Pokémon - Arceus and the Jewel of Life

Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life, originally released in Japan as Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl the Movie: Arceus: To the Conquering of Space-Time (劇場版ポケットモンスター ダイヤモンド&パール アルセウス 超克の時空へ), is the 12th Pokémon anime film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama. It is the twelfth Pokémon film and the third in the Diamond & Pearl trilogy. This film so far has earned US$50.2 million in Japan, making it the highest grossing animated film of the year in that country, beating Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance and Case Closed: The Raven Chaser. The English language dub was aired on November 6, 2009 in Australia, November 20, 2009 in the United States on Cartoon Network, on May 28, 2010 in the United Kingdom on Disney XD UK and The Spanish language dub was aired on Spain April 4, 2010 on Disney XD and Latin America on November 21, 2010 on Cartoon Network. This marks the first time that a Pokémon feature film has made its U.S. debut in the same year as its original Japanese release before the Japanese DVD release on December 18, 2009. The theme song of the film is "Kokoro no Antenna" by Shoko Nakagawa.

The movie's fictitious setting is based on various locations in Greece, which the director and producers visited during August 2008. Among the locations they visited and have been used as inspiration for the movie were the Acropolis, Mycenae, Delphi, Metéora.

The DVD was released on Monday 28 November 2011 in the UK, as the third Pokémon DVD to come out in the UK since The Rise Of Darkrai.

Production
The film's director, Kunihiko Yuyama, stated that in the film Arceus was depicted as being nature, the Jewel of Life as being the Sun, with the end goal of making people contemplate how the natural world is essential for the survival of all life. In Japan, the movie was distributed by Toho, best known for creating Godzilla.

Plot
Ash Ketchum, Dawn, Brock and their Pokémon arrive in the beautiful Michina Town, visiting the local temple ruins. Whilst visiting a lake, a typhoon suddenly strikes up, but two people named Sheena and Kevin summon Dialga who ends the typhoon. Palkia and Giratina both individually arrive, but Sheena uses her ability to communicate with a Pokémon's heart to quell their conflicts with each other, sending them back to their respective dimensions. Taking the kids to the temple, Sheena and Kevin explain they investigate disruptions in time and space, and worry that Arceus, the creator of the dimensions, is to awaken and is responsible for the encounters between Dialga, Palkia and Giratina.

Sheena explains that centuries ago, Arceus saved Earth from a meteor storm and nearly died with the loss of its sixteen Life Plates, but a man named Damos saved him. In gratitude, Arceus fused five of his plates into the Jewel of Life, which turned Michina into a paradise. Arceus asked Damos to return to the jewel to him, only for Damos to betray Arceus and attacked him. Arceus was forced to go into a long slumber but vowed to awaken and judge humanity. Sheena reveals Damos is her ancestor, and possesses the actual Jewel of Life, planning to give it back to Arceus to pass judgement. Arceus arrives and Sheena offers him the jewel, only to discover it is a forgery. Arceus would have destroyed humanity, but Dialga, Palkia and Giratina arrive to stop their creator. Dialga sends Ash, Dawn, Brock and Sheena back in time to the day when Damos betrayed Arceus, but Dialga sends them further back, only for the heroes to be apprehended by Damos' lieutenant Marcus and his Heatran.

The kids, Pikachu and Piplup are imprisoned, but the latter two are released by a notch-earred Pichu. The kids meet Damos who was imprisoned by Marcus, who is actually the true culprit behind the betrayal, using a Bronzong to hypnotise Damos into becoming his pawn. Unaware of Marcus' true role, Sheena tells him everything about the future. Pikachu, Piplup and a notch-earred Pichu free the kids and Damos. Arceus arrives to collect the Jewel of Life, hidden in Marcus' sceptre, but the fooled Sheena ends up being the one who betrays him. Arceus is forced into a pit and is wounded by liquid metal and electrical attacks, Marcus' intention is to kill Arceus himself to save the future. Sheena and Damos use their abilities to free the Pokémon under Marcus' control, including Heatran and Bronzong. Ash and the Pokémon confront Marcus, and Ash obtains the real Jewel of Life.

Ash reaches Arceus but discovers he is dying. As a result, Ash and his friends begin to disintegrate due to the future being altered. Damos uses his powers to reach Arceus' raging heart, and asks him to save the future. Arceus absorbs the Jewel of Life, restoring his own life force and those of the future. Arceus rescues his saviours from the collapse of the temple, but Marcus is killed. Ash, Dawn, Brock and Sheena are transported to the future, only to discover that Arceus is still furious and has defeated Dialga, Palkia and Giratina. Arceus spots Ash and recognises him due to history's alterations, and reverses the destruction he caused and heals his servants. Ash and co. discover Damos has put them on a mural, thanking them for their help in saving the world. Arceus and his followers depart to their respective dimensions, Arceus concluding he is a part of the world aside from its creator.

The end credits show via murals that Damos helped turn Michina into a paradise, and the fates of several characters from the previous two movies including Shaymin and Darkrai.

Regular characters

 * Rica Matsumoto (Sarah Natochenny in the English adaptation) as Satoshi (Ash Ketchum in the English adaptation)
 * Ikue Ōtani as Pikachu
 * Yūji Ueda (Bill Rogers in the English adaptation) as Takeshi (Brock in the English adaptation)
 * Megumi Toyoguchi (Emily Bauer in the English adaptation) as Hikari (Dawn in the English adaptation)
 * Etsuko Kozakura (Michele Knotz in the English adaptation) as Pochama (Piplup in the English adaptation)
 * Megumi Hayashibara (Michele Knotz in the English adaptation) as Musashi (Jessie in the English adaptation)
 * Shinichirō Miki (Jimmy Zoppi in the English adaptation) as Kojirō (James in the English adaptation)
 * Inuko Inuyama (Jimmy Zoppi in the English adaptation) as Nyarth (Meowth in the English adaptation)
 * Satoshi's Pokémon:
 * Shinichirō Miki (Jimmy Zoppi in the English adaptation) as Hayashigame (Grotle in the English adaptation)
 * Megumi Hayashibara (Bill Rogers in the English adaptation) as Mōukazaru (Monferno in the English adaptation)
 * Katsuyuki Konishi (Sarah Natochenny in the English adaptation) as Mukuhawk (Staraptor in the English adaptation)
 * Kiyotaka Furushima as Buizel
 * Katsuyuki Konishi (Marc Thompson in the English adaptation) as Glion (Gliscor in the English adaptation)
 * Takeshi's Pokémon:
 * Katsuyuki Konishi (Bill Rogers in the English adaptation) as Gureggru (Croagunk in the English adaptation)
 * Daisuke Sakaguchi (Bill Rogers in the English adaptation) as Usokkie (Sudowoodo in the English adaptation)
 * Miyako Itō (Emily Bauer in the English adaptation) as Pinpuku (Happiny in the English adaptation)
 * Hikari's Pokémon:
 * Satsuki Yukino (Sarah Natochenny in the English adaptation) as Mimirol (Buneary in the English adaptation)
 * Chinami Nishimura as Pachirisu
 * Unshō Ishizuka (Bill Rogers in the English adaptation) as Mammoo (Mamoswine in the English adaptation)
 * Unshō Ishizuka (Rodger Parsons in the English adaptation) as the Narrator

Guest characters

 * Kii Kitano (Evelyn Lanto in the English adaptation) as Sheena: A girl who has the power to communicate with the hearts of people and Pokémon. She is Damos's descendant and seeks to right the wrongs he committed in the past, later traveling back in time to do so.
 * Masahiro Takashima (Dan Green in the English adaptation) as Damos: The man who saved Arceus and received the Jewel of Life, and was believed to later have betrayed it. He appears when the protagonists travel back in time and joins them.
 * Kōichi Yamadera (Jason Griffith in the English adaptation) as Gishin (Marcus in the English adaptation): Damos's assistant, and the antagonist who will do anything to ensure Michina Town's continued prosperity. His Pokémon are Heatran and Bronzong, both controlled by magical armor.

Sub-characters

 * Yuzuru Fujimoto (Marc Thompson in the English adaptation) as Tapp: An elderly man with a laid-back attitude who guards Marcus's jail cell.
 * Yūji Kishi (Wayne Grayson in the English adaptation) as Kevin: Sheena's assistant in guarding the temple of Michina, as well as her boyfriend.
 * Motoko Kumai (Tom Wayland in the English adaptation) as Kanta (Kato in the English adaptation): A boy who challenges Ash and Dawn to a tag battle in the movie's opening. Uses Heracross.
 * Kei Shindō (Bella Hudson in the English adaptation) as Kako (Kiko in the English adaptation): Kato's tag battle partner and friend. She uses Beautifly.
 * Hiroshi Yamamoto as the Villager: A follower of Marcus who prepares food with the forced aid of a Chikorita and Cyndaquil.
 * Ryūji Akiyama as Soldier B: A member of Marcus's army.
 * Hiroyuki Baba as Soldier D: A member of Marcus's army.

Guest Pokémon

 * Akihiro Miwa (Tom Wayland in the English adaptation) as Arceus: The central character of the film. Arceus protected the world from a meteor strike and was healed by Damos, so in gratitude it loaned him the Jewel of Life. However, Damos stole the Jewel and betrayed Arceus.
 * Dialga
 * Palkia
 * Giratina
 * Shōko Nakagawa (Kayzie Rogers in the English adaptation as the Gizamimi Pichu (The Spiky-Eared Pichu in the English adaptation): A special Pichu befriended by Damos.
 * Chikorita
 * Hinoarashi (Cyndaquil in the English adaptation)
 * Waninoko (Totodile in the English adaptation)
 * Kenta Miyake (Tom Wayland in the English adaptation) as Heatran: One of Marcus's enslaved Pokémon. Has the ability to walk on walls.
 * Chikara Ōsaka as Gablias (Garchomp in the English adaptation): A Pokémon seen in the film's prologue, used by Champion Master Cynthia.
 * Hideki Nakanishi as Nidoran♂
 * Takafumi Kawakami as Nidorina
 * Tsutomu Densaka as Yanyanma (Yanma in the English adaptation)
 * Mika Teratani as Kimawari (Sunflora in the English adaptation)