POKEMON THE MOVIE: I CHOOSE YOU!
Directed by Kunihiko Yuyama
Voiced by Sarah Natochenny, Ikue Otani, David Oliver Nelson, Suzy Myers
Duration 98 minutes
Rating U
“I WANT a pet Pikachu!” I said to myself after the first five minutes of the film. It was wishful thinking, of course, but Pokemon The Movie: I Choose You! reminded me just how much I wish to own such a creature!
The heart-melting yellow electric Pokemon is just too adorable and squishy, don’t you think? It plays the key role in the film alongside its human trainer Ash Ketchum, who aims to become a Pokemon Master.
Oh, if you don’t know what Pokemon is all about, here’s the 411: Pokemon are fictional creatures with diverse powers. Humans (called trainers) catch, raise and command them to battle against other Pokemon. I Choose You! is the 20th Pokemon movie adaptation.
Before, I’ve only seen the first one, Pokemon: The First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998) — the iconic scene where Pikachu tries to revive Ash turns me into a sobbing mess every time.
I’m not sure if any other film has touched on how Ash ended up with Pikachu as his starter Pokemon but I Choose You! goes way back to the start of their friendship.
Ash turns 10, old enough to become a Pokemon trainer, but being late to collect his starter Pokemon, he is left with a rather difficult and stubborn Pikachu.
Aaah, the Pokemon can’t be any cuter! I was squealing inside when it arrogantly (yet adorably!) brushed off Ash’s attempt at forging a friendship.
After a life-changing turn of events, Ash earns Pikachu’s trust and they go on adventures in search of the legendary Pokemon, Ho-Oh. Ash’s initial brief encounter with it gives a hint to his future as a Pokemon trainer, so he must meet the Pokemon again to seal his fate.
He makes new friends with Verity and Sorrel on the way too, and they have several Pokemon battles, which are actually very thrilling and suspenseful to watch.
You get to see many different Pokemon and it makes you wonder what type of moves the trainer will command next.
Naturally their journey is filled with perils and challenges; one is the mysterious new Mythical Pokemon Marshadow.
Overall, it’s a simple and straightforward tale that I think will appeal mostly to children. Adults, not so much. The humour won’t appeal to adults either.
I mostly enjoy watching Pikachu in action, as well as other cutesy Pokemon.
Despite having childish themes, the film teaches its audiences a lot about reaching their utmost potential as well as friendship and loyalty.
If all this while you know how strong Pikachu and Ash’s bond is, after this you will understand how it comes to be that way.
Ash strives to become a Pokemon Master but he cherishes his friendship with each Pokemon more than the prestige.
And like most Japanese animated films, there are some touching scenes that will tug at your heartstrings. I should’ve expected them based on how sad the first film turned out!
Appearance-wise, I Choose You! features simple 2D animation of the characters, but the landscape views are stunningly spectacular. I especially like the blend of colours in the scenes taking place during sunsets.
In a nutshell, I Choose You! is a great film for children, especially if they are already fans of the franchise. Since this is almost like an origin story, non-fans should be able to enjoy it too.