With the announcement that long-time series protagonist Ash would be retiring from the TV series, could this be his final Pokémon movie? Maybe. To be honest, Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle actually makes a good case for why the eternal ten-year-old isn't a necessary ingredient for the franchise's cinematic success.

Branded Pokémon the Movie: Coco in Japan, the title tells you everything you need to know—this is a film about Coco (or Koko in the Netflix subtitles). Presented as a kind of Tarzan Jr., Koko is the heart of the movie, while Ash merely acts as his introduction to the human world. It's perhaps the most minor role Ash has played in these films, with his one character arc being: call your mom. But it's not like a lack of Ash hurts the film in any way.

Raised by the legendary Pokémon Zarude and led to believe he is one himself, we watch as Koko swings through the jungle, argues with his “dada,” and saves Pokémon in trouble. I genuinely could have watched a whole series about this. With his ability to talk to both humans and Pokémon, he makes for a compelling mediator who almost feels wasted on just one film's worth of story. The mystery of his parentage and conflict over his true identity is far from an original tale—it's not even the first Pokémon movie where someone believes a Pokémon is their father—but it still results in a series of sweet moments when that identity is put to the test.

If this were just a film about Koko, however, it would have been more successful, but the cartoonish villain and deforestation plot serves as little more than a distraction from the character arcs. It is an obstacle for Koko, Ash, and the Pokémon to overcome together, but with an unclear motivation and loose emotional stakes, much of Secrets of the Jungle's climax feels vapid. There are neat moments, like the scenes with Team Rocket, but it's hard to look past how little overcoming this villain means for Koko's search for a sense of self.

It also doesn't help that this was a part of the film that was fraught with visual errors. For the most part, Pokémon: Secrets of the Jungle is one of the best-looking films to come from the franchise. Part of the reason Koko's scenes of settling Pokémon arguments work so well is that each of the creatures has been animated with a focus on their expressions. It's something we don't see all that often in the games, but it turns them into characters. In the end, Skwovet becomes one of the best members of the cast purely due to his stupid little face.

However, despite the 3D integration generally being a highlight, with long exciting shots of Koko swinging through the trees, the villain's 3D mech doesn't work nearly as well. At its core, it's a well-modeled, detailed 3D model, but it doesn't integrate well with the stunning painted backgrounds or smooth 2D character designs in the slightest. In the end, with the villain feeling out of place in the story, and his mech feeling out of place in the environment, much of the action-packed climax feels unnecessary.

Another issue, albeit minor, is the film's stupid obsession with Celebii, which feels like a distraction for the sake of mixed marketing. Each Pokémon film gives viewers the opportunity to get merchandise or legendary Pokémon in their games by visiting the cinema or participating retailers. In the case of Secrets of the Jungle, those include a Zarude and a shiny Celebii. Yet it's obvious that the team didn't really have much of a plan to include the mythical Johto Pokémon, and as such, it's relegated to constant mentions throughout and a brief cameo at the end. It's genuinely off-putting to have Celebii name dropped so often despite having so little to do with the story.

But I don't want to throw the baby out with the bathwater here. Koko is great. Zarude is great. Ash is there too. It's full of beautiful setpieces and cute moments that make for a great evening's entertainment, and even with a troubled third act, it's another step in the right direction after Pokémon: I Choose You and Pokémon: The Power of Us. If the films are going to follow the TV series' lead and leave Ash behind, then I'd want to see more leading protagonists like Koko with distinct motivations and unique perspectives on the world