Pokemon movies in theatres?

[Lionz xD]

So I was wondering why pokemon movies don't come out in theatres in america nemore? I mean I understand that it may have lost some of its popularity but the movies r rlly getting better now.

 

[Jesse GS the II]

"Pokémon" isn't the huge media monster it was in the late 1990s anymore. It's still profitable enough for the video games to continue and the anime to stay on TV, but movies require a lot more effort and a lot more money, and they don't draw in the kind of theatrical audiences that the studios need to make a profit. Especially when it's only the kids who want to see the movies, and the adults have no clue in hell what's going on. DVD releases are much more economy-minded - they're cheaper to produce and distribute, and kids still get to see the movie anyway.

 

[Legerdemain]

No matter what you'd like to believe, Pokemon just isn't "the big thing" in America. Instead of wasting their money on Pokemon movies, the studios make much more if they show real movies instead.

Like it or not, Anime just isn't very popular in America, and that's the bottom line.
The movies would have to get better tenfold to be even considered for theaters again.

 

[Lionz xD]

well what about wif proper advertising. Like I think if nintendoi of america marketed it well and held special events like giving away pokemon at the theaters like they do in japan I'm sure it would do well. Besides look at all the crap *** animated movies that come out which don't even come close to pokemon(winnie the pooh just to name a few)

 

[Legerdemain]

That's why Winnie the Pooh never made it to theatres!

It's not what you think that decides whether or not Pokemon is successful, but what the rest of America thinks. Quite frankly, America doesn't think Pokemon is good enough for theatres. TV is enough.

Even with advertising, Pokemon still wouldn't be able to compete with the rest of the movies. Pokemon is for kids, and kids only make up so much of the population. Also, since their parents won't want to go see the movie with them, a lot of the potential audience might be persuaded to stay home.

When compared side by side with real world movies, Pokemon is nothing.

 

[yoshi1001]

There was a private screening of The Rise of Darkrai in the UK, but aside from that, it's been years since the last time a movie was shown in theatres. There are sequences of events that could eventually lead to a theatrical release, but I think we're a ways away from that.

 

[S.Suikun]

That's why Winnie the Pooh never made it to theatres!

Wrong.
Wrong again.
Wrong yet again.

Pokemon's theatrical disappearance has nothing to do with quality. Jesse explained the majority, and the box office results of Movies 1-5 are also great indication of Pokemon exiting its "fad" stage. Granted, the limited releases of Movies 4 and 5 really hinder their respective results, but these theatrical releases were clearly not going to stay afloat. Not only are they better off on DVD, but their TV premieres actually pull in stellar ratings.

 

[Legerdemain]

WHAT??? WINNIE THE POOH WAS IN THEATRES?!?!?!?
Wow.... I never knew my childhood was that deprived....

What do you mean it has nothing to do with quality?
Can you clarify that a little bit?

 

[Treemander]

yugioh made it into theatres :] me and my family drove an hour to go see it first day + hour before movie hit, we all got those special movie card packs and me and my friend got the cards we wanted then we went back the next day for the rest of the cards LOL >.<

 

[S.Suikun]

What do you mean it has nothing to do with quality?
Can you clarify that a little bit?

Pokemon vanishing from theaters or the fad disappearing has nothing to do with how good or bad the movies are, unlike what Lionz seems to believe.

 

[Legerdemain]

Hmm... I think it's just the overall quality of the anime itself.
There's no character development and minimal plot, which is always repetitive.

If they want to bring theatrical attention to the movies, they have to start making better TV Episodes. They're what serves as advertisement for the movies.

 

[Rex Kamex]

No matter what you'd like to believe, Pokemon just isn't "the big thing" in America. Instead of wasting their money on Pokemon movies, the studios make much more if they show real movies instead.

"Real movies"?

yugioh made it into theatres :]

True, although it was a limited release.

Hmm... I think it's just the overall quality of the anime itself.
There's no character development and minimal plot, which is always repetitive.

There is character development in Pokemon. And the repetition's been in Pokemon since the beginning, yet they still released the first five movies in American in theaters (although each movie made less than the last, and the last two of the five had limited releases).

If they want to bring theatrical attention to the movies, they have to start making better TV Episodes. They're what serves as advertisement for the movies.

Many people would argue that they are making better episodes. And they're still not releasing the movies in theaters.

And shouldn't the games be an important factor as well? (Even though the movies are about the characters of the anime itself.)

In any case, enough people have to watch the show and play the games.

Especially when it's only the kids who want to see the movies, and the adults have no clue in hell what's going on.

Ironically, by the time they started putting a "World of Pokemon" explanation in the movies (starting with the fourth movie in America), the movies started going from a limited release to no release in theaters...)

 

[Legerdemain]

"Real movies"?



There is character development in Pokemon. And the repetition's been in Pokemon since the beginning, yet they still released the first five movies in American in theaters (although each movie made less than the last, and the last two of the five had limited releases).



Many people would argue that they are making better episodes. And they're still not releasing the movies in theaters.

And shouldn't the games be an important factor as well? (Even though the movies are about the characters of the anime itself.)

In any case, enough people have to watch the show and play the games.

1. Real movies as in ones with actual people in it like The Dark Knight. Some animated ones like Wall-E and Kungfu Panda do well too... But that's only because 1 is from Pixar and the other was actually good, but I suppose I should've put real in quotes.

2. Sorry. I meant minimal character development. Although there is some, we see nothing major (except Gary turning nice but that's irrelevant).
Yes and people are starting to get bored of the repetition, hence the decreasing box office results.

3. I, for one, actually agree that the episodes are better. The problem is, they're still very repetitive, and the episodes aren't that much better, and these "better" episodes' popularity cannot even begin to compare with that of, say, Season 1.

There may be a few cases where people watch the movies because they like the game, but most people know the games and anime are pretty much irrelevant.

 

[Rex Kamex]

1. Real movies as in ones with actual people in it like The Dark Knight. Some animated ones like Wall-E and Kungfu Panda do well too... But that's only because 1 is from Pixar and the other was actually good, but I suppose I should've put real in quotes.

You mean "live-action" then.

2. Sorry. I meant minimal character development. Although there is some, we see nothing major (except Gary turning nice but that's irrelevant).

It's okay then. I do agree that there isn't really major character development. (For a nearly 600 episode series, at least. Even though it's an advertisement for the games.) Although there are things like Ash being a more mature trainer...

Yes and people are starting to get bored of the repetition, hence the decreasing box office results.

I guess that's it. Yeah, there was repetition the whole time, but after the first region or two (I'm thinking of the Orange Islands), some people started getting tired of the repetition. Although there are still newcomers to the show that are watching the repetition.

3. I, for one, actually agree that the episodes are better. The problem is, they're still very repetitive, and the episodes aren't that much better, and these "better" episodes' popularity cannot even begin to compare with that of, say, Season 1.

So the "better" episodes must still be popular enough to attract more people. It also depends on how kids define "better", since I can imagine that not many teens and adults are willing to go back to watching Pokemon, even if they do get better in terms of older people's opinions. (Then again, people's opinions on Pokemon are completely different...)

There may be a few cases where people watch the movies because they like the game, but most people know the games and anime are pretty much irrelevant.

Still, some people watch the anime because they play the games, so the games help boost the popularity of the show (and vise versa, which is what the show is designed to do but that's not my point), which help boost the popularity of the movies. So what I meant before was that the games indirectly help affect the popularity of the movies.

 

[Legerdemain]

You mean "live-action" then.

Not exactly live-action, but Pokemon just doesn't have the "oomph" which the majority of 12+ year olds desire.

So the "better" episodes must still be popular enough to attract more people. It also depends on how kids define "better", since I can imagine that not many teens and adults are willing to go back to watching Pokemon, even if they do get better in terms of older people's opinions. (Then again, people's opinions on Pokemon are completely different...)

Well, considering the majority of Pokemon's audience is always around 10, we can probably relate this back to Season 1. Back then, the episodes were a lot better than these "better" ones. Consequently, Pokemon had a much larger audience. Now, although the episodes are better than Hoenn, they're still not enough to bring back the popularity Pokemon once had. They never will until they exceed the old episodes in quality and "oomph".

Still, some people watch the anime because they play the games, so the games help boost the popularity of the show (and vise versa, which is what the show is designed to do but that's not my point), which help boost the popularity of the movies. So what I meant before was that the games indirectly help affect the popularity of the movies.

Sadly, the games aren't powerful enough.... I feel bad for Pokemon

 

[PokemonHero]

Well, considering the majority of Pokemon's audience is always around 10, we can probably relate this back to Season 1. Back then, the episodes were a lot better than these "better" ones. Consequently, Pokemon had a much larger audience. Now, although the episodes are better than Hoenn, they're still not enough to bring back the popularity Pokemon once had. They never will until they exceed the old episodes in quality and "oomph".

This statement I must disagree with. Having been a Pokemon fan since the early days, I would say that the episodes now are better than back then. Okay, there were a lot more funny moments overall. But frankly, looking back at it, there wasn't much in the way of development. Hell, Ash's main rival Gary hardly even appeared. Not much of a rival.

Fast forward to now. The episodes now may not have the same comical charm (though the Rotom episode is great entertainment), but there is much better development. Ash is more mature than before, and there are more episodes that better develop characters. Plus, we actually see struggles for Ash & Co. There are no mercy victories like in the early days. And Paul is a more badass rival than Gary, no matter how you look at it.

Sadly, the games aren't powerful enough.... I feel bad for Pokemon

Whoa, wait a minute. The second best selling franchise in video game history has no power? Right...

 

[S.Suikun]

Well, considering the majority of Pokemon's audience is always around 10, we can probably relate this back to Season 1. Back then, the episodes were a lot better than these "better" ones. Consequently, Pokemon had a much larger audience. Now, although the episodes are better than Hoenn, they're still not enough to bring back the popularity Pokemon once had. They never will until they exceed the old episodes in quality and "oomph".

You may have killed a potentially interesting discussion about the transformation of a franchise fad with the standard rose-tinted nostalgia banter about how you remember the Kanto episodes being a lot better than they actually are (seriously, those episodes had even LESS character development). Yet at the same time, it does absolutely nothing to disprove the fact that Pokemon was EXITING THE FAD STAGE, which has NOTHING to do with QUALITY. And being beyond a fad stage in no way means death for a franchise, which continues to be one of the best selling franchises out there.

Sadly, the games aren't powerful enough.... I feel bad for Pokemon

Now you're really sounding delusional. Diamond/Pearl have sold around 17 million units worldwide (more than Ruby/Sapphire, for that matter), while Platinum has sold 2-3 million and Japan, with that number about to skyrocket once all the other suckers in the world get their hands on it soon.

 

[yoshi1001]

I do have to admit, I think the Pokemon movies actually have more effort put into them than some of the other video game movies I've seen that do get theatrical releases. Goodness knows they turn out better than a lot of games based on movies.

 

[Legerdemain]

Whoa there's like a whole mob of people against me now XDD
-slowly backs away-
-too lazy to press the quote button-

By the games not being powerful enough, I meant they don't have enough power to make people want to watch the movies. I said nothing suggesting they're not great games.

Ooooo I finally get what you mean by exiting the fad stage....
Wow. I feel like such a retard.
Is it against the rules to flame myself? -___-

I still don't think quality and exiting the fad stage are completely irrelevant.
If they magically come up with the best season ever in anime history, then OF COURSE the popularity will skyrocket.

 

[randomspot555]

I still don't think quality and exiting the fad stage are completely irrelevant.

Fad means temporary popularity. In Pokemon's case, due to the massive success of the games and anime and movies. It had nothing to do with the quality. The writers didn't do anything different, and some of what are largely regarded as the worst episodes (Johto) are done during the height of the fad.

Whereas the anime turned to actually developing characters during Hoenn and Sinnoh after the fad had passed.

If they magically come up with the best season ever in anime history, then OF COURSE the popularity will skyrocket.

Ever heard of a critics darling? Largely regarded for being high quality but not popular? High quality does not necessarily translate to popularity.

But Pokemon is never going to have best anime ever title because, at it's core, it's a kids show. What we're all saying is that the early episodes are...let's not say bad, but they get a lot of undeserved credit. The animation and production can be quite shoddy, the dub voice acting suffers from VAs getting used to their characters, and very little character development and tons of filler.

Compare that to Sinnoh, where character development is a priority, COTD turn into characters that actually come back, and Gary having more development in 3 episodes than he has had in the past 10 years, and finally an interesting rival other than "kind of a jerk with a heart of gold."