Review M13: Zoroark: Master of Illusions

[Froakie]

Do any UKers know when this is airing? I'd love to set my recording before Saturday/when I leave so I don't miss it.

 

[The Puppetmaster]

How does Mima hint at mother? That's just a made up word.

Earlier today, my friend told me that when she used to live in Mississippi, everybody called their mother and/or grandmother by the name "meemaw".

I know these two words aren't the same, but my family in Virginia and I referred to my grandmother as "mamaw". It's similar to "meemaw" and could imply mother, but nothing's confirmed.

 

[SuperTrainStationH]

Despite the movies having much more epic plots with higher stakes than an episode of the normal Pokémon anime, I love that the Pokémon movies are able to expand on and explore everyday aspects of life in the Pokémon world, and Zoroark: Master of Illusions especially delivers in this sense.

There's something deeply satisfying about watching an brief, unassuming scene of someone walking down the street beside their Mightyena as someone from our world might be walking with their dog. The introduction of an sport called Pokémon Boccer also helps adds depth to the everyday culture of a world in which Pokémon exist aside from battles and contests, which even for fan as dedicated as me, has become somewhat of a repetitive subject in the anime.

Its nice to see the heroes interested in ANYTHING other than yet another gym badge or Pokémon contest.

The setting, Crown City, is by a tremendous margin one of the most gorgeous, "real" feeling locations yet depicted in the Pokémon anime. It has the feeling of being unique and different from any city in our world, yet not outlandishly or distractingly so. Thematically, Crown City holds a nice balance between being futuristic with abundant high technology, and being charmingly old fashioned with its brick architecture, cobblestone streets, and trolley cars (which are surely powered by electric Pokémon).

The villain doesn't have much depth to him, but his intention are at least original to the Pokémon movies and avoids falling into the trap of Zero from "Giratina and the Sky Warrior" who is effectively a recycled version of Larwence the 3rd from "Pokémon 2000: The Power of One", right down to his use of using a menacing, yet easily defeated airship to brutally capture legendary Pokémon.

The message, warning against blind trust of news sources, is a refreshing one and a good one for kids to be exposed to, especially as this movie shows how people with bad intentions can alter images shown on the news to present a false version of the truth.

Overall, the setting and moral of "Zoroark: Master of Illusions" makes it my favorite Pokémon movie yet and a worthy conclusion to the Sinnoh film saga.

 

[WatcherMark]

I just wish the crowds shown during the Pokémon League/Grand Festival were as animated as the ones during the Pokémon Baccer match in the end credits.

In this film the people in the crowd were moving about, cheering and talking amongst themselves.

In the anime, any member of the crowd who isn't blessed with being a main/recurring character is nothing more than a cardboard cut-out.

Now I appreciate that it'd cost more money to animate a whole crowd, but just some different facial expressions during tense moments would do me. The only time I saw the audience of the Lily of the Valley Conference not have gormless smiles on their faces was when Infernape and Aggron's attacks collided. You'd have thought we'd have had some shock when Infernape released Blaze or when Tobias sent out Latios.

 

[WatcherMark]

Am currently watching the Zoroark movie's airing here in the UK.

As you probably guessed, the opening has been left in. Also, the dub explicitly confirms that Zorua isn't Zoroark's actual child.

 

[Joshawott]

Am watching too - first commercial break. I was going to say what WM just said; the opening of the dub has Kodai refer to Zoroark's protective nature of Zorua "like it were your own". In other words, in the dub at least, Zoroark is not Zorua's parent.

 

[WatcherMark]

Well, the film is finished and the end credits are running. Amazingly, we're getting a vocal which sounds a lot like 'Ice Cream Syndrome' (although it's sung by a woman) called 'I Believe In You'.

Also, the credits are completely untouched. This I'm shocked at, as I expected them to be sped up or squeezed into the corner so an ad for another show could air.

 

[Joshawott]

"I believe in You" is a fantastic song. The only time CITV interrupted the visuals was at the end, with the clip of Zorua and Zoroark looking at Unova, which was just a small thing reminding us about the Black & White premiere tomorrow.

Afterwards, a BW preview was shown, which featured clips from episodes 1 through 10; including Frillish and Servine.

 

[Froakie]

I loved the ending song - although my TV crops stuff really bad so I didn't see any of the rivals/gym leaders. Though of course it's nice to see Paul's scene, and Conway. lol.
I liked the beginning too, when they were watching the baccer tournament thing. Brock made me laugh.

 

[WatcherMark]

Yeah, the song was fantastic. Just checked, it was sang by Erin Bowman who has sang the last three opening themes... no surprise there.

 

[Joshawott]

I knew I recognised the voice.

By the way, near the start, when Kodai had the vision of Rowena betraying her; why didn't he do anything about it? He should have known she had valuable information that could land him in trouble.

 

[WatcherMark]

I knew I recognised the voice.

By the way, near the start, when Kodai had the vision of Rowena betraying her; why didn't he do anything about it? He should have known she had valuable information that could land him in trouble.

I think by then he'd already had the vision of him 'succeeding', so he didn't think he had to do anything because he knew it wouldn't matter anyway.

 

[Bikini Miltank]

My guess is he didn't realise the extent to which she was screwing him... that, and overconfidence, I suppose.

I squeed at the Zoey cameo at the end!

And damn, Zorua is just too cute. If it had been J after them rather than that numpty Kodai, I'd have had my loyalty seriously tested.

 

[Joshawott]

Kodai was obviously scared about his vision, because as soon as he saw Ash on his monitors, he went to confront him. Would it really have been too much of a bother for Kodai to ask Goon to just "make her disappear"?

 

[Dogasu]

the opening of the dub has Kodai refer to Zoroark's protective nature of Zorua "like it were your own". In other words, in the dub at least, Zoroark is not Zorua's parent.

He says the same thing in the Japanese version. I brought this up back when the movie was airing in Japanese theaters back in July, but I guess people chose to ignore that.

 

[Manny T. Starr]

That still doesn't make sense that Zorua would call Zoroark HIS "meema" instead of just his friend. T_T But whatever. Not like it really matters. =/

 

[J J M]

That still doesn't make sense that Zorua would call Zoroark HIS "meema" instead of just his friend. T_T But whatever. Not like it really matters. =/

Well a foster mother is, for all intents and purposes, like a real mom.

 

[Joshawott]

That still doesn't make sense that Zorua would call Zoroark HIS "meema" instead of just his friend. T_T But whatever. Not like it really matters. =/

There are some people close to my family that I call "Uncle" or "Aunt" and they aren't related to me in any way.

 

[darklord18]

can i ask dose the credits confine Proof dub name is Peg or not?

i been wondering for awhile

 

[Sweenix]

can anyone upload the ending song?