Pokemon: The Arceus Chronicles has finally been released on Netflix after a long wait from fans of the pokemon animation. The one-hour film consists of four separate specials that aired in Japan at the beginning of the year, as a spin-off from the main anime series, Pokemon Travel. Initially, it coincided with the release of Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
The specials follow Ash, Goh, Dawn and their Pokemon as they investigate strange happenings surrounding a Sinnoh region festival commemorating the past. Along the way, they meet some old friends, as well as several Easter eggs for fans of Pokemon Legends: Arceus. These eight are sure to grab the attention of those who ventured through Hisui.
8 Ash and Goh visit Jubilife Town
After arriving in Sinnoh, Ash and Goh find themselves at a festival in Canalave City. The city has been renovated to look like it did in ancient times. But those who played Pokemon Legends: Arceus will identify this appearance as identical to Jubilife Village, the main hub where players spend time outside of Pokemon expeditions.
While Ash and Goh don’t get much of a chance to explore the recreated Jubilife Village before being drawn into action, fans will recognize the festival taking place on Canala Avenue. Many of the stores fans may know from Pokemon Legends: Arceus are being replaced by more modern Pokemon themed stores for the festival.
7 Dawn’s Hisuian wardrobe change
When Dawn first appears in The Arceus Chroniclesshe wears a traditional attire similar to the attire of the default player character in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Even her white knit cap has been replaced with a headband reminiscent of the female character’s headgear in the Hisui region. Shortly after, she convinces Ash and Goh to change too.
While trying on new Hisui outfits, Ash and Goh meet Cynthia again, the Sinnoh Region Champion with whom Dawn stays. Although she takes on the same clothes as the other three, her hair is even reminiscent of Cynthia’s ancestors from Legends Arceusin particular Cogita, who has a similar haircut over her left eye as Cynthia does.
6 Team Galactic captures Heatran
An early scene in the film finds several Team Galactic grunts, led by Saturn, encountering a Heatran in a volcanic cave. Heatran, like all other Pokémon from the Sinnoh region, also appears in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, but cannot be captured until after the main story is completed. Here Saturn seems to have gotten to the Legendary Pokemon early on.
Fans of each pokemon series game will also note Saturn’s strategy to capture Heatran as incredibly effective. After Saturn takes damage from a super-effective Ground-type attack, he uses a Dusk Ball to capture the Pokemon. Dusk Balls, as most fans know, are most effective when used at night or in cavernous locations.
5 Hisuian shapes make a subtle appearance
During the Sinnoh Festival, Cynthia leads Ash, Goh, and Dawn to a room commemorating the history of the Sinnoh region. The paintings on the wall refer to many locations in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, but one in particular gets special attention. That painting shows several Hisuian forms that debuted in the Switch title.
although The Arceus Chronicles does not cover all Hisuian forms, a few specific ones appear in this painting: Hisuian Growlithe and Hisuian Braviary, as well as the newly evolved Pokemon, Basculegion and Wyrdeer. Hopefully, future episodes of the pokemon anime will pay tribute to other new Pokemon such as Hisuian Zoroark or Ursaluna among others.
4 Catching a new starter trio
As they look through the museum exhibit, Cynthia also introduces Ash, Goh, and Dawn to the way Pokemon used to be caught in Hisui. She gives each of them an old designed Poke Ball, which looks like the same one Pokemon Legends: Arceus. To test them out, she takes them to an open field filled with Sinnoh Pokemon.
Ash, Goh and Dawn are soon introduced to Oshawott, Cyndaquil and Rowlet, who Cynthia says are native to other regions but found in ancient Sinnoh. They chase them and they each catch one of the starters of Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Ash gets Rowlet, Dawn gets Oshawott, and Goh gets Cyndaquil.
3 A strange phenomenon near the mountain Coronet
The trio’s fun adventures across ancient Sinnoh come to a halt when Team Galactic forces Heatran to exert an energy pulse, affecting all nearby Pokemon. The protagonists’ own Pokemon, Pikachu, Grookey, and Piplup, draw their attention to a disturbance on Mount Coronet. What they soon discover is a dimensional portal opening thanks to the efforts of the evil team.
The plot movement of a dimensional gate opening on Mount Coronet is a direct reference to the main story of Pokemon Legends: Arceus. After a rift in space-time begins to affect the Noble Pokemon of each Hisuian region, the player is summoned to temper their anger. Like The Arceus ChroniclesThis leads to a confrontation at the top of Mount Coronet.
2 Arceus changes type
During the height of The Arceus ChroniclesArceus appears atop Mount Coronet to stop the destruction of the enraged Heatran. After Arceus begs for help, Arceus reveals one of his signature plates and transforms it into a Water-type Pokémon. With his newfound abilities, Arceus creates an ocean in the sky, which it uses to temper the Heatran’s madness.
The use of Arceus’ plates is an important feedback to the pokemon spell. With the individual Plate items found by the player, Arceus’ type can change accordingly. The story after the game of Pokemon Legends: Arceus also includes finding the remaining number of plates before Arceus is captured.
1 A final cameo before the credits
Pokemon: The Arceus Chronicles features more cameos than just Dawn, Cynthia, Brock, and the Team Galactic goons. After thwarting Team Galactic’s plans, Ash, Goh, and Dawn set out to resume festival activities. Before the audience is sent to the credits, however, one last Easter egg appears.
In a scene set in ancient Hisui, Rei appears to be running through the real Jubilife Village. Rei, as the male character in Pokemon Legends: Arceusmarks the first appearance of a player character in the pokemon anime that hasn’t been Ash’s companion since? Zoroark: Master of Illusions. It’s a sweet vignette that harks back to the original game.
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