Pokémon - Zoroark: Master of Illusions

Pokémon: Zoroark: Master of Illusions, originally released in Japan as Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl the Movie: Phantom Ruler: Zoroark (劇場版ポケットモンスター ダイヤモンド＆パール 幻影の覇者 ゾロアーク), is a Pokémon anime film, the thirteenth in the meta series franchise history and the fourth in the Diamond & Pearl series arc. It was released in Japan on July 10, 2010 (early July 10, 2003). The movie's fictitious setting is based on various locations in the Netherlands, the Netherlands Public Broadcasting's country, and Belgium. Among the locations they visited and that have been used as inspiration for the movie were the Magere Brug, Amstel River, Kinderdijk, and Brussels, the city of Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie and Radio-Télévision belge de la Communauté française. The film's theme song in Japan was "Ice Cream Syndrome" by Sukima Switch.

An American English language release of the film aired on Cartoon Network on February 5, 2011, the same day the DP Saga ended. On February 25, 2011, it aired in the Netherlands on Disney XD; it was released on DVD in May 2011 with a Dutch dub. The film also aired on CITV on February 26, 2011 in the UK, just 3 weeks after the US; this marked the first time a Pokémon film aired mere weeks after the US, and especially marked the first time an exclusively new film premiered on free-to-air TV. It later aired on Disney XD UK on May 5, 2011. Amazon.co.uk and HMV listed Pokémon: Zoroark Master of Illusions for DVD release in the UK on August 29, 2011; this is the first Pokémon DVD release in the UK since Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai in 2008. The film was released by Universal UK with a free limited edition Celebi Trading Card; this is also the first Pokémon DVD released in the UK before the US, as the DVD was released on September 20, 2011 in the US.

The film was shown at local theaters during the Pokémon Black and White Tour in the United States. Zoroark: Master of Illusions is the fifth film (Pokémon The Movie 2000, Pokémon Heroes, Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, and Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea) to introduce Pokémon from a succeeding generation in the main plot.

Promotions
The teaser trailer for the film showed Ho-Oh and Lugia in a battle. In early 2010, information regarding the fifth generation of the Pokémon video game series began to appear. A new Pokémon was announced in February on both Pokémon Sunday and the March 2010 issue of CoroCoro Comic stated to be a central Pokémon to the plot of the film. On February 15, 2010, this character was revealed to be the new Dark-type Pokémon Zoroark (ゾロアーク), which evolves from another Pokémon named Zorua (ゾロア), both of which will appear in the film.

As a promotion for this movie, in Japan everyone who pre-orders their tickets to the movie get to download a special alternate-colored version of Raikou, Entei, and Suicune, which when traded over to the upcoming Pokémon Black and White games activates an in game encounter with a special Zoroark that uses its Illusion ability to transform into the legendary Pokémon with a type advantage to the transferred one. In addition, people who attend a theatrical presentation of the film in Japan will be able to download a special Celebi to their video game, which when transferred to Black or White will activate an encounter with a special Zorua. In North America, this promotion was being implemented through GameStop stores, with each Pokémon given a staggered release. In Europe and North America, the "Crown Beasts" were downloadable over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, also in a staggered set of releases. The distribution method of Europe's event Celebi has not fully been revealed, although in Norway it has been confirmed to be downloadable at Spaceworld stores starting on February 14. Celebi was made available in the US during the Pokémon Black Version & White Version Tour when it began on February 5, 2011 and US Gamestop stores from February 21, 2011 to March 6, 2011.

The second promotion, which was for the US release of the DVD, an exclusive download of the Pokémon Zoroark was made available at US Toys "R" Us stores from September 18, 2011 to September 25, 2011 to the players' version of Pokémon Black and White. A sweepstakes also took place on the official Pokémon website as a promotion for the movie.

Plot
Ash Ketchum, Brock and Dawn are on their way to a Pokémon championship in Crown City but rescue the shapeshifting, mischievous Zorua from a group of Vigoroth, Zorua able to speak English through telepathy. Zorua wishes to go to Crown City to find its mother Zoroark who it refers to as “Meema”. Zorua’s shapeshifting skills are compromised by the constant presence of its tail, touching it reverting Zorua to normal. The next day, Celebi appears in town and causes all the flowers to bloom, much to the delight of several townsfolk, who recall a mysterious event that happened twenty years where all the plant life died.

Meanwhile, businessman Grings Kodai unleashes the imprisoned Zoroark upon the city, pretending to hold Zorua prisoner. Kodai is aided by his assistant Rowena and bodyguard Goone. Zoroark uses her illusion powers to take the form of Raikou, Entei and Suicune and scare the townsfolk; Kodai editing recorded footage of her to make it look like the fake Pokémon are on the rampage and labels Zoroark as evil.

Ash, Dawn, Brock and Zorua arrive, seeing Zoroark on television, Zorua trying to reach the cut-off town. They meet Karl, a local journalist investigating Kodai, who leads them into town through a hidden passage in a windmill. Kodai is revealed to be able to see into the future, caused by an encounter with Celebi twenty years ago where he touched the Time Ripple, created when Celebi time travels, gaining his powers of foresight, causing the destruction of the town’s plants in the process. Kodai is looking for the Time Ripple again, and has Goone recapture Zoroark, having a vision that Ash, Dawn, Brock, Karl and an unknown woman will stop him.

The group meet Karl’s grandfather Joe and his friend Tammy, who explain Celebi used to visit the town before the plant life died. Zorua runs off on its own to find Zoroark, finding the other Pokémon are hostile towards it, but Celebi appears and befriends Zorua, Pikachu and Piplup. Ash and co. are captured by Kodai, but Rowena releases them, actually Karl’s fellow journalist working undercover to find out Kodai’s plan.

Rowena explains Kodai’s past, and how the Time Ripple will linger for a day after Celebi time travels, Kodai planning to absorb its power again to replenish his fading foresight. Kodai has a vision that Celebi will show him the Time Ripple, and he targets it and Zorua. Zoroark escapes her prison, just as the real Legendary Beasts arrive in town and engage Zoroark in a fight. Kodai harms Celebi, seeing more of the future. Ash and co. arrive, Kodai realising Rowena is the woman in his vision. The group flee with Zorua and Celebi, meeting up with Joe and Tammy, where it is revealed the location of the Time Ripple is in the local stadium, Kodai eavesdropping on the conversation and races for the stadium. While Karl and the others stop the fighting between Zoroark and the Legendary Beasts, Ash, Dawn, Brock, Pikachu, Zorua and Celebi head for the stadium.

Dawn and Brock fight Goone and his Pokémon, aided by Zoroark, who then join Ash and his friends at the stadium. Kodai takes Zorua captive and threatens to kill it unless the heroes do not back off, before absorbing part of the Time Ripple and replenishes his power, gloating about how he has fooled the townsfolk twice with his media manipulations. However, Zoroark reveals his victory was an illusion she created, with Karl and Rowena recording Kodai's boast to the public. Kodai tries to reach the Time Ripple but is blocked by the Legendary Beasts, and his attempt to escape fails.

Zoroark dies from exhaustion, but Celebi ventures into the Time Ripple to rejuvenate its own power and revives Zoroark, before departing back to the future. Kodai’s confessions to his crime are played on television, and he is promptly arrested. At the end of the film, Zorua and Zoroark depart back to their homeland, the Unova region, with Karl and Rowena for company. Ash promises Zorua that he and Pikachu will reunite with it when they visit Unova some day.

Guest characters

 * Takanori Jinnai (Sean Schemmel) as Grings Kodai (グリングス・コーダイ): The film's antagonist. He is a wealthy businessman with the power to see the future, which he obtained by collecting the energy from Celebi's Time Ripple.
 * Kōichi Yamadera (Marc Thompson) as Goone (グーン): Kodai's bodyguard.
 * Takashi Tsukamoto (Wayne Grayson) as Karl (Kuruto (クルト)): A newspaper reporter from Crown City who is investigating Kodai's secrets.
 * Natsuki Katō (Bella Hudson) as Rowena (Rioka (リオカ)): A cool and intelligent young woman who initially appears to be Kodai's secretary, but is actually an undercover reporter working with Kuruto.
 * Shoko Nakagawa (Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld) as Peg (Proof (プルーフ)):A purple-haired girl whose an ardent supporter of the Crown City Coronets. She finds herself thrown into the chaos in the destruction of the city.
 * Romi Park as Zoroark: A Dark-type Pokémon abducted by Kodai. She rampages in Crown City in the guises of Raikou, Entei and Suicune due to Kodai blackmailing her with Zorua's safety.
 * Kurumi Mamiya (Eileen Stevens) as Zorua: A Pokémon related to Zoroark that can use weaker illusion powers. He is desperate to reunite with the film's Zoroark, whom he refers to as "Meema".
 * Rie Kugimiya as Celebi: A Pokémon that travels through time to visit Crown City. The last time it appeared prior to the movie was twenty years ago, when it was attacked by Kōdai, who was after the Time Ripple. In the present day, it is again targeted by Kōdai.