Pokémon Heroes

Pokémon Heroes

Japanese release poster
Japanese 劇場版ポケットモンスター 水の都の護神 ラティアスとラティオス
Literally Pocket Monsters the Movie: The Guardians of Altomare
Directed by Kunihiko Yuyama
Produced by Yukako Matsusako
Takemoto Mori
Choji Yoshikawa
Written by Hideki Sonoda
Starring Rica Matsumoto
Mayumi Iizuka
Yuji Ueda
Megumi Hayashibara
Shin-ichiro Miki
Fumiko Orikasa
Kōichi Yamadera
Yuzo Gutch
Uno Kanda
Yumiko Shaku
Masashi Ebara
Ikue Ōtani
Narrated by Unshō Ishizuka
Music by coba
Shinji Miyazaki
Cinematography Hisao Shirai
Edited by Toshio Henmi
Production
company
Distributed by Toho
(Japan)
Miramax Films
(International)
Release dates
  • July 13, 2002 (2002-07-13) (Japan)
Running time
 71 minutes
Country Japan
Language Japanese
Box office $20.9 million

Pokémon Heroes: Latios and Latias, commonly referred to as Pokémon Heroes, originally released in Japan as Pocket Monsters the Movie: The Guardians of Altomare (劇場版ポケットモンスター 水の都の護神 ラティアスとラティオス Gekijōban Poketto Monsutā Mizu no Miyako no Mamorigami Ratiasu to Ratiosu, lit. "The Guardian Gods of the City of Water: Latias and Latios"), is a 2002 Japanese anime film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama. It is the fifth film in the Pokémon series, complementing Pokémon: Master Quest (the last season of Pocket Monsters story arc in the Japanese version). The film was released in Japan on July 13, 2002, and stars the regular television cast of Rica Matsumoto, Yuji Ueda, Mayumi Iizuka, Megumi Hayashibara, Shin-ichiro Miki and Ikue Ōtani. The English adaptation was produced by 4Kids Entertainment and distributed by Miramax Films (a former subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company), and saw a limited release in the United States on May 16, 2003, before being released to video and DVD in January 2004. The English version stars the regular television cast of Veronica Taylor, Eric Stuart, Rachael Lillis and Maddie Blaustein.

Although Cartoon Network has numerously aired the film, it also aired on Toon Disney (now known as Disney XD) on November 27, 2007 (because Miramax, which was still owned by Disney at the time, released this animated film), being the fourth Pokémon film to air on Toon Disney (the first three being Pokémon: Jirachi Wish Maker, Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys, and Pokémon 4Ever).

Pokémon Heroes focuses upon the main characters, Ash, Misty and Brock, traveling through the Johto region once more; the main location of the movie is based on Venice, Italy. The name given to the city in the movie is Alto Mare, meaning "High sea" in Italian. Although it is part of the group's adventure in Johto, the film takes place on an island off of the mainland.

Optimum Home Entertainment re-released the movie on DVD in UK on May 9, 2011.[1] StudioCanal released the film along with Pokémon 4Ever on Blu-ray in the UK as a double feature pack on April 2, 2012,[2] just one day before Pokémon the Movie: Black—Victini and Reshiram and White—Victini and Zekrom came out on DVD on April 3, 2012. Echo Bridge Home Entertainment released the film on Blu-ray in the United States along with Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys on May 15, 2011.[3]

Plot

Camp Pikachu

The Pichu Bros., travelling back to their hometown via train, end up getting knocked it by a Skarmory and land in the nearby woods. They meet Ash Ketchum's Pikachu and his friends, Togepi, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Phanpy, Corsola, and Psyduck, who agree to help them make their way to the railway. They are also accompanied by a helpful Wynaut. Meanwhile, Meowth and Wobbuffet. After a day of playing, the Pokémon camp for the night, the Pichu being pranked by a friendly Duskull. A rainstorm begins, but the Pokémon are led to a mill by a Volbeat. Meowth and Wobbuffet are scared by Duskull, taking shelter in the mill, where the Pokémon get caught up in the building's mechanics. The next day, they rush for the approaching train, the Pichu successfully getting onboard, as do Meowth and Wobbuffet after fighting the Skarmory to retrieve their stolen supplies.

Heroes: Latios and Latias

The film is set in the Venetian-esque city Alto Mare, protected by the dragon siblings Latias and Latios. Their father, also a Latios, is said to saved the city from an evil Pokémon trainer and their Kabutops and Aerodactyl, also transforming Alto Mare’s streets into canals. The citizens built the Defence Mechanism of Alto Mare (or “D.M.A.” for short) to protect the city if necessary, but never had to use it. The first Latios died, leaving behind the Soul Dew, said to contain his own soul and can power the D.M.A.

In the present day, Team Rocket agents Annie and Oakley acquire a book detailing the history of Alto Mare, plotting to control the D.M.A. Ash, Misty, and Brock are touring the city, the former two participating in a water chariot race. Misty wins when Ash is dragged off course by an invisible Latias. Annie and Oakley stalk Latias, who disguises herself as a human girl, trying to capture her using their Espeon and Ariados. Ash and Pikachu come to the rescue, guiding Latias to safety but she vanishes when Ash’s back is turned.

Visiting the museum, the trio meet the curator Lorenzo who details Alto Mare’s history, the D.M.A. and fossilized Pokémon being on the display. Ash spots a girl, Bianca, who resembles Latias’ disguise, and chases her across the city but she does not recognise him. Latias herself appears, guiding Ash and Pikachu to a hidden garden where she and Latios live, protected by Lorenzo and Bianca, his granddaughter. While Pikachu plays with Latias and Latios, Lorenzo shows Ash the Soul Dew, unaware that Annie and Oakley’s drone has infiltrated the sanctuary.

That night, Annie and Oakley sneak into the garden, successfully capturing Latios and the Soul Dew, but Latias escapes. Bianca and Lorenzo attempt to stop the thieves from using the D.M.A. but are captured, the Soul Dew and Latios used to power the machine. Latias goes to Ash for help, Latios’ “Sight Sharing” ability allowing them to witness the events in the museum. Oakley becomes powerhungry, using the D.M.A. to resurrect Kabutops and Aerodactyl as zombies, and initiates a city-wide lockdown to prevent interference. Ash, Pikachu, and Latias evade the lockdown, racing to the museum whilst pursued by the fossilised Pokémon.

Oakley tries to drown Ash, Pikachu, and Latias, but the latter’s psychic powers cause the D.M.A. to go out of control. Reaching the museum, the trio rescue Latios and shut down the machine. However, Annie tries to take the blackened Soul Dew, which shatters, causing all of the city’s water to flow out and return as a tidal wave. Latias and Latios combine their powers to stop the wave, Latios giving his life in the process. Kabutops and Aerodactyl perish again, while Annie and Oakley are trapped in the D.M.A.

Ash and co. find Latias, realising Latios has died, but they share one last vision as he passes away and transforms into a new Soul Dew. Several days later, Ash, Misty, and Brock get ready to leave Alto Mare, saying goodbye to Lorenzo but Bianca does not appear. On their way out of the city, they spot either Latias or Bianca on the docks, who gives Ash a sketch of him and Pikachu, kisses him on the cheek, and leaves. During the ending credits, Ash and Pikachu spot an invisible Latias flying overhead with two Latios, while police free Annie and Oakley from the D.M.A.

Japanese version

The Japanese version had a few key differences from the English version.

A long time ago, Alto Mare was just a small town. One day, an old couple walking along the beach found two unconscious children lying in the sand. They brought the children home and took care of them. But a dark cloud above Alto Mare rained down shards of darkness. Anything these shards touched became dark as well. One shard was about to hit the old couple when the children started to glow and all the shards were destroyed. The children revealed themselves as Latios and Latias. More appeared, one of them carrying the Soul Dew. Their power, combined with the Soul Dew's, shone upon the dark cloud, vanquishing it. In gratitude for their help, the two Latios and Latias gave the Soul Dew to the old couple.

Cast

Character Japanese voice English voice
Satoshi / Ash Rica Matsumoto Veronica Taylor
Kasumi / Misty Mayumi Iizuka Rachael Lillis
Takeshi / Brock Yūji Ueda Eric Stuart
Pikachu Ikue Ōtani
Togepi Satomi Kōrogi
Latias Megumi Hayashibara Megumi Hayashibara (sounds); Madoka Kimura (singing voice)
Latios Masashi Ebara Megumi Hayashibara
Musashi / Jessie Megumi Hayashibara Rachael Lillis
Kojiro / James Shin-ichiro Miki Eric Stuart
Zanner/ Annie Uno Kanda Megan Hollingshead
Leon / Oakley Yumiko Shaku Lisa Ortiz
Rossi / Ross Kōichi Yamadera Michael Sinterniklaas
Vongole / Lorenzo Gutch Yuzo Wayne Grayson
Kanon / Bianca Fumiko Orikasa Tara Sands
Older Pichu Brother Yumi Tōma
Younger Pichu Brother Satomi Kōrogi
Nyarth / Meowth Inuko Inuyama Maddie Blaustein
Sounans / Wobbuffet Yuji Ueda Kayzie Rogers
Narrator Unshō Ishizuka Rodger Parsons

Reception

Pokémon Heroes received negative reviews from critics, but got positive reviews from audiences, earning a Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 16%. However, The Washington Post gave it a positive review, proclaiming, "Kids That Love Pokémon Will Have a Blast!". Also, it was the first-ever animated film based on a Japanese television series to be submitted for consideration for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Box Office

Pokémon Heroes was a box office bomb, grossing $20,867,919. This was due to facing competition with The Matrix Reloaded (since the film has opened the day before its American release), even worse, the film lost half of its audience for the premiere of Finding Nemo.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pokemon-Heroes-DVD/dp/B004XBOBZW/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IGVOCG92FTMO3&colid=1E81QV3TCLBK
  2. ↑ http://www.play.com/DVD/Blu-ray/4-/29608753/Pokemon-Forever-Pokemon-Heroes/Product.html?searchstring=Pokemon&searchtype=BLU&searchsource=2&searchfilters=s%7bPokemon%7d+c%7b600%7d+&urlrefer=search
  3. ↑ Pokemon Heroes / Pokemon Destiny Deoxys Blu-ray, retrieved November 14, 2016
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