Sources: Wikidata. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Pokemon 3: The Movie arrived in 2001 from Warner Bros. and 4Kids Entertainment, the third theatrical entry built on the anime's early momentum and the franchise's peak commercial run in the West. Following Pokemon: The First Movie and Pokemon: The Movie 2000, it continued the pattern of pairing television regulars with a self-contained cinematic story, drawing families and collectors of the era's biggest merchandising phenomenon into theaters. Its release cemented Pokemon as a dominant multimedia property, with film cels from this period valued as tangible artifacts of that cultural wave.
This cell centers on Team Rocket, the trio of recurring antagonists whose comic relief and persistence made them fan favorites throughout the series. A swimming moment for this group fits their established role as bumbling schemers often caught in mishaps born of their own plans. Such a scene would likely serve as a lighter beat within the larger narrative, offering the visual humor the team was known for. Cels featuring Team Rocket remain popular among collectors precisely because they capture the show's blend of slapstick and charm.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm colour release print of Pokemon 3: The Movie (2001).
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame visible on both edges; the strip holds two frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, cleanly punched with no torn or deformed holes visible.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area.
Edge print
"SAFETY" is legible along the top edge strip.
Base & colour
Base appears warm cream-ivory; dye image shows saturated, neutral colour with no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
No scratches, splice marks, or cue marks are visible in this capture.
Picture
Positive colour image; the two frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single animated shot consistent with Pokemon 3: The Movie (2001).
Era check
A variable-area optical track on a safety-base colour positive is consistent with a standard theatrical release print from the early 2000s.
Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
