Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in 1999 as Warner Bros. and Nintendo's bid to prove that the television phenomenon could command a theatrical audience, and it succeeded, becoming one of the highest grossing anime releases in American history. Built around Mewtwo's origin and his clash with Mew, the film gave Western audiences their first extended look at Pokémon lore treated with genuine dramatic weight, mixing existential themes with the franchise's merchandising machine. It marked a cultural high point for the series and remains a touchstone for collectors who grew up with the craze.
This cell carries Mewtwo, the film's central figure and one of the most sought after characters in Pokémon collecting, prized for his role as both antagonist and tragic protagonist. Naming Mew alongside him points to the mythic counterpart whose existence sets the story's conflict in motion, the original from which Mewtwo was cloned. A 35mm cell like this preserves a single frame from that confrontation, a physical fragment of the print that once ran through theater projectors during the film's original release.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release color print of Pokémon: The First Movie.
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame visible on both edges; the strip holds one frame fully and partial frames above and below.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even; the lower row shows visible wear and darkening around the perforation edges, the upper row appears cleaner.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical soundtrack track is visible running vertically beside the picture on one edge, with what appears to be a second parallel line consistent with a stereo variable-area pair; Dolby Digital pixel blocks between perforations are not clearly distinguishable at this capture resolution.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture.
Base & colour
The base shows a strong violet-purple dye cast across the image area; the clear rebate areas appear with a slight warm-neutral tint consistent with processed color print stock.
Projection history
Horizontal scratches and abrasion lines are visible across the lower portion of the strip, consistent with a print that has passed through a projector gate.
Picture
Positive color image; the single frame visible depicts animated content consistent with the Pokémon: The First Movie release print on record.
Era check
The variable-area optical soundtrack, color positive print stock, and four-perforation 35mm format are all consistent with a 1999-1999 theatrical release print of this title.
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, 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.
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
