TLDR;
The hosts of the "Gotta Watch Them All" podcast rewatch and rank the Pokémon movie "Jirachi: Wish Maker." They discuss their initial impressions, the plot, key characters like Max and May, and the movie's themes. The group also dives into animation quality, the villain's motivations, and the overall impact of the film within the Pokémon movie series. They conclude by ranking the movie among others in the series and selecting their favorite Pokémon from the film for a community poll.
- The movie is about Max befriending the mythical Pokémon Jirachi, who grants wishes.
- The villain, Butler, seeks to recreate Groudon for his own purposes, leading to chaos.
- The group discusses the animation, plot inconsistencies, and character development.
- They rank "Jirachi: Wish Maker" in the middle compared to other Pokémon movies.
- The episode ends with each host picking a favorite Pokémon from the movie for a community poll.
Intro and First Impressions [0:00]
The podcast begins with introductions from the hosts, CJ, Dante, and Chris, who are rewatching and ranking the Pokémon movies. They are focusing on "Pokémon: Jirachi Wishmaker" in this episode. Initial reactions are mixed, with some hosts expressing fondness for the movie, while others admit they weren't fully engaged until the later half. One host mentions issues with the movie's pacing, particularly the timing of montages.
General Thoughts and Plot Discussion [1:56]
The hosts share their overall thoughts on the movie's plot. The movie starts with an intro featuring water Pokémon and Mewtwo. They appreciate the connections to past movies, with Mewtwo acting as a vigilante. The plot involves Team Magma seeking Groudon, and a couple finding a purple rock. The group then transitions to discussing the main characters, Ash, May, and Max, noting that this is the first movie without Misty.
Character Analysis: May and Max [7:21]
The hosts discuss the characters of May and Max, with some feeling that May is not well-represented in the movie. They compare her portrayal in the anime to her role in the film, noting that she seems less energetic and more sidelined. Max's character is also examined, with some finding him annoying. The group jokes about May's lack of significant contributions to the plot.
The Millennium Festival and Butler's Introduction [9:29]
The group discusses the narrator's warning to be careful what you wish for, leading into the title card. The team arrives at a crater where the Millennium Festival should be, only to find it's not set up. A caravan of vehicles arrives and quickly sets up the festival. A man with purple hair, Butler, arrives and starts making bubble gum balls.
The Great Butler's Magic Show [12:40]
The team enjoys the carnival, and Team Rocket is there handing out flyers. The gang attends the Great Butler's magic show, where he reveals a purple rock. Max recognizes a voice from the rock, and Butler involves Ash and Max in a magic trick. The trick involves a box, Dust Glops, and a hyper beam, leading to a trap door.
Team Rocket's Interruption and Jirachi's Introduction [18:13]
Team Rocket tries to steal Pikachu but are stopped by the team. Butler and Diane explain the history of Jirachi, a mythical Pokémon that wakes up every 1,000 years and needs a true friend. Max is tasked with helping Jirachi come to life. May makes a joke about her brother being friends with a rock.
May's Frustration and the Voice Acting [22:22]
May is portrayed as constantly annoyed with Max. She finds a wishing star toy, and the shopkeeper tells her she has seven days to make a wish. The hosts discuss inconsistencies in the voice acting, with some lines not matching the characters' mouths. They also note that the characters' names are the same in both languages, which is unusual for Pokémon movies.
The Millennium Comet and Jirachi's Awakening [24:59]
The lights shut off, and the Millennium Comet appears. May makes her first wish. Max falls asleep with Jirachi's rock, and May sings a lullaby to help him sleep. Jirachi awakens, and a green energy spreads across the planet. Absol appears, heading towards the festival.
Absol's Appearance and the Disaster Pokémon [26:56]
The hosts discuss Absol's role as the Disaster Pokémon, noting that its appearance signals impending doom. They debate whether Absol is causing the disasters or simply warning of them. They also discuss the concept of dark types being evil unless caught by a trainer.
Jirachi's Abilities and the Invitation to Stay [29:15]
Jirachi emerges from the stone, and Diane invites the gang to stay with them. The hosts find it suspicious that Diane and Butler are so quick to offer accommodation. They discuss Jirachi's ribbon trail things that become a swaddle.
Wishes Gone Wrong [30:17]
The gang gets on the bus, and they start making wishes. Max wishes for candy, which appears, leading to chaos. Brock wishes for girls. Jirachi teleports things, not creating them. May wishes to get rid of the problem, and Jirachi teleports May into the pile of food.
Max's Creepy Stare and Carnival Fun [33:44]
Max is staring at Jirachi while it sleeps. The gang gets dressed and enjoys the carnival. Absol watches over the circus. The hosts discuss how the movie shows the impending disaster before it happens, which they feel diminishes the impact.
Absol's Attack and May's Torchic [38:41]
A metal structure falls on May, and Jirachi steals Max's glasses. Absol appears and starts destroying the tent. May sends out Torchic, and Pikachu tries to help, but Jirachi teleports them away. Absol attacks, and Butler presses a button on his staff, causing Absol to fall into a hole.
The Revelation of Butler's Plan [43:58]
The gang goes to sleep, and May sees Butler walking away with Jirachi. Butler and Diane are setting up a machine. A flashback reveals Butler's plan to create Groudon using a shard and Jirachi's energy. The hosts discuss the design of Jirachi's third eye on its stomach.
Jirachi's Power and the Gang's Pursuit [48:12]
Butler forces Jirachi to use its power, launching a beam of energy into the comet. The gang rushes to save Jirachi. Diane expresses her doubts about Butler's plan. The hosts make references to Joey Wheeler and discuss audio mishaps in the movie.
Absol's Intervention and the Escape [50:28]
The gang saves Jirachi and tries to escape. Dust Glops tries to stop them, but Absol intervenes. Diane drives the bus, and Butler uses Mightyena to chase them. The hosts joke about Mightyena's speed and Pikachu running on water.
The Explanation of Butler's Motives [52:50]
Diane explains Butler's motives to the kids: he wants to create Groudon to impress Team Magma. Brock makes a comment about legendary Pokémon. The hosts discuss the logistics of catching sleeping legendary Pokémon.
The Journey to Forina and May's Third Wish [56:34]
The gang travels to Forina, and Butler puts a tracking device on the van. May makes her third wish and talks to Diane about Butler. Absol watches from afar. The hosts discuss the intense montage and May's countdown, which upsets Max.
Ash's Heartfelt Talk with Max [59:53]
Ash has a heartfelt talk with Max, telling him that even if someone leaves, they're not gone. The hosts speculate about who Ash is missing, with some suggesting Misty. The team walks through the forest, encountering various Pokémon.
The Final Day and Absol's Guidance [1:03:55]
May puts down day number six. She hears Max playing and tells him it's past bedtime. The gang makes their march to Jirachi's home, guided by Absol. They enter a dark cave.
Butler's Trap and the Summoning of Groudon [1:05:34]
Butler traps the team with lasers and captures Jirachi. He puts Jirachi in the machine to summon Groudon. Team Rocket sees the beam and makes jokes. Flygon and Absol help the team escape.
The Battle Against Groudon [1:09:51]
Ash and Max ride on Flygon to stop Butler. Butler uses Salamence to attack. Groudon is summoned and starts destroying the forest. Absol uses Razor Wind, and Groudon eats it. Diane tells Butler to stop the monster.
Diane's Sacrifice and Butler's Redemption [1:14:39]
Groudon catches Diane, and Butler is distraught. Jirachi teleports the gang to avoid Groudon. Butler intervenes and teleports Salamence out of Groudon's grasp. He decides to put Jirachi back in the machine to reverse the process.
The Reversal of Groudon and the Final Wish [1:19:59]
Butler flips the switch, reversing the polarity. Groudon tries to attack Jirachi, but Butler jumps in to save it. Groudon collides with the comet and disappears. The Pokémon reappear, and Diane and Butler are reunited. Jirachi returns home, and Max promises to never forget it.
The Ending and Team Rocket's Fate [1:24:44]
Team Rocket is lost and confused. Butler and Diane decide to live in Forina. May realizes she didn't make her last wish. She says she has her wish the whole time, referring to friendship and adventure.
Constellations and Final Thoughts [1:28:19]
The hosts discuss the constellations shown in the credits. They also note that the castle from "Lucario and the Mystery of Mew" is visible in the distance. They share their final thoughts on the movie, with mixed opinions.
Ranking and Pokémon Poll [1:30:17]
The hosts rank "Jirachi: Wish Maker" among the other Pokémon movies. They then pick their favorite Pokémon from the movie for a community poll: Tropius, Flygon, Salamence, Groudon, and Aggron. The episode concludes with a call to action for viewers to subscribe and vote in the poll.