It is said that the impressive trio maintain nature's balance by controlling the ruling elements of fire, lightning and ice lest Earth be destroyed. However, it is prophesied that a human champion will emerge to save the day. Should he succeed, Jirarudan would become the world's most powerful collector of Pokemon. And that would be a bad business because he would have too many Pokeballs. Meanwhile, Pikachu, the conscientious young Pokemon trainer Ash Ketchum and their courageous gal pals Tracey and Misty just happen to be sailing in the vicinity when the blue skies suddenly fill with glowering clouds.
Angry winds rise and the ocean begins to buck and heave.
With enormous difficulty, Ash et al. manage to reach Shamouti Island. And that's just the beginning of what becomes an epic battle between the good guys and the avaricious villain. It seems odd, though, that the powers behind the Poke empire would have a problem with greedy collectors like Jirarudan. But at least the movie stresses ecological and moral values along with subliminal capitalistic ones. Aside from a saccharine exchange between Ash and his mother, the movie manages to make its points without getting sticky.