Pokémon Pikachu's Great Ice Adventure - A thorough review of the excitement and adventure in a frozen world

Pokémon Pikachu's Great Ice Adventure - A story of special summer adventure and friendship

■ Public Media

event

■ Original Media

game

■ Release date

August 1, 2008 - August 31, 2008

■ How it first appeared

ANA In-Flight Screening

■Frequencies

23 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

■Works

©Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK, TV Tokyo, ShoPro, JR Kikaku ©Pokémon ©2008 Pikachu Project

■ Story

Pikachu and his friends went to play at the beach in the summer, but they got into a big fight with Meowth and his friends over the playground. Suddenly, a huge snowstorm blew in and they were all blown away. When they woke up, they found themselves surrounded by a "world of ice." The snowstorm also separated Pikachu and his friends. Will they be able to return to their original place?

■Explanation

An original animation based on the game of the same name, which was shown exclusively on ANA flights in the summer of 2008. No Pokemon trainers appear, and the story unfolds only with the Pokemon. Pikachu and his friends go to the beach to play in the summer, but there they meet the News and friends, and end up fighting over a play space, leading to a huge fight. However, in the middle of the fight, a blizzard suddenly occurs, and everyone is blown away. When Pikachu wakes up, he finds that his friends are no longer around him, and the world is completely covered in ice. Pikachu sets out on an adventure to return to his original world, but... *Quoted from Tsutaya's official website

■Cast

・Pikachu, Manect / Ikue Otani・Pochama / Etsuko Kozakura・Hikozaru, Yukimenoko / Megumi Hayashibara・Buizel, Starbird, Mega Dragonfly / Kiyotaka Furushima・Turtwig, Todzerga, Yukikaburi / Shinichiro Miki・Gliss, Greninja / Katsuyuki Konishi・Splatoon, Snake, Solrock / Chie Sato・Mimilo, Glaceon / Tomoko Kawakami・Pachirisu / Chinami Nishimura・Lisbon, Squid, Dugong / Daisuke Sakaguchi・Foxtrot, Snorlax / Miyako Ito・Meowth, Swinub / Inuko Inuyama・Woof / Yuji Ueda・Marill, Spotted seal / Mika Kanai・Wailord, Yukinoa / Kenta Miyake・Narration / Kenyu Horiuchi

■ Main staff

・Original story: Satoshi Tajiri, Junichi Masuda, Ken Sugimori ・Director: Kunihiko Yuyama ・Screenplay: Aya Matsui ・Storyboard: Yuji Asada ・Direction: Yuji Asada ・Chief animation director: Akihiro Tamagawa ・Chief animation director: Toshiya Yamada ・Sound director: Masafumi Mima ・Animation production: OLM ・Production: Shogakukan Shueisha Productions ・Production: Pikachu Project

■ Related works

・Pokémon series

■ Theme songs and music

・ED1
・Follow Me ・Lyrics by Choji Yoshikawa ・Music by Kazuzumi Mitsutome ・Arrangement by Kazuzumi Mitsutome ・Singer by Fumie Akiyoshi & Pokemon Kids 2008

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

■ Background and production of the work

"Pokémon: Pikachu's Great Ice Adventure" is a special animated film that was shown exclusively on ANA flights in the summer of 2008. This work is based on the Pokémon series of games and is very unique in that it is a story about Pokémon only, without any Pokémon trainers. The director is Kunihiko Yuyama, whose experience and talent give the work depth. The animation was produced by OLM, which achieved beautiful visuals and smooth movements.

■ The appeal of the story

The story begins with Pikachu and his friends playing at the beach in summer, when they get into a big fight with Meowth and his friends over the playground. This scene portrays the lively friendship between Pokemon and has the effect of drawing the viewer in. A sudden snowstorm sends Pikachu and his friends flying into an icy world, surprising and exciting the viewer. Pikachu reunites with his friends and goes on an adventure to return to his world, teaching the importance of friendship and cooperation. This story deals with universal themes that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

■Charm of the characters

Although the characters in this work are simply Pokemon, each one is unique and charming. Pikachu shows leadership and courage, leading his friends. The story begins with a conflict with Meowth, but the process of it eventually turning into a friendship is moving. The other Pokemon also make use of their own personalities to liven up the story. For example, Piplup's humorous behavior and Hikozaru's bravery will make viewers smile and be moved.

■Visuals and Music

Visually, the icy world is beautifully drawn, making it highly visually appealing. OLM's drawings realistically depict the movements of the Pokémon, conveying both the coldness and beauty of the icy world. Musically, the memorable ending theme, "Follow Me, Fall in Love," adds excitement to the Pokémon's adventure. The vocals by Akiyoshi Fumie and Pokémon Kids 2008 make the story more accessible to children, doubling the impact of the story.

■ Recommendation points

This film is recommended not only for fans of the Pokémon series, but also for general audiences. It is especially suitable for children who want to learn the importance of friendship and cooperation. In addition, the beautiful visuals and moving story are enjoyable for adults as well. This film was released in a special format as an in-flight screening only on ANA, so there are limited opportunities to see it, so if you come across it, you should definitely watch it.

■ Comparison with related works

There are many films in the Pokémon series, but Pikachu: Great Ice Adventure has a unique position among them. It stands out from the others in that it does not feature Pokémon trainers. The limited screening format is also different from other films, providing a special experience. In the entire series, this film is praised as one that purely depicts the themes of friendship and adventure.

■ How to watch and access

This work was only shown on ANA flights in the summer of 2008, so there are currently limited ways to watch it in general. However, it may be shown again at official Pokemon events or special screenings. Also, since it has not been packaged as a DVD or Blu-ray, you will need to check the official information to watch it. We recommend following Pokemon fan sites and official SNS accounts to keep up with the latest information.

■ Summary

"Pokémon: Pikachu's Great Ice Adventure" is a special animated film that tells the story of adventure and friendship between Pokémon. The beautiful visuals and moving story are enjoyable for both children and adults. Since it is a limited screening, there are limited opportunities to see it, so if you come across it, you should definitely watch it. It is recommended not only for fans of the Pokémon series, but also for those who want to enjoy a story of friendship and adventure.