Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages

Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages
Theatrical release poster.
Japanese	ポケモン・ザ・ムービーXY 光輪の超魔神 フーパ
Hepburn	Pokemon Za Mūbī Ekkusu Wai Ringu no chōmajin Fūpa
Literally	Pokémon the Movie XY: The Archdjinni of the Rings: Hoopa
Directed by	Kunihiko Yuyama
Produced by	Junya Okamoto Kenichi Arai Satoshi Shimohira Susumu Matsuyama
Screenplay by	Atsuhiro Tomioka
Based on	Pokémon: XY: Kalos Quest by Satoshi Tajiri Ken Sugimori Junichi Masuda
Starring	Rica Matsumoto Yūki Kaji Mariya Ise Mayuki Makiguchi Megumi Hayashibara Shin-ichiro Miki Inuko Inuyama Unsho Ishizuka Ikue Otani
Narrated by	Unshō Ishizuka
Music by	Shinji Miyazaki
Cinematography	Tatsumi Yukiwaki
Edited by	Toshio Henmi
Production company	OLM, Inc.
Distributed by	Toho
Release date	July 18, 2015 (2015-07-18) (Japan)
Running time	78 minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese
Box office	￥2.61 billion $22 million[1]

Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages, known in Japan as Pokémon the Movie XY: The Archdjinni of the Rings: Hoopa (ポケモン・ザ・ムービーXY 光輪の超魔神 フーパ, Pokemon Za Mūbī Ekkusu Wai Ringu no chōmajin Fūpa) is a 2015 Japanese anime film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama. It is the 18th Pokémon anime movie and the second movie in the XY Series. The movie premiered in theaters in Japan on July 18, 2015. It also premiered in theaters in Australia on November 5, 2015. It aired in Canada on Teletoon on November 14, 2015 and in the United Kingdom on CITV on December 12, 2015. The movie also aired in the United States on Cartoon Network on December 19, 2015.

Plot

One hundred years in the past, in a desert town that would become Dahara City, the Pokémon Hoopa Unbound appears, boasting about its power. It summons Kyogre and Groudon from its interdimensional rings. Hoopa Unbound battles them back and impresses the townspeople. When Hoopa Unbound appears again, he summons Reshiram, Zekrom, and Regigigas. The ensuing battle destroys the town, leading the townspeople to protest, to no avail. A man appears, holding a long-necked bottle. The man opens the bottle, absorbing Hoopa Unbound and calming the chaos.

In the present day, Baraz, the first of Hoopa's caretakers, is searching for the bottle that contains Hoopa Unbound in Arche Valley. He finds the bottle and takes hold of it, but in making contact with it, a force seems to possess him.

Meanwhile, Ash, Pikachu, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie are at a Pokémon Center near Dahara City. Ash finally spots the arm reaching out in time to grab hold. Ash and Pikachu are pulled through Hoopa's portal. They find themselves on the other side of Dahara City with Hoopa, in a smaller form. Meray, the second of Hoopa's caretakers, arrives to check on Hoopa. Ash then drags Clemont, Bonnie, Serena and all their stuff through the rings. Hoopa attempts to use its rings to transport everybody to the nearby Dahara Tower but it is revealed that, in its altered state, Hoopa cannot travel through the rings it creates.

Baraz arrives on his Braviary and instantly opens the Prison Bottle. The darkness envelops Hoopa, who transforms into Hoopa Unbound. Baraz returns to normal, and both he and Meray are very happy to see that Hoopa Unbound got its power back. But Hoopa Unbound instantly begins to smash things, its tail destroys a doughnut shop, and it throws a piece of a building at the heroes. Pikachu counters with Thunderbolt destroying the piece and accidentally blasting Team Rocket off again as they were plotting to steal the bottle.

They get Hoopa Unbound's power back into the bottle. Ash and his friends quickly learn that by touching it, they will be possessed by the evil power within the bottle. Clemont happily shows off his new invention. It is a device that can hold the bottle up with electric waves. The device carries it in his Aipom arm, which prevents anyone from touching it. Hoopa is absolutely terrified of the bottle and the power inside of it by shaking and whimpering.

They sit down to eat. Baraz explains Hoopa's story. One hundred years ago today, Hoopa Unbound began to appear in the town. Hoopa Unbound ate the food and caused problems. The townspeople came to love it when he would battle Pokémon to entertain them. Hoopa Unbound made the townspeople very happy. It also brought much gold. Dahara City grew from a tiny village to a great city. Only when it began to summon more powerful legendary Pokémon and grew more obsessed with showing off its power even if it destroys the town, the townspeople had to do something to stop it.

The man who stopped Hoopa Unbound was Meray and Baraz's great grandfather. Meray and Baraz explain how their family is connected to Arceus' power. They tell how their great grandfather could use it to control Hoopa, who would throw great tantrums screaming for him to give back its power. Meray and Baraz grew up with Hoopa like siblings, getting into mischief and playing together, even healing Hoopa when it grew very sick when taken to Arche Valley. It is clear that they love Hoopa as family. They taught it many things about helping others and getting along with people. Their great grandfather accepted Hoopa as family.

Team Rocket appears in their balloon, thinking the Prison Bottle will up their Pokémon. The instant Meowth takes hold of it, he becomes possessed, and opens the bottle to unleash Hoopa Unbound's power. Hoopa fights the power, too afraid of vanishing if they become once again, and is able to keep it at bay, but Hoopa Unbound then develops as a separate Pokémon. In the struggles, the Prison Bottle explodes. Hoopa summons Lugia to fight Hoopa Unbound after Team Rocket is blasted off and Baraz's Braviary is defeated. Lugia distracts Hoopa Unbound as they make their escape.

Meray and Baraz know that they can make a new bottle at the tower with the power of earth, fire, and water. They decided to use Serena's Braixen, Ash's Frogadier, and using a ring, Bonnie goes to the desert to ask for a Hippopotas' help, and bring it along. Ash stays with Hoopa while the rest head over to the tower to make a new bottle.

While hiding from Hoopa Unbound, who is still fighting Lugia, Ash and Hoopa begin to talk. Hoopa promises that once strong enough, it will make any of Ash's wishes come true. Ash says that his wish is to become a Pokémon Master and Hoopa says that it will make it happen. Ash refuses, though, saying that is a dream he plans to attain by himself. Hoopa is absolutely shocked that Ash plans to attain his own dream without using any rings or magic wishes. Ash talks to Hoopa about how this Hoopa Unbound seems to be a shadow of Hoopa, and it needs to learn to make with itself to solve this crisis.

Hoopa Unbound appears in a ring and searches for them with its giant hand. Lugia intervenes and rescues Ash, Hoopa, and Pikachu. However, Hoopa Unbound tricks Lugia into flying into a ring and sends it back to its ocean home. Hoopa then summons Latias, Latios, and a shiny Rayquaza. Ash, Hoopa, and Pikachu ride on Latias and Latios, while Rayquaza helps to battle Hoopa Unbound. Ash commands the Pokémon to attack, but Hoopa Unbound summons Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, and Kyurem. Meanwhile, at the tower, the others are working to make a new Prison Bottle, using the powers of fire, earth, and water.

When the six legendary Pokémon summoned by Hoopa Unbound begin to attack, Latias, Latios, and Rayquaza all Mega Evolve. Kyurem becomes Black Kyurem and then White Kyurem as the all-out brawl continues over the city. Mega Rayquaza creates a twister around Dahara Tower to protect it. The others reforge the Prison Bottle. However, Hoopa Unbound and the legendaries break through the twister. The bottle is made again, but Baraz drops it. Ash catches it but gets possessed by the evil within. Shadow Ash plans to destroy Hoopa, but Hoopa tries to cleanse him with his happy memories. Ash returns to normal and realizes that the evil is gone. All the legendary Pokémon roar. However, due to too many legendary Pokémon being summoned, a void warp was formed around the tower. Hoopa transforms into Hoopa Unbound and lets everyone escape. At the end, Meray and Ash leave with only Baraz and Hoopa left. Baraz and Meray try to help Hoopa escape. Arceus temporarily slows down the void warp. Hoopa remembers the words of the traveler who happens to be Baraz and Meray's great grandfather and considers Baraz and Meray family. Hoopa decides to stay with them. Hoopa finally manages to go through the ring with Baraz at the last second. At the end, the void warp leaves a decimated tower and city. Arceus leaves through the clouds. All the other legendary Pokémon return to their homes. At the end, Clemont suggests going back to Arche Valley. Hoopa declines and says that he has unfinished business. In the credits, Hoopa Unbound is shown rebuilding the city by helping the construction workers with his strength and his rings.

Cast

Music

The ending theme song is "Tweedia" performed by Rei Yasuda.

Production

As the 18th film in the Pokémon series, its production began as soon as production of the 17th installment ended. Based on the sixth generation of Pokémon video games, it is based around the legendary Pokémon Hoopa.

Box office

The movie grossed ¥2,610,000,000 in Japan. It is the one of the lowest-grossing movie of all the Pokémon movies, performing slightly better than lowest-grossing film, Pokémon Heroes.

Release

It was released on DVD and Blu-ray in Japan on December 16, 2015 by SMD Itaku. It was released on DVD format in the United States on March 8, 2016 by Viz Media. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the United Kingdom on October 24, 2016 by Manga Entertainment. This was the first Pokemon related media distributed by them. ^[2]

References

External links

• Official website (in Japanese)
• Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages on IMDb