distributed between August 2 and August 14;
  • Sinnoh Cap Pikachu is distributed between August 16 and August 28;
  • Unova Cap Pikachu is distributed between August 30 and September 11;
  • Kalos Cap Pikachu is distributed between September 13 and September 25;
  • Alola Cap Pikachu is distributed between September 27 and October 9;

The player can only redeem a pre-ticket code booklet once, but the codes themselves can be redeemed as many times as needed.

The same day the second trailer for the movie came out, it revealed that Marshadow along with the bundled item Marshadium Z would be distributed in the Japanese theaters from July 15 to September 30, 2017. It was also distributed during two pre-release events in Tokyo and Osaka on July 2, 2017.

CoroCoro also distributed the serial codes for level 100 Ho-Oh based on the movie Ho-Oh that holds Sacred Ash in August 2017 issue.

It also revealed that distributions would be made on Mew for July 11 to August 7, Charizard, Lucario, and Piplup on August 1 to 28 by obtaining the serial codes at the 7-Eleven stores in Japan, with the latter three being based on Ash's Charizard, Sorrel's Lucario, and Verity's Piplup, respectively.

A special Pokémon card of Ash's Pikachu was given out for two days to some people who saw the English and Brazilian Portuguese dubs in theaters.

Manga adaptations

Main article: Pocket Monsters the Movie: I Choose You! Remix
Main article: I Choose You! (manga)

A short promotion manga was included with the May 2017 issue of CoroCoro. Another tie-in manga called Get Fired Up, Marshadow! was included with the July 2017 issue of CoroCoro, this manga takes place before Marshadow meets Ash and his friends in the movie. An third manga called The Rainbow Hero was included with the August 2017 issue of CoroCoro. These three promotion manga were collected into Pocket Monsters the Movie: I Choose You! Remix together with Pikachu and Satoshi's Hat.

A separate manga adaptation started serializing on July 2, 2017 in MangaONE, a Japanese manga smartphone app by Shogakukan.

Differences from the main series

With this movie taking place in an alternate timeline, there are many differences between events that happen in the main series and in the movie.

  • Cross is Charmander's original Trainer instead of Damian.
  • Brock and Misty do not accompany Ash on his journey, as they make no appearance except in cameos during the movie's ending credits.
  • Pikachu knows Iron Tail, a move he doesn't learn until Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire.
  • Charizard knows Slash, a move he doesn't learn until Pokémon the Series: Black & White. As a Charmeleon, it was able to use Seismic Toss, a move it didn't learn until evolving into a Charizard.
  • Butterfree knows Gust, a move he doesn't learn at all in the main series.
  • In the beginning of the movie, Ash Ketchum is watching a battle between Neesha and Corey on TV instead of the two unidentified Trainers from the first episode.
    • Ash is watching the battle in his whole outfit in the original episode, but in the movie, he is just wearing his T-shirt and pants without his hat, jacket, or gloves.
  • The Pokémon-themed merchandise in Ash's room is completely different.
  • The poster of the Kanto first partner Pokémon in Ash's room are displayed differently with Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur being in different poses and positions. The background of the poster is slightly different as well.
  • Unlike in the first episode, where Ash's alarm clock falls into his hands while he is asleep, Ash grabs the alarm clock in his sleep.
    • The alarm clock is designed after a Poké Ball, rather than a Voltorb.
  • Delia wakes Ash up instead of Ash waking up himself.
  • Ash runs to Professor Oak's Laboratory barefoot with his pajamas, unlike the original episode where he is wearing shoes with his pajamas.
  • Ash finds Professor Oak watering Bellsprout and Oddish outside the lab. In the first episode, Oak was the one to find Ash after his brief encounter with Gary.
    • Gary has no interactions with Ash in the movie and only makes a brief cameo in a flashback, in which he receives his Squirtle. His cheerleaders don't make an appearance in the movie either, nor do his crowd of supporters.
  • The trio of first partner Pokémon aren't inside Poké Balls sitting on a pedestal like in the original episode. Instead, they are displayed on a tray with beds and bowls for each of them, before the new Trainers pick them out.
  • The Trainers who received their first partner Pokémon from Professor Oak on the day Ash met Pikachu are shown as Gary, Tierno, and Marina. Notably, Tierno is shown in different clothing than his usual design, and chooses Charmander instead of Squirtle.
  • A map of the Johto, Hoenn, and Unova regions (none of which were known at the time of the original episode) are visible in the background of a couple of scenes at Professor Oak's lab.
  • Ash and Pikachu's first encounter is different from the series. In the main series, Professor Oak sends out Pikachu from his Poké Ball. In the movie, Pikachu was already wandering around in Professor Oak's lab before Ash finds him.
  • Professor Oak wasn't shown giving Ash a Pokédex. However, it’s possible that Ash receives his off-screen. If that’s the case, then Ash was never seen using the Pokédex in the movie.
  • Delia never enters Professor Oak's lab in the original episode. Because of this, the original scene with Ash trying to get Pikachu in his ball takes place inside the lab instead.
    • Also, Delia arrives alone, while in the episode, a group of supporters arrived to see Ash off
  • Ash changes into his clothes in Oak's lab instead of changing shortly after setting out on his journey.
  • When Ash is dragging Pikachu out of Pallet Town, he isn't wearing pink rubber gloves, as he wasn't given any rubber gloves in the movie.
  • Pikachu never goes up a tree to watch Ash try to catch a Pidgey like he did in the first episode. Instead, he just stands on a rock.
  • A Rattata never shows up to steal Ash's food in the movie.
  • The Spearow that got hit with a rock attacks Pikachu because it suspected that Pikachu hit it. In the main series, it attacked Pikachu simply because it was jealous of it.
  • After Pikachu attacks Spearow, he flies into a tree full of other Spearow, where in the original episode he was calling out to them instead.
    • As noted above, the number of Spearow that attack Ash and Pikachu is greatly increased.
  • Ash doesn't steal Misty's (or anyone's) bike to escape the flock of Spearow, and tries to get away entirely on foot.
  • Ash flips his hat while carrying Pikachu in the first episode. In the movie, he doesn't flip his hat until he confronts the flock of Spearow.
  • After Pikachu defeats the flock of Spearow, the sky is sunny again after the rain clears up in the original episode. In the movie, it's a sunset instead.
  • Ash's hat remains on his head after being knocked out in the episode, while his hat was knocked off in the movie.
  • Ash doesn't get a Rainbow Wing from Ho-Oh in the original episode.
  • Ash is shown with just three Pokémon under his ownership over the course of the movie – Pikachu, Butterfree, and Charizard – with no indication of him having caught Pidgeot, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, or any of the Pokémon he had kept in rotation throughout his Kanto journey.
  • Ash uses Pikachu to battle Caterpie before catching it, unlike in the original series where Ash just catches Caterpie without weakening it.
  • Unlike in Ash Catches a Pokémon, Ash is awake with Pikachu and Caterpie gazing at the group of Butterfree in the sky. They are all sitting in a tree rather than standing on a rock.
  • Erika was the third Gym Leader encountered rather than the fifth one, while the first two Gym Leaders were encountered off-screen.
    • In addition, Ash defeats Erika in a proper Gym battle to earn the Rainbow Badge.
  • Unlike in the main series, Team Rocket doesn't interact with Ash at all in the movie, since they only follow him without making themselves noticeable throughout the movie.
    • As Ash recognizes the trio in the next movie, it can be inferred that he has encountered them at some point between this movie and the next one.
  • Ash doesn't catch Charmander until after he has earned his third Gym Badge, whereas Ash obtained it between his second and third Badges in the main series.
  • Charmander isn't holding a leaf while being in the rain, nor is he attacked by a flock of Spearow.
  • Instead of taking Charmander to Nurse Joy, Ash takes him to a cave to heal him himself.
  • Ash's Pokémon evolve in scenarios different from the original series:
    • Caterpie evolves into Metapod from battling a Pinsir rather than from a battle against Team Rocket and then evolves into Butterfree during a fight with a pack of Primeape instead of a swarm of Beedrill.
      • In the original series, Caterpie's Evolution process was similar to a real-life caterpillar's life cycle, going through metamorphosis and then emerging from its cocoon. In the movie, it is shown to evolve like any other Pokémon similar to how they do in later episodes.
    • Charmander evolves into a Charmeleon from battling a Jigglypuff instead of stopping a herd of Exeggutor and then evolves into a Charizard during a rematch against Cross and his Incineroar instead of saving Ash from an Aerodactyl.
  • Charmeleon (and later Charizard) consistently stays obedient to Ash after evolving. In the main series, Charizard rarely obeyed Ash until Charizard Chills.
  • Butterfree and the Pink Butterfree are first encountered while it was being chased by a Fearow, since there was no celebration of mating season taking place until after Pink Butterfree was saved. Butterfree gather for mating season like in Bye Bye Butterfree, but there are no other trainers shown and are assumed to be wild Butterfree.
    • Because Brock doesn't appear in the movie, Butterfree wasn't given a yellow scarf.
  • Wobbuffet is shown with Team Rocket in the end credits, although it wasn't obtained until Johto. It is unknown how he was obtained in this timeline.

Trivia

050Diglett.png This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
Reason: Source for the Yuyama interviews
  • This movie was released between SM033 and SM034 in Japan.
  • This movie shares its title with the first episode of the anime.
    • This is the first movie whose Japanese name does not contain the name of any Pokémon in the title.
  • This is the first Pokémon movie not to take place during the time-frame and continuity of the series airing at the time.
    • Because of this, this is also the first movie to feature no human characters introduced in the series airing at the time of the movie.
  • As of this movie, all of the Legendary and Mythical Pokémon from Generation II have had a starring role in a Pokémon movie.
  • This is Professor Oak's first appearance in a movie since the fourth movie, and Delia's first movie appearance since her cameo in the ending credits of the eleventh movie. However, Delia's previous speaking movie appearance was in the third movie.
  • This is the first movie to feature a Pokémon being released, with Ash releasing his Butterfree after saving the Pink Butterfree.
  • This is Gary's first physical appearance in the anime since The Battle Finale of Legend!, over seven years prior, although his appearance is only in the form of a brief flashback.
  • Movie editor Kunihiko Yuyama revealed some trivia about the movie in interviews:[citation needed]
    • The movie is set in a parallel world that is split off from the main series, showing what would have happened had Ash received the Rainbow Wing from Ho-Oh.
    • The number of Spearow that chase Ash was increased twenty-fold, from fifty to one thousand.
    • The Ash in this movie is more fashionable than the Ash from the series and influenced by the design created by Ken Sugimori.
    • Shōko Nakagawa was responsible for being the symbol of twenty years of Pokémon, with the role of Nurse Joy. She grew up playing the first generation of games, which is why she represents Pokémon 20th Anniversary by voice acting an "older sister" kind of role in the movie.
    • Ash does not age. Yuyama said that "time has not passed since the start of the journey. Ash is eternally 10 years old".
    • The Trainers from the opening scene are Neesha and Corey from Mewtwo Strikes Back.
    • Ash's dream about being in a regular classroom without any Pokémon was taken from a concept from The Rise of Darkrai, where Ash, under the influence of Dark Void, had a nightmare about Pokémon not existing.[3]
    • Verity's mother isn't Sinnoh Champion Cynthia, despite her bearing a remarkable resemblance to Cynthia.
  • This movie features all of Ash's traveling companions prior to Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon making cameo appearances during the ending credits.
    • During the credits, Brock, Misty, May, and Serena all wear their original outfits instead of their most recent ones at this point.
  • Although Pikachu has had his statements translated via subtitles before, this is the first time Pikachu has actually talked.
  • For the English dub, this is the first movie that Kayzie Rogers had no part in voice acting in. She had at least one role in the past nineteen movies before her retirement.
  • This was the first movie to be in 4K (specifically Sony Pictures 4K) quality due to the fact it was shown in theaters in the United States.
  • Although Ash's hat has a unique symbol in this movie, the symbol that appeared on the original hat can be seen on Ash's backpack.
  • In American theaters, the movie was preceded by the Pokémon Generations episodes The Adventure, The Chase, and The Challenger, as well as a music video for this movie's version of the Pokémon Theme utilizing clips from most of the Pokémon movies. Movies four through seven were skipped, however, presumably because they are still owned by Miramax.
  • As a modern adaptation of the original series, the movie integrates a few details from the newer games:
    • Pink Butterfree's oval scales on its lower wings are colored black in this movie, confirming its gender to be female. As its appearance in the main series predated gender differences, it had the same wing pattern as a male Butterfree.
    • Erika's design in the movie is based on her design from Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, complete with black hair and a kimono. In the main series, she had blue hair and a plain dress. She would later appear in her FireRed and LeafGreen attire in the main series in Suffering the Flings and Arrows!.
  • Team Rocket's appearance in the credits is identical to their appearance in the previous movie's credits: Watching Ash and his friends (Ash and Pikachu being alone this time) from their balloon, as Wobbuffet pops out of his Poké Ball from below Meowth and causing him to nearly fall off the balloon, being saved by both Jessie and James.
  • This is the only time Marina appears outside of her debut episode. It is also the only time she's seen with a non-Water-type Pokémon.
  • After Ash is hit by Marshadow's attack and his body disappears, his hat briefly falls on Pikachu's head. This may be a reference to the Pikachu in a cap released later that year for Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
  • This is the only time since the trend started in The Rise of Darkrai in which the final form of all three first partner Pokémon of the concurrent generation's region don't appear in the first movie of that generation, as Incineroar is the only one of the final forms of the Alola trio featured. This movie does, however, feature all three of the Alola trio in their basic form.
  • This is the first movie since Spell of the Unown in the dub and Celebi: The Voice of the Forest in the original Japanese version to not feature a "World of Pokémon" segment at the beginning of the movie. It is featured at the end of the movie, however.

Errors

  • When the flock of Spearow swoops down to attack Ash after he tells Pikachu to get in his Poké Ball, Ash's hat is shown facing forward despite it being turned backwards earlier. This is fixed in later DVD releases.
  • In the Polish dub, when Ash is attacked by the Pokémon controlled by Marshadow, his English voice can be heard.
    • Also, "Gardłowy Chwyt" is called "Gardłowy Cios" throughout the second half of the movie.

Dub edits

  • I Choose You replaces Oración's Theme ~Let's Walk Together~ as the ending theme.
  • The ending credits in the Disney XD version are significantly shortened to 30 seconds, played over a black screen, and utilize a short clip of the piano rendition of the Pokémon Theme portion of I Choose You for music.
  • Most of Marshadow's cries have been edited out.

In other languages


References

  1. ↑ Pokémon Panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2023 - YouTube (16:57–17:27)
  2. ↑ https://twitter.com/SUPER_32X/status/886054479971270656
  3. ↑ http://dogasu.bulbagarden.net/movies/2017_pm_i_choose_you/pm_i_choose_you_directors_commentary.html

External links


Pokémon movies
Original series
Mewtwo Strikes Back • The Power of One • Spell of the Unown: Entei • Celebi: The Voice of the Forest • Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias
Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire
Jirachi: Wish Maker • Destiny Deoxys • Lucario and the Mystery of Mew • Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea
Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl
The Rise of Darkrai • Giratina and the Sky Warrior • Arceus and the Jewel of Life • Zoroark: Master of Illusions
Pokémon the Series: Black & White
White—Victini and Zekrom / Black—Victini and Reshiram • Kyurem VS. The Sword of Justice • Genesect and the Legend Awakened
Pokémon the Series: XY
Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction • Hoopa and the Clash of Ages • Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel
Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
I Choose You! • The Power of Us • Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
Secrets of the Jungle
← M19 : Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel
Pokémon movies
M21 : The Power of Us →
Project Anime logo.png This movie article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.
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