Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in 1999 as Warner Bros. and 4Kids' bid to translate a global gaming and television phenomenon into a theatrical event, pairing the animated feature with the short Pikachu's Vacation. Produced in Japan by OLM under Nintendo and Game Freak's license, it became one of the highest-grossing anime releases in American theaters, introducing a generation of young moviegoers to Pokémon lore through the origin story of Mewtwo, a genetically engineered Pokémon confronting questions of identity and purpose.
This cell centers on Mewtwo alongside the clone Pokémon he creates, the film's central conceit and its philosophical core. Mewtwo remains among the most sought-after characters from the franchise's early cinematic era, prized by collectors for his gravity and design complexity. A 35MM cell bearing his likeness alongside his clones captures a defining pairing from the movie's mythology, the tension between original and copy that drives the entire narrative forward.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading in partnership with National Film Vault, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
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