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| Old Updates Archive | May
2020
New episodes of Pocket Monsters (2019) to return
June 7th
May 31st, 2020
Dogasu @ 12:49 JST -- Earlier this morning the Pocket Monsters (2019) animated series' official Twitter account announced that the show, which has been on hiatus since mid-April, will be returning next week:
Discuss this on Facebook | Twitter | BMGf
Random behind-the-scenes tidbit about the Mewtwo Ball
May 20th, 2020
Dogasu @ 22:56 JST -- I was going through some files on my computer and found an old behind-the-scenes story about Pocket Monsters The Movie "Mewtwo Strikes Back!" / "Pikachu's Summer Vacation" that I was preparing for a site update but then just never got around to finishing for some reason. So today I'm dusting that off to share with you some info about the Mewtwo Balls, the special Monster Balls created to get the Originals in the first movie.
In a series of tweets posted early last year (!!), animator Sayuri Ichi'ishi explains her inspiration for the design of the super powered Monster Balls as well as what exactly she was told about them as far as a backstory goes. There's also some other background information that I actually have posted before but never archived so here that is as well.
Satoko Kito, 1962 - 2020
May 16th, 2020
Dogasu @ 10:39 JST -- Voice actress Satoko Kito (木藤聡子) has passed away on May 1st at the age of 58, according to her talent agency Artvision..
The agency posted this notice on their website:
Ms. Kito's one role in the Pocket Monsters franchise was Misa, the green-haired biker girl from the original Pocket Monsters episode 036 "The Stormy Cycling Road."
Outside Pocket Monsters, Ms. Kito played Asami-chan in Anpanman, the Countess Lamika Lee in 1985's Vampire Hunter D, Rei Hijikata in Bakusou Kyodai Let's & Go!!, and Misato Todo in Hono'o no Tokyuji: Dodge Danpei. She also provided the Japanese dub voices for Lauren Wando in the 1997 film Dante's Peak and Raven in the Japanese dub of the TV series That's So Raven.
Condolences to Ms. Kito's family and friends. May she rest in peace.
Pocket Monsters The Movie "Koko" gets postponed
May 14th, 2020
Dogasu @ 23:43 JST -- To the surprise of absolutely no one, the release of Pocket Monsters The Movie "Koko," which was originally scheduled for July 10th of this year, has been pushed back indefinitely.
Toho, the film's distributor, provided this public comment:
The movie's official Twitter account also posted this message:
In the video embedded in the above tweet, we see the film's director Tetsuo Yajima compile an image of Koko standing in the Okoya Forest. The end of the video featured this message from the director:
The director retweeted the video and provided an additional comment of his own:
A new release date has yet to be announced; all we've got now is a vague "Coming Soon" (近日公開) release date.
The "Pocket Monsters The Movie "Koko"" Movie Preview Screening (that will probably never happen)
May 11th, 2020
Dogasu @ 16:21 JST -- I was looking through the May 2020 issue of CoroCoro Comics - the one that came out last month - and noticed a promotion for the preview screening of Pocket Monsters The Movie "Koko" that I haven't seen anyone else report on yet.
According to the promotion, the "Shogakukan Association Movie Preview Screening" (小学館連合試写会) will take place on Sunday, June 28th in both Tokyo and Osaka. Attendance will be limited to 750 groups (maximum of three people per group) for a total of 2250 people.
More details, including application dates, can be found here.
It's worth noting that the announcement regarding the sale of the pre-order tickets was being postponed - in other words, the movie's first COVID-19 related delay - was made on April 3rd. The issue of CoroCoro Comics promoting the preview screening didn't come out until April 15th. My guess is that at the time they submitted this article for publication (probably late March or so...?) the event was still going ahead as scheduled, as far as anyone at CoroCoro could tell. So it went to print as-is.
Since then, both the event's venues - Tokyo Dome City Hall and The Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry's International Conference Hall - have temporarily closed due to the novel coronavirus. A date for their re-openings has not been announced.
It's also worth noting that Anime Expo - the anime convention in Los Angeles that hosted the world premiere of Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution last year - has already announced that this year's convention was being canceled due to COVID-19. A preview screening of Pocket Monsters The Movie "Koko" was never announced for the convention but it was always a possibility after the success of last year's premiere.
Officially the movie screening event is still moving ahead as scheduled but I think it'll end up being canceled in the end. I can't imagine production has been able to continue at the rate it would need to in order for the film to even by ready on time, and even if it has I don't see the organizers being irresponsible enough to hold a massive public gathering like this a little over a month from now. The fact that this event hasn't even been publicized on the official website at all leads me to believe that even its organizers know it's not happening.
List of Pokémon - Generation Eight
May 7th, 2020
Dogasu @ 23:08 JST -- This is like...six months late? but I finally got around to finishing up the List of Pokémon for Generation 8.
The usual information - the Pokémon's name, the way they're written in Japanese, their likely etymology, and their English names - are all provided.
I know, I know, it's not the most exciting update or anything but it's something I'm glad to have done regardless.
May 31st, 2020
Dogasu @ 12:49 JST -- Earlier this morning the Pocket Monsters (2019) animated series' official Twitter account announced that the show, which has been on hiatus since mid-April, will be returning next week:
|
An
announcement from the show
Now that the state of emergency that was put in place due to the increase in the number of novel coronavirus infections has been lifted, we have restarted production of the show. Accordingly, new episodes of the Pocket Monsters (2019) cartoon will return with new episodes starting next Sunday, June 7th, from 6:00pm. Don't miss it!! |
TV-Tokyo's
official website for the show provided even
more information. Thanks to abcboy
for the tip:
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted the nationwide state of emergency on May 25th. The city of Tokyo, where a lot of the show's production takes place, is going for a three-phased approach toward reopening. Phase 2 is scheduled to start tomorrow despite the fact that a second wave of infections is currently sweeping through the nation's capital.
The next episode of Twilight Wings, which was originally scheduled to come out in May, will be debuting on June 6th at 14:00 JST. The 23rd Pocket Monsters film, Pocket Monsters The Movie "Koko," has not announced its new release date yet.
|
An
announcement from the show 2020.05.31
Now that the state of emergency that was put in place due to the increase in the number of novel coronavirus infections has been lifted, we have restarted production of the show and will return with new episodes, starting with the previously postponed "A Big Panic! The Sakuragi Park," on June 7th. On top of that, the datacasts for both Pocket Monsters and Pokénchi will both resume starting June 7th as well. You'll be able to pick up where you left off with things like the Monster Balls and Pokémon Bestiary entries you had before. Moving forward, we will air the show as it's being made with the safety for the Pocket Monsters production staff and everyone else involved with the show while also making the precautions necessary to prevent infections our top priority. |
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted the nationwide state of emergency on May 25th. The city of Tokyo, where a lot of the show's production takes place, is going for a three-phased approach toward reopening. Phase 2 is scheduled to start tomorrow despite the fact that a second wave of infections is currently sweeping through the nation's capital.
The next episode of Twilight Wings, which was originally scheduled to come out in May, will be debuting on June 6th at 14:00 JST. The 23rd Pocket Monsters film, Pocket Monsters The Movie "Koko," has not announced its new release date yet.
Discuss this on Facebook | Twitter | BMGf
Random behind-the-scenes tidbit about the Mewtwo Ball
May 20th, 2020
Dogasu @ 22:56 JST -- I was going through some files on my computer and found an old behind-the-scenes story about Pocket Monsters The Movie "Mewtwo Strikes Back!" / "Pikachu's Summer Vacation" that I was preparing for a site update but then just never got around to finishing for some reason. So today I'm dusting that off to share with you some info about the Mewtwo Balls, the special Monster Balls created to get the Originals in the first movie.
In a series of tweets posted early last year (!!), animator Sayuri Ichi'ishi explains her inspiration for the design of the super powered Monster Balls as well as what exactly she was told about them as far as a backstory goes. There's also some other background information that I actually have posted before but never archived so here that is as well.
Satoko Kito, 1962 - 2020
May 16th, 2020
Dogasu @ 10:39 JST -- Voice actress Satoko Kito (木藤聡子) has passed away on May 1st at the age of 58, according to her talent agency Artvision..
The agency posted this notice on their website:
|
Obituary
Satoko Kito (58), who was a member of our agency, passed away on May 1st, 2020 while under medical care. As we bring you this news we would like to humbly thank Ms. Kito for all the kindness she shared with us during her lifetime. May she rest in peace. 訃報 弊社所属、 木藤 聡子 は（享年５８）病気療養中のところ 令和2年５月1日永眠いたしました ここに生前に賜りましたご厚誼に深謝し、謹んでご報告申し上げるとともに故人のご冥福をお祈りいたします |
Ms. Kito's one role in the Pocket Monsters franchise was Misa, the green-haired biker girl from the original Pocket Monsters episode 036 "The Stormy Cycling Road."
 |
 |
Outside Pocket Monsters, Ms. Kito played Asami-chan in Anpanman, the Countess Lamika Lee in 1985's Vampire Hunter D, Rei Hijikata in Bakusou Kyodai Let's & Go!!, and Misato Todo in Hono'o no Tokyuji: Dodge Danpei. She also provided the Japanese dub voices for Lauren Wando in the 1997 film Dante's Peak and Raven in the Japanese dub of the TV series That's So Raven.
Condolences to Ms. Kito's family and friends. May she rest in peace.
Pocket Monsters The Movie "Koko" gets postponed
May 14th, 2020
Dogasu @ 23:43 JST -- To the surprise of absolutely no one, the release of Pocket Monsters The Movie "Koko," which was originally scheduled for July 10th of this year, has been pushed back indefinitely.
Toho, the film's distributor, provided this public comment:
|
Pocket
Monsters The Movie "Koko" Release Delay Announcement
It has been decided that the release of Pocket Monsters The Movie "Koko," which was originally scheduled for Friday, July 10th, 2020, will be delayed due to the continued spread of the novel coronavirus. We humbly offer our deepest apologies to all our customers who were looking forward to this film. We will make additional announcements on the film's official website and social media accounts whenever a new release date or on-sale date for the pre-order tickets have been decided. We appreciate your understanding of this decision and the circumstances that led to it. May 13th, 2020
Pikachu Project Toho Co., Ltd |
The movie's official Twitter account also posted this message:
| 『劇場版ポケットモンスター ココ』の公開を 楽しみにしてくださっている皆様へ 矢嶋哲生監督からのメッセージをお届け！ #ココ #ポケモン映画 |
To all of you out there eagerly looking forward to the release of Pocket Monsters The Movie "Koko," we've got a message for you from Director Tetsuo Yajima! #koko #pokemonmovie |
In the video embedded in the above tweet, we see the film's director Tetsuo Yajima compile an image of Koko standing in the Okoya Forest. The end of the video featured this message from the director:
| 延期になっちゃたけど 楽しみにしてくれているみんなに 必ず届けるから！ スタッフ一丸となって制作してます！ もう少し待っててね！ |
The movie's been delayed but we're definitely gonna deliver it to you all some day! The staff is working together as one to complete it! Wait just a little bit longer! |
The director retweeted the video and provided an additional comment of his own:
| このお見苦しい手は…私の手です… 延期になってしまい、楽しみにしてた皆さんには申し訳ありません。 劇場で公開できるようになった時、めちゃめちゃ楽しんでもらえるように スタッフ一同頑張って制作してます！！ 皆さんと作品を共有できる日を僕も今から楽しみです！！ |
That gross hand you see in the
video...well, that's my hand... We'd like to apologize to all of you who were looking forward to this movie after its unfortunate delay. The staff is giving it their all so that by the day this movie is finally released you'll be chomping at the bit to go see it!! From this moment on I'll also be looking forward to the day we can share this movie with all of you!! |
A new release date has yet to be announced; all we've got now is a vague "Coming Soon" (近日公開) release date.
The "Pocket Monsters The Movie "Koko"" Movie Preview Screening (that will probably never happen)
May 11th, 2020
Dogasu @ 16:21 JST -- I was looking through the May 2020 issue of CoroCoro Comics - the one that came out last month - and noticed a promotion for the preview screening of Pocket Monsters The Movie "Koko" that I haven't seen anyone else report on yet.
According to the promotion, the "Shogakukan Association Movie Preview Screening" (小学館連合試写会) will take place on Sunday, June 28th in both Tokyo and Osaka. Attendance will be limited to 750 groups (maximum of three people per group) for a total of 2250 people.
| Tokyo
Screening |
Osaka
Screening |
|
| Date |
Sunday, June
28th, 2020 |
Sunday, June
28th, 2020 |
| Times |
Doors
open at 12:30 Show starts at 13:00 |
Doors
open at 12:30 Show starts at 13:00 |
| Venue |
Tokyo
Dome City Hall (Kouraku 1-3-61 Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo-to) |
The
Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry's International Conference Hall (Honmachibashi 2-8 7F, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu) |
More details, including application dates, can be found here.
It's worth noting that the announcement regarding the sale of the pre-order tickets was being postponed - in other words, the movie's first COVID-19 related delay - was made on April 3rd. The issue of CoroCoro Comics promoting the preview screening didn't come out until April 15th. My guess is that at the time they submitted this article for publication (probably late March or so...?) the event was still going ahead as scheduled, as far as anyone at CoroCoro could tell. So it went to print as-is.
Since then, both the event's venues - Tokyo Dome City Hall and The Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry's International Conference Hall - have temporarily closed due to the novel coronavirus. A date for their re-openings has not been announced.
It's also worth noting that Anime Expo - the anime convention in Los Angeles that hosted the world premiere of Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution last year - has already announced that this year's convention was being canceled due to COVID-19. A preview screening of Pocket Monsters The Movie "Koko" was never announced for the convention but it was always a possibility after the success of last year's premiere.
Officially the movie screening event is still moving ahead as scheduled but I think it'll end up being canceled in the end. I can't imagine production has been able to continue at the rate it would need to in order for the film to even by ready on time, and even if it has I don't see the organizers being irresponsible enough to hold a massive public gathering like this a little over a month from now. The fact that this event hasn't even been publicized on the official website at all leads me to believe that even its organizers know it's not happening.
List of Pokémon - Generation Eight
May 7th, 2020
Dogasu @ 23:08 JST -- This is like...six months late? but I finally got around to finishing up the List of Pokémon for Generation 8.
The usual information - the Pokémon's name, the way they're written in Japanese, their likely etymology, and their English names - are all provided.
I know, I know, it's not the most exciting update or anything but it's something I'm glad to have done regardless.
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