Pokémon 3: The Movie arrived in theaters in 2001, distributed by Warner Bros. in North America following its original Japanese release the prior year. It continued the franchise's theatrical run that had begun with Mewtwo Strikes Back, arriving at a point when Pokémon's popularity was translating reliably into box office returns. The film introduced Unown and the legendary Entei into the series' cinematic mythology, expanding the world beyond the games and television episodes and giving fans another chance to see Ash Ketchum's journey rendered on the big screen with higher production values than the weekly series allowed.
This cell comes from the trailer material promoting that release, a format meant to compress anticipation into a handful of frames for audiences deciding whether to buy a ticket. Ash and Charizard together represent one of the franchise's most enduring pairings, a trainer and his most powerful, hard won partner, long sought after by collectors for that history alone. Entei's presence alongside them ties this piece directly to the film's central legendary creature, marking it as promotional material built around the story's mythic stakes rather than an ordinary episode still.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm Dolby Digital release trailer print of Pokémon 3: The Movie (2001).
Gauge
35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges, with three frames showing on this strip.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced and cleanly punched, with rounded-rectangle holes and no visible tears or missing teeth.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track runs between the picture and the lower perforations, and Dolby Digital data blocks sit in the gaps between the lower perforations.
Edge print
A small mirrored "CL" appears along the lower edge; no other manufacturer text, safety-film wording or key numbers are legible in this capture.
Base & colour
Pale cyan-tinted base with a clean, vivid dye image; blues, oranges and whites look neutral to strong with no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
No scratches, splices or cue marks seen at this size; the picture area looks clean apart from a camera reflection on the right frame.
Picture
Positive image; the three frames run consecutively as one near-identical shot, and the animated style is consistent with the Pokémon film on record.
Era check
The optical track with Dolby Digital blocks on a clean release-print base fits a 2001 35mm theatrical trailer print of an animated feature.
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 000071115
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
