I don't like Pokémon stuff. It's too cute. I normally avoid it like a hobo with a rash. Therefore, the following facts continue to confuse and astound me to this day:

1) I actually found this movie on TV while channel-surfing.

2) I actually sat down and watched most of it.

3) I actually... kinda... liked it.

Few times in my life have I ever tried to sit through any kind of Pokémon episode or movie, and fewer times have I been rewarded for doing so. But while the story on this one was fairly formulaic anime sci-fi material, it was still kinda interesting. While the characters were as cute as ever, they still had depth and expression. And a lot of the background art was actually pretty impressive. I can't say these things for any other Pokémon stuff that I've seen, but by some fluke of trans-dimensional physics, this one seems to be an exception.

The characters enter a foreign city, presumably as part of whatever Pokémon training program they are eternally a part of. It was the beginning of the movie that I missed, so I'm just filling in gaps. But when Team Rocket (ugh) comes around to cause trouble, an elderly fellow and his mysterious girl companion help them out... I know, it sounds pretty bad, right?

Well, there was a pretty cool scene in which the mysterious girl character gains Ash's attention (for those who know even less about Pokémon than I do, Ash is the boy protagonist), then runs off without an explanation. What follows is a surprisingly artistic sequence in which Ash chases her through various parts of the city, trying to find out what the girl is trying to show him. The chase takes them through streets and over bridges that are bustling with people, as well as through rickety old alleyways and beautiful hidden gardens that seem to have been long abandoned.

Anyway, the story develops to reveal things like an ancient and hidden superweapon, secrets about the characters involved, and some decently interesting new Pokémon (or at least new in 2003). While this movie had little that was really appealing to me on a personal level, if I had kids I would have no problem letting them watch this one.