"Pokémon: Pikachu's Winter Break" review: A heartwarming story about Pikachu enjoying his winter vacation

Pokemon Pikachu's Winter Break - Pokemon enjoying their winter vacation

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

game

■ Release date

December 22, 1998

■Release and sales

Shogakukan/Media Factory

■Frequencies

72 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 2

■Original Story

Original story: Satoshi Tajiri, Junichi Masuda, Ken Sugimori

■ Director

・General Director/Kunihiko Yuyama ・Director/

■ Production

Animation Production: OLM Production: Shogakukan Productions Production: Pikachu Project 99 (The Pokemon Company, Shogakukan, TV Tokyo, Media Factory, Takara Tomy, JR East Japan Planning, OLM, Shogakukan Productions)

■Works

©Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK, TV Tokyo, ShoPro, JR Kikaku ©Pokémon ©Pikachu Project 99
©Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK, TV Tokyo, ShoPro, JR Kikaku

■ Story

Satoshi and his friends were supposed to enjoy a Christmas party at the cottage. However, they forgot the Christmas cake, so they asked Pikachu and his friends to stay at home and went to buy a cake. So the Pokemon were left to stay at home alone, but when Pikachu and his friends saw the Christmas tree inside...

■Cast

・Satoshi/Rika Matsumoto ・Pikachu/Ikue Otani

■ Main staff

Screenplay by Shoji Yonemura Storyboard by Toshiaki Suzuki Director by Yuji Asada Animation Director by Keiji Sakai

■Subtitle

Episode 1: Let's play at Christmas!
Episode 2: Let's play in the snow!

■ Theme songs and music

・OP／Fuyuyasumi Fan Club ・Lyrics／
・Composition:
・Arrangement:
・Song: Pokemon Kids, Pikachu (Ikue Otani)

・Ending theme: Colorful Winter Vacation ・Lyrics:
・Composition:
・Arrangement:
・Songs: Pokémon Kids & Professor Oak (Unsho Ishizuka), Pikachu (Ikue Otani)

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

■ Background and production of the work

"Pokémon: Pikachu's Winter Vacation" is an OVA released on December 22, 1998, and is a work centered around Pikachu, a popular character from the Pokémon series. The original idea for this work was provided by three people who created the Pokémon game series: Satoshi Tajiri, Junichi Masuda, and Ken Sugimori, and the general director was Kunihiko Yuyama. Animation was handled by OLM, and Pikachu Project 99 was involved in the production. The Pokémon Company, Shogakukan, TV Tokyo, Media Factory, Takara Tomy, JR East Japan Planning, OLM, and Shogakukan Productions participated in this project, which shows that it was produced with the cooperation of a wide range of companies.

■ The appeal of the story

The story of this film is that Satoshi and his friends were planning to enjoy a Christmas party at a cottage, but they forgot to bring the all-important Christmas cake, so they ask Pikachu and his friends to stay home and go buy a cake. Pikachu and his friends are left to stay home alone, and they go on various adventures after seeing the Christmas tree. This simple yet heartwarming story has been accepted by a wide range of people, from children to adults. In particular, the way Pikachu and his friends work together to solve a problem teaches the importance of friendship and teamwork.

■Charm of the characters

The main character of this work, Pikachu, is very impressive with the voice acting of Ikue Otani. Pikachu's cuteness and bravery are exquisitely expressed, drawing viewers in. In addition, Rika Matsumoto's voice as Satoshi is stable, and the character's consistency is maintained throughout the series. Furthermore, the other Pokemon are also unique, so you will never get bored watching them. In particular, the communication between Pikachu and the other Pokemon is warm and conveyed without words.

■ Evaluation of video and music

The visuals of this work are of high quality, taking advantage of the OVA format. In particular, the depictions of snowy scenes and Christmas trees are beautiful and visually enjoyable. The music also plays an important role, with the opening theme "Winter Vacation Fan Club" and the ending theme "Colorful Winter Vacation" sung by Ikue Otani, who plays the Pokémon Kids and Pikachu, providing a pleasant atmosphere for the work. The music soothes the hearts of viewers, evoking the warmth of Christmas and the joy of winter.

■ Recommendation points

"Pokémon: Pikachu's Winter Vacation" is a work that can be enjoyed by not only fans of the Pokémon series, but the whole family. Watching it during the Christmas season will make you feel even more attracted to it. It is also a good opportunity to teach children the importance of friendship and cooperation. In addition, as it is a compact OVA format with a total time of 72 minutes, even busy adults can enjoy it easily. Even if you are not a Pokémon fan, we recommend this work as a perfect work for the winter holidays.

■ Position of related works and the entire series

This work holds a special place in the Pokemon series. It is centered around Pikachu, a popular character in the series, and is a work that fans cannot miss. It was also produced in the form of an OVA, so it has a different appeal from the TV series. There are many other OVAs and movies in the Pokemon series, but "Pikachu's Winter Vacation" is a work that depicts the special time of Christmas, enriching the variety of the entire series.

■ Viewer reactions and ratings

The reaction from viewers has been very positive, with children in particular giving it high praise. The Christmas atmosphere and cuteness of Pikachu and friends have captured the hearts of many people. Adults have also been touched by the nostalgic atmosphere and story of friendship between Pokemon. It has also received high praise on online review sites, and is loved not only by fans of the Pokemon series but by general viewers as well.

■ Summary

"Pocket Monsters: Pikachu's Winter Vacation" is a work that brings out the charm of the Pokemon series to the fullest. The story of the warmth of Christmas and the friendship between Pikachu and his friends will provide viewers with emotion and healing. The images and music are of high quality, making it a visual and aural pleasure. This work can be enjoyed by the whole family, and is highly recommended as the perfect entertainment for the winter holidays. This work is recommended not only for fans of the Pokemon series, but also for those who are watching Pokemon for the first time.