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Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in American theaters in November 1999, distributed by Warner Bros. after Nintendo and 4Kids Entertainment brought the Japanese animated feature to Western audiences at the height of Pokémania. Adapted from Mewtwo Strikes Back, it served as many young viewers' introduction to the franchise beyond television, pairing the origin story of the cloned Pokémon Mewtwo with a bonus short, Pikachu's Vacation. The film's box office success cemented Pokémon as a genuine cultural force in the United States, not just a passing fad, and it remains a touchstone for the generation that grew up with the games and cards.
This cell carries the date November 12, almost certainly marking the film's theatrical release day in the United States, a detail that ties the strip directly to that opening weekend moment. Cells identified by release dates rather than character names or scene descriptions are prized by collectors for their documentary quality, functioning as a kind of timestamp from the exhibition print itself. For archivists tracing distribution history, a dated cell like this offers physical evidence of the film's theatrical run, distinct from later home video or reissue materials.
