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 translate a global gaming and television phenomenon onto the big screen, riding the crest of Pokémania at its peak in North America. Built around the confrontation between Mewtwo and Mew, the film became a cultural landmark for a generation raised on the franchise, drawing enormous box office numbers and cementing Pokémon's place in American theatrical history. It remains a touchstone for collectors of animation and franchise memorabilia precisely because of that singular moment of mainstream crossover success.
This cell centers on Team Rocket, the recurring trio of Jessie, James, and Meowth whose comic relief and scheming provided the series' most reliable source of humor. Their presence in a film cell speaks to their enduring popularity among collectors, who prize their appearances as a shorthand for the show's lighter tone amid the movie's darker, more philosophical narrative. A 35mm cell tied to Team Rocket likely comes from a scene, trailer, or credits sequence spotlighting the group, offering a physical artifact of characters whose comic timing helped define Pokémon's identity on screen.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of POKEMON: The First Movie
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame visible on both edges; the strip holds two frames
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, cleanly punched with no torn or deformed holes visible
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Base appears neutral to very slightly warm; dye image shows saturated colour with no visible fading
Projection history
No scratches, splice marks, or cue marks are visible in this capture
Picture
Positive colour image; the two frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot and the animated style is consistent with the film on record
Era check
A variable-area optical track alongside a 35mm colour positive is consistent with a theatrical release print from the late 1990s, matching the 1999 US release of the film on record
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
