Quickie Short Film Review: "Pikachu's Vacation"

Rated: Not Rated
Starring: Ikue Ohtano, Rachael Lillis, and Rodger Parsons
Released: 1999

Synopsis: We all know that Pokémon trainers pit their "pocket monsters" in battles against each other...but, what do the creatures do for fun? When Ash, Misty, and Brock's Pokémon take a vacation, anything can happen! When one of their own is in danger, the pocket monsters learn that only by banding together and putting aside their differences can they achieve the seemingly impossible.

My Review: I used to play and watch Pokémon frequently back in the day, but, until watching this short film tonight, I hadn't touched the franchise in years.  This served as a nice reminder of when life was simpler, especially when I remembered that it was released two years prior to 9/11.  The events of the film were fun, and some moments made me laugh; however, there were little interludes that added nothing to the story and seemingly served no purpose. (Were they just there to further annoy the non-fans in the audience?) By now, everyone who would want to see this probably has; if you're new to the franchise, you should check this out.

Content Concerns: Nothing of note; mild peril, at worst.

Score: 3.5/5