M04
| Celebi: Voice of the Forest セレビィ時を超えた遭遇 Celebi: A Timeless Encounter
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Premiere
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Home video
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English themes
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Japanese themes
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Ratings
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Pokémon 4Ever - Celebi, the Voice of the Forest (Japanese: セレビィ時を超えた遭遇 Celebi: Encounter Beyond Time; officially Celebi: a Timeless Encounter in Japan) is the fourth Pokémon movie. It features Celebi and Suicune. Ash and his friends meet a very familiar young boy named Sammy who has been sent 40 years ahead in time to the present by accident. It was released in theaters in Japan on July 7, 2001.
Tagline: "Best friends. Better heroes."
Distributed by Miramax in theaters in 2002. A limited release in the United States took place on the 11 October and the official premiere was on the 25 October.
Summary
A young Pokémon Trainer named Sam is traveling through the woods one day, 40 years in the past. Getting a piece of bread from a young woman before he enters deeper into the forest, Sam is warned by her that there are very rare Pokémon in the forest. Sam thanks her for the bread, and continues into the deep woods, unaware that elsewhere in the same forest, a Celebi is being chased down by a Pokémon Hunter who wishes to capture it using his Scyther and his Houndoom. The Celebi, the man, and the young Oak soon come in contact with one another, and Sam protects the Celebi from the man, who reveals himself to be a poacher of rare Pokémon. Celebi is still worried, however, and in pain, and teleports itself as well as the young Sam ahead in time.
Forty years later, the same Pokémon poacher, now aged, is in a confrontation with The Iron Masked Marauder, a member of Team Rocket. It is here that the Marauder demonstrates a Dark Ball, using it on one of the Pokémon the poacher has caged up, a Tyranitar. Using the now Dark Tyranitar's Hyper Beam, the Marauder destroys the ranch, and apparently the cages, of the poacher. Finally convinced of the Rocket member's power, the poacher agrees to tell him where exactly the Celebi he had seen was sighted forty years before.
At the same time, in a nearby town, Brock and Misty are waiting for Ash to arrive at the dock of one of the many ferries they've taken across the waterways of the regions. Brock sends out his Crobat to find Ash and tell him that it's just about time for them to leave, just as Ash starts a Pokémon battle with another Trainer, using his Pikachu against the Trainer's Croconaw. Pikachu defeats Croconaw easily, just as Crobat shows up, and Ash and Pikachu make a run for the dock, arriving just in time to see the ferry begin to pull away. Ash runs for a dock nearer to where the ferry is, jumping for it and being caught by the boat's owner. After being dragged on board, the Trainers and owner talk Pokémon.
It is during this that Pikachu sees another Pokémon in the forest, Suicune. As soon as they arrive at their next destination, Ash makes a call to Professor Oak, who explains to them from Ash's description that it indeed was a Suicune. From the description Oak gives the young Trainers, it seems that Oak himself knows more about Suicune specifically than the experts, leading Ash to ask if he ever has seen one. The Professor replies affirmatively, and Ash asks where he did. Before Oak can reply, the ferry's owner calls for Ash, telling him that they must leave. Ash says goodbye quickly, and goes with him.
Ash continues on the water, this time in a different boat, through a deep forest, and, as always, Jessie, James, and Meowth are watching. This time, their preferred mode of transport is seemingly a giant pink paper airplane, the propeller in the back of which is operated by the pedaling of the Rocket trio. However, Jessie stops pedaling for a moment, leaving the contraption underpowered and susceptible to the wind, which is exactly what catches it. Team Rocket is sent flying, far into the distance, leaving their trademark star in the sky.
Meanwhile, Ash, as well as the others, have reached a waterfall along the river. Unable to climb it, Misty asks what they'll do. The captain responds with a quick transformation of his craft, turning it from a boat into a small blimp in a matter of seconds, and floating up, over the waterfall, and into a small town in the trees, where he lets the three off.
They continue on, arriving at the same place that Sam did forty years before, and asked by the same woman, who has now aged considerably, if they're going to be going into the forest to look for Pokémon. Ash replies that he will, and soon the old woman's granddaughter, Diana, shows up, who Brock promptly hits on. Ash ignores the old woman's advice, running headlong into the forest, leaving Misty to pull Brock away from Diana, as she always does.
As soon as the trio has gotten into the deep woods, the trees begin to glow blue, something that happened just before Celebi vanished into the future with Sam. At the same place he vanished from, in front of Celebi's shrine, Sam reappears, just as Ash, Misty, and Brock run up, with Celebi in his arms. Celebi floats away before the three can see it, however, young Sammy is unconscious, and Ash, worried about him, decides to take him back to the old woman's house.
As soon as the four return, Sam wakes up, pushing Ash away and demanding where Celebi has gone. Before there can be a fight between Ash and Sam, Brock is able to break it up. The old woman recognizes Sam, and she brings everyone inside to explain what happened. Since Sammy disappeared 40 years before, she had been keeping his sketchbook, and returns it to him, explaining to him just how long he'd been gone.
Sam vows to return to where he reappeared and find Celebi to help it, and Ash, Misty, and Brock agree to go with him.
Soon, traveling in the forest, the four see the destruction wreaked by The Iron Masked Marauders's giant mech, and Sam and Ash find where Celebi is hiding. However, the time travel Pokémon appears not to want their help, sending out a Vine Whip to get them away. Pikachu prepares to ThunderShock it, but Sam prevents it from doing so. Soon, Ash and Sam are able to, together, soothe Celebi and bring it with them.
Team Rocket, not yet having given up, are waiting for them, and block their path back. Saying their motto, as they always do, causes Wobbuffet to fall down onto the already-unstable branch they stand on, though, and causes it to break, sending them to the ground, and allowing the four Trainers to continue.
Just as Ash says that the town where the old woman and Diana live together is close, the Marauder attacks, sending out his Dark Tyranitar against the Trainers. Using its Hyper Beam again, he very nearly hits them, however, they are able to escape, partly due to the intervention of Weezing's SmokeScreen. It is at this point where all of the Team Rocket members meet. The Marauder demonstrates to them his Dark Pokémon, sending out his Dark Sneasel and Dark Scizor as well, and sends the two Pokémon after the group of four.
Misty causes the group to stop due to twisting her knee, and both of the Dark Pokémon catch up. Ash prepares to battle, taking out one of his Poké Balls, and Sam does as well. Sam's Poké Ball is different, though; instead of being a red-and-white color like Ash's, it has a greyish color to it, and must be unscrewed on the top before sending out his Pokémon of choice, a Charmeleon. Ash, now over the surprise of Sam's strange Poké Ball, throws his own, sending out Bayleef. Thus begins a battle, Bayleef vs Scizor, Charmeleon vs Sneasel. Both of the Trainers' Pokémon are able to defeat the Marauders's, just as the man himself, with his teammates, arrives. However, all he finds left by the Trainers are his Pokémon, tied up.
Ash and the group continue in the forest, which grows foggy. Leading them through are several Template:Type2 Pokémon, who bring them to a lake. Sam brings Celebi in, and it dives underwater, using Recover. Now fully healed, the Pokémon plays with the group a bit, and Ash turns his hat backward and jumps in, followed by Sam. The three of them swim for a bit, then fly through the air with the help of Celebi's Psychic powers. Celebi soon leads all four of them to a Berry tree, and everything seems well for a bit.
Jessie, James, and Meowth, bored on the Marauders's mech, try to grab a fruit of their own, however, in doing so, they end up falling out, and even losing the fruit itself to a Pidgeotto.
Back with Ash's group, he and Sam are discussing Pokémon, and Sam shows Ash his sketchbook, which Ash compares to a Pokédex. The two then talk about how, especially for Sam, that their mothers must worry about them. Pikachu and Celebi then run off, causing Sammy and Ash to follow them, and watch many Metapod evolve into Butterfree, which not only brings back memories for Ash, but for viewers as well. Sam, on their return to the campsite, draws Celebi and Pikachu sleeping together.
The next morning, the four trainers coninue their journey back to the village when the Iron Masked Marauder arrives. With Jessie, James and Meowth cutting off their escape, the gang are forced to try and fight their way out. Pikachu's attacks do not damage the mech, and the Marauder captures Celebi in his Dark Ball. Ash attempts to attack the Marauder himself, however, even though his efforts are able to topple the mech and is able to get the Dark Ball containing Celebi away, the evil Team Rocket member is able to get it back, and shows the group, as well as the Pokémon who have gathered to help Celebi, just what has happened: Celebi has become a mindless monster.
The Iron Masked Marauder, in causing Celebi to destroy the forest, also picks up a good amount of debris, and Jessie, to create a monstrous ball. Suicune is watching this, and Diana and her grandmother know as well. Eventually, the Marauder, in his Celebi-made monster, reveals to Jessie his true intentions: to take over Team Rocket and usurp Giovanni as its boss.
Eventually, with Suicune's help, Ash and Sam save Celebi and the Dark Ball containing it explodes, however, it is too late, and just as they bring Celebi back to the lake, however, Celebi still withers, and even though it is put into the lake after it has been cleaned by Suicune, dies. Ash, Sam, Misty, Brock, and the villagers weep at the thought of losing such an innocent Pokémon and friend. Suicune and the Forest Pokémon are also upset, and all cry out in anguish.
All is not lost, though, as due to the tears of both the Pokémon and the Trainers, many Celebi appear from a time warp in the sky, and together, heal Celebi with their powers.
However, again, the Marauder returns, taking Celebi once more. This time, as he rockets away, Ash grabs him and holds on tight, climbing up as he attempts to kick him off, going ever higher. Eventually, Ash has Pikachu use Thunderbolt on the evil man, causing the jetpack he was wearing to explode, and he, Ash, and Pikachu to fall back to Earth. Celebi comes to the rescue of Ash and Pikachu, though, and helps them safely return to their friends. The Iron Masked Marauder falls through the trees, eventually reaching the ground, losing his helmet, and having to face the wrath of the old woman and several Template:Type2 Pokémon, all of which use String Shot to tie him up.
Back at the lake, Ash and company say goodbye to Suicune, and Celebi prepares to travel back in time 40 years to return Sammy from where he came. As Ash says goodbye, Sam and he agree that they'll see each other again one day, hopefully soon. Those who remained in the present are saddened by Sam and Celebi's departure, however, soon, Ash, Misty, and Brock find themselves back where they started, calling Professor Oak once again to confirm that it indeed was a Suicune they saw, and Misty adds that they also were able to see Celebi.
Oak notices Ash's disheartened face and asks him what exactly is bringing him down, as he hasn't said a word since they began talking. Ash replies that it's because he made a really good friend, but now it seems they'll never see each other again, but Oak responds that he's absolutely sure that he'll see Sam again and that even though they're separated, Ash and Sam will still be friends. After hanging up, Misty notices something: How could Professor Oak have known that the boy they met was named Sam if none of them mentioned this? Before any can think on it too much, the next ferry they're taking is prepared to leave, and they have to go catch it.
Back in Oak's lab, the Professor is looking through a sketchbook-- but not of Tracey's, of his own. Talking to himself, he says that it's all as if it happened yesterday, revealing to the viewers the drawing of Celebi and Pikachu together that he drew and that Sammy was actually the younger Professor Oak.
In the end, Jessie swims in the lake, and James and Meowth find her on a raft. Soon after they meet back up, a Tyranitar, formerly the Marauders's, attacks the raft. As it swims away, Vicious's Scizor and Sneasel are also revealed, returning to their wild life on being freed from the Dark Balls. The movie, like the others, ends on a Team Rocket note.
Characters
Humans
Pokémon
- Pikachu (Ash's)
- Meowth (Team Rocket)
- Togepi (Misty's)
- Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
- Muk (Ash's) (Japanese Version only)
- Bayleef (Ash's)
- Onix (Brock's)
- Crobat (Brock's)
- Weezing (James's)
- Celebi (wild, many)
- Suicune (wild)
- Charmeleon (Sammy's)
- Tyranitar (Vicious's)
- Scizor (Vicious's)
- Sneasel (Vicious's)
- Scyther (Poacher's)
- Houndoom (Poacher's)
- Croconaw (Dundee's)
- Metapod
- Butterfree
- Pidgeotto
Debuts
Cast
| 出演 | |||||
| Ash Ketchum | Veronica Taylor | Satoshi | Rica Matsumoto | サトシ | 松本梨香 |
| Pikachu | Ikue Ohtani | Pikachu | Ikue Ohtani | ピカチュウ | 大谷育江 |
| Misty | Rachael Lillis | Kasumi | Mayumi Iizuka | カスミ | 飯塚雅弓 |
| Togepi | Satomi Kōrogi | Togepi | Satomi Kōrogi | トゲピー | こおろぎさとみ |
| Brock | Eric Stuart | Takeshi | Yuji Ueda | タケシ | うえだ ゆうじ |
| Jessie | Rachael Lillis | Musashi | Megumi Hayashibara | ムサシ | 林原めぐみ |
| James | Eric Stuart | Kojirō | Shin'ichirō Miki | コジロウ | 三木眞一郎 |
| Meowth | Maddie Blaustein | Nyarth | Inuko Inuyama | ニャース | 犬山イヌコ |
| Sammy | Tara Jayne | Yukinari | Keiko Toda | ユキナリ | 戸田恵子 |
| Suicune | Masahiko Tanaka | Suikun | Masahiko Tanaka | スイクン | 田中正彦 |
| Celebi | Kazuko Sugiyama | Celebi | Kazuko Sugiyama | セレビィ | 杉山佳寿子 |
| Vicious | Dan Green | Vicious | Shirō Sano | ビシャス | 佐野史郎 |
| Diana | Roxanne Beck | Miku | An Suzuki | ミク | 鈴木杏 |
| Old Towa | Veronica Taylor | Towa | Mami Koyama | トワ | 小山茉美 |
| Mr. White | Marc Thompson | White | Takashi Fujī | ホワイト | 藤井隆 |
| Hunter | Hunter | Koichi Yamadera | ハンター | 山寺宏一 | |
| Professor Oak | Stan Hart | Dr. Ōkido | Unshō Ishizuka | オーキド博士 | 石塚運昇 |
| Tracey Sketchit | Ted Lewis (did not speak in English version) | Kenji | Tomokazu Seki | ケンジ | 関智一 |
| Narration | Ken Gates | Narration | Unshō Ishizuka | ナレーション | 石塚運昇 |
Trivia
- This movie made its debut in Japanese theaters in between the episodes The Kecleon Caper and The Joy of Water Pokémon.
- This was the only Pokémon movie that featured an audio commentary with voice actors Veronica Taylor, Rachael Lillis, Eric Stuart and Maddie Blaustein. It was also the last movie to feature an audio commentary with Michael Haigney and Norman Grossfeld.
- Sammy Oak once did the same thing that Tracey Sketchit does in modern times: sketch Pokémon.
- Since the sketchbook didn't time travel with Sammy the first time, but did the second, the notebook Professor Oak has at the end is 80 years old.
- This movie causes a causal loop and a grandfather paradox. If Sammy was 40 years ahead of time in the future, how could his present self have given Ash his Pikachu, or caused Ash to go out on his journey with a Pokémon at all, if there was any doubt of him getting back? As well, could Ash have only gotten his Pikachu because Oak thought ahead in the beginning to capture a Pikachu specifically for him, after that adventure? As most Trainers do not have more than one starter Pokémon, and Sammy clearly saw Ash's Bayleef, knowing that he would be receiving a Pokémon from him, as Ash grew up, would have caused Oak to either go with the Johto starters or to capture the Pikachu that would become Ash's ahead of time. As the latter, rather than the former, was the case, perhaps this is exactly what happened.
- The events depicted in this movie may have influenced the GameCube games Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. Vicious had Dark Balls which corrupted Pokémon captured in them. These dark Pokémon were probably a precursor to Shadow Pokémon. Also, Celebi plays a key role in both these games and the movie.
- Notably, both the movie and the Colosseum/XD games have an abandoned train in the desert where a Pokémon hunter resides.
- This is the third Pokémon movie to air on Toon Disney. Jirachi: Wish Maker and Destiny Deoxys were the first two.
- Like the three movies before it, Porygon makes an appearance at the beginning of the film.
- Cyndaquil and Totodile appeared in promotional posters for this movie, but did not appear in the film itself.
- This marks the first time in one of the movies that Jessie, James and Meowth work directly alongside the main villain.
- None of Misty's Pokémon (apart from Togepi) appear in this film.
- This is the first Pokémon movie to show a Pokémon evolving (that being Metapod into Butterfree).
- The movie title Pokémon 4Ever was considered to be anti-language by some anti-Pokémon people.
Dub edits
- This film is notable that for the first (and so far only) time in the series' history, three scenes were specially animated for Western audiences.
- The first was an alternate scene of Ash calling Professor Oak to find out about Suicune. In the original scene, Professor Oak assumes it is Suicune, then shows Ash a picture from a book of Suicune, gives some info on it, however when he attempts to write a haiku, Ash's Muk smothers Oak and Tracey apologises. In the alternate scene used for the English adaptation, Professor Oak confirms that Suicune is one of the Legendary Pokémon and gives information on Suicune, and confirms that he has seen it, and he also tells Ash that the legends of Celebi traveling through time are true. Mr. White then calls to Ash and his friends, then they run off with Mr. White to the boat. The scene then cuts to an exterior shot of Professor Oak's Laboratory in Pallet Town, then it cuts to him sitting inside his lab, wondering whether or not he should have told them about what was going to happen.
- The second scene is a comic relief moment when Team Rocket try to grab some fruit from the Marauder's mech only to fall off and get left behind.
- The third scene is an alternate ending. The new ending is when Ash calls Professor Oak again, telling him of his adventures in the forest and how sad he was that he would never see Sammy again. In the original, Sam was shown returning home to Towa believing that his experience in the future was a dream. In fact, the only clue for the Japanese audience that Sam was actually the younger Professor Oak was during the credits when Tracey finds Sam's faded sketch of Celebi and Pikachu sleeping among Professor Oak's belongings.
- The prologue first used in Pokémon Heroes was used in this film, and the original Japanese version didn't have this prologue (the prologue was made when Pokémon Heroes was in production). Pokémon Heroes was released in Japan before Pokémon 4Ever was released in the USA.
Ash calls Professor Oak
- Original scene.jpg
Original Japanese Version
- Re-animated.jpg
Dubbed English Version
Ending Comparison
- New01.jpg
Original Japanese Version
- Pokemon Dubbed Version Ending.jpg
Dubbed English Version
Additional Scenes produced for Dubbed English Version
- New02.jpg
"I wonder if I should have told him before he hung up."
- Additional Scene.jpg
Team Rocket falls off Vicious's mecha
In other languages
- Chinese: 雪拉比穿梭時空的相遇
- German: Pokémon 4 - Die Zeitlose Begegnung
- Korean: 세레비, 시간을 초월한 만남
- Portuguese: Pokémon 4: Viajantes do Tempo
- Spanish (Iberian): La Voz del Bosque
- Spanish (Latin American): Pokémon Por Siempre
