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National Film Vault

OFFICIAL FILM AUTHENTICATION BY CROWN GRADING
A
AUTHENTIC
CROWN CERTIFIED
Film cell NFV-000001982 Tap to enlarge
MOVIEPokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel
SCENEGengar & Alva
FILM FORMAT35mm
YEAR2016
CERTIFICATE IDNFV-000001982
Film Record Public record
Directed by
Kunihiko Yuyama
Studio
OLM, Inc. · 82 min
Sources: Wikidata. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.

FILM NOTES

Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel arrived in 2016 as the nineteenth entry in the long running Pokémon film franchise, produced by OLM and distributed through Toho in Japan before its wider international release. It marked the introduction of Volcanion as a Mythical Pokémon and paired the story with Alva, an inventor whose arc tied directly into the film's themes of artificial life and companionship. The film continued the series tradition of pairing a featured legendary with a human story arc, a formula that has sustained the franchise across two decades of theatrical runs.

This cell brings together Gengar, one of the most recognizable Pokémon in the entire franchise thanks to its long history in games, anime, and merchandise, alongside Alva, the human figure whose journey anchors this particular film's narrative. Pairing a mainline fan favorite like Gengar with a film specific character such as Alva situates this piece within the movie's supporting roster, the kind of shared frame that collectors seek out to represent connective moments between established creatures and new storylines. As a film cell, it preserves an actual frame of celluloid rather than a reproduction, tying it physically to the theatrical print.

Authentication Findings 8 checks

Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel.

Gauge
35mm; the strip holds two frames, with four perforations per frame visible on both edges.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even and the punched edges appear clean.
Soundtrack
A cyan-tinted band is visible below the picture area consistent with a Dolby Digital or optical soundtrack region, but fine detail is not resolvable at this size.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture.
Base & colour
Base appears neutral to very slightly cool; dye image shows saturated blues, oranges and purples consistent with a healthy colour print.
Projection history
No visible scratches, splice marks or cue marks are seen in this capture.
Picture
Positive colour image; the two frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot, and the animated character and creature style are consistent with the Pokémon film on record.
Era check
The four-perforation 35mm positive print with what appears to be an optical or digital soundtrack band is consistent with a theatrical release print from the mid-2010s.
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 000063842
Original Film Capture As received
The film strip as photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size