''Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea''
is a 2006 Japanese animated fantasy film, the ninth in the
''Pokémon'' film series, and the fourth and final film to be set in the ''Advanced Generation'' series. Directed by
Kunihiko Yuyama and written by Hideki Sonoda, the story follows the
Pokémon
is a Japanese media franchise consisting of List of Pokémon video games, video games, Pokémon (TV series), animated series and List of Pokémon films, films, Pokémon Trading Card Game, a trading card game, and other related media. The fran ...
Trainer
Ash Ketchum, Pokémon partner
Pikachu
Pikachu (; Japanese: , Hepburn: ) is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's ''Pokémon'' media franchise, and the franchise's mascot. First introduced in the video games ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue'', it was created by Atsuko N ...
(
Ikue Ōtani
is a Japanese actress who specializes in voice acting. She is best known for her anime roles in the ''Pokémon'' series (as Pikachu), ''One Piece'' (as Tony Tony Chopper), ''Detective Conan'' (as Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya), '' Corpse Party'' (as ...
), and their friends May, Max and
Brock as they help a Pokémon Ranger named Jack Walker deliver the Mythical Pokémon Manaphy to an undersea palace called Samiya while evading mercenaries led by Phantom the Pirate.
It was released on July 16, 2006 in Japan, to mixed reviews from critics and aired on
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (CN) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the Cartoon Network, Inc., a sub-division of the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks division of Warner Bros. Discovery. It launched on ...
in North America on March 23, 2007. It is also the first ''Pokémon'' movie to be not be dubbed in English by
4Kids Entertainment
4Kids Entertainment, Inc. (formerly known as Leisure Concepts, Inc. and later known as 4Licensing Corporation; stylized as 4K!DS ENTERTAINMENT) was an American licensing company. The company was previously also a film and television production ...
, but instead by
The Pokemon Company International. The events of the film take place during the
ninth season of ''
Pokémon
is a Japanese media franchise consisting of List of Pokémon video games, video games, Pokémon (TV series), animated series and List of Pokémon films, films, Pokémon Trading Card Game, a trading card game, and other related media. The fran ...
''.
Plot
An egg belonging to the Mythical Pokémon Manaphy is found floating in the sea by mercenary Phantom the Pirate, but it is subsequently stolen from him by Jack "Jackie" Walker, a Pokémon Ranger disguised as one of Phantom's crew members. Walker escapes Phantom's ship and joins the Marina Group, a traveling circus family that specializes in Water-type Pokémon, to deliver the Manaphy egg to Samiya, an undersea palace built by the People of the Water, whom the Marina Group are descendants of. Pokémon Trainer Ash Ketchum, his Pikachu, and their friends Brock, May, and Max become lost on their journey and encounter the Marina Group in their search for water, inadvertently becoming involved with Walker's mission.
When Team Rocket tips off the egg's location, Phantom pursues the group, during which Manaphy hatches in May's arms and implants her as its mother. The group escapes Phantom through a network of ruins belonging to the People of the Water, where Ash and his friends learn about Samiya. Walker refuses Ash and his friends' further involvement with his mission and departs in a boat with the Marina Group toward Samiya. However, Manaphy starts crying without May, forcing Ash and his friends along. Manaphy's natural instincts lead the boat toward Samiya, and to Walker's dismay, May and Manaphy bond closer. Walker warns May of Manaphy's destiny to become Samiya's leader and that she will eventually need to let it go. May understands, but is distraught nonetheless. Lizabeth, the Marina Group's daughter, comforts May and gives her a bracelet known as the People of the Water's Mark as a memento of her time with Manaphy. When May loses her bandanna to the wind, Manaphy embarks far into the ocean to retrieve it. Ash and his friends, board a submarine operated by Lizabeth to search for Manaphy, eventually finding it along with Samiya during a lunar eclipse. Unbeknownst to them, Phantom had been in pursuit.
While exploring Samiya, the group encounters Phantom, who is able to open the chamber to the Sea Crown, the temple's central artifact consisting of numerous large jewels. Phantom begins to remove the jewels, causing Samiya to flood and sink deeper into the ocean. The group escapes to the submarine while Walker confronts Phantom, reconnecting most of the jewels to the crown before he, Phantom, and one of the jewels are washed away by the flood. Determined to save its home, Manaphy returns to the Crown's chamber with Ash, Pikachu and May in tow, while Lizabeth, Brock, and Max are forced to depart in the submarine. Ash and May reconnect the remaining jewels but notice one is missing. While escaping the flood, Ash finds the last jewel in a fountain. He puts Pikachu, May, and Manaphy in an air capsule that was part of Phantom's submarine before diving into the completely flooded crown chamber and reconnecting the jewel, causing Samiya to rise to the ocean's surface.
While May and Pikachu mourn Ash's apparent sacrifice, Phantom suddenly appears and kidnaps Manaphy. Ash — surrounded by a glowing aura from the rebuilt Sea Crown — pursues Phantom and retrieves Manaphy. Phantom returns with his ship but Manaphy leads a counterattack with several wild Water-type Pokémon, including the legendary Kyogre. With Phantom subdued, Walker is able to deliver Manaphy safely to Samiya, completing his mission. May and Manaphy share a heartfelt farewell before the group watches Samiya return to depths of the ocean. Phantom is arrested while Ash and his friends part ways from Walker and the Marina Group and continue on their journey.
Voice cast
Production
On December 9, 2005, the title for the ninth Pokémon feature film was revealed to be ''Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea'' in the Japanese children's program ''
Oha Suta
''Oha Suta'' () is a Japanese children's breakfast television show. Produced by Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions (ShoPro) for TV Tokyo, the show airs on TX Network (TXN). It premiered in 1997 as a relaunch of (. ''Sutajio'' is a loanword from E ...
'' on
TV Tokyo
JOTX-DTV (channel 7), branded as is a Japanese television station that serves as the flagship of the TX Network.[Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...]
, particularly in
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
,
Naples
Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
, and
Capri
Capri ( , ; ) is an island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. A popular resort destination since the time of the Roman Republic, its natural beauty ...
.
Music
Shinji Miyazaki, the composer for the ''Pokémon'' television series, also composed the score for ''Pokémon Ranger''. The film's soundtrack was released on July 26, 2006.
; Track listing
Release
Theatrical run
''Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea'' was released in Japan on July 15, 2006 with a 105 minute running time.
The film was distributed by
Toho
is a Japanese entertainment company that primarily engages in producing and distributing films and exhibiting stage plays. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Osaka-based Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group. ...
in Japan.
TV broadcast
In North America, ''Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea'' was aired on
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (CN) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the Cartoon Network, Inc., a sub-division of the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks division of Warner Bros. Discovery. It launched on ...
on March 23, 2007.
Home media
The original Japanese version of the film was released on DVD on December 22, 2006. The English dub was first released in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
on April 3, 2007. It was later released in Australia nearly a year later, on February 6, 2008. The American set included the
Pikachu
Pikachu (; Japanese: , Hepburn: ) is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's ''Pokémon'' media franchise, and the franchise's mascot. First introduced in the video games ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue'', it was created by Atsuko N ...
short , which was previously shown in August 2006 as an exclusive in-flight short film on the Pokémon Jet of
All Nippon Airways
(ANA) is a Japanese airline headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. ANA operates services to both domestic and international destinations and is Japan's largest airline, ahead of its main rival flag carrier Japan Airlines. the airline has approximate ...
(ANA).
The film was never been released on DVD in the United Kingdom although it has been released in UK
iTunes Store.
Reception
Box office performance
The general screening of ''Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea: Manaphy'' ran for 6 weeks, from July 15 to August 25, 2006.
Box Office Performance
# July 15–16, 2nd overall, 2nd domestic, 1st anime
# July 22–23, 3rd overall, 2nd domestic, 1st anime
# July 29–30, 4th overall, 3rd domestic, 2nd anime
# August 5–6, 5th overall, 4th domestic, 2nd anime
# August 12–13, 4th overall, 3rd domestic, 2nd anime
# August 19–20, 6th overall, 4th domestic, 2nd anime
Critical reception
''Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea'' received mixed reviews.
Notes
References
External links
Official Japanese Movie Page
Pokemon.com's Manaphy Promotion Page
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pokemon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea
2006 anime films
2006 children's films
2006 films
2000s Japanese-language films
Films directed by Kunihiko Yuyama
Japanese sequel films
Pirate films
Animated films based on animated series
Ranger and the Temple of the Sea
Films set in Italy
Sea adventure films
Toho animated films
Viz Media anime
Films scored by Shinji Miyazaki
OLM, Inc. animated films