The film opens with the iconic, nostalgia-inducing sequence of a clumsy, 10-year-old Ash oversleeping and missing out on the traditional starter Pokémon. Left with a stubborn, rebellious Electric-type Pikachu, the two get off to a rocky start. However, after a harrowing encounter with a flock of Spearow, they forge an unbreakable bond.
: The movie introduces Marshadow, a Mythical Fighting/Ghost-type Pokémon that guides the shadows and tests the integrity of the Rainbow Hero's heart. ⚖️ Reception and Impact Gekijouban Poketto monsutГў: Kimi ni kimeta!
: The classic rival Gary Oak is replaced by Cross, a ruthless trainer who values raw power above all else and abandons the Charmander that Ash later adopts. The film opens with the iconic, nostalgia-inducing sequence
: Beloved original companions Misty and Brock are absent. Instead, Ash is joined by two entirely new trainers: Verity, a spirited girl with an energetic Piplup, and Sorrel, an aspiring Pokémon Professor traveling with a Lucario. Instead, Ash is joined by two entirely new
While the film masterfully recreates emotional touchstones from the original 1997 anime—such as Ash rescuing a neglected Charmander in the rain and the bittersweet release of his Butterfree—it diverges drastically from the established canon:
Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! Movie Review - The Archive