For fans of the Pokémon series, Detective Pikachu is filled with plenty of playful nods
to the wider Pokémon universe.
But some of these small references are all-too easy to miss.
To help you keep track, here are a few of the finer details that may have snuck past
you.
"Whoever you are, I know how to use this."
In the film, we learn that the menacing Pokémon known as Mewtwo was captured before the events
of Detective Pikachu - and it was able to escape human captivity 20 years prior to the
events in the film.
This is likely an allusion to the first Pokémon film, appropriately titled Pokemon: The First
Movie, which made its North American premiere in November of 1999.
The First Movie centers around Mewtwo's origin story, beginning with its creation in a lab
on New Island.
Eventually, Mewtwo escapes and subsequently destroys the entire lab in his rage, but by
the end of the film, it's shown that not all humans are bad.
Though Detective Pikachu doesn't focus primarily on Mewtwo and its origin, the parallels are
clear.
Mewtwo is similarly captured, experimented on, and subsequently escapes in the film,
though it comes to believe that humans aren't inherently evil.
"Hey what's that?"
"Isn't that a Jigglypuff?"
“JIGGLY!”
"You're right, Brock, it's a Jigglypuff!”
Throughout the Pokémon universe, Jigglypuff is known for its ability to lull people and
other Pokémon to sleep when it sings.
In the animated series, Jigglypuff's singing is often used as a joke that inconveniences
the main characters and makes them fear this balloon-like Pokémon whenever it appears.
In several episodes, the Pokémon performs for the main characters, only for them to
inevitably fall asleep.
Upset that no one listens to its song, Jigglypuff becomes angry and draws ridiculous images
on the faces of its sleeping audience.
Jigglypuff makes a brief appearance in Detective Pikachu.
When Tim and Pikachu visit a cafe, you get to see a Jigglypuff sing to another patron
as he sleeps on the table.
Just as in the anime, Jigglypuff puffs up, visibly upset that its song is being ignored.
Unown are unique Pokémon that resemble the Latin alphabet.
"This Unown feels really hot."
The Pokémon species has 28 total different forms, and with so many different variations,
it's not surprising that at least one would make it into the film.
While an actual Unown never makes an appearance in Detective Pikachu, they do pop up on Tim's
T-shirts as a loving visual tribute, even though, let's face it: Unown are more than
faintly terrifying.
"They don't care who they zap as long as they zap!"
In many of the Pokémon games, a common roadblock is a giant Snorlax sleeping in the middle
of the road.
These giant Pokémon require a special Poké Flute to awaken them, resulting in the player
going on a quest for the item before being able to progress to a new area in the game.
Snorlax has also appeared in the Pokémon anime as well, notably in the episode "Wake
Up Snorlax."
"It's a Snorlax!"
"That's a Snorlax?"
"Alright!"
In that particular episode, a sleeping Snorlax blocks a water source from flowing into a
nearby town.
Needless to say, Snorlax has been an obstacle throughout Pokémon, and this trend of Snorlax
inconveniently blocking roads continues in Detective Pikachu.
In one particular shot after Tim first arrives in Ryme City, a Snorlax can be seen sleeping
in the road as drivers try to navigate around it.
While the Snorlax is only shown briefly, its inclusion is a fun callback that's sure to
appeal to fans.
In an early episode of Pokemon the Series entitled "Here Comes the Squirtle Squad,"
a group of mischievous Squirtles play pranks on passersby, going so far as to dig pitfalls
for unsuspecting travelers to fall into.
Eventually, the group of Squirtles come to see the error of their ways and give up these
wild antics.
"Squirtle, squirtle."
Later on, in the episode "The Fire-ing Squad!," the Squirtles diligently work with firefighters
in an official capacity, and even participate in a firefighting competition.
Squirtles are seen a few times in Detective Pikachu.
Why, there's one right here on this "missing" poster.
Elsewhere in the film, we see a group of Squirtles dutifully working with firefighters from Ryme
City and putting out fires left and right.
We're glad to see they're still out there fighting the good fight.
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