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Pokémon Heroes
The DVD cover for Pokémon Heroes
Directed by	Kunihiko Yuyama Jim Malone Derek Black
Produced by	Yukako Matsusako Takemoto Mori Choji Yoshikawa Norman J. Grossfeld
Written by	Hideki Sonoda Norman J. Grossfeld
Starring	Veronica Taylor Rachael Lillis Eric Stuart Maddie Blaustein Phillip Bartlett Lisa Ortiz Megan Hollingshead Wayne Grayson Tara Jayne Ed Paul Kayzie Rogers Masashi Ebara Megumi Hayashibara Kerry Williams Ikue Ootani
Music by	Shinji Miyazaki
Cinematography	Hisao Shirai
Editing by	Toshio Henmi
Studio	OLM, Inc.
Distributed by	Toho (Japan) Miramax Films (US) Alliance Atlantis (Canada theatrical) Universal Studios Home Entertainment (Canada DVD, distributing for Alliance Atlantis)
Release date(s)	Japan: July 13, 2002 United States: May 16, 2003 (NY/LA, Boston)
Running time	70 min. (US), 72 min. (JAP)
Country	Japan United States
Language	Japanese English
Preceded by	Pokémon 4Ever
Followed by	Pokémon: Jirachi Wish Maker

Pokémon Heroes: Latios and Latias, originally released in Japan as Pocket Monsters the Movie: Latias and Latios, the Guardian Gods of the Water City (劇場版ポケットモンスター 水の都の護神 ラティアスとラティオス, Gekijōban Poketto Monsutā Mizu no Miyako no Mamorigami Ratiasu to Ratiosu^?), is the fifth movie in the Pokémon series, complimenting Pokémon: Master Quest (the last season of Pocket Monsters story arc in the Japanese version). The original Japanese version was released in theaters on July 13, 2002, and the English adaptation saw New York City and Los Angeles theatrical release on May 16, 2003, before making its way to video and DVD in January 2004. It was the last Pokémon film to appear in theaters, with the next movie being "Pokémon: Jirachi Wishmaker", which was released on DVD. It was distributed by Miramax Films.

Although Cartoon Network currently airs the film, it also aired on Toon Disney on November 27, 2007 (because Miramax, owned by Disney, released this animated film), being the fourth Pokémon film to air on Toon Disney (the first three being Pokémon: Jirachi Wishmaker, Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys, and Pokémon 4Ever). It once again stars Ash, Misty and Brock traveling through the Sevii Islands. This is the last film to feature Misty as one of the main characters.

In the United States, this film was rated G by the MPAA.This film can be noted as one of the few films that show Porygon in the introduction. This is rare since Porygon has had no main role in the anime since the episode Denno Senshi Porygon

Plot

Camp Pikachu

The story behind this short film revolves around the Pichu brothers as they attempt to find a train back to the big city. Along the way, they are helped by seven of Ash Ketchum's and Misty's Pokémon (Pikachu, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Phanpy, Corsola, Togepi, and Psyduck), and a Wynaut. Meanwhile, Meowth and Wobbuffet are hiking in the back country, but their journey continuously goes wrong and their paths intertwines with the others.

Along the way, they sit around a campfire, where the older Pichu brother, along with Wynaut, scare the younger brother with the help of a Duskull. They also encounter a Volbeat, who guides them to a mill where they can stay the night.

Heroes: Latias and Latios

The main film's setting is in the water-themed Johto city of Altomare (which means "High Sea"), based on Venice, Italy. The city is watched over by two legendary Pokémon, Latias and Latios. The story behind the two involves an evil Pokémon Trainer using a Kabutops and an Aerodactyl to terrorize the citizens, until the original Latios came to the city, using his powers to drown the evil Pokémon and turning the streets into canals. However, Latios died and his children were left orphans. His soul is within a special jewel, the Soul Dew.

The Soul Dew is sought by Annie and Oakley, two members of Team Rocket (in the original dub they worked alone). The Soul Dew acts as a key for activating the Defense Mechanism of Altomare, a special device built in case of disaster. Meanwhile, Ash Ketchum, Misty, and Brock are visiting Altomare on their travels. Ash and Misty participate in the Tour de Altomare, a water chariot race. Misty wins, after Ash takes a wrong turn thanks to an invisible Latias and Latios. Ross, the former champion of the race gives the friends a tour of the city in his gondola and tells them of the city's guardians. Annie and Oakley are in the city now and follow Latias, who has disguised herself as a human girl. Latias is saved by Ash and Pikachu. Team Rocket are also in the city and decide to follow Annie and Oakley.

The trio of heroes later visit the city's museum where they meet Lorenzo, the curator, who explains the city's legendary past and also introduces them to the Defence Mechanism of Altomare (DMA for short). Ash spies a girl, Bianca, who is identical to Latias' disguise. Ash pursues her, and then Latias in disguise, across the city, eventually discovering a beautiful hidden garden where Latias and Latios live. When Latios and Bianca threaten to drive Ash out, Lorenzo arrives to clear up all the tension. Latias and Latios play with Ash and Pikachu, and later Lorenzo reveals to Ash the Soul Dew. However, Annie and Oakley's spy robot is watching this and later the two villains steal the Soul Dew and capture Latios, using both to control the DMA. Latias flees to Ash for help, and later the two and Pikachu race across the gridlocked city to the museum. Oakley goes power hungry and causes iron gates to pop up across the city, then revives the dead Pokémon to capture Latias. After a long chase through the city, Ash and Latias cause the undead Aerodactyl to crash into a building, and are saved from the Kabutops by their friends' Pokémon. The heroes arrive at the museum to find the DMA going haywire and Latios badly injured. After freeing Latios, the Soul Jewel fades and turns black, causing the DMA to go into overdrive and all the water in the city leaves suddenly and returns as a giant tidal wave. Latios and Latias use their psychic powers to destroy the tidal wave, but Latios disappears in the process, due to being greatly weakened by when he was used to control the Defense Mechanism. The water returns to the city, washing away Team Rocket in the process. The undead Pokémon return to their fossil states, and Annie and Oakley end up trapped inside the DMA.

Latios becomes a new Soul Dew and is placed as the new guardian of Altomare. Ash, Misty, and Brock head off to leave Altomare, but Latias/Bianca stops them before they leave and hands Ash a drawing of him and Pikachu, giving Ash a kiss on the cheek before disappearing. As the group leave on a boat, they see two Latios and a Latias in the air. The end-credits show Annie and Oakley are let out of the DMA and put in prison where they examine the possessions of Lawrence III.

Japanese version

The Japanese version had a few key differences from the English version.

• Annie and Oakley were not affiliated with Team Rocket.
• The original Soul Dew may or may not have the soul of a Latios inside it at all. The one that appears after Latios's death still does.
• The English version cut out the prologue where Annie and Oakley were reciting the legend of Altomare from the book they were about to steal:

A long time ago, Altomare was just a small town. One day, an old couple walking along the beach found two unconscious children lying in the sand. They brought the children home and nursed them back to health. Seeing as they didn't seem to have parents, the old couple decided to take care of them as their own children. Later though, a dark cloud covered the skies above Altomare and rained down shards of darkness. Anything these shards touched became dark as well. One shard was about to hit the old couple when the children started to glow and all the shards were destroyed. The two children floated up into the air and revealed themselves as Latios and Latias. More Latios and Latias appeared, one of them carrying the Soul Dew. Their power, combined with the Soul Dew's, shone upon the dark cloud, vanquishing it. In gratitude for their help, the two Latios and Latias gave the Soul Dew to the old couple. They departed yet soon returned to their "parents".

Cast

Box office

The film was a major box office flop, only making $20,121,538 at the Japanese box office and $746,381 at the United States box office, making it the least successful film in the series. In fact, it surpassed Super Mario Bros. as Nintendo's least successful videogame-to-film adaptation. However, it should be pointed out that the movie was only released in 196 theaters in the United States, which had a part in many fans not being able to see it.^{[citation needed]} As a side note, future Pokémon films are now released on DVD in the USA, as opposed to a theater release like in Japan.

External links

• Official Pokémon.com site
• Pokémon Heroes at the Internet Movie Database
• Pokémon Heroes at Rotten Tomatoes