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On this page you will find special features for various Pokemon DVDs! |
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In the history of home media, special features were an interesting aspect of what newer technologies allowed. The first home video format to truly take off was VHS, and this was a format that had limited space, were limited to the single audio source that went with the video being viewed, and since video was being read linearly from the tape, there was no ability to select scenes, chapters, or choose what video on the tape you would like to watch. Later, came DVHS/DTheater which was a digital format on tape and had chapters but not menus, and ultimately, it didn't take off as a popular format. Pokemon also never had a single release for the format. It is irrelevant....
Before DVHS came DVD. DVD was a digital format that allowed more space and interactivity. The introduction of interactivity in home video gave way for the ability to have content on the disc that you could easily select—for example, selecting subtitles or a different audio track. For the first time, you didn't have to choose between buying your anime subtitled in english or dubbed in english! For a one time payment, you would get both! However, why stop there? Distributors realized that DVDs had the means to provide supplemental content to the disc. Not only could you select how to view your movie, but you could choose to not watch it at all! Instead, you could choose to watch supplemental content provided right with your purchase. For example, that could be trailers, interviews, etc. This along with the enhanced quality from VHS and more capacity became a selling point for DVDs. Not only were you buying your movie, but you were buying some additional material with it that could give you insight into something that you maybe really enjoyed.
When Pokemon movies began to release on DVD, they were no exception to this. Starting with Movie 1's DVD release, special features were included on the disc. These special features ranged from director commentary, trailers, or even DVD-ROM exclusive content that would need a computer for. However, let's take a look at the blu-ray release of the 20th movie—I choose you. First, here are the special features included on the Japanese release: 
Next, here are the special features included on the US Release: 
Where are the rest? Oh, they don't exist. The US release has none. You can choose between 2.0 or 5.1 audio and with/without subtitles, or you can watch a trailer. That's it! That's all you get. Now, you may be thinking that the Japanese release was maybe a special edition or something, but no, it was just a regular release. Obviously, the US DVDs are lacking nowadays, but this wasn't always the case. As mentioned prior, the DVDs used to contain some special features. Starting with Jirachi Wish Maker, the special features did begin to slightly decrease in amount and beginning with VIZ's release of The Rise of Darkrai, no special features were included. Not even the movie's accompanying Pikachu short! What is also frustrating is rereleases of the older movies do not contain any of the special features that were on the initial releases. Not only that, but some of the first releases of Heroes through Destiny Deoxys lied about including special features! Even MORE frustrating is that the original releases of the movies on DVDs kinda suck. They are fullscreen with no option for widescreen, and this continued all the way up until the release of Temple of the Sea in 2007. 2007. In 2019, VIZ released a pack with the first 3 movies, and this was the first time that movies 2/3 were ever released on DVD in widescreen. Nearly 20 years after their release. Now, the movies were released in 2009/2010 on iTunes in widescreen and Pokemon TV in 2015, but why did it take so long to come to DVD! Movie 1 made off a bit better with a widescreen DVD release in 2016. These movies lack special features, and that sucks, and what is even worse is that they dont even have a japanese language option! This isn't too crazy of an ask, as there are regular japanese DVD releases with the english dub and dubtitles. The way the music is handled in the dub just makes it unwatchable, and while it isn't ideal, I would prefer to have the original audio with dubtitles. So the special features are not ideal for anyone to buy in the current year, over 20 years after their release for some of them, but what if you would like to view these special features. Some of them are online, but not all of them. Luckily for you, I have uploaded all of the special features that were included on the DVDs onto YouTube to be easily viewed! Now, this does not include the trivia games, as I don't think anyone cares about those in the current year, production artwork, as none of it is hard to find online in better quality, or even really interesting, character bios, as they are very basic and also uninteresting, and last, these playlists do not include audio commentary. In the future I may add it, but at the moment, I do not have that uploaded, as it would be best viewed with the movie, and I obviously cannot uploaded the entire movie onto YouTube. Below will include links to a playlist for the special features of each of the Pokemon movie DVDs. NOTE – I am still trying to obtain them all!  
Pokemon the Movie 3 Special Features
 
Pokemon 4Ever Special Features
 
Pokemon Heroes Special Features
 
Pokemon Jirachi Wish Maker Special Features
 
Pokemon Destiny Deoxys Special Features
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