M15

Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem VS. The Sword of Justice (Japanese: ポケットモンスター　ベストウイッシュ　キュレム　ケルディオ Pocket Monsters Best Wishes! the Movie - Kyurem VS the Sacred Swordsman: Keldeo) is the second movie and the fifteenth Pokémon movie overall. It premiered in Japanese theaters on July 14, 2012. It premiered in on  in conjunction with  in  on December 8, 2012, and premiered in  on  on December 12, 2012.

The movie features and its two alternate formes and the Swords of Justice:, , , and.

In Japanese theaters, the movie was featured with the Pikachu short Meloetta's Moonlight Serenade.

Blurb
Ash and Pikachu, along with their friends Iris and Cilan, are on a train headed to the next stop on their journey. From the train, Ash spots an injured Pokémon—one he’s never seen before. He’s trying to figure out how he can help when the train is attacked by the Legendary Kyurem, a Dragon-type Pokémon with immense power! Ash and the others barely manage to escape the rampaging Kyurem’s attack, and as the dust settles, they turn their attention to the injured Pokémon. Their new acquaintance turns out to be the Mythical Pokémon Keldeo, and it’s on a mission to rescue its friends—Cobalion, Terrakion, and Virizion, the Legendary Pokémon known as the Swords of Justice—from Kyurem’s icy clutches!

But Kyurem’s rampage isn’t over, and it’s drawing power from Reshiram and Zekrom, changing into Black Kyurem or White Kyurem to make its attacks even stronger! Why is Kyurem attacking Ash and his friends with such unrelenting fury? How will they be able to overcome this danger?

To protect its friends, to discover true power and genuine courage, and to preserve its bond with Ash and its companions, a hidden strength awakens within Keldeo...

Plot
As the movie begins, the narrator gives an introduction about the Pokémon world before it cuts to a scene of and his  in a battle with a 's. He commands Pikachu to use on the Druddigon. As the Thunderbolt hits, the scene changes to a grass field where is training with. It detects Virizion in the grass and uses. As the scene progresses, and after Virizion, Keldeo attempts to do the same thing, but was unable to do so. It then uses its horn as the sword, and clashes its horn with Virizion's sword. Later, the scene changes to rocky terrain where Keldeo trains with. When Keldeo kicked, it sends Terrakion flying, and Terrakion crashes into a boulder, which falls onto it. It manages to lift that boulder with its strength and Sacred Sword. The two eventually clash weapons. Finally, the scene changes to a dead forest as Keldeo runs alongside. A storm envelops the area and burns a few trees down in front of Keldeo. Cobalion notices Keldeo's actions and persistence and tells Keldeo that its actions are reckless. Keldeo exclaims that it wants to battle and when asked when it will be ready, Cobalion doesn't answer; instead, it draws its sword, and spars with Keldeo.

The scene changes to a flowing stream, where the three Swords of Justice ask themselves whether Keldeo is ready to fight Kyurem. According to Cobalion, Keldeo hasn't fully learned the weight of the sword, and is not ready yet. Keldeo overhears them and tries to convince them, but to no avail. While the Swords of Justice sleep, Keldeo sneaks out and heads to Full Court, where Kyurem resides. Eventually the three notice, and so they left to search for Keldeo. When Keldeo arrives, it challenges Kyurem to battle, which the Boundary Pokémon accepts. When the arrive, the two are already in battle. During the fight, Kyurem breaks off Keldeo's horn with, causing the Colt Pokémon to become paralyzed with fear. Terrakion attempts to stop the fight to save Keldeo, but Cobalion tells it not to interfere. This aggravates Kyurem, who shifts into White Kyurem and the trio, to prevent further interference. Noticing its friends frozen, Keldeo is overcome with fear and flees from the battle. Kyurem, furious, angrily declares that their battle is not yet over....

Meanwhile, Ash and are on their journey, boarding a train that leads to a city. , Pikachu, and are playing in the train car, later joined by. The train stops at Windy Station. Cilan notices a stall selling lunch boxes and gets some for the group, along with water bottles and  Berry Pops. Ash had to carry the lunch boxes, yet he trips over Scraggy, sending the boxes flying. Fortunately, the trio's Pokémon and manage to catch the lunch boxes. As they all board, they accidentally left Scraggy in the station just as the train leaves, and notice he was trying to run for it. Ash urges him to jump on, but the Shedding Pokémon couldn't muster the strength to do so, so Ash commands to fetch him with. She manages to catch him and bring him in, but suddenly, a Pokémon slips on the mountain, landing on top of the train. Pikachu notices, and tells the rest to follow him. It was Keldeo, injured from its previous battle. As Ash and his friends find it, it warns them about Kyurem. Suddenly, Kyurem leaps onto the train and attacks the group, and soon was forced to jump off the train when the train enters a tunnel. Later on, they move to a cargo area of the train, where Iris tells the group about the legend of Kyurem, which she learned from the Village of Dragons'.

The train arrives at Roshan City and the group visit the Pokémon Center there so Keldeo can be treated. Nurse Joy identifies the Colt Pokémon to the group, and tells them the of the Swords of Justice. She mentions that according to this legend, the three arrived at a forest plagued by flames from a war between human factions. Terrakion shaped an escape route into the earth, Virizion used its speed to shield the fleeing Pokémon, and Cobalion escorted the Pokémon to safety. Within the ashes of the now burned-down forest, they found a lone Pokémon—Keldeo—that they took in as their own. Keldeo is training to be a Sword of Justice.

Later, when Keldeo has been healed (except for its horn), it walks outside the Pokémon Center with Ash and his friends. Iris expresses relief on Keldeo's recovery. Ash and his friends introduce themselves and Ash asks Keldeo what happened. While Kanata and Misaki battle, Keldeo tells them what it did before it met them. It also reveals that in order to become a Sword of Justice, one has to defeat Kyurem. After telling them how it ran away, Keldeo douses its head under a pipe. Keldeo speculates that Kyurem is probably furious, and Ash realizes that that's why Kyurem attacked them. Ash questions it, asking it if it's scared. He says that Keldeo shouldn't be scared just because it lost, which angers Keldeo. It vows to rescue the Swords of Justice right then. Ash and his friends agree and promise to go with Keldeo. First, they eat from the Darumaka lunch boxes. Ash and Keldeo eat quickly and simultaneously choke, which makes Iris call both Ash and Keldeo "little kids".

Humans

 * Jessie (cameo)
 * James (cameo)
 * Nurse Joy
 * Malin
 * (flashback)
 * Kanata and Misaki
 * Mother and daughter
 * Station attendant
 * (flashback)
 * Kanata and Misaki
 * Mother and daughter
 * Station attendant

Opening title (Japanese version only)

 * Max
 * Lawrence III
 * Molly Hale
 * Oakley
 * Butler
 * Tory Lund
 * Alice
 * The Phantom
 * Newton Graceland
 * Grings Kodai

Pokémon

 * (cameo)
 * (Malin's)
 * (Misaki's)
 * (🇺🇳's)
 * (wild)
 * (wild)
 * (wild)
 * (wild)
 * (wild)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (Malin's)
 * (Misaki's)
 * (🇺🇳's)
 * (wild)
 * (wild)
 * (wild)
 * (wild)
 * (wild)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)


 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)

Pokémon in the Swords of Justice legend

 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)

Opening title (Japanese version only)

 * (Pikachutwo)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Pikachutwo)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Pikachutwo)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Pikachutwo)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)
 * (Spiky-eared Pichu)

Intro
Additionally, every single species of Pokémon discovered prior to Generation VI (including the infamous evolution line, and excluding ) makes a cameo appearance in the intro sequence of the film.

Cast
! colspan=6 | Special appearances by


 * }

Pre-order distribution
In Japan, Keldeo was distributed via local wireless at Pokémon Center stores from June 23 to August 31, 2012 to players who pre-ordered tickets to see the film.

In Taiwan, it was distributed via local wireless from September 20 to October 20, 2012.

Movie distributions
In Japan, Meloetta was distributed via infrared at theaters which screened the movie across Japan, which occurred from July 14 to September 30, 2012 and during a pre-release event on July 1, 2012.

In Taiwan, it was distributed via infrared at on October 5, 2012.

Trivia

 * This movie was released between BW087 and BW088 in Japan. However, was in 's  at that point, and they were also accompanied by . This arc cannot be interrupted, therefore it must take place some time before BW082.
 * This is the fourth consecutive film in which and  do not encounter.
 * This is also the only movie in which Jessie, James, and do not have speaking roles. Instead, they only make brief cameo appearances in the introduction, ending credits, and small scenes during the actual story.
 * Despite being released during Best Wishes! Season 2, this film does not feature any pre-Generation V Pokémon other than and, outside of the "Pokémon World" intro scene.
 * Despite this, the cameo of and  in the intro marks the appearance of all pre-Generation V Pokémon in the anime.
 * In Australia and New Zealand, this film received a theatrical release and special screenings were held at selected Hoyts Cinemas for two consecutive weekends; February 16 and 17, and February 23 and 24.
 * This movie is the first Pokémon movie since Jirachi: Wish Maker to have a Pikachu short distributed alongside it.
 * With a length of 72 minutes, this is the shortest of all Pokémon movies.

Errors

 * Kyurem was able to freeze the three Swords of Justice with, and Keldeo with . However, in the core series Pokémon games, Ice Burn and Freeze Shock cause and , respectively.

Dub edits

 * In the Japanese version, during the opening title sequence, the number 15 is created using snapshots from the previous fourteen movies; this is omitted in the dub.
 * Cartoon Network and YTV's airing of this film uses a shorter cut provided by The Pokémon Company International. A number of scenes are either excluded or rearranged in order to reduce the film's running time.
 * The title card sequence is moved to immediately after the "World of Pokémon" segment, while the scenes of Keldeo training and battling Kyurem for the first time – which are before the title card in the original cut – are moved to after it.
 * The battle between 🇺🇳 and Misaki is mostly cut out, leaving only a shot of them in the background.
 * All scenes from the ending credits are removed, leaving absent events such as the blimp being returned to the museum. The edited credit roll simply plays the credits over a black background and uses a brief instrumental song.

Related articles

 * Kyurem VS. The Sword of Justice (manga)