10 Best Pokémon Appearances In Detective Pikachu
Which ones are the very best, like no one ever was?
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu might not have fully broken the video game movie curse, but it’s certainly got more going for it than against. Yes, the human characters are mostly flat, the plot is convoluted and the tone spins off at random times, but overall it’s a solid movie - especially if you love Pokémon.
If you go to watch this without much knowledge of the franchise, the film won’t do you any favours except tell you the names of the creatures. Whether you’re a hardcore fan or just along for the ride though, make no mistake: the Pokémon are the stars of the show.
With that in mind, the movie tries to incorporate as many as they can. Around 60 of the 800+ ‘mons feature, with about half to a third getting any kind of role beyond a bit of a background gag.
They all shine in their own way, but these ten in particular really shine. The filmmakers clearly understand Pokémon and make use of their unique powers, which makes it all the better.
It’s certainly a movie that’ll mean more to dedicated fans, but after 20 years, the franchise has built up quite a few of those.
10. Aipom
Aipom are one of the few non-Kanto Pokémon to be given a role of any significance, and it’s a good choice because Mankey might well have taken their place if they were going for the safer option. Aipom is definitely less well known, but the choice turned out to be inspired.
Aipom gives the audience their first encounter with the R gas, a serum derived from Mewtwo which makes Pokémon wild, ruthless and rabid. After opening a vial and nearly choking on it, Tim wafts it out the window, where the Aipom are sitting. Minutes later, he’s attacked by them.
He meets Pikachu as he’s running too, so the Aipoms play a key role in forming this dynamic. The manic craziness of the monkeys added to Reynolds’ over the top voicing means they set up some great one liners as well.
With a hand on the tip of their tails, Aipoms can create more carnage than most other Pokémon, especially when in swarms. The contrast between the rage driven creatures and their sweet and docile nature when the R gas wears off illustrates how powerful it is without asking you to understand any complex science too; wonderful storytelling for a children’s movie.