PikaPool

With the release of the trailer for the movie version of the game Detective Pikachu, there's something that becomes relevant. So those who play or have played the game know that in the game, the protagonist Pikachu talks understandably to the main human character, which is also the case in the upcoming movie. In it, Pikachu is voiced by Ryan Reynolds. Of course, Ryan Reynolds is also well-known (and more identifiable) for playing another, much dirtier role: Deadpool, the anti-hero with his own movie series. Putting together the two phenomena, this results in the term "PikaPool", which becomes odd and yet fascinating.

This term is both objective and satirical. Anyone with sufficient knowledge and appreciation for both series will likely cross them over, and in fact, this has happened at least once. Arguably though, Pikachu being voiced by the very person that plays Deadpool is one step on the path of this crossover. And yet, the choice of Ryan Reynolds for the role may seem questionable. Why would someone with such a well-known mad role fill in a role that is well-known for being affectionate? And wouldn't it lead to this linking, which it has?

Looking at Ryan's filmography, though, he has had experiences playing different characters in different genres. He has played roles in action, thriller, comedy, fantasy, and science fiction movies, and has even done voice work for a couple of animated films as well as a documentary. That's an impressive resume, and the voice work is a total plus for something like Pokémon. The game itself, based on what little I've played so far, is action-adventure with some fantasy and comedy thrown in, and this is pretty much the case for the movie, so it makes perfect sense. Also, many of Ryan's characters are quite adult-oriented, so it would seem nice to satisfy younger audiences at times. He has children, after all.

Jokes aside, I have to say that I really enjoy Ryan's voice as Pikachu. I don't see anything too wrong with that, and I dare say that there couldn't have been a better English voice actor for the specific character context. Detective Pikachu isn't like any other Pikachu; it has its own personality and quirks that a voice profile like that of Ikue Ootani, the standard voice of Pikachu, wouldn't suffice for. Detective Pikachu in the game is quite bossy and serious, which is in contrast to the cutesy profile of the standard voice; even so, the trailer concedes that what other human characters hear is the cutesy voice, and what the main human character hears is the serious voice. With Ryan Reynolds, this character just went to the next level (some pun intended).

Through the success of Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds has become inextricable from the character, much like how Pikachu is inextricable from Pokémon. And now, these two inextricable elements meet in a single movie which has become a phenomenon of its own. I say there's nothing wrong with that; Ryan's history supports this to happen, and as the trailer has shown, the results can be hilarious and yet still great. Given that the movie may prove to be a potential big hit, if its trailer and responses to it are any indication, we'll likely be having "PikaPool" on our minds for quite some time.

One year ago: Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon Unleashed