On May 13th, 2020, the official Pokémon Twitter news account posted a Tweet announcing that the movie had been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tweet also linked to the news article announcement on the official site. When visiting the official Pokémon movie site, a splash screen banner popped up indicating that there was an announcement for the movies postponement which linked to the news article.

Pokémon the Movie: Coco
Postponement Announcement
It has been decided to postpone the release date of "Pokémon the Movie: Coco", which was scheduled to be released on Friday, July 10th, 2020. As soon as the movies new release schedule and advance ticket release date are determined, we will announce the movie on the official website and SNS.

『劇場版ポケットモンスター ココ』
公開延期のお知らせ
2020年7月10日（金）より公開を予定していた『劇場版ポケットモンスター
ココ』の公開日の延期を決定しました。映画公開予定、前売券発売日など決まり次第、映画公式サイト・SNSでお知らせします。

May 13th, 2020
Postponement Announcement of Pokémon the Movie: Coco
Due to the spread of the coronavirus, we have decided to postpone the release date of Pocket Monsters The Movie Coco, which was scheduled to be released on Friday, July 10, 2020.

We'd like to thank our guests for looking forward to it,
and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

For more information on the movies new release date and advance ticket release dates, as soon as it is decided, it will be announced on the film's official website and SNS.

We would like to thank you for your understanding in this matter.

2020年5月13日
『劇場版ポケットモンスター ココ』公開延期のお知らせ
この度、2020年7月10日（金）より公開を予定していた『劇場版ポケットモンスター
ココ』について、新型コロナウィルスの感染拡大状況から、公開日の延期を決定いたしました。　

楽しみにしてくださったお客様には、
誠に申し訳なく、心よりお詫び申し上げます。
　
今後の映画公開予定や、前売券の発売日については、
決まり次第、映画公式サイト・SNSでお知らせします。　

事情ご賢察のうえ、何卒ご理解を賜りますようお願い申し上げます。

Source: https://www.pokemon-movie.jp/news/?p=3873

The May 2020 issue of CoroCoro Comics, which was released on April 15th, 2020, had an announcement for the Shogakukan Association Movie Preview Screening (小学館連合試写会). The promotion was to take place on Sunday, June 28th, 2020 at two venues, one in Tokyo and one in Osaka. A total of 2250 could attend the event, 750 groups with a maximum of 3 people per event.

Tokyo
Date: Sunday, June 28th, 2020
Time: Doors open at 12:30 / Show starts at 13:00
Location: Tokyo Dome City Hall (Kouraku 1-3-61 Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo-to)

Osaka
Date: Sunday, June 28th, 2020
Time: Doors open at 12:30 / Show starts at 13:00
Location: TOsaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry's International Conference Hall (Honmachibashi 2-8 7F, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu)

Applications were available online on Shogakukan's website or by sending in a postcard with the required information. A notice was placed on the online form indicating that the event may be canceled due to the coronavirus.

On May 13th, 2020, Director Tetsuo Yajima retweeted the official Pokémon movie Twitter post announcing the postponement of the movie and added a similar comment to the one in the video in the Tweet.

These unsightly hands... are my hands...
I apologize for the postponement and to everyone who was looking forward to it.
I hope that when it's available in theaters, people will enjoy it immensely!
The whole staff is working hard to make it!
I'm looking forward to the day when I can share my work with you!

このお見苦しい手は…私の手です…
延期になってしまい、楽しみにしてた皆さんには申し訳ありません。
劇場で公開できるようになった時、めちゃめちゃ楽しんでもらえるように
スタッフ一同頑張って制作してます！！
皆さんと作品を共有できる日を僕も今から楽しみです！！

Source: https://twitter.com/tetsuo_yajima/status/1260502446448705539

The official Pokémon movie Twitter account posted a handwritten message from director Tetsuo Yajima that showcased a storyboard and artwork of Coco.


Everyone is looking forward to release of the "Theatrical Edition Pocket Monsters Coco"
Here's a message from director Tetsuo Yajima!

It's been postponed, but I'm sure you're all looking forward to it and I'll get it to you!
The staff is working together!
Please wait a little longer!

『劇場版ポケットモンスター ココ』の公開を
楽しみにしてくださっている皆様へ
矢嶋哲生監督からのメッセージをお届け！

延期になっちゃったけど楽しみにくれているみんなに必ず届けるから！
スタッフー丸となって制作にます！
もう少し待っててね！


Source: https://twitter.com/pokemon_movie/status/1260483583002771458

It was announced on May 19th, 2020 on the official movie Twitter account and the official movie website that the Pocket Monsters The Movie Coco movie preview screening which was originally scheduled for June 28th, 2020 had been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

May 20, 2020
Notice of the cancellation of the Shogakukan preview of Pocket Monsters The Movie: Coco
We are sorry to inform you that the release of the film has been postponed.
The event was scheduled to be held on Sunday, June 28th, 2020.
We have decided to cancel the Shogakukan Preview Screening.

For those of you who have been looking forward to it, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

We would like to thank you for your understanding in this matter.

2020年5月20日
『劇場版ポケットモンスター ココ』小学館連合試写会中止のお知らせ この度、 公開が延期されました事に伴い、
2020年6月28日(日)に開催を予定しておりました
小学館連合試写会に関しては中止する事を決定いたしました。

楽しみにしてくださっていたお客様には、
誠に申し訳なく、心よりお詫び申し上げます。　

事情ご賢察のうえ、何卒ご理解を賜りますようお願い申し上げます。

On May 13th, 2020, The Pokémon Company announced that the Coco movie would be delayed and they removed the original trailers from YouTube and subsequent airings on television which had the July 10th, 2020 release date at the end of them and replaced it with Coming Soon! (近日公開！).

Original Teaser 2:
Original Source: https://www.youtube.com/embed/dPcUf_GvlbI

Original Trailer 1:
Original Source: https://www.youtube.com/embed/AJ_7ZcklO9k

The July 2020 issue of Corocoro Comics (月刊コロコロコミック 2020年7月号) which was released on June 15th, 2020, revealed that the pre-order ticket campaign for the movie would resume again starting on August 8th, 2020. The originally announced pre-order ticket campaign was to take place from Friday, April 17th, 2020 until July 9th, 2020. The Special Advance Ticket sales were postponed due to COVID-19.

This news article by Oricon News was the first time we get official confirmation about Satoshi's father in the anime series. The news article was published the day before the movie was released in theaters in Japan.

In "Pokémon," Satoshi mentions his father for the first time in the 23 movie. The origin of his personality and the reason for his actions are "lessons children learn from their parents"
『ポケモン』サトシ、23年目で父親に初言及 性格の起源と行動理由に“親子の教え”
Oricon News - December 24th, 2020 - 9:00JST
Original Link: https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2179930/full/

The 23rd animated film in the Pokémon series, "Pokémon the Movie: Coco," will be released on the December 25th, 2020. Set in the jungle, the film depicts the love between Coco, a boy raised by Pokémon, and Zarude, the phantom Pokémon that raised Coco. This is an unprecedented story of a parent and child in which a Pokémon raises a human.

The story focuses on the love between a father and his child and for the first time in this film, the main character Satoshi mentions his father, who has never been revealed until now, including in the TV animation series that started in 1997. "We can see that Satoshi's character and actions originated from his father, and he feels that family should be the driving force behind his activities. I feel that family should be the driving force behind our activities, and that's because Satoshi is still a 10-year-old boy who needs the love of parents."

"What is a real parent and child? The aim of using Pokémon to express the question of what is a parent and child
Oricon: The theme of this film is "What is a real parent and child?　What does it mean to raise a child? Why did you decide to go beyond "family love," which you had depicted in previous films, and focus on "parent-child love"?

Tetsuo Yajima (矢嶋哲生): I have a five-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter and they have changed my view of life, so I chose "parent and child" as the theme of the story. Rather than the message I wanted to convey to the children, I wanted to express the message I received from them through the relationship between humans and Pokémon. In the film, I convey my own feelings from the perspective of Zarude.

I want to make animated films all the time, so my personal thought is that I strongly don't want to die, and I want to stay alive forever (laughs). (laughs) If I die, I won't be able to create, so I've always been kind of obsessed with "living". But one day, when I saw my son sleeping next to me, I realized that if I were to get lost on a deserted island with him, I would risk my life to protect him and that he was more important than my own life. I know it's a natural thing to do as a parent, but at that moment I thought, "Huh?" I felt that I was not attached to my life. It was only when I was no longer attached to life that I felt that my life was gone. This was the moment when my life changed drastically due to the influence of my two children.

In the movie, we see Zarude's decision to raise Coco against the law of the forest. The "law" that Zarude used to cherish is the "attachment to life" that I used to cherish and Zarude changed his mind when he met Coco is when I changed my mind when I met the children. I know it takes courage to change rules and thoughts that you have held so dear, but I found it strange and interesting that it happened so naturally, without any difficulties.

Oricon: I was curious about the reason why you chose to portray a parent-child relationship between Pokémon and humans, two different species.

Tetsuo Yajima (矢嶋哲生): First of all, I realized that each person has a different definition of parent and child and it was very difficult to depict a story of a parent and child. Everyone's family environment is different and there are complex parent-child relationships, but as a filmmaker, it was difficult to come up with a definition of a "normal family. However, I thought that the "core" of everyone's different family environment would not be derived from their roots. I thought that even if parents and children are not connected by blood, they are still parent and child if there is an unshakable bond at the core. At that time, I thought it would be meaningful to depict the parent-child relationship between humans and Pokémon, who are not connected by blood and have different forms. Until now, "Pokémon" films have depicted a world where humans and Pokémon coexist, but I think this is the first film that takes a step forward.

Everyone's family environment is different, so I'm sure we've all experienced it at one time or another. When this happens, we think, "I'm not being cared for. I'm sure there are people who have felt like, "I'm not important, I'm not a real child. (laughs). (laughs) With such experiences, I felt that it is not unusual for people to have doubts about the parent-child relationship.

The source of Satoshi's ability to take action is his father. What is imprinted in the heart of a boy who's only ten years old

In the movie, Coco asks himsself, "Am I a Pokémon? Or am I a human?" In the story, it is impressive to see Coco struggling with his own existence and his relationship with his parent. In response, Satoshi, the main character, talks about his father's influence on him and his memories for the first time. As a fan, I was most surprised by the fact that he mentioned his father, although his mother has appeared in the TV anime and the movies. In the movie, the story unfolds after Zarude has raised the baby Coco for 10 years. When they meets Satoshi and Pikachu in the jungle where they lives, Coco, who has never doubted that he is a Pokémon, gradually begins to have doubts in his heart. The film depicts his struggling with his own existence and his relationship with his parent.

In the midst of all this, he says, "Watching Coco and the others reminded me of my dad." It's the first time Satoshi mentions his father in the Pokémon series, but seeing Coco struggling with his relationship with his father, Zarude, I thought it was unnatural for Satoshi not to talk about his father. Satoshi has never mentioned his father before, but in this "story of father and son," there is a reason to mention him, so it was necessary to know how Satoshi felt about his father when he saw Zarude and his son, Coco. He can say this about Coco as well, but since the parent who raised him is still around and actions must have some kind of meaning. Also, Satoshi is a boy who can be a friend to anyone without being condescending, so by talking about his father instead of his mother, he was able to be there for his friend Coco.

Satoshi, as we all know, is an energetic boy who never gives up and thinks positively. If Satoshi's father's words are the origin of his behavior, it makes sense why he does what he does and I think it is in line with the theme of this movie which is "a Story of parent and child". Satoshi is aiming to become a Pokémon Master, but he feels that his family should be the driving force behind his activities. That's because Satoshi is still a 10-year-old boy who needs the love of his parents. This is the first time he has shared his memories of his father and I think it shows that Satoshi's personality and behavior originated from his father.

Sound Supervisor Masafumi Mima posted a video on his Twitter account on February 27th, 2021 showing how they initially worked on the voice of Uu for Pokémon the Movie Coco.

Before explaining the role to Rikako Aikawa, who played the role of Uu, we used a toy in the studio to solidify the look of the character and confirm the sound with Director Yajima.
It looks like she's playing with it, but I think it's important to be playful...
I'm laughing while making excuses for the staff.
Is this how Uu was born?
"Pokémon the Movie Coco"

ウッウ役の愛河里花子さんに、役を説明する前に、スタジオにて玩具を使いイメージを固め、矢嶋監督と鳴き声の確認をする。
遊んでいるようにしかみえないが、遊び心も大事だと…
スタッフに言い訳をしている笑。
こうしてウッウは生まれた？
『#劇場版ポケットモンスター ココ』

Director Tetsuo Yajima posted a reply to Masafumi Mima's post stating that while the video was a lie of how exactly they came up with the voice, there was some truth to it.

It's a lie, but there's some truth to it. (Laughter) ウソのようなホントの話（笑）

On August 13th, 2021, Henry Thurlow, a Key animation artist that worked at D'ART Shtajio, posted a few screenshots to show some of the work he did on the movie.

Henry Thurlow @henry_thurlow
Last year I drew some 2nd Key animation for the Pokémon Movie "Coco." (AKA "Secrets of the Jungle") along with a few other co-workers while I was still at D'ART Shtajio. Here are screenshots of a couple sequences I helped out on.

On October 8th, 2021, the day the movie was released on Netflix, Hirotka Marufuji, an animator on the movie who was "in charge of the design setting of the character of this work", posted some artwork on his Twitter account and left a machine translated message.

こんにちは
Hello, nice to meet you, my name is Hirotka Marufuji.
The work is a Japanese animator.
I was in charge of the design setting of the character of this work.
Please enjoy this splendid movie, everybody!

On November 25th, 2021, music artist Taiiku Okazaki posted an artwork drawn by movie director Tetsuo Yajima on Twitter.

Taiiku Okazaki: The director of the movie Pokémon Coco, Yajima, drew this for me! It's really cool! Thank you very much!
劇場版ポケットモンスターココの矢嶋監督が描いてくれました！！めちゃカッコイイイイイ！ありがとうございます！

Tetsuo Yajima: Thank you very much for inviting me to the live concert!!! It was really interesting to see live!!! I was so happy ♪
こちらこそ、めっちゃめちゃおもしろライブにお招きいただきありがとうございました！！ ライブめっちゃめちゃおもしろかったです！！
めっちゃめちゃ幸せでしたー♪