XY078

Lights! Camera! Pika! / How to Make a Pikachu Movie: Ready...Action! / Lightning Fast! Brave and Strong! Super-Pikachu! / The Very Best of Super-Pikachu's Back-Slapping Bloopers! (Japanese: ピカチュウはスター！？ 映画デビュー！！・How to ピカチュウ・ザ・ムービー！よーい！アクション！！・迅雷のヒーロー！スーパーピカチュウ！！・ピカチュウのドキドキNG大賞 Pikachu Becomes a Star!? Its Movie Debut!! / How to Pikachu The Movie! OK! Action!! / The Lightning-fast Hero! Super Pikachu!! / Pikachu's Shocking Bloopers) is the 78th episode of Pokémon the Series: XY, and the 877th episode of the Pokémon animated series. It first aired in Japan on June 18, 2015 as a one-hour special alongside XY077, in Canada on November 14, 2015 alongside Hoopa — The Mischief Pokémon and Hoopa and the Clash of Ages, and in the United States on November 21, 2015.
==Blurb==
During their journey across the Kalos region, our heroes are surprised to come across the largest group of Pikachu they’ve ever seen! It turns out that these Pikachu live on the sprawling estate of Frank, a film director who adores Pikachu.
Frank has long dreamed of making a blockbuster movie about a group of Pikachu living in Pikachuland, who must defend their town against the evil Pikachu Libre! Super Pikachu will save the day, and Frank wants Ash’s Pikachu to play the part of the beloved superhero.
Our heroes want to take part in the production, too, so they participate in every aspect of making the film: script writing, voice acting, even costumes and makeup. When everything is finished, it’s clear that the action-packed movie—complete with a blooper reel and a behind-the-scenes documentary filmed by Serena—is a resounding success!
==Plot==
Pikachu Libre and its gang have captured Pikachu Belle and Pikachu Pop Star. Ash's Pikachu, dressed up as a superhero, is facing the gang. , out of screen, then shouts to Pikachu to not give up. quickly hushes Ash to stay quiet, but it is already too late, and the voice of another man cuts the scene.
Earlier, Ash and are walking through a forest, observing a town full of dancing in a circle. Ash, Pikachu, and the others decide to check out what it is all about. Ash's Pikachu races towards the site and runs up a tower, greeting the other Pikachu from up there. Frank, seeing Pikachu, marvels at Pikachu's star power. Frank then approaches Ash, and asks Ash to allow his Pikachu to star in his next Pikachu movie.
The group is then invited to Pikachu Manor, Frank's estate, which is filled with Pikachu decorations. There, Frank introduces himself as a Pikachu-lover, and Jean, his granddaughter, also introduces herself as Frank's assistant. Frank thanks the group for allowing Pikachu to star in his movie, and Ash and the group ask Frank whether they could also help with the movie, which Frank accepts. Frank then introduces his five cosplay Pikachu to the group, and also shows them the movie's script. , looking at the script, finds that it is unfinished, but Frank comments that he has already planned out the plot for the movie. Clemont then decides to get his 'Clemontic brain' on to complete the script with Frank. At night, Jean explains Frank's love for Pikachu beginning from his childhood, having had a Pikachu by his side from long ago.
The next day, the scene is being set with the help of holding the microphone, , , and providing light, and providing fire and smoke, providing the mist for the movie, and the other Pikachu providing electricity for the movie. The production begins with Pikachu Libre's gang having captured Pikachu Belle and Pikachu Pop Star, and Ash's Pikachu dressed up as a superhero. Meanwhile, Serena begins filming the behind-the-scene shots. Filming Ash, Ash explains to her that the next scene could be a bit dangerous for Pikachu. Therefore, would instead take the place as a stunt double while wearing a Pikachu costume. This scene begins with the disguised Hawlucha jumping down from a ledge. Pikachu, hiding behind a rock takes over and runs forward. Frank then cuts the scene commenting that it was perfect.
During lunch, everyone is having a break. Serena films and interviews Frank, who mentions his times with Pikachu, and his desire to share these emotions with children around the world through his movies. In the afternoon, the filming finishes with Pikachu flying off into the sunset with the help of a wire. Post-production then begins into the night, including scene editing and sound addition. While Clemont helps with editing, Ash, Serena, and Bonnie help by lending their voices to the movie. Sometime later, the movie is complete and the group along with all the Pokémon sit and enjoy to watch the movie preview.
The movie opens with many Pikachu dancing around in the town. The scene is interrupted by Pikachu Libre and its gang, and despite Pikachu Rock Star and Pikachu, Ph. D's attempts to stop them, they are thwarted by Pikachu Libre. Super Pikachu (Ash's Pikachu) then enters and defeats the gang. However, the gang are still able to capture Pikachu Belle and Pikachu Pop Star before challenging Super Pikachu to come to the nearby mountain by itself. Despite being injured, Super Pikachu flies off to chase the gang. At the mountain, Super Pikachu begins to fight Pikachu Libre's gang. Super Pikachu becomes severely injured and Pikachu Libre and its gang begin to finish off Super Pikachu. However, their attacks are blocked by Pikachu who have arrived from the town. The Pikachu then gather forces to attack Pikachu Libre's gang who then blast off.
As the movie finishes, everyone claps and rejoices over the movie. The episode then ends with bloopers and behind-the-scene shots of the movie.
==Major events==
===Debuts===
====Pokémon debuts====
* Cosplay Pikachu (all costumes)
==Characters==
===Humans===
* 
* 
* 
* 
* Frank
* Jean
* Voice actors
* Frank's wife (flashback)
===Pokémon===
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* (Frank's; Pikachu Rock Star)
* (Frank's; Pikachu Belle)
* (Frank's; Pikachu Pop Star)
* (Frank's; Pikachu, Ph. D)
* (Frank's; Pikachu Libre)
* (Frank's; multiple)
* (Frank's)
* (Frank's)
* (Frank's)
* (Frank's)
* (Frank's)
* (Frank's)
* (picture; flashback)
==Trivia== 
* Professor Oak's Pokémon Holo Caster: 
** This is a repeat Holo Caster from XY001, with added in.
* The English title of this episode is derived from the saying "!".
** The English title is also similar to that of previous episodes.
* The woman who appears in the sound booth bears a striking resemblance to Ikue Otani, the voice actress for Ash's Pikachu.
** Furthermore, the woman is seen recording lines for Super Pikachu, which Ikue Ohtani herself voices in this episode.
** The man recording next to her seems to be a Yūki Kaji lookalike. However, Kaji isn't confirmed to voice any character besides in this episode.
* This episode contains a parody of the logo, with in place of and a underneath it.
** A similar parody previously occurred with and in An Epic Defense Force! and A PokéVision of Things to Come!, respectively.
* The outfits worn by Pikachu Libre's minions in the movie resembled the outfits of the Shocker Combatmen from .
* At the end of the dubbed version of the episode, and say, "That's all, folks!" This is a reference to the text present at the end of the and cartoons.
* Out of the titles of the four parts of this episode, only the first is read by Ash, while the other three are read by Frank. is also heard in the last of the title cards.
* Mad-Paced Getter is used as an insert song in this episode.
* This episode marks the first appearance of a in the since James his in A Poached Ego!, 597 episodes ago.
* This is the first episode since Sleight of Sand!, and the first episode outside of Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl, to have a .
* In this episode, there are no Who's That Pokémon? and Pokémon Quiz segments.
** This marks the first time an episode hasn't had a Who's That Pokémon segment since Memories are Made of Bliss!.
** This is the only episode of Pokémon the Series: XY without a Pokémon Quiz segment.
** This is also the first episode of the animated series to not have any eyecatches in the original Japanese version.
* Unlike in Seeking Shelter from the Storm!, the English dub retains the same stylized title cards from the Japanese version.
* In the dub, this episode debuted after A Frolicking Find in the Flowers! (XY089), and is listed directly after that episode in dub episode listings.
* This is the first episode to use music from Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction and its accompanying short Pikachu, What's This Key?.
===Errors===
* During several scenes in the episode, some female Pikachu do not have the heart-shaped black spot at the end of their tails.
* When Frank states "It's a wrap!", Ash and his friends are shown to his left and Jean behind the camera on his right, though a moment later as it shows an overhead shot of the area, Ash and his friends are no longer there.
* In the and dubs, refers to in plural.
===Dub edits===
* Mad-Paced Getter is replaced by instrumental music in the dub.
==In other languages==
078
Category:Episodes written by Hideki Sonoda
Category:Episodes storyboarded by Hiromasa Amano
Category:Episodes directed by Fumio Maezono
Category:Episodes animated by Takashi Shinohara
Category:Episodes animated by Yū Uchida
Category:Episodes animated by Keita Saitō
Category:Episodes by multiple animation directors
Category:Episodes animated by Michinosuke Nakamura
Category:Episodes focusing on Pikachu
Category:Episodes which aired in Canada before the United States
de:Licht! Kamera! Pika!
es:EE16
fr:XY078
it:XY078
ja:XY編第78話
zh:宝可梦 XY 特别篇EX 第1集