[Note: The main text of Pokemon Story is written by freelance author, Kenji Hatakeyama. Masakazu Kubo adds marginal notes at various points throughout the text. The translator has set aside Kubo's text with brackets.]
Preview Screening
As you can see from what Kanda and Yuyama have said so far, Pokémon production meetings are not closed-door meetings. If necessary, Kanda would go, Tajiri and Kawaguchi would come, and of course Kubo would show up and express his opinions.
In any case, the important thing here is that these matters were discussed in a liberal atmosphere, and everything was decided in the discussions at the production meetings. The original creators could make the meeting like a magistrate's office or a courthouse at any time. But of course, they had no intention of doing so, and the animation team was motivated by the fact that these meetings were really about building the animated Pokémon world through discussions.
Yoshikawa says:
"What I appreciated was the very good relationship between the game and the animation. Ishihara and the rest understood animation very well and looked at it with a lot of love, and they never cut the animation staff off for interfering. That's why Ishihara still goes to the ADR studio. It is wonderful. And the animation staff, being who they are, played the game hard. That's the kind of relationship we had."
Hearing Yoshikawa's words, I wonder how many times they have been cut off because they were told that they were "anime staff, thus unimportant." Whether it was Ishihara or Sugimori, they were just expressing their curiosity about anime production, with respect for the animation team's creativity, and with a very normal attitude towards them from their perspective. However, as can be inferred from Yoshikawa's words, they had never seen an original creator who frequented the animation production site, listened to the opinions of the animation team, and tried to participate in the production even a little. Who was it that cut them off, saying, "Who cares about the anime staff"?
The production of the animated series "Pocket Monsters" was a careful and painstaking process. Plot, screenplay, storyboards, animation, inbetweens, composition, lyrics, recording, dubbing, ADR, and editing. In order to finally bring "Pocket Monsters" to life in the 30-minute episode with 3,500 animation cels, as Kanda says, everything had to be done by hand, one by one. It's a lot of work by a lot of people.
Nothing can be neglected, either. It would be miraculous if all of the staff members who worked on the production of the animation did the best they could to create images that weren't outdone by the game, as I have described here. Moreover, everyone at the production site played the game Pokémon. The directors, animation supervisors, scenario writers, storyboarders, animators, inbetweeners, producers, episode directors, lyricists, composers, sound technicians, and voice actors. By playing the game, they were all connected in the same world of Pokemon. If everyone on the Pokémon animation production team worked with the attitude of trying to maximize their abilities, then perhaps it was the power of Pokémon.
Yoshikawa called it luck.
"I don't think we would have been able to create such an integrated animation staff if it weren't for a director named Yuyama. And when you think about it, there are so many things in Pokemon that would not have happened without that person, or would not have gone this way without this person. The probability of all these people meeting is very low. When I think about it, I still feel like it's luck."
If we call it luck, then each and every one of us who has encountered Pokémon may be chewing on good fortune to have done so. Yuyama also says:
"When I decided to work on Pokémon, I think it was probably the luck that the Pokémon project has that made the relationships take a very good shape. It is probably something that the game Pokemon itself has. For the animation team, in a sense, Pokemon is something borrowed. But there is a sense of satisfaction in being able to express it in a way that is not borrowed, in a way that is our own. That's the kind of thing we have."
Itou Asura Benimaru of Creatures once said:
"We are all children. Pokemon was created because we are children. Among us, there is only one person with the dark-side power of the murky adult world. But because there was someone like that, we were able to maintain a healthy production system in an adult world where anything goes. That's Kubo."
Kubo, who created the framework for the animation production, quietly watched the production progress along with Ishihara.
On Friday, March 28, 1997, the completion preview of the first episode "Pokemon! I Choose You!" of the animated series "Pocket Monsters" was held at the "Star Hall" in Josui Kaikan in Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. Except for those who had previously attended rush and informal previews, this was the first time most of the invited guests had seen Pokémon in action.
At exactly 2:00 p.m., the lights in the hall were dimmed and the projection began.
"I'll get you, Pokemon!"
The opening theme song "Aim to Be a Pokemon Master," the opening theme song for the anime "Pocket Monsters," which begins with this shout of voice actor Matsumoto Rika, began to play in the hall. During the lively and heroic prelude, reminiscent of the theme song from the movie "Rocky," animation commenced on the screen. At the same time, Matsumoto Rika began to sing.
While the theme song was playing, the opening credits roll on the screen. The names of people who have worked alongside Pokémon up until now popped in and out of the screen one after another. There were many staff members in the audience whose names did not appear in the credit roll. However, they looked at Satoshi and Pikachu running freely in the background of the credit roll as if they were their own credit roll, as if to say, "We really have been doing this for a long time."
The episode proper began.
As the episode proper ended and the ending credit roll began, the ending theme song "One Hundred and Fifty-One," sung by Dr. Orchid's voice actor Ishizuka Unshou and the Pokemon Kids, began to play in the hall.
A dazzling 30 minutes of the new world passed. No one got up from their seats. There was no applause. For a moment, Kubo was worried. The lights came on. Some people were wiping their eyes. Soon, there was sparse applause. It was hesitant applause, but it gradually grew stronger. As the applause grew stronger, the seated participants began to stand up. Finally, the place was wrapped in a whirlpool of applause.
"That was wonderful. I was very impressed. When I thought that Game Freak's hard work had come this far, I was already in tears. I was really moved. I had never experienced anything like that before." (Game Freak, Kawakami Naoko)
"It was an excellent script that understands the Pokémon universe, with excellent direction that understands the Pokémon universe. It was splendid." (Creatures, Itou Asura Benimaru)
"From a personal point of view, I am most happy that I worked with Yuyama on this project." (OLM, Kanda Shuukichi)
"If it wasn't for OLM, we would have lost. It doesn't mean that we won, but I think we stood on an equal footing." (Independent producer, Yoshikawa Chouji)
"It is one of the ultimate dreams of an artist to have their characters move through animation, so I was really happy. Moreover, I was an enthusiastic fan of the works created by Kotabe, Shudou, and Director Yuyama, so I was blessed by a good staff, or rather, awe-inspired. Even now, whenever I meet them at production meetings, I get really excited..." (Game Freak, Sugimori Ken)
This day marked the beginning of a hit.
[Oota Shouji]
Animation production head.
Born on January 13, 1965 in Hokkaido.
Belongs to OLM. His notable works include Gdleen, Ironfist Chinmi, Slow Step, Legend of the Angel of Love: Wedding Peach, Yaiba: Samurai Legend, and Ogre Slayer.
[Shirai Hisao]
Director of photography.
Representative Director of Studio Cosmos. Born in Saitama Prefecture on December 20, 1946. His notable works include My Neighbor Totoro, Ghost in the Shell, and Cardcaptor Sakura.
[Ichiishi Sayuri]
Character designer & animator.
Born January 1 in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Her notable works include Legend of the Angel of Love: Wedding Peach, Don't Lose! Kendo Magic 2, Mermaid's Forest, Bad Badtz-Maru, IZUMO, and Fairy Hobberdy Dick.
[Mima Masafumi]
Sound director.
Born in Tokyo on May 20, 1962. While in college, he worked part-time at a radio station and was fascinated by radio dramas, which led him to this sphere. He is currently a member of Techno Sound. His notable works include Dragon Quest, Get It Together Tsuyoshi, Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko, Cardcaptor Sakura, Hajime no Ippo, Macross Plus, Perfect Blue, Initial D, and Vampire Hunter D.
[Henmi Toshio]
Anime editor.
Director of JAYFILM, born November 27, 1956. His notable works include Oh My Goddess, Run Melos!, Brain Powerd, Kakyuusei, Flower Witch Mary Bell, and New Mobile Report Gundam Wing.
[Kanemura Katsuyoshi]
Art director.
Director of Studio Jack, born January 26, 1959 in Saitama Prefecture. After graduating from Tokyo Designer Gakuin College, he became fascinated with animation art and joined Studio Jack, where he currently works. His debut as art director was Nine 2, and his notable works include Get It Together Tsuyoshi, Dragon Quest, Touch films, Hiatari Ryoukou!, Peacock King 2, Hidamari no Ki, and Mojacko.
[Matsumoto Rika]
Voice of Satoshi.
Belongs to Sun Music. Born in Yokohama. An actor who can also perform musicals, a wish that was fulfilled by the producers. She has sung the theme songs of Pokemon as well as various other musical activities.
[Ootani Ikue]
Voice of Pikachu.
Belongs to Mausu Promotion.
Born in Tokyo. Wherever he goes in the world, Pikachu is voiced by Ootani.
[Ishizuka Unshou]
Voice of Dr. Orchid.
Belongs to Aksent. Born in Fukui Prefecture.
After appearing in Shakespeare Theater, he started various theater and narration activities. He is probably the most frequent narrator of trailers in theaters.
[Iizuka Mayumi]
Voice of Kasumi.
Belongs to Yaegaki Office. Born in Tokyo. She is active as a radio personality, concert performer, and in publishing of photobooks.
[Koorogi Satomi]
Voice of Togepi.
Belongs to Production BAOBAB. Born in Tokyo. She has appeared in "Crayon Shin-Chan," "Ojarumaru," "Shimajiro the Striped Tiger," and other productions.
[Ueda Yuuji]
Voice of Takeshi.
Belongs to Arts Vision. Born in Fukuoka Prefecture. He has also voiced in "The Racing Brothers Let's & Go" and "...MAX."
[Hayashibara Megumi]
Musashi of Team Rocket.
Born in Tokyo. She is the voice of Ayanami Rei (Evangelion), Bakabon, and Hello Kitty, and has released a number of CDs and is a regular on the hit charts. She is also active in radio, narration, and writing.
[Miki Shinichirou]
Kojirou of Team Rocket.
Belongs to 81 Produce. Born in Tokyo. He has a cool voice and a gag-like voice, such as in "Sensual Phrase" (YUKI) and "Super Yo-Yo" (Master Nakamura).
[Inuyama Inuko]
Meowth of Team Rocket.
Belongs to Creatures. Born in Tokyo. Multi-talented actor active on stage and screen. She is also a personality of "Pokemon Hour" on Nippon Broadcasting System, and has narrated many commercials.
[Seki Tomokazu]
Voice of Kenji.
Belongs to Atomic Monkey.
Born in Tokyo. He was a member of the first class of Haikyo Voice Actors Studio. He appeared in "Cardcaptor Sakura" and "White Fang," among others.
[Toda Akihito]
Born on November 21, 1960, he joined Tokyo Itoi Shigesato Office in 1986.
After training in copywriting under Itoi, he worked at Ape Inc. as a scenario writer for "Mother 2" and "Monopoly."
Joined Creatures in 1995. As a planner, he also writes lyrics for Pokemon songs. His notable works include "Aim to Be a Pokemon Master," "Can You Name All the Pokemon?", "Together With the Wind," and "OK!"
[Tanaka Hirokazu]
Born on December 13, 1957, he joined Nintendo in 1980 and has been involved in the production of numerous hardware and software products. After working on the original concept and direction of Pocket Camera & Pocket Printer, he left Nintendo in 1999 and joined Creatures. In parallel with game development, he started composing and arranging music. His notable works include "Mother 1/2," "Aim to Be a Pokemon Master," "Can You Name All the Pokemon?" and others.