History Anime / Pokemon3

* HypnotizeThePrincess: Molly wants a mother, so Entei searches around, finds Ash's mother, brainwashes her, and takes her back to the mansion. It also has a funny moment when Ash's mother sees Ash getting into danger, and she snaps out of the trance to berate him.

* AdaptationalBadass: The Unown. In the games, they're basically gimmick characters with only a single attack and nothing more than cosmetic differences between them. In this film, they're nigh-unstoppable reality warpers. Possibly justified as the games state that Unown are exponentially more powerful when all of them are together, but in the games you can only use one at a time.

* HeroAntagonist: Entei is actually one of the nicest characters in the series, it's just that he happens to be loyal to an increasingly insane WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds.

* HopeSpot: Molly manages to stop Entei from killing Ash and Charizard, and decides that she wants things restored to the way they were. The crystals start to recede...and then the Unown go completely out of control.

* NightmareFuel:
** The Unown in general. And the fact that their otherworldly, reality-warping power ends up in the wrong hands. So many people, including Ash, are put in danger and almost killed as a result. Furthermore, the Unown are sentient enough to want to maintain Molly's illusionary world, so much so that they ''really'' [[BerserkButton aren't happy when she wants them to stop]].
** The dimension that the Unown transported Spencer to. [[spoiler: He most likely would have been drifting aimlessly through it for eternity.]]
** The way the Unown's powers, at Molly's command, affect Greenfield and those around her. A bulldozer that tries to break through the crystal barriers gets ''flipped'' and the man operating it narrowly avoids being imprisoned when the bulldozer becomes engulfed and crystalized.
** Entei's hypnotizing and abduction of Delia Ketcham. It's quite unsettling seeing Delia have her mind taken over and be essentially forced into being Molly's mother against her will, and as a result forgetting about her own real-life child. Luckily, she doesn't remain hypnotized for very long.

** The Unown in general. And the fact that their otherworldly, reality-warping power ends up in the wrong hands. So many people, including Ash, are put in danger and almost killed as a result. Furthermore, the Unown are sentient enough to want to maintain Molly's illusionary world, so much so that they ''really'' [[Berserk Button aren't happy when she wants them to stop]].

** The way the Unown's powers, at Molly's command, affect Greenfield and those around her. A bulldozer that tries to break through the crystal barriers gets ''flipped and totaled'' and the man operating it narrowly avoids being crushed.

** Entei's hypnotizing and abduction of Delia Ketcham. It's quite unsettling seeing Delia have her mind taken over and being essentially forced into being Molly's mother against her will, and as a result forgetting about her own real-life child. Luckily, she doesn't remain hypnotized for very long.

** The dimension that the Unown transported Spencer to. [[ParanoiaFuel Would he have been drifting aimlessly through it for eternity?]]

* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore: The Japanese poster for the movie has a brighter background and features Pikachu, Misty, Brock and the Johto starters, with no Charizard. The English poster (above) is darker, relegates Pikachu to promoting the short, and adds Ash riding on Charizard.

''Pokémon 3 the Movie: Spell of the Unown'', known as ''Pocket Monsters: Lord of the Unknown Tower'' in Japan, is the third ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'' film and first film in the Johto arc. It was also the last one to be directed by Creator/TakeshiShudo.

''Pokémon 3 the Movie: Spell of the Unown'', known as ''Pocket Monsters: Lord of the Unknown Tower'' in Japan, is the third {{Anime/Pokemon}} film and first film in the Johto arc. It was also the last one to be directed by Creator/TakeshiShudo.

** In the Japanese version, [[spoiler:it's stated that she left her husband because he wouldn't stop obsessing over his work]].

''Pokémon 3 the Movie: Spell of the Unown'', known as ''Pocket Monsters: Lord of the Unknown Tower'' in Japan, is the third {{Anime/Pokemon}} film. It was also the last one to be directed by Creator/TakeshiShudo.

** Ash's team vs Entei, too. None of them stood a chance. Charizard was an exception, as he was able to put up a good fight, but Entei and the Unown stacked the odds ''waaay'' high against him, due to Molly wanting Entei to win and the Unown magnifying the power of her imagination. Although as a lengendary Pokémon, Entei would have beaten them (save perhaps Charizard) all anyway.

* PlotTailoredToTheParty: Molly faces down the PowerTrio in three separate Pokémon battles, explicitly invoking this trope.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* AlmightyMom: Deliah when she stands up to Entei. It was a failed effort, but she still gets points for trying.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar:
** Upon seeing the Unown for the first time, James states that he "hasn't seen this many strange letters since the time [he] placed a personal ad."
** Brock's dialogue with teenage Molly in their battle can be seen as rather flirty. He ''is'' trying to distract her, though.
** Pikachu [[ThanksForTheMammary "hugging" Delia.]]

* ZettaiRyouiki: Molly, at Grade B, but only as a little girl.

* EldritchAbomination: Essentially what the Unown are. Certainly helped by the fact that they're rendered in ConspicuousCG, which serves to make them look more otherworldly.

* ConspicuousCG: The crystal castle and swarms of Unown are all rendered CG, which mostly serves to make them look creepier.

* LullDestruction: Molly spelling out her name and the names of her parents with Unown tiles has her talking about how they look just like letters, and that she can spell out her parents' names. In the Japanese version, she remains silent until afterward, when she cries about missing her father.

For 18 years, this was the last ''Pokemon'' film to score a wide release in North America, after disappointing at the box office. The [[Anime/Pokemon4Ever fourth]] and [[Anime/PokemonHeroes fifth]] films settled for limited releases (and under Miramax instead of Warner Bros.), while all the rest have gone straight to video or TV. However, this film is currently the fifth highest grossing anime film in North America. In 2019, the franchise finally made its return to wide cinemas in North America with ''Film/PokemonDetectivePikachu'', with Warner Bros. once again distributing.

** Also, Molly gaining a Legendary Pokemon out of nowhere, and her crystal Pokemon with obviously altered stats and near reality-warping powers, all the while being told how wrong that is. (Cheating in Pokemon Games)

For 18 years, this was the last ''Pokemon'' film to score a wide release in North America, after disappointing at the box office. The [[Anime/Pokemon4Ever fourth]] and [[Anime/PokemonHeroes fifth]] films settled for limited releases (and under Miramax instead of Warner Bros.), while all the rest have gone straight to video or TV. However, this film is currently the fifth highest grossing anime film in North America. In 2019, the franchise will finally make its return to wide cinemas in North America with ''Film/PokemonDetectivePikachu'', with Warner Bros. once again distributing.

'''Entei''': I '''AM''' Molly's real father! As long as that is her wish!

* HeelFaceTurn: Molly and Entei

-->'''Jessie''': I'd say to prepare for trouble, but you're already in it!
-->'''James''': That's right.
-->'''Meowth''': Hey, don't steal my line.

* BerserkButton: Ash watched his mother get kidnapped. He ''did not'' take it well.

* HeelFaceTurn: Molly, Entei and the Unknown after their defeat.