Crystal Jewels the Movie: Thunderai Rage

Crystal Jewels the Movie: Thunderai Rage (originally known as Crystal Jewels: The Movie until 2000), known in Japan as Crystal Jewels the Movie: Thunder Rage (クリスタルジュエルの映画:サンダーレイジ Kurisutarujueru No Eiga: Sandāreiji) is the 1993 feature film of the franchise. It is the very first animated film of the franchise featuring characters from the Crystal Jewels anime series, such as Kouchu, Shauna, Sakuro, Roaracryst, and more. The film takes place during the first season of the series, and was released in Japan between Sakuro's Encounter (Episode 36), and the Quicker and the Bitter (Episode 37) in the Japanese order. It have also aired on television on September 26, 1993 in Japan on TyataTV at Saturday.

The English dub of the film (dubbed by Saban Entertainment) was released in February 12, 1994 in the United States, 7 months and 30 days (244 days) after the original Japanese release, and it was release between Run, Run Part 4 (Episode 49), and The Secret Key (Episode 50) in the United States airing. It is also one of the most well known movies of the Crystal Jewels franchise as well as it's popularity. The film have also released on Cartoon Network on March 5, 2004 in Southeast Asia. It was also well known and extremely popular among the Japanese audiences in Japan.

Plot
The film have begun with Kouchu, Shauna, and Sakuro taking the trip around the giant forest. However, they have found the shard that have led to a new Crystal Monster, and appears to be stronger than they have ever thought it was. Kouchu dared to go to the cave, even if Shauna and Sakuro warns him about it. Thunderai was awakened by the thunder in the stormy night. When it was awakened, Devil J, the demon who is behind the shadows, uses his powers to take control of Thunderai once he was caught with a disc attached to his head, and uses him to gather all of the Crystal Balls to destroy the Crystal World by collecting the Crystal Balls, also instructed by Hunter Grai. Devil J gave Thunderai force to destroy the world. Thunderai started to go to Jarbon to look for the Crystal Balls. Kouchu Misako, Roaracryst and Shauna Genga and Sakuro Himensho have finally found themselves to Legend Island. But meanwhile, Professor Shari and Dustin have discovered the rates of the earthquake going up and sees what is going on, until Thunderai arrives. Shari and Dustin eventually got captured by Thunderai, calling Kouchu for help. When they got there, they were taken on a tour by Yamashita, a old woman who is a expert of history, and her three daughters. Shari have finally called Kouchu for help, but since he is trapped in the steel tower, he cannot reach them. Thunderai crashed into the Legend Museum, brainwashed by Devil J, to look for the Crystal Balls. He causes destruction to the place, looking for them. He tries to get rid of the Crystal Monsters out of the way.

Professor Jessica Shari and Dustin Withness was kidnapped from Hunter Grai and asked them to get the Crystal Balls. They refused to do so, so Grai turns them into stone, which suprises the Crystal Brawlers, wondering what to do. Kouchu and his friends tries to save the world by defeating Thunderai. But Thunderai seems to be strong for them to fight. However, once Roaracryst was able to bounce the machine on Thunderai, the chip on Thunderai's head have fell off, and Thunderai have returned to normal, and explaining to the Crystal Brawlers how he got hypnotized. Then, the device that was on Thunderai's shoulder have exploded, leading the smoke to become the bigger version of Thunderai, and the smoke monster begans to go across Jarbon. Kouchu and the others split up, where Kouchu and the rest of the Crystal Monsters, along with Thunderai, began to attack Smoke Thunderai, while Shauna and Sakuro began to rescue Shari and Dustin. However, Smoke Thunderai have nearly defeated Kouchu, Roaracryst, and the other Crystal Monsters but Thunderai, who have finally released the blast on the Smoke Thunderai while weakened. When the Smoke Thunderai was killed, Shari and Dustin was finally free, and thanked the Crystal Brawlers for their help. Thunderai returns to his place, and the Crystal Brawlers returned home as well.

Yamashita
Yamashita (ヤマシタ Yamashita) is the older lady with super powers, who help the Crystal Brawlers stop havoc and saves Thunderai from his smoke counterpart. Yamashita happens to be a mindful and strong, confident woman who is in the like of helping others with problems.
 * ●JAPANESE VOICE ACTOR: Toyama Ainori ●ENGLISH VOICE ACTOR: Kate Ukona ●SOUTHEAST ASIAN VOICE ACTOR: Ellie Ershittins

Thunderai
Thunderai (サンダー Sandaa) is the center character of the film. He was taken control with the device that Hunter Grai have made, and was sent to destroy the island and look for the Crystal Balls. However, thanks to Kouchu and his friends, he was free from Devil J and Hunter Grai's control. He later appears in the anime series.
 * ●JAPANESE VOICE ACTOR: Watanabe Kaneie ●ENGLISH VOICE ACTOR: Timmy Urchin ●SOUTHEAST ASIAN VOICE ACTOR: John Drackerson

Music
The opening of the film is "Every Crystal Has a Power!". The ending of the film is "Once You Grow Up".

OPENING ENDING
 * Anyone's Lesson (だれものためのレッスン Dare mo no tame no ressun)
 * Motozawa Sumio (Lyrics)
 * Mitsue Naohiro (Performer)
 * Abo Kenji (Music)
 * Izumo Ukon (Arrangement)
 * Shaky Toaster (シャキトースター Shakitōsutā)
 * Motozawa Sumio (Lyrics)
 * Mitsue Naohiro (Performer)
 * Abo Kenji (Music)
 * Izumo Ukon (Arrangement)

Production
The film have released in Japan in June 14, 1993 and in North America in February 12, 1994. The production of the film have started around the premier of the series on TyataTV, around late 1992. The original story director, Sano Ukuto, planned to release the film in February 1993, however, it was rescheduled due to time constraints. The locations in which the movies take place have been, based on real-world locations outside of Japan. Topics explored are typically deeper than those explored in the episodes aired on television, with the battle between greedy people who would use monsters for evil.

When they open in Japan, they usually gross a large amount of money, typically ranking first for their premiere weekend. In 1993, one movie drew in a significant crowd despite the fact that it was released in the same weekend as a Studio Ghibli film. In the United States, only the first five movies, those associated with the anime, were released in theaters, however, the movies continue to be dubbed, being released directly to home video. The first movie saw a limited theatrical release in the United States received a limited commercial release in US theaters, making it the first movie s to receive a commercial theatrical release

Box office
It is also the 28th highest grossing film in the Japanese box, and yet the 13th highest in the United States of the Crystal Jewels franchise.

Release
The movie was remastered in high definition and aired on TyataTV seven months later after it's original release, and now it is available for some home releases. The movie was released on DVD by September 24, 1993, and is available for home releases. The movie was also released in October 18, 1994 in DVD for home releases for the United States. The movie was remastered for high definition and was shown on YellTV, JunkCable, ToonerBOMB, and AnimeCable.

Manga adaptation
The manga version of the movie titled Crystal Jewels: The Mysterious Force of Thunderai (クリスタルジュエル：サンデライの不思議な Kurisutarujueru: Sanderai No Fushiginachikara) was released in BangBang Comics magazine before this movie was released. It is also a side story manga that will be adapted in the film. The manga version of this movie with five parts released in January 1993 through May 1993.

Trivia

 * This is Devil J's first appearance in the main series line. However, this isn't his clear appearance since he is only seen in shadow. So he is fully seen in the debut in the Original Series episode (Season 2).
 * The plot of the movie was originally going to be about Roaracryst rescuing Iccryst who is trapped in the black Crystal Ball, and Kouchu getting love from Danielle. However, Hakuseki have removed Danielle out of the movie plot, and changed the movie plot into being involved with a new character because he didn't want to use the same characters that are already in the anime series. Therefore, Danielle's first appearance in the movies is the second film after this film.
 * There was originally going to be a scene where Professor Shari and Dustin's statue is crushed and broken into pieces, but that scene did not make it throughout the film because of time constraints, and despite being too violent. It was also stated that Thunderai did not have the power to bring back broken things.
 * In the total of 69 countries, this movie have been released in more countries than any other of the Crystal Jewels movies because of it's popularity, and a lot of it's ratings and viewers, and released in 25 languages, and the rest of the countries with the language subtitles. Also, the rare English subtitle version of the film is released in the VHS.
 * Yamashita, the woman in this film, doesn't have a speaking role in the regular anime episodes, as she can rarely be seen as a cameo in several episodes of some of the anime series. Yamashita have also appeared in most of the Moon Blade episodes as a cameo, also without a speaking role.