Defense Mechanism of Alto Mare

The Defense Mechanism of Alto Mare (Japanese: アルトマーレの古代の機械/古代装置 Ancient Machine of Alto Mare), often abbreviated to DMA, is a machine that was featured in the fifth and final original series movie, Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias.

The DMA while not being operated

The DMA in operation

Situated in the Alto Mare museum, it was built many centuries before the events of the movie to protect the city from danger. However it is considered a dangerous weapon and is therefore heavily guarded from anyone by the museum curator, Lorenzo.

In order to activate the DMA, Latios or Latias must be used as a power source alongside the Soul Dew. When it has power, the defensive pillars starts to fade into the floor and the control center will open up, allowing the user all its functions. Using sophisticated motion sensors in the DMA's control area, one can use hand signals to perform a variety of functions. It can create a citywide lockdown by making metal barriers appear throughout the city and can even control water itself; bending it into the shape of the controller's hand motions. In addition, the DMA also revived the Fossils of Aerodactyl and Kabutops within the museum.

Oakley attempted to use the DMA to take control of Alto Mare and, in the dub only, ultimately the world. When Oakley used the machine, however, she was enraptured with all of her power and overused it. This temporary insanity is implied to be a side-effect of the DMA, that also caused both the Soul Dew and Latios to suffer from the dark energy surge.

While using the DMA to attack Ash and Latias, however, the latter used Safeguard, causing the DMA to malfunction and trap Annie and Oakley in the control center. During renovation works to repair the DMA, the police later arrested Annie and Oakley, who were still trapped inside. Although Oakley's plans were thwarted, the Soul Dew was ultimately destroyed.

Trivia

• In early trailers of the film, the DMA was briefly seen to manifest an unknown human-arm shaped entity, and Ash, Bianca, and Pikachu were seen confronting it.

In other languages

Language Title Danish Alto Mares forsvarsmekanisme (AFM) Finnish Alto Maren puolustuskoneisto (APK) Italian Meccanismo Difensivo di Alto Mare Norwegian Forsvarsmekanismen i Alto Mare (FMA) Brazilian Portuguese Mecanismo de Defesa de Alto Mare Swedish Alto Mares försvarsmekanism (AFM)

This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.