Pokémon: The Movie 2000

Pokémon: The Movie 2000: The Power of One, commonly referred to as Pokémon: The Movie 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 in association with Nintendo and licensed by Kids' WB, was later released in the United States on July 21, 2000 and the seventh Warner Animation Group. 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.

Plotedit | edit source
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 Lugia'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 contemplates changing their ways but ultimately decide to stay the same when they realize their boss might not like the idea.

Voice castedit | edit source

 * 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/Shamuti Island's "Chosen One" and must save the world from a certain crisis.
 * Ikue Ōtani as Pikachu, Satoshi/Ash's first Pokémon.
 * Mayumi Iizuka (Rachael Lillis in the English adaptation) as Kasumi (Misty in the English adaptation), a Pokémon trainer and Satoshi/Ash's travelling partner.
 * Tomokazu Seki (Ted Lewis in the English adaptation) as Kenji (Tracey Sketchit in the English adaptation), a Pokémon watcher and Satoshi/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.
 * 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 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 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 in the English adaptation) as Yōdel (Carol in the English adaptation), Furūra's/Melody's older sister.
 * Kotono Mitsuishi (Tara Sands 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
 * Unshō Ishizuka (Stuart Zagnit in the English adaptation) as Professor Okido (Professor Oak in the English adaptation), a Pokémon scientist.
 * 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 (Matthew Sussman in the English adaptation) as Yadoking (Slowking in the English adaptation), a prophet who lives on Earthia Island/Shamuti Island.
 * Ishizuka also voices the Narrator (voiced by Rodger Parsons 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 and travelling companion to Ash.
 * 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)

Releaseedit | edit source
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 USA release) of the card.

Home mediaedit | edit source
Viz Media has announced that a limited edition Blu-ray Steelbook containing the first three Pokémon films will be released on February 9, 2016, along with single releases on DVD (These are: Pokémon: The First Movie, Pokémon: The Movie 2000 and Pokémon 3: The Movie). In accommodation with the 20th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise, a digitally remastered version of the film was released on iTunes, Amazon and Google Play on February 27, 2016.

Triviaedit | edit source

 * Pokémon is the first Warner Animation Group film to become a franchise, followed by Looney Tunes.