Movie Review – Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie

Early this year I wrote about Yo-Kai Watch, a children’s cartoon imported from Japan and translated for Disney XD. It’s about a kid named Nate that meets a ghost called Whisper. The ghostly companion gifts Nathan with the Yo-Kai Watch, a device with abilities to see and capture Yo-Kai causing mischief around town. It’s an innocent enough concept however similar to the Pokemon franchise.

Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie is a sort of stand-alone film which explains the origin of Nate’s magic timepiece. It opens to Nate somehow forgetting Whisper and other Yo-Kai until suddenly, strange events across town begin popping up. These abnormalities rouse Nate, revealing Meganyan, Whisper and Jibanyan. He wonders what happened to his memory and why his watch is missing. Meganyan (the inflated version of Hovernyan) tells Nate of the “wicked” and his destiny to defeat them, but without the watch Nate is skeptical. He and his friends must travel 60 years into the past to find Nate’s grandfather, the inventor of the Yo-Kai Watch, to save the world.

The movie is pleasantly animated and safe for most any audience, though it runs long in the tooth. Friendship, family and teamwork are prevalent themes which parents should appreciate. While attempting to stand apart from the series, some prior education about Nate’s adventure is required. I suggest interested parties begin with the Nintendo 3DS game series or the Disney XD series. Season 1 is also available on Netflix.

Fathom Events is bringing Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie Event to U.S. theaters for one night only Saturday, October 15th, 2016. Attendees will also have a chance to receive a limited-edition Hovernyan Yo-Motion Yo-Kai Medal, while supplies last.