Sources: Wikidata. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Pokemon: The Movie 2000 arrived from Warner Bros. and Nintendo/4Kids Entertainment as the second theatrical entry in the franchise, riding the crest of Pokemania's American peak. Following the surprise box office success of the first film, this sequel pushed the mythology further with Lugia and the Legendary Birds, cementing Pokemon as a genuine cinema property rather than a television spinoff. For collectors of animation and franchise history, it stands as a marker of just how large the phenomenon had grown by the turn of the millennium, a rare moment when a video game and card property commanded major studio distribution.
This cell centers on Pikachu, the character most responsible for the franchise's global identity and the figure collectors seek above all others when assembling Pokemon film reels. A single frame of Pikachu from this release carries weight simply through association, representing the mascot's presence in the story rather than a specific scripted beat. Whether drawn for a quiet character moment or a larger sequence, this cell preserves a piece of animation history tied directly to the character who defined the era.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm colour theatrical release print of Pokémon: The Movie 2000.
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced; punched edges appear clean with no visible tearing or distortion.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area, appearing as a single-track analog stripe.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read any key numbers or manufacturer text.
Base & colour
Base appears with a slight warm-neutral tint; dye image shows saturated colour with no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
Light vertical lines consistent with projection are visible across the frame area; no splices or cue marks seen.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot matching the animated feature on record.
Era check
A single variable-area optical track alongside a colour positive 35mm print is consistent with a theatrical release print from 2000, when analog optical was standard.
Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.
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.
CROWN SERIAL 000063340
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
