Pokémon: Wildcard previews deals out mysteries for a Mimikyu-centric return to theaters for the first time in over half a decade.

For over two decades, a new Pokémon anime movie in the summer in Japan was as sure a thing as cherry blossoms in the spring. In 1998, the original Pokémon movie, Mewtwo Strikes Back, started a string of 21 annual summertime Pokémon movies that stretched all the way to its remake, Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution, in 2019. As further proof of the releases’ consistency, not only did they all premiere in Japanese theaters in July, all of the movies came out within 12 calendar dates of each other, opening between July 7 and 19.

Even in 2020, a new Pokémon anime made its way to theaters, with Pokémon the Movie: Coco, retitled Secrets of the Jungle for its overseas release, sliding into Japanese theaters in December of that year. Then, after getting a Pokémon anime movie every year between 1998 and 2020, the well suddenly dried up, and there hasn’t been one since.

Now, though, comes the happy news that Pokémon is finally coming back to theaters!

Announced to coincide with the closing of this year’s Pokémon World Championships is San Francisco, Pokémon: Wildcard is an all-new Pokémon anime movie, and it looks to be the first one that won’t focus on protagonist Satoshi/Ash. Nor does it appear to star one of the human characters from the Pokémon Journeys arcs of the TV anime which were meant as a direct passing of the torch from Ash to a new aspiring Pokémon Master, nor from the Pokémon Horizons arc which followed with its own cast of characters.

There is one familiar face in the teaser video for Pokémon: Wildcard, though, or at least a familiar face-like covering, as Mimikyu looks to be playing a big role this time around, and a posting by the movie’s official Twitter account includes the phrase “Mimic You.”

Looking for other clues as to theme or tone, though the video features the stirringly heroic sounds of Pokémon main theme music, the color and character designs are dark and brooding.

Speaking of the one and only human we see in the video, he’s actually playing with Pokémon cards. The Pokémon trading card game isn’t usually shown as being something that exists within the setting of Pokémon anime, but the presence of Mimikyu also implies that Pokémon: Wildcard isn’t going to be a story where Pokémon only exist within the imaginations of fans of the game, either.

Another mystery to mull over: Pokémon: Wildcard isn’t using the standard Pokémon franchise logo. Ordinarily, both Os in the logo have the same design, but for Wildcard the second O gets a squiggly design reminiscent of Mimikyu’s jagged smile.

In terms of production staff, Wildcard will be bringing several newcomers to the Pokémon franchise. It’ll be the first Pokémon project for director Katsuhiko Kitada, who’s resume consists largely of animation direction credits on series such as Attack on Titan, Guilty Crown, and Wagnaria, plus direction for a few episodes of Flip Flappers and unit direction on The First Slam Dunk. Character designs are by Akemi Hayashi, who also handled that role on Banana Fish and 2001 Fruits Basket anime. Studio CloverWorks, also in its first Pokémon, will handle animation production.

▼ Pokémon: Wildcard’s English-language teaser

With no spoken dialogue, the Japanese and English-language teasers for the movie are largely identical, but in the spot where the Japanese version simply flashes “2027” on screen, the English teaser says “Coming 2027 and beyond.” With the official Japanese Pokémon: Wildcard website promising “Confirmed for theatrical release in 2027,” this seems to indicate that Wildcard will debut in Japanese theaters for sure next year, but might not reach international markets until 2028, but all the same, it’s good to have theatrical Pokémon anime coming back.

Source: Pokémon: Wildcard official website
Top image: Pokémon: Wildcard official website
Insert images: YouTube/ポケモン公式YouTubeチャンネル
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