Pokémon: The Movie 2000 (劇場版ポケットモンスター 幻のポケモン ルギア爆誕 Gekijoban Poketto Monsuta Maboroshi no Pokemon Rugia Bakutan, Pocket Monsters Revelation Lugia) is the second Pokémon feature-length film, complementing the Orange Islands saga of the series.

It was released in movie theatres by North America on July 21, 2000, and was produced by Kids WB!, Nintendo, and 4Kids Entertainment. The movie featured two new Pokémon, Lugia and Slowking, and was the ending of the second season of the Pokémon anime.

The movie earned less at the box office than its predecessor, Pokémon: The First Movie, despite increased promotion and better critical reception.

Pokémon: The Movie 2000 has two parts: The feature presentation and the 20 min. short.

Pikachu’s Rescue Adventure

Like the previous movie, the animated short focused more on Pokémon dialogue and little human interaction. As with before, the faces of the main human characters are unseen. When Togepi falls down a dark hole, Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Marill, Venonat and Psyduck give chase and find themselves in a giant tree that once was Pikachu’s old home. With help from Pikachu’s friend, Elekid, the Pokémon find Togepi but she has been mistaken for an Exeggcute. The Pokémon head off into the depths of the tree to find the missing Exeggcute to get Togepi back, meeting a trio of dancing Bellossom along the way. A deadly storm hits the area and Pikachu and his friends try to protect the Exeggcute and Togepi from being blown away. The tree Pokémon lend a hand and Snorlax saves everyone with his great strength. The storm passes and a Chansey appears, revealing she had the missing Exeggcute all along. The Exeggcute are reunited and it suddenly evolve into an Exeggutor using a Leaf Stone. Pikachu and his friends say farewell to Elekid and the others and head back to their trainer. Meanwhile, Meowth tries to find his way to a campsite but ends up getting caught in Pikachu’s mishaps and gives up.

The Power of One

It is said by a legend that there is a balance between the forces of fire, ice, and lightning, represented by the three Legendary Bird Pokémon: Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno. However, if the balance were to be disrupted, a power struggle would ensue, and the great Guardian Lugia would be summoned in an attempt to quell the fighting. However, in the end, Lugia alone would be unsuccessful, and the world will “turn to ash”.

It is the ambition of a collector of Pokémon items, whose name is not mentioned in the movie (although the name “Lawrence III” is given in pre-release sources and the junior novelisation. The movie’s closed-captioning claims the name is “Geraldan” - the original Japanese had the name “Jirarudan”), to add Lugia to his collection. To do so, he uses his airship to create huge ice-blasts and manages to successfully capture Moltres, and inadvertently causes the power struggle to begin.

Meanwhile, Ash Ketchum and company are traveling throughout the Orange Islands when a storm takes them off course to Shamouti Island. There, they take part in a festival where Ash, being the festival’s “Chosen One”, would have to retrieve three orbs from the three nearby islands and return them to the shrine - a task that becomes prophetic in nature as the story moves on. In Pallet Town, Delia and Professor Oak sense the impending danger, and they, along with Professor Ivy, set forth for the Orange Islands.

Despite the advice of the festival maiden Melody (Furuura), Ash and the ship captain Maren (Michiko) depart immediately for Fire Island for the first orb. Blaming herself for what could happen to Ash, Melody (along with Misty and Tracey) takes off after him. After obtaining the first orb, the two groups meet, and along with Team Rocket, whose plan to steal Pikachu was interrupted, to learn that Zapdos is looking for Moltres. This victory was short-lived when Zapdos energy is absorbed making it weak, leaving it and along with the rest of the characters, to be captured by the collector.

Having learned of the legend from Melody, and how the collector would soon capture Articuno, the group sought to free Moltres and Zapdos from their confinement. When they are freed, however, they begin to destroy the airship that they are in. Before Lawrence III could capture Articuno, the airship is forced to crash land on Lightning Island, home of the second orb. As the three legendary Titans proceed to destroy each other and cause meaningless random destruction, the characters are saved by Lugia, who takes them to the island shrine where the three orbs are to be placed.

Once there, the Slowking that guards the shrine tells the main characters that Ash is truly the Chosen One that legends had foretold (“The world shall turn to Ash” is a reference to Ash the person, although it was previously misinterpreted by most. Ash, upon hearing this, jokes he wished his mother had named him Bob.) However, Ash must still obtain the third orb from Ice Island, with the three birds standing between them and their goal. Encouraged by Charizard, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur, Ash and Pikachu, with the help of Team Rocket and Lugia, manage to obtain the third orb. As they return, however, Lugia is suddenly captured by the collector, and, in an attempt to break free from its restraints, Ash is tossed into the water between the two islands. After he is rescued by Misty and Tracey, Ash manages to bring the third orb to the shrine, and Melody plays Lugia’s Song, restoring the world to normal.

With the entire ordeal over, Ash and company leave Shamouti Island in his adventure to become a Pokémon Master.

From Wikipedia