What Easter Eggs Are In Pokémon I Choose You The Movie?

I still get goosebumps when Ho-Oh shows up — it’s such a clear wink to the original series and one of the biggest Easter eggs in 'Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!'. The scene composition is deliberately similar to that first episode where Ash sees Ho-Oh, and the rainbow imagery is used like a shorthand for the series’ very beginning. That immediate nostalgia blast is probably why many fans cried in theaters.

On a more nitpicky level, the movie sprinkles in small background treasures: classic Kanto Pokémon in crowd scenes, props and signage that mimic the original anime’s world, and occasional animation flashes that mimic the late-'90s style. The filmmakers also stitch in musical cues and little visual beats that recall old episodes — short lines of dialogue, facial expressions, or a framing choice might be an homage to a particular moment from the TV show. Team Rocket gets calls to their original gag timing, and if you watch carefully you’ll spot cameos and design details that don’t serve the plot but scream fan service. I like to watch once for story and again slow for the background — that’s when the hidden little treasures pop, and they make rewatching the film its own kind of collectible hunt.

Watching 'Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!' felt like flipping through a scrapbook of the franchise — the filmmakers stuffed it with nods that made my inner nerd squeal. Right off the bat there are obvious homages to the very first anime episode: visual frames that mimic Ash and Pikachu’s awkward beginning, plus Ho-Oh’s rainbow flight that’s framed almost identically to the original scene. Musically, listeners will catch little motifs that echo the classic themes — those tiny orchestral hits that tug on nostalgia seem deliberately placed during the big emotional beats.

Beyond the headline moments, there are tons of background and visual Easter eggs. You see plenty of classic Kanto Pokémon in crowd shots and environments — little winks to the original roster — and some character cameos (think familiar faces popping into the background or in quick cutaways). The animators even slip in flashes of the older art style during certain flashback sequences, which felt like handing a Polaroid to longtime fans. Team Rocket’s mannerisms and punches of comedic timing also feel like a loving throwback to their earliest incarnations.

I also loved the subtle game and franchise callbacks: hints of red/blue era iconography, shout-outs that remind you of 'Pokémon Yellow' vibes (Pikachu always on the trainer’s shoulder), and visual nods to Sakurai-era animation choices. Not every nod is spelled out — a lot are the kind you only notice on a second watch. If you’ve got a favorite obscure line or background sprite, pause and scan; the movie rewards people who pay attention to details, and it left me brimming with fondness for the old series.

I watched 'Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!' twice back-to-back because the first viewing was all feels and the second was a scavenger hunt for Easter eggs. Biggest ones: the Ho-Oh appearance and the way key shots echo the very first anime episode — that’s the deliberate homage that anchors the movie. There are also little callbacks to the original character designs and animation style sprinkled through flashbacks; it’s like the animators left Polaroid snapshots of the old series inside the new film.

Smaller details include classic Kanto Pokémon showing up in the background, musical nods to the series’ older themes, and Team Rocket behaving in ways that long-time viewers will instantly recognize. Many of the best moments are subtle — background posters, matching camera angles, and tiny animation flourishes — so bring patience and maybe a screenshot tool if you want to savor every reference.