Pokémon the Movie: Black—Victini and Reshiram and White—Victini and Zekrom

Pokémon the Movie: Black—Victini and Reshiram[lower-alpha 3] and Pokémon the Movie: White—Victini and Zekrom[lower-alpha 4] are a pair of 2011 Japanese animated films produced by OLM, Inc., Production I.G and Xebec and distributed by Toho. The film was directed by Kunihiko Yuyama from a screenplay by Hideki Sonoda. The two-parter film is the 14th animated installment in the Pokémon film series created by Satoshi Tajiri, Junichi Masuda and Ken Sugimori.

"Pokémon the Movie: White—Victini and Zekrom" redirects here. For the manga, see List of Pokémon volumes.
Pokémon the Movie
Black—Victini and Reshiram and
White—Victini and Zekrom
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 ビクティニと白き英雄 レシラム / 劇場版ポケットモンスター ベストウイッシュ ビクティニと黒き英雄 ゼクロム
Literal meaningPocket Monsters Best Wishes! The Movie: Victini and the White Hero: Reshiram / Pocket Monsters Best Wishes! The Movie: Victini and the Black Hero: Zekrom
Transcriptions
Revised HepburnGekijōban Poketto Monsutā Besuto Uisshu Bikutini to Shiroki Eiyū Reshiramu / Gekijōban Poketto Monsutā Besuto Uisshu Bikutini to Kuroki Eiyū Zekuromu
Directed byKunihiko Yuyama
Written byHideki Sonoda
Based on
Pokémon: Best Wishes!
by
Produced byTakemoto Mori
Choji Yoshikawa
Yukio Kawasaki
Junya Okamoto
Koichi Kawase
StarringSee below
CinematographyShinsuke Ikeda
Edited byToshio Henmi
Music byShinji Miyazaki[lower-alpha 1]
Akifumi Tada[lower-alpha 2]
Kazuhiko Sawaguchi[lower-alpha 2]
Production
companies
Distributed byToho
Release date
  • July 16, 2011 (2011-07-16) (Japan)
Running time
92 minutes (each), 184 minutes (total)
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese
Box office$57.1 million[1]

The two films follow a similar plot. Both films follow a man called Damon, descended from the residents of a dead kingdom called the Kingdom of the Vale. In Black—Victini and Reshiram, he finds Zekrom, a dragon-like creature known as a Pokémon to fulfill his ideals. In White—Victini and Zekrom, he finds the Pokémon Reshiram to find the truth. In both films, the dragon leads Damon to pilot the town's floating castle with the powers of the Pokémon Victini in an attempt to restore his old kingdom and reunite the People of the Vale that have scattered over the past thousand years.

The films were released on July 16, 2011 and grossed over $57 million in Japan. The two sides of Every Little Thing's double A-side single "Sora/Koe" (宙 -そら-/響 -こえ-, lit. "Air/Voice") serve as the ending songs for the two films;[2] "Sora" is the theme for the Zekrom version and "Koe" is the theme for the Reshiram version.[3]

Plot

The two films follow a similar plot with some major and minor changes, notably the Pokémon that appear and where they appear. In Black—Victini and Reshiram, Damon finds Zekrom under the castle to fulfill his ideals, while Ash finds Reshiram to find the truth. The roles are swapped in White—Victini and Zekrom. Damon has a Gothitelle in Black—Victini and Reshiram and a Reuniclus in White—Victini and Zekrom.

1,000 years ago, Victini, a Pokémon which can boost the power of other Pokémon, was friends with the king of the Kingdom of the Vale, who ruled over the People of the Vale. The people and Pokémon in the kingdom used an energy source called the Dragon Force to live in harmony with nature. The king's sons were accompanied by the black and white dragon Pokémon, Reshiram and Zekrom, but the princes became enemies leading to a war between Reshiram and Zekrom, who mortally wounded each other, transforming into stones and fell into a long slumber. The Dragon Force grew destructive. To contain the energy, the king created a dark magical barrier around the castle using the Pillars of Protection to use Victini's powers to make the Psychic type Pokémon move the castle known as the Sword of the Vale to the mountaintop where Eindoak Town now stands. The king used up his magic power and died and Victini was trapped in the barrier isolated by the Pillars of Protection. Over time, the People of the Vale scattered, leaving Victini inside the barrier. Eventually, the chaos within the Dragon Force subsided. The two princes were filled of deep remorse, and they moved the stoned Reshiram and Zekrom to a cave beneath the castle.

In the present, the vale has become inhospitable. Damon, a descendant of the People of the Vale, hopes to restore the vale using Victini's powers and reunite the scattered People of the Vale, based on his mother Juanita's wish during his childhood. He finds either Zekrom or Reshiram after hearing the dragon Pokémon's voice in the caves beneath the castle. Unaware that doing so would threaten the Dragon Force to destroy the entire world, Zekrom or Reshiram shows Damon how to move the castle and use the Dragon Force's energy.

At Eindoak Town's harvest festival, the Pokémon trainers Ash Ketchum, Iris and Cilan take part in a Pokémon battle competition. Damon's sister Carlita notices Victini has been giving Ash's Tepig and Scraggy power boosts. Ash offers Victini some of Cilan's macarons and he and his friends befriend Victini. The next day, Ash promises to take Victini to the ocean, but Damon then forces Victini to use its power to help move the castle and redirect the Dragon Force's power to the vale. Ash and Juanita try to stop Damon from harming Victini, but their attempts are thwarted by Zekrom and Damon's Gothitelle or by Reshiram and Damon's Reuniclus. Ash ventures into the caves and finds Reshiram or Zekrom to help Victini. As Reshiram and Zekrom duel, both spot the destructive Dragon Force and join forces to stop it.

Zekrom or Reshiram releases Victini and Damon is shown the Dragon Force, prompting him to use the castle to contain the unstable power with help from Reshiram and Zekrom. The group evacuate the castle, but Damon wants to try and fix the mess he has made and Victini remains trapped by the barrier with Ash and Pikachu not wanting to leave Victini, as the Dragon Force's power grows deadlier and the castle floats up into the sky. Victini appears to sacrifice itself to blast apart the barrier by using its signature move V-Create, the contained Dragon Force energy being fired into space. Damon, Reshiram and Zekrom guide the castle to the edge of the sea, and seal away the Dragon Force once again.

Later, Ash, Iris and Cilan visit a nearby beach in Victini's memory, tossing one of Cilan's macarons into the ocean. Victini appears and eats it, now free of the barrier (and somehow having survived the ordeal of using V-Create to destroy the Pillars of Protection and the barrier) and has plans to restore the valley its own way. Damon begs for forgiveness, receiving it from Juanita.

Cast
Main article: List of characters in the Pokémon anime series

Regular characters
Character Voice Actor (Japanese) Voice Actor (English)
Ash Rica Matsumoto Sarah Natochenny
Pikachu Ikue Ōtani
Iris Aoi Yūki Eileen Stevens
Cilan Mamoru Miyano Jason Griffith
Jessie Megumi Hayashibara Michele Knotz
James Shin-ichiro Miki Carter Cathcart
Meowth Inuko Inuyama
Narrator Unshō Ishizuka Rodger Parsons

Guest characters
  • Damon (ドレッド, Doreddo, Dread): A protagonist with an antagonistic side. In White—Victini and Zekrom, he dresses in lighter clothing and uses a Reuniclus in battle. In Black—Victini and Reshiram, he dresses in winter clothing and uses a Gothitelle in battle. In both films he wishes to use the legend of the People of the Vale to bring their kingdom back to power and uses Victini to that end.
  • Carlita (カリータ, Karīta, Karita): Damon's younger sister who uses a Hydreigon in Pokémon battles. In White, the Hydreigon is shiny.
  • Juanita (ジャンタ, Janta, Jeanta): Damon and Carlita's mother who owns a shop where she is assisted by her Golurk. In Black, the Golurk is shiny.
  • Mannes (モーモント, Mōmonto, Mormont): Mayor of the city of Eindoak who is knowledgeable in the Victini myth.
  • Luisa (セード, Sēdo, Seyde): A child of the People of the Vale.
  • Luis (オード, Ōdo, Aude): A child of the People of the Vale.
  • Victini (ビクティニ, Bikutini): A Legendary Pokémon living in Eindoak. It is said it has mysterious powers Victini can share to someone it befriends to.

Production

The production team visited locations of the Alpes-Maritimes department of Southern France, including Nice,[4] Gourdon,[5] Tourrettes-sur-Loup,[6][7] Èze,[8] Roquebrune-Cap-Martin,[9][10] Sainte-Agnès, Peillon, and Cagnes-sur-Mer,[11][12] as well as visits to the French Riviera, Normandy, Paris,[13] and Mont Saint-Michel,[14] as inspiration for the setting of the films.

Promotion

To promote the films in Japan, players of Pokémon Black and White were able to download a Victini for their games. This Victini was different from the one that was given to initially promote the video games' release, as it was given several attacks that it would not be able to learn throughout normal gameplay. This included its signature moves Searing Shot and V-Create (unobtainable in gameplay), as well as Reshiram and Zekrom's unique moves Fusion Flare and Fusion Bolt.

To promote the movie release in the US, it was announced on the official US Pokémon website that starting on December 3, 2011 to December 31, 2011, players of Pokémon Black and White could download Victini to their games through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. This Victini also included its signature moves Searing Shot and V-Create (unobtainable in gameplay), as well as Reshiram and Zekrom's unique moves Fusion Flare and Fusion Bolt and held a Fire Gem.[15] A bonus manga sampler of Pokémon Black and White was also given away at theaters playing Pokémon the Movie:White—Victini and Zekrom. A sweepstakes also took place on the official site as a promotion for the movie.[16] A second promotion was released in the US for the DVD release of the movies. Between March 10, 2012 and April 8, 2012 players were able to download a level 100 Reshiram or a level 100 Zekrom depending on which version the player had through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. When players who "tucked in" Reshiram (or Zekrom) using the Game Sync in their game both Pokémon unlocked a special C-Gear skin of the Pokémon they received, as well as a special place in the Dream World on the Pokémon Global Link site where a special password could be obtained to get a special Victini doll for the user's house in the Dream World.[17]

Release

Theatrical run

Pokémon The Movie: White—Victini and Zekrom received a limited theatrical release in the United States by the digital cinema developer and distributor, Cinedigm, on December 3 and 4, 2011. This made it the first Pokémon film to be screened in American theatres since Pokémon Heroes.

Broadcast airing

Pokémon the Movie: Black—Victini and Reshiram aired on Disney XD in the United Kingdom and Cartoon Network in the United States on December 10, 2011. Pokémon the Movie: White—Victini and Zekrom aired on Cartoon Network on February 11, 2012.[18]

Home media

A two-disc DVD set was released in the United States on April 3, 2012.[19] The movies were released in the UK by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on April 9, 2012.[20] They were both later re-released in the UK on DVD by Manga Entertainment. On April 17, 2019 as part of the Black and White Movie Collection, along with the other two Black and White movies; Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice and Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened, before both being re-released again as a separate single disc release on September 2, 2019.

Notes
  1. In Black—Victini and Reshiram only.
  2. In White—Victini and Zekrom only.
  3. Japanese: 劇場版ポケットモンスター ベストウイッシュ ビクティニと白き英雄 レシラム, Hepburn: Gekijōban Poketto Monsutā Besuto Uisshu Bikutini to Shiroki Eiyū Reshiramu, lit. "Pocket Monsters Best Wishes! The Movie: Victini and the White Hero: Reshiram"
  4. Japanese: 劇場版ポケットモンスター ベストウイッシュ ビクティニと黒き英雄 ゼクロム, Hepburn: Gekijōban Poketto Monsutā Besuto Uisshu Bikutini to Kuroki Eiyū Zekuromu, lit. "Pocket Monsters Best Wishes! The Movie: Victini and the Black Hero: Zekrom"

References
  1. "Japan Box Office 2010". Box Office Mojo September 10–11, 2011. Retrieved 2012-11-03.
  2. "【劇場版ポケットモンスター ベストウイッシュ「ビクティニと黒き英雄 ゼクロム」「ビクティニと白き英雄 レシラム」】でEvery Little Thingが歌う「宙 -そら-」が主題歌として決定！！". 2011-04-13. Archived from the original on 2011-04-16. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  3. "2011年7月13日 ニューシングル発売決定！！ ※発売日が変更になりました". Archived from the original on 2011-06-06. Retrieved 2011-06-12.
  4. "◆ポケモン映画公式サイト◆". Archived from the original on 2010-02-10. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
  5. "◆ポケモン映画公式サイト◆". Archived from the original on 2011-06-03. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
  6. "◆ポケモン映画公式サイト◆". Archived from the original on 2011-06-03. Retrieved 2011-01-09.
  7. "◆ポケモン映画公式サイト◆". Archived from the original on 2011-06-03. Retrieved 2011-01-24.
  8. "◆ポケモン映画公式サイト◆". Archived from the original on 2011-06-03. Retrieved 2011-01-24.
  9. "◆ポケモン映画公式サイト◆". Archived from the original on 2011-06-03. Retrieved 2011-02-12.
  10. "◆ポケモン映画公式サイト◆". Archived from the original on 2011-06-03. Retrieved 2011-02-12.
  11. "◆ポケモン映画公式サイト◆". Archived from the original on 2011-06-03. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  12. "◆ポケモン映画公式サイト◆". Archived from the original on 2011-06-03. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  13. "◆ポケモン映画公式サイト◆". Archived from the original on 2011-06-03. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  14. "◆ポケモン映画公式サイト◆". Archived from the original on 2011-06-03. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  15. "Fire Up Your Party with Victini!". Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version Official Website. Pokemonblackandwhite.com. November 7, 2011. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  16. "The Official Pokémon Website". Pokemon.com. Archived from the original on April 20, 2012. Retrieved 2015-11-14.
  17. "Reshiram and Zekrom Distribution". The Official Pokémon Website. Pokemon.com. Archived from the original on 2012-04-06. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  18. "Even More Movie Magic! | News". Pokemon.com. Retrieved 2012-02-09.
  19. "Pokemon Movie: Black - Victini / White - Victini: Leah Clark, Jason Griffith, Khristine Hvam, Michele Knotz, Sarah Natochenny, Lisa Ortiz, Bill Rogers, Eileen Stevens, J. Michael Tatum, Marc Thompson, Kunihiko Yuyama, Choji Yoshikawa, Jun'ya Okamoto, Takemoto Mori, Yoshikazu Kawase, Yukio Kawasaki, Hideki Sonoda, Junichi Masuda, Ken Sugimori, Satoshi Tajiri: Movies & TV". Amazon. 2009-09-09. Retrieved 2012-02-09.
  20. "Pokémon the Movie: Black & Pokémon the Movie: White Double Pack DVD: Amazon.co.uk: Kunihiko Yuyama, Yukio Kawasaki, Yoshikazu Kawase, Takemoto Mori, Jun'ya Okamoto, Choji Yoshikawa: DVD & Blu-ray". Amazon. 9 April 2012. ASIN B006TVUVIA. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
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