Pokémon: Jirachi, Wish Maker

The sixth Pokémon film, *Pokémon: Jirachi, Wish Maker*, is a 2003 Japanese animated adventure fantasy directed by Kunihiko Yuyama. It kicks off the Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire film era and was released alongside the short *Gotta Dance*. Toho brought it to Japanese theaters on July 19, 2003, while Miramax Films handled the English dub, which went straight to video on June 1, 2004. The story fits into the *Pokémon: Advanced* timeline.

In the Japanese version, the featured song is Asuca Hayashi’s “A Small Thing” (小さきもの, *Chiisaki Mono*). The English version uses “Make a Wish,” sung by Cindy Mizelle. That same melody serves as the lullaby that May and Max’s mother once sang to them. This movie marks the first time the original Japanese song is clearly heard in the English dub.

The plot follows the Millennium Comet, which appears for seven days every thousand years. During this time, the Mythical Pokémon Jirachi awakens to absorb the comet’s energy, which brings life to the region of Forina. But magician Butler and his girlfriend Diane dig up the stone containing Jirachi and take it away.

Meanwhile, Ash, May, Max, and Brock arrive at a wide crater for the Millennium Comet festival. While they sleep, the festival sets up around them. May buys a seven-panel novelty that supposedly grants a wish if you close one panel each night the comet is visible. Later, Ash and Max accidentally volunteer for one of Butler’s tricks after Max hears a voice from the rock Diane holds. Max meets Jirachi, who speaks from inside the stone. Butler lets Max keep the rock, and that night Jirachi emerges. Hoping for a wish, Max asks for lots of candy—which appears, but it turns out Jirachi simply teleported it from a festival stall.

Butler’s true goal emerges: he was a former Team Magma scientist who tried to resurrect the Legendary Pokémon Groudon. His system was perfect, but he lacked enough power, so Team Magma fired him. Now he wants to use Jirachi’s energy to fuel his machine. The disaster-warning Pokémon Absol arrives to help Jirachi and alert the group.

Butler tries to harness Jirachi’s power inside a circus tent, but Ash and friends interrupt. With Diane and Absol’s help, they take Butler’s bus to Forina so Jirachi can return home.