National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Released in 2000, Pokemon: The Movie 2000 arrived at the height of the franchise's global popularity, when the series had become a genuine cultural phenomenon among a generation of young fans. As the second theatrical Pokemon feature, it carried the colorful hand-drawn animation and earnest storytelling that defined the era's anime films. For many, it remains a fond piece of childhood, tied to a moment when Pokemon dominated screens, playgrounds, and collections alike.

This cell captures Ash and Pikachu riding on Lugia, one of the film's most memorable images of adventure and partnership. Owning an actual frame from that sequence means holding a physical piece of the animation itself, a small window onto the film as it was projected in theaters.