Independent Films, Film Profiles

Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys

Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys (劇場版ポケットモンスター アドバンスジェネレーション 裂空の訪問者 デオキシス ,Gekijōban Poketto Monsutā Adobansu Jenerēshon Rekkū no Hōmonsha Deokishisu, lit. "Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation the Movie: Deoxys, the Visitor from a Fissure in the Sky") is the seventh film in the Pokémon series, complementing the seventh season (Pokémon: Advanced Challenge). It is the second film released under Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation in Japan. The original Japanese version was released in theaters on July 22, 2004. It was edited for the American release as the Japanese version contained a few scenes that were considered too intense for American children.The English adaptation debuted on Kids' WB on January 22, 2005, albeit edited for running time. However, the network received their best ratings since 2003 and during the first month of 2005, had beaten anything from the previous year.The film was subsequently released on DVD and video on February 15, 2005. It added an additional 15 minutes that were cut from the broadcast version.Destiny Deoxys is the first film to not be preceded by an animated short, instead dedicating the extra time to the movie proper. The featured Pokémon that normally are in the short instead appear as asides in the main film. This was also the first Pokémon Movie to feature Munchlax.Although Cartoon Network currently airs the film, it aired on Toon Disney on April 16, 2007 (because Miramax, owned by Disney, released this animated film), being the second Pokémon film to air on Toon Disney (the first being Pokémon: Jirachi Wishmaker). It is also the last film in the Pokémon franchise to have been released by Miramax in the United States and Alliance Films in Canada; the next three films were released by Viz Media in both countries and Pokémon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior will be released by Universal Studios in both countries.The ending theme for the English version is "This Side of Paradise" by Bree Sharp.Yuyama Kunihiko visited the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to get ideas of the setting for the film.A mysterious meteorite is hurtling towards the earth, while another is heading toward the planet Origin. During the entry of the meteorite into the atmosphere, it almost wounds Rayquaza, the legendary sky guardian and the strongest dragon ever seen in the world. Though whether there is any relation to the Arceus movie is unknown. The meteorite crashes into a polar zone, revealing two egg-shaped sparkling objects. Just after the purple egg regenerates into a Deoxys and picks up its green companion (which has not regenerated), Rayquaza descends from the ozone layer to battle what it believes to be an invader. A battle ensues, destroying a nearby research site and traumatizing a young boy, scared by a stampede of Spheal, Sealeo, and Walrein. The purple Deoxys traps Rayquaza and is about to beat it, but it is distracted by some electrical charges coming from broken computers, giving Rayquaza a chance to escape and obliterate the purple Deoxys with its Hyper Beam. The purple Deoxys goes back to egg form and falls into the sea, while some researchers take the green egg with them. Deep beneath the surface, the injured Deoxys regenerates and prepares for the day it can search for its friend. The green egg somehow appears on Origin, somewhere in Hoenn.Four years later, Ash, May, Brock, and Max travel to LaRousse City's Battle Tower. There they meet Tory (Tou'i), a boy who is afraid of Pokémon because of psychological trauma that had ensued from the stampede caused by the battle between Deoxys and Rayquaza. Tory is found to be a loner. The purple Deoxys, which has fully healed, leaves to find the other green egg which Tory's parents are testing in a lab.In the Battle Tower, Ash mistakes Tory for a Pokémon trainer and they battle together in a two-on-two combat against Rafe and Sid, with Tory using Ash's Torkoal. However, Tory does not know how to handle Ash's Torkoal and they lose disgracefully. Tory flees from the Tower and runs away, stopping to save a Minun which was trapped in an automatic trash can. Later on, Ash meets Tory's parents and they all have fun that night with their Pokémon, until they see a mysterious purple aurora, signaling the return of the purple Deoxys.When the purple Deoxys begins to remove all of the city's inhabitants in order to fulfill its search for the green egg, it is up to Ash, Pikachu, and Tory to help the Deoxys by finding the green egg. This task is complicated by the return of Rayquaza, and security cubic robots malfunctioning. The city was filled with blocks of robots almost destroying Rayquaza, but with the help of Green and purple Deoxys, they saved him.