Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice

Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice, originally released in Japan as Pocket Monsters Best Wishes! The Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sacred Swordsman: Keldeo (劇場版ポケットモンスター ベストウイッシュ キュレムVS聖剣士 ケルディオ) is a 2012 Japanese animated film and the 15th Pokémon anime movie released. The movie was released on July 14, 2012 in Japan. The movies features Kyurem, the Boundary Pokémon, as revealed during a preview shown at the end of the last movie Pokémon the Movie: Black—Victini and Reshiram and White—Victini and Zekrom, as well as Cobalion, Terrakion, and Virizion, the titular "Sacred Swordsmen", before the introduction of the new Pokémon Keldeo. The movie also celebrates the 90th anniversary of the Japanese Manga Publisher Shogakukan, which published a lot of Pokémon-related works. The film was broadcast on Cartoon Network in the United States on December 8, 2012, after the US release of Pokémon the Movie: Black—Victini and Reshiram and White—Victini and Zekrom and TV Tokyo's Disney Time ended in September 28, 2012 before the Japanese DVD and Blu-ray release on December 19, 2012.

Promotion
Kyurem vs. the Sacred Swordsmen: Keldeo was first revealed during the teaser trailer after the end of the previous movies Victini and the Black Hero: Zekrom and Victini and the White Hero: Reshiram (later released internationally as Pokémon the Movie: Black—Victini and Reshiram and White—Victini and Zekrom.) The Japanese show Oha Suta showed a 15 minute trailer of the movie while revealing its tentative title. The January issue of CoroCoro Comic also revealed the release date of the film. In the March issue of CoroCoro Comic, the new Pokémon Keldeo, the Colt Pokémon, was introduced and its name was appended to the title of the film.

In the film poster released on February 26, 2012, Kyurem is also shown having two alternate forms. In an episode of Pokémon Smash! shown on the same day, Junichi Masuda revealed these forms alongside the announcement of the Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 games. He later posted to his Twitter account that the Pokémon were called Black Kyurem (ブラックキュレム) and White Kyurem (ホワイトキュレム). The July 2012 issue of CoroCoro Comic also reveals Keldeo's new form, called the Resolution form, which will play an important part in the movie.

The film poster also reveals that the film will be accompanied by a short titled Meloetta's Sparkling Recital (メロエッタのキラキラリサイタル), introducing another new Pokémon: Meloetta in both of its Aria and Pirouette Formes.

The April issue of CoroCoro Comic reveals both Keldeo and Meloetta as Pokémon to be distributed in theaters. Players who purchase a pre-sale ticket of the movie will able to receive Keldeo in Pokémon Black, White, Black 2, or White 2 between June 23 to August 21, but Meloetta's release has not yet been announced.

Music
Like the previous Pokémon films, the music is composed by Shinji Miyazaki.

The movie's theme song is titled "Memories" (メモリーズ) which will be performed by the Bengali-Russian-Japanese model-turned-singer Rola. The film's director Kunihiko Yuyama thinks the song will work perfectly for the film itself after he first heard it. Rola will also voice a character in the film named Marin. The single was released on July 11, 2012.

Regular characters
Jessie (Musashi), James (Kojirō), and Meowth (Nyarth) make several cameo appearances in this feature but without any spoken dialogue.

Movie characters

 * Marin (マリン): A young woman who sells ekiben at a train station.
 * Kyurem (キュレム): Known as the Boundary Pokémon, he is a dragon that was born alongside Reshiram and Zekrom, and is considered to be the strongest of the three dragons. He has the powers of both of the former two dragons, allowing himself to shift into his forms: Black Kyurem (ブラックキュレム) and White Kyurem (ホワイトキュレム), fully using the abilities of both Reshiram and Zekrom. His relation to the Swords of Justice and to Keldeo were somewhat unknown, although he seems viciously determined to finish the battle that Keldeo started with him, and refuses to let Keldeo flee.
 * Keldeo (ケルディオ): The Colt Pokémon and also the fourth of the Swords of Justice. Keldeo is very exceptional at using his hidden abilities like the other swordsmen, and can assume his other form called the Resolution Form. He challenges Kyurem to a battle despite Cobalion's warnings, and when Kyurem proves to be too strong, Keldeo flees, but is followed in hot pursuit by Kyurem, who is determined to finish their battle.
 * Cobalion (コバルオン): The Iron Will Pokémon and leader of the Swords of Justice. Having a calm personality, he is responsible for the group and for protecting Keldeo from Kyurem.
 * Terrakion (テラキオン): The Cavern Pokémon and one of the members of the Swords of Justice. He is very hotheaded but loyal towards Cobalion.
 * Virizion (ビリジオン): The Grassland Pokémon and also a member of the Swords of Justice. She is the most rational of all the Swords of Justice.