The Detective Goes Live!!

It might seem like I've missed the boat on this, but I've been observant instead and waiting for the best time to write about it - and that time is now. Three days ago, a movie teaser trailer took Pokémon fans (and many movie fans as well) by storm. That teaser trailer is for Pokémon: Detective Pikachu, which - as you might be able to guess - is a movie based on the game of the same title, something that I've briefly discussed previously. It has sparked many reactions based on what has been shown in the trailer, which holds some major significance.

First up, and most important, is that this is the first ever live-action Pokémon movie. A long time ago, there was a live theatrical adaptation of Pokémon, but that's in a quite different context. This movie is the first screen adaptation that uses real people in its scenes. Of course, Pokémon themselves aren't quite real, but through the magic of imagery, they can be made to come to life and coexist on screen along with real people, which is what happens here. And that leads to an issue of its own.

The Pokémon in the movie, as shown in the trailer, seem realistic enough for many, but on the other hand, it could be hyper-realistic as well. Fur on Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and even Jigglypuff appears quite noticeable and perhaps a bit unnatural; the treatment of Pikachu also recalls a certain live-action movie with an animated doll. Even so, as Pikachu is technically a mouse, and mice have fur-like hair, this seems to make sense. Other Pokémon like Greninja and Charizard appear to be depicted as reptilians, which also make sense to some extent, though also slightly forced. The general consensus is that they appear good, but perhaps a bit too good.

Comparing the game and the movie, both appear to have roughly similar premises: the protagonist tags up with a Pikachu that only the protagonist understands, in a quest for the protagonist's missing father. In fact, the setting (Ryme City) and the protagonist's name (Tim Goodman) are the same as they are in the game. Comparing plot details to a finer level will require me to buy the full game and play it pronto, before the movie comes out. As well, there is one more detail that is odd, finicky, debatable, and controversial, and is a hallmark of the game that is upended in the movie... but that deserves a post of its own.

Personally, ever since the trailer came out, I've been replaying it to see what hidden details I could find, in addition to simply enjoying the trailer. And there are quite a bit of those, trust me. The fact that I have been replaying the trailer many times now means that I've taken a liking to this movie, no matter how it will play out when it's released. Naturally, many of my friends know that I'm a Pokémon fan, so I received word upon the release of the trailer from them, and I even forwarded the word to one of my Pokémon groups. It may potentially become something that we can all enjoy together.

If things look good now, then it might be worth waiting six months, because summer next year is when this breakthrough movie is released. Until then, there might be a few more details released, and that will likely spur greater interest in this movie. And then there's also time to get and play the game that becomes the basis for this movie. By the time this movie comes out, I will likely not miss the boat, but be in the same boat with the Pokémon fans and movie fans who are highly expectant of this very different take on Pokémon.

One year ago: Go My Dear One, and Pursue Your Dreams