We’re still partially in disbelief that in the not so distant future, we’re going to be witness to a live-action Pokemon movie staring Pikachu voiced by Ryan Reynolds. What’s even crazier is just how fun it looks! While were not expecting it to be gamer’s galore in terms of fanservice to the original property, we’re still hoping that the film will tip its hat to one of these bits of Poke-trivia.
#5: An Abundance of Easter Eggs
Before the movie dropped in theaters, fans found a ton of Easter eggs in promotional material. On the main poster, fans found references to several Pokemon and series locations. There’s even speculation that the M2 on the dumpster might foreshadow an appearance from Mewtwo. In the main trailer, Tim’s room contains several references to legendary Pokemon and battling. We also see him wearing a shirt with an Unown Pokkemon symbol. And did you catch the Jigglypuff in a coffee shop holding the same marker as its anime counterpart? At this rate, the movie might contain more Easter Eggs than Pokemon. It’ll be up to fans to catch them all.
#4: Anime & Game Character Cameos
Ash Ketchum has appeared in nearly every Pokemon animated series and movie to date. But his constant presence is what convinced director Rob Letterman and the Pokemon Company to use a different main character. However, that doesn’t mean that Ash can’t make a cameo or get a shout out. If the studio is dead set against using the eternally young protagonist, there are plenty of characters from the anime and games that could show up instead. While it’s nice to see the Pokemon universe branching out to new characters, it would be great to see the movie recognize some familiar faces.
#3: Team Rocket
One of the biggest mysteries about Detective Pikachu is the identity of the villain. While we’d be fine with an original baddie, we hope there’s room for the sinister Team Rocket. The gang of Pokemon thieves have been a thorn in our sides since 1997. Although most of them are faceless grunts, the bumbling James, Jesse, Meowth and their competent leader Giovanni have all become crowd favorites. As of February 2019, the biggest hint of the villainous team was a familiar looking red R on a dumpster in the Detective Pikachu poster. Will we be treated to Team Rocket’s catchy motto in May?
#2: Epic Pokemon Battles
Pokemon battles are the cornerstone of the franchise. Gamers have spent countless hours assembling the perfect team to overcome their opponents. In the anime, these battles of strategy and skill were made even better with exciting animation and fantastic choreography. There are so many incredible scuffles in both the games and television series that we were able to make three separate lists about it. It would be a shame if Detective Pikachu didn’t include a few amazing clashes of its own. If the Charizard vs Pikachu showdown from the trailer is any indication, the movie may produce a battle that rivals the best bouts in the franchise.
#1: A Quality Video Game Movie
If we counted the number of good live action video game adaptations on one hand, we’d still have fingers to spare. However, Detective Pikachu seems poised to break the trend. The trailers hint at an interesting and layered mystery. Justice Smith of Get Down fame and the charismatic Ryan Reynolds will lead the ensemble cast as Tim and the electric sleuth respectively. But the most positive sign is that Legendary studios has already begun developing a sequel. Detective Pikachu has all the pieces in place to be a breakout smash of a hit. At the very least, we’re confident its going to be a better Nintendo adaptation than Super Mario Brothers.
Be sure to check out the video below to see our picks for the Top 10 Worst Pokemon Games.