National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Released in 1999, Pokemon: The First Movie arrived at the peak of a global phenomenon that had swept through games, trading cards, and television. For a generation of young fans, it was often their first experience seeing beloved characters on the big screen, and its blend of action and surprisingly thoughtful themes about identity and belonging gave it staying power well beyond its era. It remains a nostalgic touchstone, remembered fondly by those who grew up alongside it.

This cell captures Mewtwo, the cloned Pokemon, and Charizard, figures central to the film's most memorable confrontation and its emotional heart. Owning an authenticated 35mm frame from this sequence means holding a genuine piece of the print that once ran through a projector, a small, tangible link to a story that meant so much to so many.