 Pokemon the Movie 3-Entei and the Unown is the newest Pokemon movie, boasting some cool new Pokemon, a nice plot, and more of those flashy computer-generated 3d scenes. But we here at ZackTek's (actually just 2 people, ZackTek and his Quagsire) have decoded these Unowns!!! Here, at the Movie Headquarters, we have the official production notes, scenes from the movie, the trailer, even a cool Unown font for your computer! Sa-weet! First things first:  Official Nintendo Production Notes for Pokemon 3 the MovieYoung Pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum and his loyal friends journey to the beautiful mountain town of Greenfield, where they will encounter the Unown, the most mysterious of all Pokémon in Kids’ WB! Presents Pokémon 3 The Movie. The third big-screen installment in the infinitely popular Pokémon mythology is really two stories in one. The feature-length adventure, Spell of the Unown, is accompanied by a bonus 22-minute short, Pikachu and Pichu, starring the much-loved Pikachu in its own adventure with the mischievous Pichu brothers, with a Dixieland jazz-inspired score imported from the original Japanese release. Many of the more than 100 new Pokémon that were introduced for the first time in October of last year in the Gold and Silver edition Pokémon Game Boy games will make their animated debut in Pokémon 3 The Movie, including Entei, the ferocious-looking beast with the big roar and the gentle heart. Even Charizard, a Pokémon that Ash had released and now lives in Charicific Valley, will make a surprise return to help the young trainer during a particularly difficult battle, marking the first time the two friends have been together since they said goodbye in one of the Pokémon television show episodes. The most interesting new Pokémon showcased in “Pokémon 3 The Movie” are the ultimately mystifying and elusive Unown, 26 cryptic entities shaped like letters of the alphabet (“like alphabet soup, without the soup,” according to Pokémon Meowth) that have the power to bring human thoughts and dreams into reality. It is the Unown that create a challenge for Ash far greater than any Pokémon battle he has ever experienced before. With help from Pikachu and all his faithful Pokémon, plus friends Brock and Misty and even a little unexpected assistance from Team Rocket, Ash must rescue the young orphan Molly from the mystical forces that threaten to transform her life into a dreamworld prison. At the same time, Ash must also struggle to bring his own mother back from the realm of the Unown before she is lost forever and he becomes an orphan himself. No one is sure what the Unown are capable of, once they unleash their full power.but Ash and his friends are about to find out. Warner Bros. is again collaborating with Nintendo of America, which manages the Pokémon franchise, acquired from the original creators in Japan, in all territories outside of Asia; and 4Kids Entertainment, which adapted the film and is Nintendo of America’s exclusive agent for licensing the property. Kids’ WB! Presents a 4Kids Entertainment Production, “Pokémon 3 The Movie,” produced by Norman J. Grossfeld, President of 4Kids Productions. Grossfeld and Michael Haigney adapted the script from the original screenplay written by TAKESHI SHUDO and HIDEKI SONODA, based on characters created by SATOSHI TAJIRI. The director of the Japanese production is KUNIHIKO YUYAMA, and the American director is Michael Haigney. Fans of the hit TV show will recognize the starring voice talents of VERONICA TAYLOR, ERIC STUART, RACHAEL LILLIS, MADDIE BLAUSTEIN, IKUE OTANI, KEN GATES, DAN GREEN and STAN HART. The voice cast also features PETER R. BIRD, LISA ORTIZ, KATHY PILON, LEE QUICK, ED PAUL, KAYZIE ROGERS, TARA JAYNE and ROGER KAY. Professor Spencer Hale, a dedicated Pokémon researcher, has been working very hard to learn the secrets of a mysterious Pokémon called the Unown. The Unown, Symbol Pokémon, appear as 26 individual entities in the shape of letters of the alphabet. They have the ability to read human dreams, thoughts and emotions and transform them into reality but a special kind of reality. As he works, the Professor is suddenly pulled into another world, in the same way his wife disappeared two years earlier while probing the mystery of the Unown. His young daughter, Molly, is now all alone in the Hale house with neither mother nor father and no one to comfort her. Distraught, Molly dreams only of being reunited with her father. The Unown sense her loneliness and transform her simple wish into action, surrounding the Hale home with a colossal wall of crystal and creating a dreamworld inside where Molly can have her heart’s desire. They send Entei, a leonine Pokémon with power and a terrible growl but a good and gentle heart, to be her guardian and to take the place of her father. For Molly, Entei takes the form of Spencer Hale and she calls him Papa. “Entei is a character dreamed up out of a storybook,” explains Norman Grossfeld, who produced “Pokémon 3 The Movie” for American audiences and wrote the English-language adaptation together with director Michael Haigney. “Reading the storybook is one of the last things that Molly does with her father before he disappears and she mentions that Entei reminds her of him. Later, missing her father, she remembers the story they read together and wishes he would come back. Somehow the Unown reach into her mind and interpret those feelings to produce the creature Entei, who is the embodiment of her father.” Soon, Molly longs for a mother as well. Once again, the Unown respond. They do not send Molly her real mother but instead select Delia Ketchum, Ash’s mother, as a surrogate and dispatch the faithful Entei to bring her to the Hale house. Meanwhile, champion Pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum, along with friends Brock and Misty and their constant companion Pikachu, are busy exploring the neighboring Johto region en route to Greenfield. Ash is looking forward to competing in the Johto League to earn his Pokémon Master title. Along the way they are joined by another young trainer, Lisa, who engages Ash in a friendly Pokémon battle and then decides to accompany the gang as they continue toward Greenfield. Upon their arrival in the town, Ash is surprised to encounter his mother and Professor Oak, who have come to investigate the strange disappearance of Professor Hale. The group sits down to enjoy lunch together and that’s when Entei strikes, swooping up Delia and rushing away with her while the stunned Ash watches in horror and bewilderment. Inside the Hale house great crystals begin to grow and reach up to the sky, transforming the simple home into a sparkling palace of sheer impenetrable walls. Molly is happy again. But poor Delia! She understands the little girl’s need but misses her own son and knows she must get back to him before this crystal palace becomes a prison forever for herself and Molly. The question is, how? With no solution in sight, Ash makes a brave decision. As he stands before the house with its monumental crystal reinforcements and the formidable Entei barring entry, all thoughts of the Johto League championships are forgotten. Ash marshals all his strength and resources to save his mother from the spell of the Unown and keep both her and Molly in the real world where they belong. “Ash makes the decision to go into this dangerous area where nobody seems to be able to break through, to figure out what’s happened to his mother and try to rescue her,” says Grossfeld. This he does despite his fear. “It’s a big thing for a kid to take upon himself,” Grossfeld continues. “I think a part of what makes Pokémon special and makes Ash special is that he is definitely not a superhero. He doesn’t have superpowers and doesn’t necessarily do incredible things but he usually does the right thing and the thoughtful thing. He’s pure of heart.” And Ash succeeds, to a point. He meets the challenge and breaks the spell of the Unown this time but he does not conquer the Unown. They recede back to the mysterious realm from which they came for the moment. “There are some unanswered questions in the movie,” says Grossfeld. “The subject matter is very interesting and quite deep. One of the things Ash learns in this adventure is that when you face a power that’s inexplicable and unknown everything might not be resolved. You just have to deal with the fact that there are some mysteries out there we may never solve.” Director Michael Haigney agrees, adding that “the Pokémon world is an unfolding, unending one filled with wonder and discovery about the Pokémon and about ourselves.” In keeping with this theme of discovery and mystery, “Pokémon 3 The Movie” features a brand new original song “To Know the Unknown,” written by Norman Grossfeld and performed by the female pop group Innosense. NEW CHARACTERS FROM THE POKEMON PANTHEON “Pokémon 3 The Movie” introduces theater audiences to the Unown, 26 complex and baffling entities that spin an alternate reality from the minds of humans they encounter. The Unown are only beginning to be understood and there is much about them that is still a mystery. Entei also makes its debut in this third theatrical installment of the Pokémon saga. A fearsome and energetic beast of volcanic origin, Entei is formidable in battle but its awesome power hides a kind heart. Among the other Gold and Silver Pokémon characters making their premiere big screen appearances in “Spell of the Unown” are Totodile, a small creature with a big bite; Cyndaquil, a shy little Pokémon that can shoot flames when frightened; Aipom, that swings through the trees with a powerful tail like a monkey, at the end of which is a helpful fifth hand; and Chikorita, a docile leaf-type Pokémon that has the ability to measure humidity and temperature. Joining in the fracas with Pikachu and the Pichu brothers in the short “Pikachu and Pichu” are the flying cottonweed Hoppip, the bad luck Murkow and the barking Houndour, among many others. The rascally Pichu, tiny mouse-like Pokémon, are also new to moviegoers. Like their big cousin Pikachu they can also store and control electricity but they haven’t quite learned the knack. Ash, Brock and Misty also acquire a human ally this time, teenage Pokémon trainer Lisa, who quickly proves her value as a good friend when things get tough. Of course our old favorites are on hand as well, including the irrepressible Pikachu, never far from Ash’s side, plus Meowth, Togepi, Bulbasaur and a colorful collection of Pokémon from countless previous adventures. Even the flame Pokémon Charizard, who had recently parted company with Ash and the gang to go live and train with its fellow Charizards, makes a welcome return just when it is needed most, as Ash struggles with Entei and the Unown. ADAPTING THE ORIGINAL FOR A NEW AUDIENCE As they did on the first two Pokémon feature films, producer Norman Grossfeld and director Michael Haigney collaborated on adapting this new adventure for an American audience, a process that Grossfeld describes as “locking ourselves in a room together for a month.” Actually, it’s a lot longer between the time they see the original film and the time they begin writing the English-language script, with perhaps half of that time spent just in thinking about it and considering various possibilities. Having been creative partners on a number of projects for nearly 15 years, the two are well-attuned to one another’s sense of humor and narrative style, which is a great asset in a job where so much depends upon nuance and interpretation. Together they write the English-language scripts for the popular Pokémon television series, with Haigney directing and Grossfeld serving as executive producer. As with their previous Pokémon film adaptations, the challenge was to present “Spell of the Unown” in a way that remained true to the original story while at the same time being fully accessible to American audiences and offering them something they could identify with. Much of the material is culture-specific. Jokes in one language are not often funny when translated into another so new jokes have to be written. References that would be familiar to Japanese audiences might be lost upon Americans who grew up with a whole different set of childhood books and songs, so new words and expressions in English have to be artfully substituted for the original Japanese. As bits of new material are created they must make sense within the context of each scene as well as the overall story and match previous dialogue. Finally, everything has to fold into the natural flow of action. In some instances, additional bits of information need to be worked into the plot for an American audience that would not know the back-story to explain certain events in “The Spell of the Unown.” For example, in the original version, Molly’s mother’s disappearance is not directly addressed on-screen. When the Japanese filmmakers were asked about this, they provided a detailed story about her and her absence that might have been assumed or imagined by Japanese moviegoers though not clear in the film itself. So Haigney and Grossfeld made sure to address it in their adaptation. Molly’s mother is presented in the American version as a Pokémon researcher, as is her husband, and her disappearance is explained early in the story. Likewise, the film’s final credit sequence was re-edited so that American audiences would be sure to catch the return of Molly’s mother and father, which occurs in the Japanese version toward the end of the final credits. Both Haigney and Grossfeld see the difference been the two audiences as a matter of sensibility. Japanese storytelling involves a lot of fantasy and sometimes that serves to explain or suggest an explanation for something that is not clearly presented in a story, whereas American storytelling tradition is more dependent upon narrative. As Haigney explains, “The challenge this time was to make the movie’s fantasy elements more logical. So much of our work on this movie was creating ways to address and explain these elements so audiences of all ages could easily and willingly suspend disbelief and enjoy the story.” Apart from the more esoteric elements of adapting material from one culture to another, there is also the practical problem of the animation itself to consider. Sometimes, as Haigney points out, deciding whether or not an idea will work comes down to counting “mouth flaps,” the number of times a character opens and closes his mouth while delivering his lines, or how the last syllable in a statement will position the jaw. “The voice tracks are recorded first, in Japanese, so that the animators can match their drawings to the mouth movements,” Haigney explains. “Many Japanese words end in vowels, which means the characters’ mouths often remain open at the end of sentences, whereas most English words end in consonants, which mainly leave the mouth closed. So we are always striving for dialogue that fits naturally into the existing wide-open mouths of the characters.” As with any other part of the filmmaking process, this is one of those details that an audience will only notice if it’s done incorrectly. Haigney’s and Grossfeld’s goal was to create English dialogue that fit the Japanese animation so seamlessly that audiences will get involved in the story and never give a thought to the fact that the artwork and voicetrack were created separately in two different languages. Finally, a new music score has to be created that can take American audiences into the story and punctuate the action, a score more closely integrated to the characters’ movements and screen experiences than it is in the Japanese original. None of it is easy but, as Grossfeld says of his third Pokémon feature adaptation, “it’s a lot of fun. The Japanese movie was excellent and that was our starting point. We treat the material with respect and it becomes a creative challenge for us to make it better for our market while not losing any of the elements that made it great in the original.” Part of what makes the original so great is the quality of the artwork, which is apparent overall but especially in the enhanced richness and color-saturation of the backgrounds. As computer animation becomes more sophisticated and the Japanese anime style of drawing gains more worldwide appeal, the Pokémon filmmakers remain at the leading edge of both style and technology. Providing the voices of Ash and friends, plus the Pokémon menagerie both old and new, are the talented actors who work regularly on the popular Pokémon television series, including Veronica Taylor, Eric Stuart, Rachael Lillis, Maddie Blaustein, Ikue Otani, Ken Gates, Amy Birnbaum, Dan Green, Stan Hart, Peter R. Bird, Lisa Ortiz, Kathy Pilon, Lee Quick, Ed Paul, Kayzie Rogers, Tara Jayne and Roger Kay. Some of them perform double duty, voicing more than one character. Image GalleryI'm sorry, the image gallery is not functioning at this time. Wait for me to upload the images and you can see 'em!!!!! Unown FontThe Unown Font for PC only!!! An exact replica of each and every Unown captured and stuck on your computer, you lucky Psyduck, you! To get it workin' for you: To download, click the picture of the characters on the Unown Font:  This is Unown Font as it appears on your computer. Enjoy!!! |
