Sources: Wikidata. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Pokémon: The Movie 2000 arrived from Warner Bros. and Nintendo/4Kids at the height of Pokémania, following the franchise's explosive 1999 debut in American theaters. Built around the legendary birds Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, and the balance-restoring Lugia, the film pushed the anime's mythology beyond the games and television series into a big-screen event, cementing Pokémon as a global cinematic property rather than a passing fad. For collectors of early anime and turn-of-the-millennium pop culture, this release remains a touchstone of that first wave.
This cell preserves a frame of Magikarp, the notoriously weak, widely mocked Pokémon whose reputation as a near-useless creature makes it a favorite among collectors precisely because of that underdog status. Its presence in a 35mm print from this film ties a beloved joke of the franchise to an actual physical artifact of its theatrical run, a small but genuine piece of the movie's fabric rather than a promotional recreation. For enthusiasts, owning a cell of Magikarp is less about spectacle and more about honoring the character's odd, enduring charm.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokemon: The Movie 2000.
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, cleanly punched with rounded rectangular shape
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along the bottom edge beside the picture area, with what appears to be a Dolby Digital data block pattern visible in the inter-perforation gaps on the lower edge
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read any key numbers or manufacturer text
Base & colour
Base shows a light cyan-blue tint consistent with estar or acetate safety base; dye image reads with strong violet-blue and white tones, no visible fading or red shift
Projection history
No visible scratches, splice marks, or cue marks seen
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot, and the animated character imagery is consistent with the Pokemon franchise film on record
Era check
The combination of variable-area optical track, Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks, cyan-tinted safety base, and animated colour positive image is consistent with a theatrical release print from the year 2000
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 000063342
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
