Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle

Movie          Quote “Give it all you've got, but come back. That bridge between humans and Pokémon, you can help create it. I know you can. After all, you're my son, and I'm proud of you.” — Zarude     B Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle   [Edit]   [Talk]

Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle (Koko in Japan) is a 2020 Japanese anime film based on Satoshi Tajiri's Pokémon franchise and produced by OLM, Inc.. It is the twenty-third and the latest mainline film in the Pokémon universe, covering the Eighth Pokémon generation. The movie aired during the run of Pokémon Journeys: The Series and also the only film the series. It features two Mythical Pokémons Zarude and a Shiny Celebi. In Japan, the film was released on December 25, 2020, by Toho. The original release date of July 10, 2020, was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. The film released worldwide (excluding Japan, Korea, and China) on Netflix on October 8, 2021.

Secrets of the Jungle is the second Pokémon film after Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us not to be directed by Kunihiko Yuyama, instead the film was directed by Tetsuo Yajima, who directed the 21st movie. It is set in the alternate continuity established in Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! and continued in The Power of Us.

For a limited time, if players of Pokémon Sword and Shield preordered tickets for this film's premiere, they would get the Mythical Pokémon Zarude in its "Dada" form and a Shiny Celebi. The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray in Japan on July 14, 2021, and in North America on October 18, 2022.

Plot[]

Ash Ketchum and Pikachu encounter Koko, a young man who was raised as a Pokémon by Zarude and thus believes himself to be one. They help him begin to uncover his true identity and past, which leads to the revelation of a plot at the Biotope Company that threatens to destroy Zarude's home in the Forest of Okoya.

Cast[]

Music[]

Japanese[]

Pokémon the Movie: Koko Music Collection is the official soundtrack of the movie that was released in Japan on December 23, 2020. Pokémon the Movie: Koko Theme Song Collection, the album for the Japanese music was also released on December 23, 2020.

• The Rule Song
• Koko (Opening)
• Show Window
• The Hum of the Forest
• Strange and Wonderful Creatures
• I'm Home and Welcome Back (Ending)

English[]

The single of the movie was released digitally on the iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube, YouTube Music, Google Play Music, Pandora, Napster, Deezer, and Tidal on September 7, 2021, featuring three English songs for the film.

• Always Safe (Opening)
• Song of Zarude
• My New Friends
• See What I See
• No Matter What (Ending)

Box office[]

In Japan, Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle grossed ¥2.02 billion ($18.41 million) as of June 2021. Overseas, the film's September 2021 releases in China and South Korea grossed $5,045,865, for a worldwide total of $23,575,865.

The movie was largely unsuccessful at the box office, having one of the lowest proceeds among all 23 mainline movies. This was largely because of Japan reinstituting lockdowns under a national emergency regarding an unexpected spike in COVID-related cases in January around the time of the film's release.

Release[]

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray in Japan on July 14, 2021, and in North America on October 18, 2022. The film was released worldwide on Netflix on October 8, 2021.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

• This is the first Pokémon movie to:
  • Feature Kenyu Horiuchi as the Japanese narrator.
  • Not feature a Legendary Pokémon.
  • Be delayed from its original release date in Japan, due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.
    • It is also the first movie to be released outside of July in Japan.
  • Not use an opening theme from the anime proper, not counting movies that don't have an opening theme.
• The theme of Koko being raised as a Pokémon may act as a reference to the theme of Tarzan being raised as an ape in Tarzan of the Apes and the theme of Mowgli being raised as a wolf in The Jungle Book. It is also similar to the Pokémon Indigo League episode The Kangaskhan Kid, where Tommy was also raised by Pokémon.
• Koko is notably the first human to be depicted using a Pokémon move, as he uses Jungle Healing to help Zarude recover from his injuries.
• Several photographs of scenery from this movie, including the Milyfa Town Pokémon Center, the Great Tree, and the Biotope Company building, appear on the wall of Professor Mirror's laboratory in New Pokémon Snap. These are described in the game as "landscape photographs taken by Rita" that are from an unclear region other than Lental. Accordingly, Rita and Phil make cameo appearances in this movie, taking photographs in Milyfa Town.
• In Pokémon Masters EX, Jessie, James, and Meowth are transported to Pasio by the same Shiny Celebi that appears in this movie. Team Rocket are also playable in the game.
• Had this movie been released on its intended date, it would have marked the anime debuts of Cinderace and Greedent, as well as Cinderace's signature move Pyro Ball.
• This movie marks the first time Ash mentions his father, the previous two references having come from Delia.
• This movie is unusual in that while all the Zarude are seen speaking human language, it is not through telepathy or them learning to speak but rather their speech being translated for the audience's benefit when in each other's, Koko's or the company of the other jungle Pokémon. As a result, in scenes in which other humans besides Koko (who also has his basic speech translated) meet the Zarude, they are shown to be like other Pokémon and can only say their name.

See also[]

• Other Pokémon movies featuring Celebi:
  • Pokémon 4Ever: Celebi: Voice of the Forest (with Suicune)
  • Pokémon: Zoroark: Master of Illusions (with the Zorua line and the Legendary beasts)

External links[]

• M23 at Bulbapedia, the Pokémon wiki.
• Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle at the Internet Movie Database
• Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle at Anime News Network
• Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle at Netflix