It feels like everyone is at peak excitement for Pokémon Detective Pikachu, which hits theaters May 10. It stars Ryan Reynolds as the voice of the titular Pikachu, The Get Down’s Justice Smith as his human sidekick, and lots and lots of Pokémon.
’90s kids have wanted a live-action Pokémon movie for 20 years — here’s all you need to know about it before heading to theaters.
What’s The Movie About?
Detective Pikachu follows Tim (Smith), an aimless young man who finds himself on the adventure of a lifetime as he works to solve the mystery of the disappearance of his father, Harry Goodman. The biggest lead in the case? Pikachu (Reynolds), who breaks into Tim’s apartment one night trying to look for more clues about Harry’s disappearance since he’s already working the case.
The two eventually team up and as they get closer to learning the truth, they quickly learn that the circumstance of Harry up and vanishing is more complex than they could have ever known.
What Are Pokémon?
(Credit: WB)
The term “Pokémon” is a hybrid of the name of a Japanese brand “Pocket Monsters.” The franchise began in the form of Nintendo video games in 1997, quickly expanding to trading cards, animated movies, an animated TV series of the same name, and — in more recent years — gaming apps for your phone.
Some Pokémon are styled to look similar to animals we know or animals from commonly known myths (e.g. Pikachu looks like a mouse, but with a lightning bolt tail to represent its most unique ability, creating lightning; Charizard looks and acts like a fire-breathing dragon; Psyduck looks like a big ol’ platypus/duck hybrid) while others have completely unique and unfamiliar looks (think of Jigglypuff, Mewtwo, or Bulbasaur).
Where Is The Pokémon World Set?
In the Pokémon canon (basically everything that’s come before Detective Pikachu), the setting is an Earth-like planet called Pokemon World. As seen in the movies, with the exception of the existence of Pokémon and everything having to do with them, this world is pretty familiar. Sure, the known regions have been given oddball names like Unova, Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn, but much of the food, transportation, and pop culture feels similar enough to our world that it remains universally accessible and inviting.
Detective Pikachu is set in Ryme City, a location uniquely created for and first seen in the Detective Pikachu video game. The trailers for Detective Pikachu show a city very similar to our own. Things like a police force, cars, parades, apartment buildings, outdoor markets, cell phones, and pop songs like The Turtles’ “Happy Together” exist there. Ryme City is described as a city built to symbolize the harmony between humans and Pokémon, so expect to see the seamless integration of Pokémon and humans in the busy city with the presence of Pokémon very much normalized.
How Many Pokémon Are There?
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Well, that’s the million dollar question. To put it mildly, there are tons of Pokémon that exist nowadays and that includes each Pokémon’s individual evolution progression (known as “Generations” in Poke-speak). And (and!) there are new Pokémon still being created to this day and popping up in games like the popular gaming app Pokémon Go. The current Pokémon count stands at 807.
Some of the most popular and common Pokémon are Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charmander. In the video games and gaming apps, your first choice is often choosing which of these starter Pokémon to begin your journey with you.
What Is A Trainer?
A Pokémon Trainer is someone who is skilled at catching Pokémon in a Pokeball, identifying it, knowing how to train and evolve it, and use it in a battle.
Trainers and their Pokémon form deep and lasting bonds, creating a sense of trust and harmony that will allow them, as a team, to succeed in whatever comes their way. If you’ve played any kind of Pokémon game in the last 20-plus years, especially Pokémon Go, then you’ll probably know how much fun it is to catch, collect, and battle with Pokémon.
The bond between Trainer and Pokémon is showcased in all of the Detective Pikachu trailers and stills, especially in regard to Tim and Pikachu’s bond. Hopefully, we’ll also get a better look at the fun relationship between Tim and Pikachu’s partners-in-crime, Lucy and Psyduck.
Tell Me More About Pokémon Battles
(Credit: WB)
These battles are a key feature and fan-favorite of the Pokémon world. Battles have been worked into every film, cartoon, card game, and video game in the Pokémon franchise.
Essentially, Trainers bring their best Pokémon and unleash their Pokémon on one another to see who will win a battle. Card and video game players know that, as Trainers, you have to be keenly aware of your Pokémon’s abilities and how to best use them during a battle to ensure a win; it’s essential to study up on how your Pokémon works!
Detective Pikachu has already hinted that at least a few battles between Pokémon will happen in and out of the traditional Pokémon battle ring. One particularly memorable scene in the trailer shows Pikachu going from confident to flustered as he prepares to battle a Charizard with Tim trying to go into Trainer-mode by trying to get Pika focused ASAP. Fingers crossed the tiniest detective in Ryme City can beat Charizard before it’s too late…
Who Are The Villains In The Pokémon World?
The world of Pokémon has some pretty infamous baddies in its canon. The original villains were known as Team Rocket and comprised of trainers Jessie, James, and their leader, Giovanni. Giovanni was a particularly ominous Big Bad and the recurring antagonist in Pokémon Red, Blue, Green and Yellow video games. (All three members would pop up in the cartoons, too.)
Jessie and James were the most front-facing villains of Pokémon cartoons and movies. They were always trying to bring everyone’s fave trainers — Ash, Misty, and Brock — down in the earliest Pokémon cartoons and movies. Another villain, albeit a misunderstood one, is the Pokémon Mewtwo, a psychic mutant who was created to take down other Pokémon.
Detective Pikachu will possibly introduce new villains into the world of Pokémon rather than include ones that are already canon, but Mewtwo has been teased in the film’s trailers so we can count on at least one canon baddie making an appearance.
How Does All Of This Figure Into The Movie?
Detective Pikachu will feature many of the familiar Pokémon you know and love, in situations you’d likely see in previous movies, cartoons, and video games but the story and (some of) the main human characters are entirely new.
That said, expect this film to be rich with Pokémon Easter eggs that will keep fans hooked during the film’s 104-minute runtime.
Get your tickets for Pokemon Detective Pikachu here.
