Appeal and evaluation of the Pokémon movie "Guardians of the Water Capital: Latias and Latios"

Pokémon the Movie: Guardians of the Water Capital: Latias and Latios

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

game

■ Release date

July 13, 2002 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toho

■Frequencies

72 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Original story: Satoshi Tajiri, Junichi Masuda, Ken Sugimori

■ Director

・Director: Kunihiko Yuyama

■ Production

Animation Production: OLM Production: Shogakukan Shueisha Productions Production: Pikachu Project Distribution: Toho

■Works

© Pikachu Project (The Pokémon Company, Shogakukan, TV Tokyo, Media Factory, Tomy, JR East Planning, OLM, Shogakukan Shueisha Productions)
©Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK, TV Tokyo, ShoPro, JR Kikaku ©Pokémon
©2002 Pikachu Project

■ Story

Altomare is a water city that is said to be the most beautiful city in the world. There, Satoshi meets two Pokemon with mysterious skills, Latias and Latios. Latios is the brother and Latias is the sister, and they are very close, guarding the town's treasure, the Drop of Heart.

The phantom thief sisters Zanna and Lyon are after this treasure. Satoshi, Pikachu and friends get caught up in an incident caused by them. When the hidden seal is released, the town is hit by a major flood. Satoshi and Pikachu run through the water city to get back the stolen "Teardrop of the Heart"!

■Explanation

"Pokémon the Movie: Latias and Latios, Guardians of the Water Capital," released in 2002, is one of the Pokémon movie series, and is a story of adventure and friendship set in the water city of Altomare. This work further deepened the world of Pokémon and captivated audiences with its visual beauty and moving story. "Pika Pika Starry Sky Camp" was shown at the same time, and it is a film that can be enjoyed by both children and adults.

The most appealing aspect of this film is the depiction of the beautiful water city of Altomare. The technical capabilities of animation production company OLM are fully demonstrated, and the beautiful images, with attention to detail such as the cityscape reflected on the water's surface and the movement of the gondolas, draw the audience in. In addition, the brotherly love between Latias and Latios and the bond between Satoshi and Pikachu are depicted, making it not only visually beautiful but also a touching story that is a major attraction.

In addition, the incidents caused by the phantom thief sisters Zanna and Leon, and the adventure surrounding the treasure "Teardrop of the Heart" stimulate children's sense of adventure and draw them into the story. The scene where Satoshi and Pikachu run through the water city is particularly exciting, moving and thrilling the audience.

This film is a must-see not only for fans of the Pokémon series, but for everyone who loves animated films. This film combines beautiful images with a moving story, and you'll discover something new no matter how many times you watch it.

■Cast

・Satoshi/Rika Matsumoto・Pikachu/Ikue Otani・Kasumi/Masayumi Iizuka・Takeshi/Yuji Ueda・Musashi/Megumi Hayashibara・Kojiro/Shinichiro Miki・Meowth/Inuko Inuyama・Zannah/Uno Kanda・Rion/Yumiko Shaku・Vongola/Yuzo Gucci・Zannah/Koichi Yamadera・Announcer/Taichiro Hirokawa・Narration/Unsho Ishizuka

■ Main staff

・Screenplay/Sonoda Hideki ・Storyboard/Yuyama Kunihiko, Mouri Kazuaki, Nagahama Hiroshi ・Direction/Ochi Hirohito, Suzuki Rinryuu, Asada Yuji, Izama Kiyotaka ・Character design/Ichiishi Sayuri, Matsubara Norihiro, Tamagawa Akihiro ・Design works/Chikanaga Kenichi, Goto Masayuki, Koresawa Shigeyuki, Mouri Kazuaki ・Chief animation director/Tamagawa Akihiro, Inoue Yuko, Matsubara Norihiro, Mouri Kazuaki, Takahashi Eikichi, Tsuji Hatsuki, Ikeda Kazumi ・Sound director/Mima Masafumi

■ Main Characters

・Kanon The granddaughter of the Vongola family who loves to draw. Her drawings are important clues that point to the existence of Latias and Latios. As someone who knows the secret of the treasure "Heart Drops", Kanon will support Satoshi and his friends on their adventure.

・Vongola A gondola craftsman from Altomare who has been guarding the secret garden for generations. He reveals the secret of the treasure "Teardrop of the Heart" to Satoshi and his friends, providing key information to the story. The Vongola are important characters who symbolize the history and culture of Altomare.

・Zannah The older sister of the phantom thief sisters. Together with Leon, she steals the "Teardrop of the Heart" that the Vongola have been protecting. Her actions as she races through Altomare using high-tech machines add even more excitement to Satoshi and friends' adventure. Zannah's character exudes a fascinating presence despite being a villain.

・Lion is the younger sister of the phantom thief sisters. She deciphers the secret of the incredible power of the stolen "Heart Drops" and activates the ancient machine. Along with Zanna, Lion plays an important role in heightening the tension of the story. Her knowledge and skills will have a major impact on the development of the story.

Rossi is a gondolier from Altomare. He meets Satoshi and his friends when they participate in the Pokémon Water Race, and takes them on a gondola ride to show them around the town. Rossi is an important character who conveys the charm of Altomare, and supports Satoshi and his friends on their adventures.

■ Related works

The story and characters of the film are introduced in Shogakukan's school magazines in a way that is easy for children to understand. Many related goods are also on sale, allowing you to enjoy the world of the film. It is also linked to the Pokémon games and TV series, making it a work that fans cannot miss.

■ Theme songs and music

・OP
・Aim to be a Pokemon Master 2002
Lyrics: Shogo Toda; Composition: Hirokazu Tanaka; Arrangement: coba
・Vocals & Performance: coba & Rika Matsumoto (Toshiba EMI)

・ED
・You're not alone!
・Lyrics by Kazufumi Miyazawa ・Composition by coba
・Arrangement: coba
・Vocals & Performance: coba & Kazufumi Miyazawa (Toshiba EMI)

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"Pokémon the Movie: Latias and Latios, Guardians of the Water Capital" is one of the most highly acclaimed movies in the Pokémon series. The reason for this is the fusion of beautiful visuals and a moving story. The depiction of the water capital, Altomare, is not only visually beautiful, but also plays an important role as the backdrop for the story. In addition, the depiction of the brotherly love between Latias and Latios and the bond between Satoshi and Pikachu makes it not only visually beautiful, but also a heartwarming story that is a major attraction.

The incidents caused by the phantom thief sisters Zanna and Leon, and the adventure surrounding the treasure "Teardrop of the Heart" stimulate children's sense of adventure and draw them into the story. The scene where Satoshi and Pikachu run through the water city is particularly exciting, moving and thrilling the audience.

This film is a must-see not only for fans of the Pokémon series, but for everyone who loves animated films. This film combines beautiful images with a moving story, and no matter how many times you watch it, you will always find something new. You can also enjoy the film even more deeply through related merchandise and Shogakukan's school magazines.

The recommended points are as follows:

• Beautiful visuals: The depiction of the water city of Altomare is not only visually beautiful, but also plays an important role as the backdrop for the story.
• A moving story: The brotherly love between Latias and Latios, as well as the bond between Satoshi and Pikachu, make for a touching story.
• Exciting adventures: The incidents caused by the phantom thief sisters Zanna and Lion, and the adventure surrounding the treasure "Tears of the Heart" will stimulate children's sense of adventure.
• Related merchandise and media: You can enjoy the series even more through related merchandise and Shogakukan's magazines for each school year.

For these reasons, I would like to recommend "Pokémon the Movie: Latias and Latios, Guardians of the Water Capital" not only to fans of the Pokémon series, but to everyone who loves animated movies. This movie combines beautiful images with a moving story, and you will discover something new no matter how many times you watch it.