Yo-Kai Watch: Forever Friends[a] is a 2018 supernaturalanime film produced by OLM, Inc. and distributed by Toho. It is the fifth film in the Yo-kai Watch film series, following the 2017 film Yo-kai Watch Shadowside: Oni-ō no Fukkatsu, and is the second film set in the 1960s before the series' storyline, featuring a boy named Shin who adventures into the Yo-kai World with his Yo-kai friend Nekomata. It was directed by Shigeru Takahashi, and was released on Japanese theaters on December 14, 2018 alongside the first Dragon Ball Super movie, Dragon Ball Super: Broly, and the Japanese dub of The Grinch.
Plot
Sakura Motomachi, Tokyo in the 1960s. Shin, a boy who lived happily, despite being poor, loses his mother, his only family member, and falls into deep misfortune. Itsuki, a boy who saves Shin, also lost his older sister. Those two boys are joined by Tae, a girl who can see Yo-kai, and together with Shin's guardian spirit Sū-san, and new Yo-kai such as Nekomata, they take on a mysterious incident in order to retrieve the souls of their precious family! And what is the shocking truth that awaits them...!? This is a story about the friendship formed between three children and Yo-kai―"
The film also tells the origin of how Lord Enma became the ruler of the Yo-kai.
Characters
Atsumi Tanezaki as 下町シン (Shimomachi Shin), a wielder of the Yo-kai Watch Arcane Zero. Despite his poverty, he lived happily until his mother died, after which he fell into great despair. He then met his fellow Yo-kai friends and was joined by two children named Itsuki and Tae, with the three planning to return the souls of the citizens of Japan from the soul-devouring fox Yo-kai Tamamo no Mae.
Etsuko Kozakura as 猫又 (Nekomata), a classic black cat Yo-kai who meets and befriends Shin, who lost his mother, later adventuring alongside him and a group of children in the Yo-kai World. He has both a Shadowside form and a Godside form, the latter being known as 猫王バステト (Nekoō Basuteto).
Ryōhei Kimura as 高城イツキ (Takashiro Itsuki), a boy who saved Shin and is a wielder of the Yo-kai Watch Arcane God. Like Shin, his older sister is gone because her soul was devoured by Tamamo no Mae.
Nao Tōyama as 有星タエ (Arihoshi Tae), a female sorcerer from the Arihoshi Clan who is likely related to Akinori from the fourth film. She is one of the Three Children who adventures in the Yo-kai World during the events of the film.
Shun Oguri as Shien (紫炎, Shien). He's one of the candidates for the Yo-kai World's next ruler and is the main antagonist of the movie, teaming up with Tamamo to devour souls and gain power.
Chiemi Blouson as Tamamo (タマモ, Tamamo), a humanoid fox Yo-kai who devours the souls of the citizens of Japan and works alongside Shien. She's also known as Tamamo no Mae (玉藻前, Tanamo no Mae) in her Shadowside form.
Ryōhei Kimura as Lord Enma (エンマ大王, Enma Daiō), one of the candidates for the Yo-kai World's next ruler and the son of Ancient Enma. As initially teased in Corocoro, Enma has three new forms that were introduced in the movie: Yasha Enma, Yasha Enma Rasetsu, & Yasha Enma Benibana.
Takehito Koyasu as ぬらりひょん (Nurarihyon), a servant and apprentice of Ancient Enma and later to Lord Enma.
Shintaro Asanuma as ざしきわらし (Zashiki-Warashi), a guardian spirit focused on pursuing his beauty. Like Nekomata, he has a Godside form, which is based on a Tengu.
Release
The film released on December 14, 2018 and opened at #4 at the Japanese box office. Early pre-orders of the movie tickets allowed viewers to obtain a Yo-kai Ark of Nekomata's Lightside form, which can be scanned through the Nintendo Switch to obtain Nekomata in Yo-kai Watch 4.
