Next Pokemon Movie Will Be Entirely Computer Animated

The next Pokemon movie will be animated entirely using in 3D computer animation.

Earlier today, pages from the Japanese magazine CoroCoro leaked online, including pages that showcased the upcoming Pokemon movie Mewtwo Strikes Back EVOLUTION. The pages seemingly confirmed what many fans had already suspected - the movie will made using 3D computer animation instead of its traditional 2D animation style.

This isn't necessarily new news - the movie's first two teasers were entirely computer animated, complete with extended looks at both Mewtwo and Mew. However, the new pages also show Pikachu's 3D model and confirm that the teasers weren't a "one off experiment to promote the movie.

A full 3D computer animated Pokemon movie is a big departure from past movies, all of which were traditionally animated using 2D effects. While recent movies have departed from the traditional anime style and moved to an entirely different continuity, we've never seen the Pokemon Company take such a big leap away from tradition.

Of course, this won't be the only time we see computer animated Pokemon this year. Warner Bros. is releasing their Detective Pikachu movie, which features 3D computer animated Pokemon interacting with real life actors. It'll be interesting to see how the two movies compare, especially as one uses "realistic" models of Pokemon and the other uses models closer in line with the anime series.

What do you think about a 100% CG animated Pokemon movie? Leave us a comment below!

For those interested, the anime's latest film Pokemon: The Power of Us is currently available on home video and is described as follows:

"Pokemon the Movie: The Power of Us tells the story of Ash and Pikachu as they journey to a small seaside town filled with a diverse set of characters, including a young athlete, a compulsive liar, a shy researcher, a bitter old woman, and a little girl with a big secret.

Every year, the townspeople gather to celebrate the Legendary Pokémon Lugia, who brings the wind that saved the town from destruction many years ago. The festival is a time for celebration, with a Pokémon Catching Race and a ceremonial flame burning brightly to summon Lugia. But when a series of incidents threatens not just the festival, but all the people and Pokémon who call the town home, it's going to take more than just Ash and Pikachu to save the day. Will these people be able to put aside their differences and work together to rescue their town? Or will it all end in destruction?"