National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Pokémon: The Movie 2000 was released in Japan in 1999 and internationally in 2000, distributed by Warner Bros. in North America. Produced by OLM, Inc. and 4Kids Entertainment, it arrived at the peak of the global Pokémon phenomenon and remains a significant artifact of late-1990s animation and franchise filmmaking. The film's oceanic mythology and hand-drawn cel animation represent a transitional moment before digital production methods became standard.

This encapsulated cell captures three consecutive frames of Magikarp gathered in a dense crowd, rendered in the film's distinctive purple-toned palette during the ocean disturbance sequence. The tight composition and slight rightmost variation across the frames offer a rare glimpse into the rhythm of traditional animation, preserving a quiet but visually striking moment built entirely around this single species.