Pokémon - Lucario and the Mystery of Mew

Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, originally released in Japan as Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation the Movie: Mew and the Wave Hero (劇場版ポケットモンスターアドバンスジェネレーション ミュウと波導の勇者　ルカリオ), is an anime film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama as the eighth film in the Pokémon franchise. It was released in theaters in Japan on July 16, 2005 (early released on July 16, 1998), followed by the Japanese DVD release on December 22, 2005. The English dub made was first released on DVD in Australia on August 16, 2006, with the US release following on September 19, 2006.. The English dub of the movie premiered in the US for the first time at the 2006 Comic-Con in San Diego, California. The movie aired in the United Kingdom in July 2007 on Cartoon Network and it continues to air on CITV. This is also the last film to have been dubbed in English by 4Kids Entertainment, with the original cast.

The background for Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew was based on visits by Yuyama to Bavaria, Germany. Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace were used as the basis of the film's setting.

"Hajimari no Uta", the ending theme for the Japanese version of the movie, is performed by Puffy AmiYumi since Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi and Teen Titans. The ending theme for the English dub was "We Will Meet Again" performed by John Siegler and Eric Stuart.

Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew was one of the four nominees for the American Anime Awards' "Best Anime Feature" award, but it lost to Final Fantasy VII Advent Children.

Plot
In the legendary past, before Poké Balls were made, an aura-guiding hero Pokémon named Lucario sensed two armies about to clash at Cameron Palace in Kanto. He told his master, Sir Aaron, while he was being attacked by a group of Houndoom. During the battle, Lucario was blinded, and he used his Aura Sphere to eliminate the Houndoom.

The Queen of Cameron, Lady Rin, decided to die with her people, and so Aaron got on his Pidgeot and traveled to the Tree of Beginning, but they were attacked by a rival group of Skarmory. Later, Lucario arrived by sensing his master’s Aura. Sir Aaron forbade Lucario from calling him “Master” anymore and admitted he has abandoned the Queen. He then swore never to return and headed to the Tree of Beginning. Lucario tried to go with him, but Aaron sealed Lucario in his staff. Pidgeot visited the queen with only Sir Aaron’s staff, and the queen realized that Sir Aaron sacrificed himself by using his own aura to stop the war.

Many years later, Ash, Pikachu, Brock, May and Max arrive at Cameron Palace to celebrate the life of Sir Aaron. Ash competes in the Pokémon competition, and wins against a trainer named Kidd and her Weavile. That night there is a royal ball, and Ash is rewarded with the Hero's Chair and the privilege to hold Sir Aaron's staff. Team Rocket join the dance too, but Meowth runs off to follow Kidd, who reveals herself as an Agent seeking to capture a Mew.

The Pokémon run off into the attic to play. However, Kidd's two Weavile attack when Mew joins in. Mew teleports away with Pikachu and Meowth, and Max finds out what happened. In the ballroom, Ash watches fireworks, unaware of what is happening to the Pokémon. Suddenly, Lucario is freed from the staff probably because of Ash having a resemblance to Sir Aaron's aura. Lucario was confused of what has happened since the time he was sealed and seek to search for answers.

Max informs the rest of the group that Pikachu and Meowth have been taken; Team Rocket overhear him. Lady Ilene, the current queen, says Mew has a tradition of showing up at the palace and taking toys to its home at the Tree of Beginning. Ash and the rest (including Kidd, who Brock finally realizes is famous) head off to the Tree of Beginning with the help of Lucario (Team Rocket follows by hiding in Kidd's trunk).

On their journey, they find a Time Flower (which allows the finder to look at images of the past) and meet a Bonsly which hitches a ride with the team. That night, Ash recalls how much he and Pikachu have been through, like in the first episode when a flock of Spearow attacked him and Pikachu leaped in and shocked them to the ground. Lucario scoffs at that story, saying humans can never be trusted. Ash gets mad and tackles Lucario, but ends up losing in the brawl, upsetting Lucario far more. Max tries to cheer the Pokémon up with chocolate.

The next morning, Lucario encounters the same area where he was sealed in the staff. A Time Flower reveals Sir Aaron trapped his servant and ran off, making everyone believe Lucario in his point of view of the so-called legend. Ash apologizes to Lucario for his behavior last night and begins to cry; Lucario asks Ash to promise that he will not desert Pikachu.

At that moment, Regirock attacks, and everyone runs into the Tree of Beginning. Ash and Lucario split up with May, Max, Brock, and Kidd. Ash ends up getting attacked by Regice, so he and Lucario decide to backtrack. Meanwhile, everyone else is attacked by Registeel, and antibodies produced by the trees are devouring human as if they were a disease. Kidd is the only one who survives.

Ash finally reunites with Pikachu and meets up with Meowth and Kidd. Kidd tells Ash that his friends have been swallowed by the giant cells. Soon, Ash and Kidd get eaten up, while Registeel stops Lucario from saving them. All of Ash's Pokémon, even Pikachu, cry over their trainers' deaths. However, Mew decides to talk with the tree, using its powers, and brings everyone back.

Mew, after its performance, becomes ill. Finding that the Tree is dying due to its immune system going into shock, Ash, Kidd, Mew, and Lucario run into the heart of the Tree. They find Sir Aaron in suspended animation, and a Time Flower showing that the legend was true.

Ash uses Sir Aaron's gloves to help squeeze out his own aura to restore the tree, with Lucario's help, both knowing they will die in the process. As the aura sphere gets larger and much more powerful, Lucario knocks Ash back and demands to finish the rest. The tree is restored, and Mew is also restored back to health, but Lucario only has little time left. A Time flower is found once again showing Sir Aaron saying goodbye to Lucario as he dies, and sharing that Lucario was more than his pupil, he was his closest friend, and that he hopes to meet Lucario again someday. Lucario begins to cry seeing his master's final image, saying to himself that he failed his master. Ash holds Lucario's paws and says that he proved to be as good a Guardian of Aura as Sir Aaron. Lucario then dies, thanking Ash for encouragement, and goes to see his friend.

Ash and Kidd meet May, Brock, and Max outside, who realize Lucario is not with them. Brock mentions it is hard to believe Lucario is gone, but Ash says, "He isn't gone... his aura is with me".

In the credits sequence, it is shown that Ash and co. return to the palace and are rewarded by Lady Ilene; Lucario and Sir Aaron share a chocolate bar in their distant place after death; Kidd leaves and meets with Butler and Diane from a previous film; and Ash and his friends continue their journey.

Box office performance
The general screening of Lucario and the Mystery of Mew in Japan ran for 6 weeks from July 16 to August 26, 2005. Source:


 * 1) July 16–17: 2nd overall, 1st domestic
 * 2) July 23–24: 2nd overall, 1st domestic
 * 3) July 30–31: 2nd overall, 1st domestic
 * 4) August 6–7: 3rd overall, 2nd domestic
 * 5) August 13–14: 3rd overall, 2nd domestic
 * 6) August 20–21: 4th overall, 2nd domestic
 * 7) August 27–28: 7th overall, 4th domestic

Since premiering on July 16, 2005 the eighth Pokémon movie, Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, has officially made 4.11 billion yen (approx. US$36 million) in box office sales. This number was tallied from box office receipts from the premiere to Sept. 25. Approximately 3,930,000 viewers saw the movie during its run.

The final box office tally is 98.3 percent of the sales of last year, but with the last three movies all consistently passing the 4 billion yen mark, it is considered a market success. The slight market loss is attributed to stiff competition at the box office from other anime films running at the same time.

Aura
Aura (波導) is the type of energy that Aaron and Lucario are sensitive to. In defensive aspects, Aura allows a level of clairvoyance which would explain Lucario's knowledge of the move Anticipate. In offensive aspects, it can create small, but powerful energy spheres. (This is how Lucario uses its Aura Sphere move.) Aaron is not seen in the movie displaying any offensive capabilities with Aura. Aura is connected to the Tree of Origin due to Aaron's sacrificial attempt to transfer his Aura into the tree/Mew so that harmony could be spread across the region, thereby ending the war. Ash Ketchum can also use Aura, but is very undeveloped and needs Sir Aaron's Aura-enhancing gloves to put it to good use. He can attempt such a feat because his Aura is similar to Aaron's.

According to the Japanese pamphlet, every object in the world exhibits oscillation. Wave Guidance is supposedly a manipulation of this oscillation. The Aura is based on the actual parapsycological phenomena of Spiritual Auras.

The Lucario seen in Super Smash Bros. Brawl exhibited the same telepathy and "Aura vision" seen in the movie, and also has made several appearances in the anime.

Home media
The Japanese original version of the movie was first released on Japanese DVD on December 22, 2005. The English dub made its worldwide DVD debut in Australia on August 16, 2006, with the US release following on September 19, 2006 by VIZ Media. While the Australian DVD has only one disc with slideshows as the sole extras, the North American DVD set comes with the redubbed The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon special included on the 2nd disc as a bonus feature, as well as a 'Making Of' feature on the first disc along with sketches similar to the slideshows on the Australian DVD. However the Australian DVD has a widescreen presentation while the American release does not.

The film has yet to be released on DVD in the United Kingdom.

Australia

 * Network Ten
 * Cartoon Network

United Kingdom

 * Cartoon Network (UK & Ireland) (UK TV premiere)
 * CITV (2011-present)