Puyo Puyo: The Movie

Puyo Puyo: The Movie (ぷよぷよ・ ザ・ムービー) is an upcoming Japanese animated musical film based on the popular Japanese puzzle game series, Puyo Puyo published by Sega, Previously owned by Compile until it's bankruptcy in 2001. The film is directed by Koji Shindo and Naohiro Hiaro and written by Utako Yoshino. The cast from the Puyo Puyo games reprise their roles, Except for the late Tamaki Nakanishi who was the voice of Carbuncle from Puyo Puyo Fever to Puyo Puyo Champions (Puyo Puyo eSports in Asia). The English cast of Puyo Puyo Tetris and Puyo Puyo Champions also reprise their roles. The film follows Arle Nadja, Carbuncle, Amitie, and Ringo Ando as they have to prevent Satan (Dark Prince overseas) from turning their world into part of the Puyo Underworld, And with the help of Ecolo, Tearing down time and space.

Development was first alluded to in a survey released by Sega of America a week after Sonic the Hedgehog was released on February 14, 2020. The survey asked which Sega game would fans like to see on the big screen next, The choices were Puyo Puyo, Alex Kidd, Altered Beast, Space Channel 5, Phantasy Star, and more. The voting result was a tie between Puyo Puyo and Phantasy Star, Leaving Sega to also develop a film based on the first Phantasy Star game on the Sega Master System. Sega of America CEO, Tom Kalinske hired Koji Shondo and Naohiro Hiaro, Directors of Puyo Puyo Tetris and Puyo Puyo Chronicle, to direct the film. Paramount Pictures obtained the Puyo Puyo license from Sega on June 23, 2020.

Originally scheduled to be released theatrically on October 28, 2022 in Japan and on November 4, 2022 in the United States, the film was acquired by Amazon Studios and was set to be released worldwide on December 25, 2023 on Amazon Prime Video, excluding China and Japan, where Paramount Pictures will release it theatrically a week earlier on December 15.

Synopsis
Arle Nadja, Carbuncle, Amitie, and Ringo Ando must work together to pop their ways through Puyos, Battle tough opponents to stop Satan (Dark Prince) and Ecolo from turning their world into a part of the Puyo Underworld and tearing down time and space.

Cast

 * Arle Nadja
 * Mie Sonozaki (JP) | Erica Mendez (ENG)
 * A young girl with magic powers, One of the main protagonists.
 * Amitie
 * Shiho Kikuchi (JP) | Christine Marie Cabanos (ENG)
 * A cheerful girl that has hopes of becoming a great magic user, One of the main protagonists.
 * Ringo Ando
 * Asami Imai (JP) | Cassandra Lee Morris (ENG)
 * An intellectual girl, but her curiosity does make her question many things, One of the main protagonists.
 * Carbuncle
 * Tomoko Kaneda (JP) | Erin Fitzgerald (ENG)
 * A rabbit-ear creature usually sticking with Arle.
 * Sig
 * Yuriko Fuchizaki (JP) | Ben Diskin (ENG)
 * A spacey boy, Although he is sometimes shown smiling, he lacks emotions through his text, and acts passively toward things,
 * Raffina
 * Noriko Namiki (JP) | Erica Lindbeck {ENG)
 * A snobby girl who comes from a wealthy family and citizen of Primp Town.
 * Schezo Wegey
 * Masakazu Morita (JP) | Ben Lepley {ENG}
 * A dark mage who possesses ancient magic and wields the Dark Sword.
 * Rulue
 * Kanako Kondou (JP) | Kira Buckland (ENG)
 * Arle's rival and is a powerful martial artist. She's madly in love with Satan.
 * Satan (Dark Prince)
 * Chikara Ousaka (JP) | Xander Mobus (ENG)
 * The creator of the Puyo Underworld, He has a strong desire for Arle.
 * Suketoudara
 * Hisayoshi Suganuma (JP) | Edward Bosco (ENG)
 * A fish with sexy arms and legs. Loves to show off his mad dancing skills.
 * Witch
 * Kaoru Sakura (JP) | Lauren Landa (ENG)
 * A comet magician, She has random moments of giggles.
 * Draco Centauros
 * Kaori Nazuka (JP) | Wendee Lee (ENG)
 * A human/dragon hybrid who is capable of breathing fire.
 * Lidelle
 * Noriko Namiki (JP) | Lauren Landa (ENG)
 * A shy female student at the Primp Town magic school, with large hair-tipped elf ears.
 * Klug
 * Mie Sonozaki (JP) | Edward Bosco (ENG)
 * A male denizen of Primp Town. He is known to be stuck up and rude.
 * Feli
 * Yukie Maeda (JP) | Erin Flitzgerald (ENG)
 * A questionably mysterious girl. She is incredibly attached to Lemres.
 * Lemres
 * Takumi Yamazaki (JP) | Ben Diskin (ENG)
 * A comet warlock who has a liking for sweets, Desired by Feli and admired by Klug.
 * Ms. Accord
 * Miwa Kouzuki (JP) | Wendee Lee (ENG)
 * A teacher at the Primp Town magic school.
 * Yu & Rei
 * Tomoko Kaneda (JP) | Cindy Robinson (ENG)
 * A female ghost and her brother.
 * Onion Pixie
 * Noriko Kamiki (JP) | Evelyn Huynh (ENG)
 * An onion-headed oni.
 * Donguri Gaeru
 * Naomi Wakabayashi (JP) | Ali Johnston (ENG)
 * A frog that rolls around in an acorn top.
 * Ocean Prince/Prince Salde Canarl Shellbrick III
 * Naomi Wakabayashi (JP) | Erin Fitzgerald (ENG)
 * The prince of the ocean. He has a butler named Otomo, who has taken a liking to the prince.
 * Otomo
 * Hisayoshi Suganuma (JP) | Dan Castellaneta (ENG)
 * Prince Salde's butler so to speak
 * Maguro Sasaki
 * Yūki Ishikari (JP) | Spike Spencer (ENG)
 * A boy lives in the Suzuran Shopping District with Ringo, as the eldest son of a fishmonger. He is Ringo's childhood friend.
 * Risukuma
 * Kenichi Ono (JP) | Kyle Hebert (ENG)
 * A former science club member, now part of the physics club with Ringo and Maguro.
 * Ecolo
 * Akira Ishida (JP) | Spike Spencer (ENG)
 * A mysterious dark character. They are an entity known as a "space-time traveler" and can traverse dimensions to their liking.

Development
Following the success of Sonic the Hedgehog on February 14, 2020, Sega of America expressed interest in developing another feature film based on their properties. Tom Kalinske, CEO of Sega of America, released a survey on February 21, 2020, A week after Sonic the Hedgehog released. This survey asked fans which Sega-owned property should be on the big screen next, The choices were Puyo Puyo, Alex Kidd, Altered Beast, Space Channel 5, Phantasy Star, Jet Set Radio, and other properties.

The voting deadline was on February 28, 2020, The result was a tie between Puyo Puyo and Phantasy Star with 10,342 votes, Sega then hired Colontech (Formerly First Level) to co-develop an animated feature based on Phantasy Star. With Puyo Puyo also in 1st place, Kalinske hired Puyo Puyo Tetris and Puyo Puyo Chronicle directors, Koji Shindo and Naohiro Hiaro to direct the film. He also hired Puyo Puyo Tetris writer, Utako Yoshino to write the story for the film. Sega of Japan granted Paramount Pictures of Japan permission to access the Puyo Puyo license.

Development would've started on March 15, 2020, However, on March 21, 2020, Sega of Japan Chairman, Hajime Satomi announced that development of the film would be delayed following the COVID-19 Pandemic. Development officially began on June 21, 2020 at Sega's TMS Animation studio in Tokyo, Japan. In 2022, Sega announced that the film was redeveloped to focus on "the greatest Puyo Puyo story of all time that enters into the ultimate next level", thus removing the release schedule on October 1st.

On November 15, 2022, Amazon Studios acquired the worldwide distribution rights to the Puyo Puyo film, alongside the animated feature based on Phantasy Star. Mie Sonozaki stated that there could be plans to bring select four of the Sega-branded films to be released exclusively on Amazon Prime Video worldwide. The idea was to take the expansion beyond the Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Casting
The cast from the Puyo Puyo games would reprise their roles for the film, With the exception of the late Tamaki Nakanishi who was the voice of Carbuncle, Yu & Rei, as she died on March 14, 2020. The English cast of Puyo Puyo Tetris, Puyo Puyo Champions, and Puyo Pop Fever would also reprise their roles for the film.

Writing
Puyo Puyo Tetris writer, Utako Yoshino was put in charge of planning and writing out the story for the film. She wanted the film to have a nod to the stories of the Puyo Puyo games.

Release
The film is set to be released on July 23, 2021 by Paramount Pictures, but on December 8, 2020 (The release day of Puyo Puyo Tetris 2), the film was delayed to November 4, 2022.

On October 1, 2022, the film was removed from the release schedule, as the film was redeveloped to focus on "the greatest Puyo Puyo story of all time that enters into the ultimate next level". On November 15, 2022, Paramount Pictures and Sega Sammy Group canceled the worldwide theatrical release of the film (excluding the Chinese and Japanese theatrical releases which will be retained by Paramount Pictures), and sold the distribution rights to both Puyo Puyo: The Movie and Phantasy Star to Amazon Studios, where it will release it exclusively on Amazon Prime Video worldwide.

On June 18, 2023, the film was rescheduled for its December 25, 2023 release on Amazon Prime Video worldwide, while Phantasy Star moved to its new release date of March 22, 2024. Paramount Pictures is scheduled to release the said film in China and Japan a week earlier on December 15.

Limited Promotion
In Japan, If fans arrive to see the film on it's premiere weekend, They will receive Special Promo cards for the free-to-play mobile game, Puyo Puyo Quest!!. Including Arle ver. The Movie ★6, 25 Magic Stones, 30 Puyo Points, and a Blue Sir Wilde (60).

Variant Logos

 * Paramount Pictures - None.
 * Sega - Much like the Logo for Sonic the Hedgehog, But it focuses on Puyo Puyo instead of Sonic, Puyo Puyo Quest!! can be spotted as well.
 * TMS Animation - None.

Copyright
'''Paramount Pictures accepted the rights to use the term Puyo Puyo. They also accepted the rights to use Puyo Puyo characters in the film. The characters and the terms are owned by Sega Games Co., Ltd. The names and looks of the characters that did not originate from Puyo Puyo belongs to its respective owners.'''

The image belongs to the owner of the page, and special thanks to Jalen Sonic Gamer for remaking it even better.

© 2021, Paramount Pictures, and Sega Games Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trivia

 * This is the third film based on a Sega game to be distributed by Paramount Pictures. The first was Sonic the Hedgehog, The second was Phantasy Star.
 * Despite the Live-action Sonic movie being released, Colontech is currently working on a 2D animated Sonic the Hedgehog film.