It's fair to say that
Detective Pikachu has well and truly broken the video game curse because while it may not boast the strongest of stories, Legendary Entertainment has done a fantastic job of bringing these beloved creatures to life on the big screen. It's also a genuinely enjoyable adventure which successfully sets the stage for a live-action
Pokemon Universe.
As you might expect for a franchise with such a storied history across mediums like trading cards, video games, and TV shows, there are a long list of Easter Eggs, references, and cameos in this movie and we've now singled out fifteen of the best you need to see.
From nods to some truly obscure moments in the games to hard to spot pieces of imagery and major hints about the possible future of this series on the big screen, there's a lot to talk about here and we think you'll enjoy taking a look through this breakdown.
So, to check out
Detective Pikachu's best Easter Eggs, simply hit the "View List" button!
The Original Mewtwo
One of the coolest references in
Detective Pikachu comes when we learn that Mewtwo isn't a new creation; he was first discovered twenty years ago in the Kanto region before being captured by the villainous Clifford Enterprises.
As a result, it seems that the video games and animated shows are officially canon, and it also means Ash Ketchum is now probably in his mid to late 30s - which has a tonne of storytelling potential. After all, just imagine how much fun it would be to see someone like Chris Pratt playing Ash in a present-day setting where we learn he's now a washed up Pokemon trainer, or even a truly great Master!
Magikarp Uses "Splash Attack"
Magikarp evolving into Gyarados is one of
Detective Pikachu's coolest moments, but when the fan-favourite Pokemon bursts out of his fish tank, we see him pull off the classic "Splash Attack" move.
As you might expect, all he does is splash a little water on the nearby Pokemon with literally no affect and it looks pretty hilarious (and, just like in the games, totally useless in the midst of a battle).
Howard Clifford's Office
When
Detective Pikachu is released on Blu-ray, we're going to be hitting the Pause button an awful lot. That's particularly the case in Howard Clifford's office, as a number of stones can be seen sitting on one of his tables and these have to be evolutionary stones used to evolve Pokemon in the games.
Behind his desk, meanwhile, we see fossils of legendary Pokemon like Dialga, Palkia, and Arceus.
They're said to be the oldest Pokemon in existence, and seeing as Clifford had such a great deal of interest in using Mew's DNA, perhaps he found a way to resurrect them as well.
"Mother Of Arceus"
At one point in the movie, Pikachu shouts, "Mother of Arceus," a clever reference to the franchise's wider mythology. In that, this Pokemon is known as "The Original One" as it is said that it created Sinnoh and Ransei, and possibly the entire Pokémon universe.
The Detective is essentially taking God's name in vain here, albeit in a way that ties into the religious beliefs of these characters.
Volt Tackle
In this movie, an awful lot if made of Pikachu's use of "Volt Tackle" and while using it weakens him, it's noted that it's also an extremely powerful move (and one which does actually manage to slow down Mewtwo). The most likely reason this was chosen over "Thunder" is because in the
Sun and
Moon games, the already hugely powerful "Volt Tackle" can be upgraded to "Catastropika."
That Z-Move bears a striking resemblance to this one and turned "Volt Tackle" into a real game-changer for fans of the games.
Cubone's Dead Mother
The movie vaguely alludes to Cubone's origin story, but understandably doesn't delve too far into it.
Well, the reason he can be seen crying at the start of
Detective Pikachu is because that is indeed the skull of his dead mother on his head! In the games, these Pokemon are known for mourning their mommys by hanging around and having a good cry. Despite that, he was still pretty damn cute!
"Gotta Catch 'Em All..."
While Pikachu is mourning the apparent end of his friendship with Tim, he tearfully sings the cartoon's classic theme tune, and it's clear that it somehow exists in this world as a result.
Another cool nod to the franchise's history is the fact that Tim has a collection of Pokemon cards in the classic plastic sleeves which have always been available to safely store them in.
Team Rocket
Sadly, there's no sign of the villainous Team Rocket in
Detective Pikachu but there may, at least, be some references to their existence. The biggest comes when we learn that the drug being used to turn Pokemon into uncontrollable beasts is known as "R," while that letter can be seen throughout Ryme City as graffiti pretty much from start to finish.
This may mean nothing, but it could be a tease for the team's eventual debut.
Jigglypuff Puts Someone To Sleep
Unfortunately, we don't get to see the angry Jigglypuff scene in
Detective Pikachu (despite it being in the trailers) but we do see her performing karaoke in a bar.
While you may think that the guy sleeping next to her has passed out drunk, that's a coffee cup next to him and it's actually Jigglypuff's power to put people to sleep with her voice that's clearly come into play in this scene.
Noctowl Diner
Talking of that diner, you may have noticed that the all-night joint is called "Noctowl." This clever reference to the Gen-2 Pokemon of the same name obviously pays homage to the fact it's a nocturnal Pokemon (which makes it an appropriate name for an establishment such as this one).
Berry Juice
That's not the only Easter Egg in the diner, though, as a glimpse behind the bar reveals that they're selling "Berry Juice" to patrons.
In Gen-2, that was introduced as a way of healing Pokemon, so the question is, are they selling it to humans or their companions?
Missing Pokemon
Look closely while watching the movie and you'll notice a lot of "Missing" posters for Pokemon.
This imagery also factored into marketing materials for
Detective Pikachu ,but it's not really a plot thread that's addressed. As a result, we're left to wonder whether these are the Pokemon in the fight club, the ones stolen by Clifford Enterprises for their experiments, or even the work of Team Rocket!
That latter option would be very cool for fans.
Giant Torterra
While the idea of a number of giant Torterra's may seem a tad silly, there is, in fact, precedent for this in the games. In
Pokemon Pearl, the Pokedex entry notes that
"Groups of this Pokemon migrating in search of water have been mistaken for 'moving forests,'" while
Platinum notes that,
"Some Pokémon are born on Torterra's back and spend their entire life there."
It's clear that the filmmakers really delved into the games in order to find a good reason to have this Pokemon appear in this form.
Snorlax Blocks The Street
One of the most frustrating parts of those early
Pokemon games was having your way blocked by a Snorlax. It was The Pokemon Company's way of stopping you accessing too much of the map too soon, and while the sight of one of these massive creatures blocking traffic while it has a snooze may seem like a throwaway joke, it's actually a well-thought out nod to that particular moment.
Humans Becoming Pokemon
Cast your mind back to the
Red,
Blue, and
Yellow era of games and you'll recall that your character comes across a man named Bill who has somehow ended up in the body of a Pokemon.
The change came as a result of him playing around in his lab, and if you snoop around, you'll learn all about the Eevee evolutions. This obscure moment was clearly referenced in
Detective Pikachu with the concept of people becoming Pokemon, and there being a Flareon in Clifford's office doesn't feel like a coincidence.
We're not suggesting that they're one and the same, but these ideas definitely seem related.