| Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Japanese theatrical release poster | |||||
| Japanese name | |||||
| Kanji | 劇場版ポケットモンスター ベストウイッシュ キュレムVS聖剣士 ケルディオ | ||||
| Literal meaning | Pocket Monsters Best Wishes! The Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sacred Swordsman: Keldeo | ||||
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| Directed by | Kunihiko Yuyama | ||||
| Screenplay by | Hideki Sonoda | ||||
| Based on | |||||
| Produced by |
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| Starring | seebelow | ||||
| Cinematography | Shinsuke Ikeda | ||||
| Edited by | Toshio Henmi | ||||
| Music by | Shinji Miyazaki | ||||
Production companies | OLM, Inc. OLM Digital | ||||
| Distributed by | Toho | ||||
Release date |
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Running time | 71 minutes | ||||
| Country | Japan | ||||
| Language | Japanese | ||||
| Box office | $46 million[1] | ||||
Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice[a] is a 2012 Japanese animated film produced byOLM, Inc. and distributed byToho. The film was directed byKunihiko Yuyama and written by Hideki Sonoda. It is the 15thanimated installment in thePokémon film series created bySatoshi Tajiri,Junichi Masuda andKen Sugimori.
The film follows Keldeo, a creature known as aPokémon, which is in training to become one of a group of protector Pokémon called the Swords of Justice. The frightened Keldeo flees his battle with the Dragon-type Pokémon Kyurem, which encases the Swords of Justice in ice and pursues Keldeo. The Pokémon trainersAsh Ketchum, Iris, and Cilan assist Keldeo to return to help his friends.
The film celebrates the 90th anniversary of the Japanese manga publisherShogakukan, which published many Pokémon related works. It was released on July 14, 2012 in Japan.
Virizion, Terrakion, and Cobalion belong to a group of LegendaryPokémon called the Swords of Justice, which travel the world to protect people and Pokémon in need of help; Keldeo is in training to become a member of the Swords of Justice. His final challenge before he can become part of the group is to battle Kyurem, a powerful Dragon-type Legendary Pokémon with the ability to wield the power of Reshiram and Zekrom which lives in an abandoned mine. However, the Swords of Justice do not believe that Keldeo is ready.
Keldeo sneaks out to the mine, Full Court, to battle Kyurem, lying to him that he is a Sword of Justice. Kyurem breaks Keldeo's horn, causing Keldeo to become nervous and afraid. The Swords of Justice arrive at the Full Court to try and stop the fight. Angered by this, Kyurem freezes the Swords of Justice in ice. Keldeo runs away in panic, and Kyurem chases after him, announcing that their battle is not over.
Pokémon trainersAsh Ketchum, Iris, and Cilan find the injured Keldeo on top of their train headed for Roshan City. Kyurem arrives with his minions, several Cryogonal, still wanting to continue the fight. However, Kyurem withdraws when the train enters a tunnel. Keldeo is taken to Roshan City's Pokémon Center to be healed. Outside, Ash, Iris, and Cilan agree to help Keldeo and free the Swords of Justice together. Iris commandeers a zeppelin from the city's museum while Cilan uses an abandoned mine cart powered by his Stunfisk to bait Kyurem and the Cryogonal into following them, while Ash and Keldeo sneak away to save the Swords of Justice on foot.
Kyurem returns to the mine to continue the battle. Ash heads to the Full Court with hisPikachu, Pignite, and Boldore to free the Swords of Justice. Infuriated that they are trespassing his home, Kyurem tries to attack them, but Keldeo rescues them, gaining the courage he needs to fight. Kyurem reveals that he already knew that Keldeo had lied about being a Sword of Justice but still accepted his challenge and intends to finish the battle. During the battle, Keldeo unlocks his Resolute Forme and is able to match Kyurem. The battle causes the Full Court to start collapsing, breaking the ice the Swords of Justice were imprisoned, but when one of Kyurem's attacks accidentally gets sent towards Ash and his friends, Keldeo sacrifices his chance to win to protect them and is injured. Keldeo yields to Kyurem, who praises the former for valuing his friends more than victory, and the battle ends.
The Swords of Justice praise Keldeo for finally learning the true power of the sword, which officially makes him the fourth member of the team. The group retreats from the Full Court as it collapses. Kyurem freezes the falling Full Court to prevent being crushed and any more damage from being caused.
As in the previousPokémon films and its anime series, the music is composed byShinji Miyazaki.
The movie's theme song is titled "Memories" (メモリーズ,Memorīzu), which is performed by theBengali-Japanese-Russian model-turned-singerRola.[2] The film's director Kunihiko Yuyama thinks the song will work perfectly for the film itself after he first heard it. Rola also voiced a character in the film named Malin. The single itself was released on July 11, 2012. And the English ending song for this movie is "It's All Inside of You" written by John Loeffler and David Wolfert (who also wrote "Rival Destines" which is performed by Kathryn Raio and Alex Nackman) and performed by Jesse Turner.
| Character | Japanese | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ash Ketchum | Rica Matsumoto | Sarah Natochenny |
| Pikachu | Ikue Ōtani | |
| Iris | Aoi Yūki | Eileen Stevens |
| Cilan | Mamoru Miyano | Jason Griffith |
| Narrator | Unshō Ishizuka | Ken Gates |
Jessie, James, and Meowth make several cameo appearances in this feature but without any spoken dialogue.
Players who purchased a pre-sale ticket of the movie received Keldeo in the video gamesPokémon Black,White,Black 2, orWhite 2.[3]
The film was released in Japan on July 14, 2012 byToho.
Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice premiered in theUnited States onCartoon Network in conjunction withYTV in Canada on December 8, 2012, and premiered in theUnited Kingdom onCITV on December 12, 2012.
Carl Kimlinger, writing forAnime News Network, gave the film an overall grade of C−. He praised the film's visuals and its antagonist Kyurem, writing: "Kyurem is an appropriately frightening antagonist: cold, furious—an unstoppable force of nature. … When he and Keldeo fight, it's fluid and impressively destructive". However, he criticized the character of Keldeo as a whole, writing: "He is maybe the single dorkiest character to come out of the franchise to date. … He looks like a jester crossed with aMy Little Pony, as interpreted byOsamu Tezuka at his precious, anthropomorphizing worst", and added: "Every time you're about to lose yourself in the thrilling spectacle of it all, Keldeo's goony mug intrudes and wrecks all of the work that directorKunihiko Yuyama and his team atOriental Light and Magic have done." Kimlinger concluded: "it has enough color and action to engage younger young'uns through its brief hour-fifteen running time, and like every otherPokémon property it's thoroughly harmless", and added: "as for those of us who have critical faculties… the sooner we can forget the film, and Keldeo's button-eyed horsey face, the better."[4]
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