National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Released in 1999, Pokemon: The First Movie arrived at the peak of a cultural phenomenon that had swept across trading cards, video games, and television. For countless children and families, it was among the first anime features to reach theaters worldwide, translating a beloved franchise onto the big screen. Remembered fondly by a generation, it captured a moment when Pokemon was less a pastime than a shared language among friends.

This cell comes from the sequence featuring Mew in the thick of battle, one of the film's most anticipated confrontations. To hold an actual frame of 35mm film from that moment is to own a tangible piece of animation history, a small window onto the artistry that once flickered across theater screens.