A teaser trailer for the next Pokémon movie has just gone live online, showing off a new art style and character design.
Due for release on July 13th, 2018 in Japan, the movie will be overseen by animation firm OLM, as usual. However, this time around production will be handled alongside Attack on Titan's Wit Studio.
Shizue Kaneko is responsible for the film's new character design, while Kunihio Yuyama is credited as the animation supervisor. Tetsuo Yajima is directing. Yajima previously worked on the Pokemon XY series and helped out on this year's anniversary movie.

Even though what we see is quite brief, what do you make of this new style? Let us know with a comment.
[source comicbook.com]
Comments 31
If Ash is still 10, it ain't new.
The style looks cute, it's a little better that the current Sun & Moon series.
Forever young
I want to be forever young
Do you really want to live forever?
Forever, and ever
Seems fine to me.
@KO-Cub This Simpson’s have changed art styles quite a few times, never aged, it’s a cartoon...
People accept this better than the amount of character bursting from the Sun and Moon one??? I don't think I understand people anymore.
Ash straight up looks weird here.
Edit: Just to clarify, I don't hate this art style, but Ash in particular does NOT look suited to those eyes.
Well, it's at least quite a bit better than the current anime art style.
@Kyranosaurus Um, yeah they do. Who cares about character when the Sun & Moon style is flat out ugly where the human characters are concerned and makes them look even less suited for their eyes than this style does? It's like they wanted to hammer home James's similar appearance to his Marenie as much as they possibly could and then extrapolated the abomination from there. I still watch it, since I'm not one of those elitists who blatantly dismisses a cartoon due to its art style alone, but man is it ugly!
@BulbasaurusRex Nah son, people who call it ugly are those same people who think an anime should make a perfect screenshot on every frame. The same people who hate Mob Psycho 100 for how that looks. They're expressive, the style is cute, and people only dismiss it because they aren't used to it. "Ugly" is such a huge overreaction it's no better than dismissing it if you can't appreciate what it does well.
I think it looks great. A lot better than the Sun & Moon look. I hope the new season that corresponds to the Switch game looks that good.
@CCore28 Because it’s entertainment, it’s a show about Pokemon, why would you want to watch Ash go to school...
Pokemon has a pretty bland and original artstyle now. Atleast the animation is alot better than before where the characters barely moved.
I'm pretty sure by the hat that this is a sequel to I Choose You.
Also, that's Lugia's theme/Melody's ocarina song from the Japanese version of the second movie (was replaced in the international releases with a new melody).
I'm guessing they're jumping over Mewtwo and going to tell a Lugia story in this one – and will revisit Mewtwo in the third and final film of this "alt-reality/reboot trilogy."
Finally, I much prefer this art style for Ash over the SM/USUM series' style. I would be fine if this was the art-style moving forward. I want the SM style retired as soon as possible.
@Kyranosaurus wish more people git this. Ash actually shows emotions in sun/moon other than his generic happy/intense battle face. Not just him but everyone just seems more lively in the current series, it's refreshing.
They should have stuck with the SM style. This new style looks way to generic and nothing close to the Pokémon style. The SM style at least had character and was very expressive.
Ash looks so pretty in this art style. What are the chances of us getting something similar to this in the new Pokémon game on Switch? ;D
Pokemon Star ??
I like it.
Seems to have the ever slightest feel of Studio Ghibli in it. I love it!
I like it.
But I'm still watching the Hoenn episodes so I have a lot of catching up to do
I'm like it far more than the art on the Sun & Moon cartoon.
Art style looks fine. Not nearly enough footage to make a judgment.
As for the series itself, the non aging and the pack of schooling has never really bothered me. What does is the liberties it takes with battles and type effectiveness. Its been almost 20 years. But Ash using thundershock on a Rhydon still annoys me to this day
And the S/M art style has really grown on me. Its got its own charm, but still feeling like Pokèmon
I like the Sun and Moon art style as it does allow them to be more expressive with the characters. The slapstick humor isn't overdone and just enough that I've burst out laughing quite a few times watching the series. I'm a fan of this style too but just for the movie.
I'm betting in the year 2020 Ash will be full on female.
Wit studio has made some gorgeous anime and based on what we have so far seems they will bring that to Pokemon. Titan is a gorgeous series same with their current series The Ancient Magus' Bride. I recommend checking out that series if you are curious how this new Pokemon film may look in comparison to Sun and Moon.
Interesting fact: Wit studio is not the first studio responsible for an ultra-violent series to animate Pokemon. The current studio OLM back in 1997 (around the same time that Pokemon started) did the first adaptation of Kentaro Miura's Berserk.
Still awaiting for that live-action Pokemon movie.
directed by Michael Bay of course
@Kyranosaurus Don't worry, since that Lugia's song (The Japanese version anyway) at the end of the teaser, people will no doubt go on and on about "WHERE THE HECK IS MELODY?!?" as next year's "WHERE THE HECK IS BROCK ANDF MISTY?!?" complaints.
Guess Alola is not movie worthy. XD
But yeah, I like this direction the movies are now going. New adventures not at all canon with the series but maybe an annual guest animation studio coming in to give their take on Pokemon.
Now based on I Choose You, I have a few hopes/requests.
1. Leave the Japanese music score alone Pokemon Company.
2. Make this an all new adventure. Kanto's been milked to death so I don't think we need retellings of the Squirtle Squad, Bulbasaur's Hidden Village, or the Orangle Islands where Tracy is replaced with a Shiny Smergle. XD
3. Leave the Japanese music score alone Pokemon Company.
4. While I don't care about Brock and Misty, you might wanna put them in to ease fan backlash again. I did not care for Cynthia's "daughter" though the guy's Luxray backstory was quite something for a Pokemon film. But again, why replace Misty with someone who's just a Misty clone?
5. Leave the Japanese music score alone Pokemon Company.
6. For the love of Giovanni, HAVE TEAM ROCKET DO SOMETHING IN THIS FILM! The fact they had zero interaction with Ash in I Choose You was an embarrassment to the villain trio we all love. Even the older films had them getting a bit involved back in the day.
7. Did I mention Leave the Japanese music score alone Pokemon Company?
8. Would it honestly be bad if you just include the Japanese version in the DVD/Blu Ray release Pokemon Company? The premiere of I Choose You was in France and subbed for those attending a con, and kids are not going to care about a sub in the menu. I Choose You's Japanese score was full of nostalgia remixes from all eras of the anime and you cut that all out for a pretty forgettable score. That was part of the nostalgia trip. Surly at least the movies can be a one off right? Heck, if fans really digged having a sub version, you could so easily resell them all 20 previous movies as a "Collector's Edition" each with a Japanese Sub option. XD
Long shot but still....
Btw, wanna see Shirtless Brock again if there is any chance.

The Alolan version, Brock's body looks hot !
If Brock become more muscular on Pokemon Star, i will definetely faint and get nosebleed.
@Angelic_Lapras_King
If only the Western musicians from First Pokemon movie (Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Angela Via, Vitamin C, etc) make a return for next Pokemon OST...
The XY series has some of the best animation Pokemon has ever had. This looks alright too.
No please
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