For the fans who grew up watching Pokemon, this may make you feel old and give you that nostalgic feeling. Pokemon recently celebrated its 20th anniversary last Feb. 27 and is now 20 years old. Their last release, to the joy of their fans, was the Pokemon Sun and Moon game, now, Pokemon gives their fans the 20th movie of Pokemon! The movie premieres in Japan on July 15.
The 20th movie of the Pokemon franchise goes back to where the story first started, the first season of Pokemon. The story revolves around Ash Ketchum (Satoshi in the Japanese version) and how his adventure first started.
Pokemon the Movie 20: I Choose You! will be directed by Kunihiko Yuyama, an animator that also previously worked on the Pokemon summer movie series. The animation will be handled by animation company OLM. For the main roles like Ash Ketchum and Pikachu, the same old voice actors will once again play their parts. Rica Matsumoto is set to voice Ash while Ikue Ōtan is the voice actress for Pikachu.
Pokemon: Where it All Began
Going back to where it all began really shows just how far Pokemon has come to present. Now it’s time for a throwback to how and when it all began, with a boy from Palett town, and his first Pokemon, Pikachu.
The trailer of Pokemon the Movie 20: I Choose You! shows just what nostalgia to expect in the movie. Moments like the unforgettable first meeting of the now inseparable Ash and Pikachu pair (and their not so inseparable start) plus memorable happenings in the first episode. The trailer also shows the majestic legendary Pokemon, Ho-Oh, gliding through the sky.
Pokemon First Season: Episode 1, ‘I Choose You!’
Here’s where Ash doesn’t even have a Pokemon yet and is still set to choose from Professor Oak (Dr. Yukinari Okido in the Japanese episodes), the resident Pokemon Professor of Palett town. The ten-year-old Ash is set on becoming a Pokemon Master and is extremely excited to choose from the beginner Pokemon, Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur.
Unfortunately for him, he arrives late on the day he chooses a Pokemon. Ash then finds out that there are no Pokemon left because he arrived late. None of the three starter pokemons Ash was set on choosing was left for him-well, none of the ones he was hoping to choose from.
There was one Pokemon left. Ash chose it right away without any hesitation. He chose Pikachu, an electric mouse… with an attitude. (He gave Ash an Electric shock when Ash picked him up)
Pikachu refuses to get in the pokeball, plus, ignores Ash’s commands. Pikachu even admits his dislike for Ash. The two manage to get a group of Spearows chasing after them. Pikachu gets an injury and Ash rescues him, heroically jumping off a waterfall to lose track of the Spearows. Here he first meets Misty, who points him to a nearby Pokemon Center to look at Pikachu’s condition.
Ash tries to get there on a bike borrowed from Misty, but it looks like Pikachu is about to faint, plus, the Spearows caught up to them. Ash bravely stands in front of Pikachu to protect him, Pikachu returns the protection with a massive electric shock using the last of his strengths. Once the fiasco was over, Ash and Pikachu see the legendary Ho-Oh (at that time couldn’t be identified by the Pokedex”) flying above them. Here’s where the episode ends, but where the story of the pair begins.