Pokémon 3: The Movie (lost first draft of anime sequel film script; late 1990s)
Theatrical poster.
Status: Lost
The Pokémon 3: The Movie, released in Japan in 2000 as Pocket Monsters the Movie: Lord of the "UNKNOWN" Tower, originally had a completely different plot to the version released.
It had a first draft written by the late Takeshi Shudo, the main writer of the anime series up to that point as well as the first two movies. He posted the information mentioned below on his blog.
Premise
The original plot would have delved into the mystery of how the world came to be inhabited by Pokémon and what happened to the real world animals that once existed in the past. This would have been explored through the discovery of a fossil in the Pokémon world; the fossil of a real-world Tyrannosaurus rex. The fossil would be restored back to life, leading to the creature going on a rampage across the Kanto region. The anime's main protagonists, Ash, his Pikachu, Brock and Misty, and even the show's main antagonists, Team Rocket, would have spent the movie bringing the dinosaur's rampage to an end.
Legacy
Shudo spent half a year devising this particular plot, which was shot down by the producers under the reason that:
"A story where a bunch of minerals gain consciousness and comes to life won't be a hit".
See Also
Anime
- Pokémon "Battle Aboard the St. Anne" (found original American broadcast version of anime episode; 1998)
- Pokémon "Battle of the Quaking Island! Barboach VS Whiscash!!" (partially found unaired anime episode; 2004)
- Pokémon "Computer Warrior Porygon" (lost unaired English dub of anime episode; existence unconfirmed; 1998)
- Pokémon "The Legend of Dratini" (non-existent unaired English dub of anime episode; 1997)
- Pokémon "Rocket-dan VS Plasma-dan!" (partially found unaired two-part anime episode; 2011)
Shorts/Clip Shows
- Pocket Monsters Best Wishes: Hikatokage no Tenkyuugi (partially found short of "Pokémon" anime; 2011)
- Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl: Atsumare! Pokémon-boshi Matsuri (lost short of "Pokémon" anime; 2008)
- Pocket Monsters XY: Uchū no Hahen (partially found short of "Pokémon" anime; 2014)
- Pokémon 3D Adventure: Mew o Sagase! (partially found 3D short of anime; 2005)
- Pokémon 4D: Pikachu's Ocean Adventure (partially found 4D short of anime; 2006)
- Pokémon "It's New Year's Eve! Pocket Monsters Encore" (lost unaired special of anime series; 1997)
- Pokémon "Pocket Monsters, Fall Special!" (found "clip show" episode of anime series; 1997)
- Pokémon "Pocket Monsters, Winter Special!" (lost unaired "clip show" episode of anime series; 1998)
Other
- Pokémon Live! (partially found professional recording footage of musical; 2000-2001)
- The Power of One: The Pokémon 2000 Movie Special (found The WB special; 2000)