Appeal and evaluation of the movie Pokémon: The Birth of Lugia: A moving story woven by the mythical Pokémon

Pokémon the Movie: The Birth of Lugia - Review and Details

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

game

■ Release date

July 17, 1999 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toho

■Frequencies

81 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Original story: Satoshi Tajiri, Junichi Masuda, Ken Sugimori

■ Director

・Director: Kunihiko Yuyama

■ Production

Animation Production: OLM Animation Cooperation: Doga Kobo, Yumeta Company, Studio Cockpit Production: Shogakukan Shueisha Productions Production: Pikachu Project 99 (Shogakukan, TV Tokyo, Media Factory, Nintendo, Tomy, Creatures, Game Freak, JR East Japan Planning, Shogakukan Shueisha Productions)
Distributor: Toho

■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 are traveling through the Orange Islands. Then, a mysterious collector named Jirardin appears and gets hold of a "special fire" that is said to be the god of fire. This causes the balance of nature to be destroyed, and the world is hit by natural disasters.
Will Satoshi and his friends be able to save the world? And will the mythical Pokémon Lugia that appears be an ally or enemy?

■Explanation

Pokémon the Movie 2 - Pikachu's Adventure

■Cast

・Satoshi/Rika Matsumoto・Pikachu/Ikue Otani・Professor Oak/Unsho Ishizuka・Takeshi/Yuji Ueda・Kasumi/Masayumi Iizuka・Togepi/Satomi Koorigi・Musashi/Megumi Hayashibara・Kojiro/Shinichiro Miki・Meowth/Inuko Inuyama・Girardan/Takashi Kaga・Slowking/Masatoshi Hamada

■ Main staff

・Screenplay: Shuto Takashi ・Storyboard: Yuyama Kunihiko ・Direction: Hidaka Masamitsu, Sudo Norihiko ・Character design, chief animation director: Ichiishi Sayuri ・Design works: Goto Masayuki, Nishinaka Yasuhiro, Souma Tatsuya ・Animation directors: Matsubara Norihiro, Masunaga Keisuke, Taguchi Koichi, Miyata Tadaaki, Tamagawa Akihiro, Fukumoto Masaru, Tsunaki Aki ・Sound director: Mima Masafumi

■ Main Characters

A mysterious collector who collects rare items from all over the world. He uses a giant flying palace to plot to add Fire, Thunder, Freezer, and Lugia to his collection.
・Fluela A girl from Asia Island. She worries about Satoshi and goes to his aid when he goes out to sea in a storm. What is the secret behind the small flute she has in her hand?
・Yodel Flula's older sister. She reunites with her friend, the Captain, for the first time in five years.
Captain: A reliable captain who can cross the stormy seas. He takes Satoshi and his friends on board the ship that takes them to Asia Island.
- Satoshi is chosen as he is an "excellent puppeteer" according to the legend of Elder Island.

■ Theme songs and music

・OP
·rival!
Lyrics: Shogo Toda; Composition: Hirokazu Tanaka; Arrangement: Hirokazu Tanaka; Singer: Rika Matsumoto; Ending theme:
・toi and moi
Lyrics: MARC&TK
・Composition: Tetsuya Komuro ・Arrangement: Tetsuya Komuro ・Singer: Namie Amuro (avex trax)
・IM1
・I am a collector・Lyrics by Kohei Tanaka・Arrangement by Shinji Miyazaki・Singer by Takeshi Kaga・IM2
・Endless World・Lyrics by Kunihiko Yuyama・Music by Shinji Miyazaki・Singer by Akiko Hiramatsu・IM3
・Because everyone was there・Lyrics by Yoshikawa Choji・Music by Takamitsu Yudai・Singer by Matsumoto Rika

review

"Pokémon the Movie: The Birth of the Mysterious Pokémon Lugia" is one of the unforgettable works for fans of the Pokémon series. This film, released in 1999, further deepened the world of Pokémon and captivated audiences with its visual beauty and moving story. Below, we will explain in detail the appeal and details of this film.

The appeal of the story

The story begins as Satoshi and his friends travel the Orange Islands, where the mysterious Collector Jirardin appears and captures Fire, the god of fire. The collapse of balance in nature caused by this event and the resulting natural disasters have a strong visual impact and create tension in the audience. Satoshi and his friends' struggle to save the world resonates with children and adults alike, teaching them the importance of courage and friendship. The appearance of the mythical Pokémon Lugia adds a mystical element to the story and stimulates the audience's imagination. The question of whether Lugia is an ally or enemy will keep viewers hooked until the film's climax.

Character Appeal

Satoshi and other main characters continue to appear in the film from the TV series, making them familiar to fans. Jirardin in particular leaves a strong impression as a collector of rare items from all over the world. His obsession with the Flying Palace and Pokémon adds tension to the story, while also giving a sense of depth to his character. New characters such as the girl from Asia Island, Fleura, her sister Yodel, the reliable captain, and the island's elders also enrich the story and support Satoshi and friends' adventure. The individuality and growth of these characters further enhance the appeal of the film.

Visuals and Music

The film's visuals are characterized by beautiful landscapes and Pokémon movements, which were created using the technology of the time. In particular, the scenes of Lugia flying and the depictions of natural disasters are visually very impressive and have the power to draw the audience in. Music is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the film. The opening theme, "Rival!", symbolizes Satoshi's adventurous spirit, and the ending theme, "toi et moi," along with Namie Amuro's singing voice, creates a moving finale. The insert songs, "I Am a Collector," "Endless World," and "Because Everyone Was There," also stir emotions as the story unfolds.

Production background and staff

The film was directed by Yuyama Kunihiko, based on an original idea by Tajiri Satoshi, Masuda Junichi, and Sugimori Ken, creators of the Pokémon series. The screenplay was written by Shuto Tsuyoshi, and storyboarded by Yuyama Kunihiko. Animation was handled by OLM, with the cooperation of Doga Kobo, Yumeta Company, and Studio Cockpit. Character design and chief animation director was Ichiishi Sayuri, and the impressive staff of animation directors included Matsubara Norihiro, Masunaga Keisuke, Taguchi Koichi, Miyata Tadaaki, Tamagawa Akihiro, Fukumoto Masaru, and Tsunaki Aki. Sound direction was handled by Mima Masafumi, and music was composed by famous composers such as Miyazaki Shinji and Komuro Tetsuya. The combined efforts of these staff members resulted in a highly polished film.

Evaluation and impact

"Pokémon the Movie: The Rise of Lugia" was highly praised when it was released, and was supported not only by fans of the Pokémon series, but also by general audiences. In particular, the presence of the mythical Pokémon Lugia and the story of Satoshi and his friends' adventures and growth moved many people. The film also had a major impact on the entire series, further expanding the worldview of Pokémon and reaffirming the appeal of Pokémon. Lugia has continued to play an important role in subsequent games and anime, becoming an iconic presence of Pokémon.

Recommended points

This movie is recommended not only for Pokemon fans, but also for those who want to enjoy a story of adventure and friendship. In particular, the beautiful visuals of Lugia and the story of Satoshi and his friends' growth can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. The music and characters are also appealing. The opening and ending songs liven up the atmosphere of the movie, and the insert songs also stir emotions as the story unfolds. In addition, the personalities of new characters such as Jirarudan and Fleura also enrich the story and attract viewers. This is a must-see for those who want to know more about the world of Pokemon.

Related information

This movie is also related to other works in the Pokemon series. In particular, by watching it together with the TV series "Pokemon" and other movies, you can gain a deeper understanding of the world of Pokemon. Also, in the game "Pokemon Gold and Silver," Lugia appears as an important Pokemon and is linked to the story of the movie. By enjoying these related works, you will be able to feel the charm of Pokemon even more.

Conclusion

"Pokémon the Movie: The Rise of the Mythical Pokémon Lugia" is a work that brings out the charm of the Pokémon series to the fullest, attracting audiences with its visual beauty and moving story. Satoshi and his friends' adventures and growth, Lugia's mysterious presence, and the charm of new characters such as Jirarudaan and Fleura all add to the richness of the film. The music and visuals are also not to be missed, making this a must-see for anyone who wants to learn more about the world of Pokémon. This film is recommended not only for Pokémon fans, but also for those who want to enjoy a story of adventure and friendship.