Pokémon 3: The Movie arrived in 2001 courtesy of Warner Bros. and The Pokémon Company, the third theatrical entry in a franchise still riding the crest of its late-nineties breakthrough. Promotional trailer material from this period circulated through theaters as a way of building anticipation ahead of release, giving audiences an early look at footage edited specifically to sell the picture rather than tell its full story.
This cell comes from that trailer reel and centers on Phanpy, the small elephant-like Pokémon introduced in the Johto region and a favorite among collectors for its compact, approachable design. Attacking moments like this one carry weight in promotional cuts, chosen to showcase energy and movement to draw audiences into theaters. As a trailer fragment rather than a scene from the finished feature, it represents the film's marketing history as much as its narrative, a piece of the campaign built around Phanpy's brief but memorable appearance.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release trailer print of Pokémon 3: The Movie (2001).
Gauge
35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges, and the strip holds three complete frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced and cleanly punched, with no torn or missing holes seen.
Soundtrack
A two-track variable-area optical track runs beside the picture; Dolby Digital data blocks are visible in the gaps between the lower-edge perforations.
Edge print
A small circular mark with partly legible code reading "00-OD" appears along the lower edge; no "SAFETY FILM" text or key numbers are legible.
Base & colour
The base looks clear with a slight cyan-teal tint at the edges, and the dye image looks saturated with no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
Not visible in this capture; no scratches, splices or cue marks are seen, only a glare patch across part of the strip.
Picture
Positive colour image; the three frames run consecutively as one shot, and the animated style is consistent with a Pokémon trailer, with no contradicting content.
Era check
Consistent with an early-2000s release print: optical analogue track plus Dolby Digital blocks fits 2001 theatrical prints, and the saturated dyes suit a trailer.
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 in partnership with National Film Vault, 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.
CROWN SERIAL 000071109
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
