Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life

Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life
English Poster & DVD Cover
Directed by	Kunihiko Yuyama
Produced by	Takemoto Mori Junya Okamoto Mikihiko Yanagisawa Chōji Yoshikawa
Written by	Hideki Sonoda
Starring	(Japanese): Rica Matsumoto Megumi Toyoguchi Yūji Ueda Inuko Inuyama Shin-ichiro Miki Megumi Hayashibara Kii Kitano Masahiro Takashima Kōichi Yamadera Akihiro Miwa (English): Sarah Natochenny Emily Bauer Bill Rogers Jimmy Zoppi Michele Knotz Evelyn Lanto Wayne Grayson DAN GREEN Jason Griffith Tim Werenko Bella Hudson Marc Thompson Tom Wayland (Both): Ikue Ōtani Shoko Nakagawa
Music by	Shinji Miyazaki
Cinematography	Takaya Mizutani
Studio	OLM, Inc.
Distributed by	Toho (Japan) Universal Pictures (International)
Release date(s)	July 18, 2009 (2009-07-18)
Running time	94 minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese
Box office	$48,687,041[1]

Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life, originally released in Japan as Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl the Movie: Arceus: To the Conquering of Space-Time (劇場版ポケットモンスター ダイヤモンド&パール アルセウス 超克の時空へ, Gekijōban Poketto Monsutā Daiyamondo ando Pāru: Aruseusu Chōkoku no Jikū e^?), is a 2009 Japanese animated film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama. It is the twelfth Pokémon film and the third in the Diamond & Pearl trilogy. This film so far has earned US$50.2 million in Japan, making it the highest grossing animated film of the year in that country, beating Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance and Case Closed: The Raven Chaser.^[2] The English language dub was aired on November 6, 2009 in Australia, November 20, 2009 in the United States on Cartoon Network, on May 28, 2010 in the United Kingdom on Disney XD UK and The Spanish language dub was aired on Spain April 4, 2010 on Disney XD and Latin America on November 21, 2010 on Cartoon Network. This marks the first time that a Pokémon feature film has made its U.S. debut in the same year as its original Japanese release. The theme song of the film is "Kokoro no Antenna" by Shoko Nakagawa.

The movie's fictitious setting is based on various locations in Greece, which the director and producers visited during August 2008. Among the locations they visited and have been used as inspiration for the movie were the Acropolis, Mycenae, Delphi, Metéora.

Production

The film's director, Kunihiko Yuyama, stated that in the film Arceus was depicted as being nature, the Jewel of Life as being the Sun, with the end goal of making people contemplate how the natural world is essential for the survival of all life. In Japan, the movie was distributed by Toho, best known for creating Godzilla.^[3]

Cast

Main article: List of characters in the Pokémon anime series

Regular characters

• Rica Matsumoto (Sarah Natochenny in the English adaption) as Satoshi (Ash Ketchum in the English adaption)
• Ikue Ōtani as Pikachu
• Yūji Ueda (Bill Rogers in the English adaption) as Takeshi (Brock in the English adaption)
• Megumi Toyoguchi (Emily Bauer in the English adaption) as Hikari (Dawn in the English adaption)
• Etsuko Kozakura (Michele Knotz in the English adaption) as Pochama (Piplup in the English adaption)
• Megumi Hayashibara (Michele Knotz in the English adaption) as Musashi (Jessie in the English adaption)
• Shinichirō Miki (Jimmy Zoppi in the English adaption) as Kojirō (James in the English adaption)
• Inuko Inuyama (Jimmy Zoppi in the English adaption) as Nyarth (Meowth in the English adaption)
• Satoshi's Pokémon:
  • Shinichirō Miki (Jimmy Zoppi in the English adaption) as Hayashigame (Grotle in the English adaption)
  • Megumi Hayashibara (Bill Rogers in the English adaption) as Mōukazaru (Monferno in the English adaption)
  • Katsuyuki Konishi (Sarah Natochenny in the English adaption) as Mukuhawk (Staraptor in the English adaption)
  • Kiyotaka Furushima as Buizel
  • Katsuyuki Konishi (Marc Thompson in the English adaption) as Glion (Gliscor in the English adaption)
• Takeshi's Pokémon:
  • Katsuyuki Konishi (Bill Rogers in the English adaption) as Gureggru (Croagunk in the English adaption)
  • Daisuke Sakaguchi (Bill Rogers in the English adaption) as Usokkie (Sudowoodo in the English adaption)
  • Miyako Itō (Emily Bauer in the English adaption) as Pinpuku (Happiny in the English adaption)
• Hikari's Pokémon:
  • Satsuki Yukino (Sarah Natochenny in the English adaption) as Mimirol (Buneary in the English adaption)
  • Chinami Nishimura as Pachirisu
  • Unshō Ishizuka (Bill Rogers in the English adaption) as Mammoo (Mamoswine in the English adaption)
• Unshō Ishizuka (Rodger Parsons in the English adaption) as the Narrator

Guest characters

• Kii Kitano (Evelyn Lanto in the English adaption) as Sheena: A girl who has the power to communicate with the hearts of people and Pokémon. She is Damos's descendant and seeks to right the wrongs he committed in the past, later traveling back in time to do so.
• Masahiro Takashima (Dan Green in the English adaption) as Damos: The man who saved Arceus and received the Jewel of Life, and was believed to later have betrayed it. He appears when the protagonists travel back in time and joins them.
• Kōichi Yamadera (Jason Griffith in the English adaption) as Gishin (Marcus in the English adaption): Damos's assistant, and the main antagonist who will do anything to ensure Michina Town's continued prosperity. His Pokémon are Heatran and Bronzong, both controlled by magical armor.

Sub-characters

• Yuzuru Fujimoto (Marc Thompson in the English adaption) as Tapp: An elderly man with a laid-back attitude who guards Marcus's jail cell.
• Yūji Kishi (Wayne Grayson in the English adaption) as Kevin: Sheena's assistant in guarding the temple of Michina, as well as her boyfriend.
• Motoko Kumai (Tom Wayland in the English adaption) as Kanta (Kato in the English adaption): A boy who challenges Ash and Dawn to a tag battle in the movie's opening. Uses Heracross.
• Kei Shindō (Bella Hudson in the English adaption) as Kako (Kiko in the English adaption): Kato's tag battle partner and friend. She uses Beautifly.
• Hiroshi Yamamoto as the Villager: A follower of Marcus who prepares food with the forced aid of a Chikorita and Cyndaquil.
• Ryūji Akiyama as Soldier B: A member of Marcus's army.
• Hiroyuki Baba as Soldier D: A member of Marcus's army.

Guest Pokémon

• Akihiro Miwa (Tom Wayland in the English adaption) as Arceus: The central character of the film. Arceus protected the world from a meteor strike and was healed by Damos, so in gratitude it loaned him the Jewel of Life. However, Damos stole the Jewel and betrayed Arceus.
• Dialga
• Palkia
• Giratina
• Shōko Nakagawa (Kayzie Rogers in the English adaption as the Gizamimi Pichu (The Spiky-Eared Pichu in the English adaption): A special Pichu befriended by Damos.
• Chikorita
• Hinoarashi (Cyndaquil in the English adaption)
• Waninoko (Totodile in the English adaption)
• Kenta Miyake (Tom Wayland in the English adaption) as Heatran: One of Marcus's enslaved Pokémon. Has the ability to walk on walls.
• Chikara Ōsaka as Gablias (Garchomp in the English adaption): A Pokémon seen in the film's prologue, used by Champion Master Cynthia.
• Hideki Nakanishi as Nidoran♂
• Takafumi Kawakami as Nidorina
• Tsutomu Densaka as Yanyanma (Yanma in the English adaption)
• Mika Teratani as Kimawari (Sunflora in the English adaption)
• Madoka Yonezawa as Nidoran♀

References

1. ^ http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/japan/yearly/?yr=2009&p=.htm
2. ^ http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-01-04/2009-top-anime-movies-at-japanese-box-office
3. ^ Yuyama, Kunihiko. "Thanks" (in Japanese). Pokemon-movie.jp. http://www.pokemon-movie.jp/thanks/. 

External links

• Official site (Japanese)
• Official site (English)