Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in November 1999 from Warner Bros. and Toho, riding the crest of Pokémania as it swept the United States. Adapted from the Japanese animated feature Mewtwo Strikes Back, it introduced American audiences to a darker, more philosophical corner of the franchise, wrapped around a bonus Pikachu short to soften the tone for younger viewers. The film became a genuine box office event, cementing Pokémon's leap from handheld game and television series into a full theatrical franchise, and it remains a touchstone for the era when the property first became a global phenomenon.
This cell centers on Mewtwo, the genetically engineered Pokémon whose creation and rebellion against his creators drive the film's central conflict, alongside the clones he generates as extensions of his power and identity. Mewtwo has long been one of the franchise's most collected figures, prized for his ambiguous morality and gravitas rarely afforded to a Pokémon. A 35mm cell built around Mewtwo and his clones captures the thematic heart of the picture, the doubling of self and creation that defines the character's arc within the story.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokémon: The First Movie.
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame visible on both edges; the strip holds one frame of picture content with partial black borders above and below.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even; perforation edges appear cleanly punched with no visible tearing or distortion.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible below the picture area, appearing as two white wavy lines on a dark ground, consistent with a dual bilateral or stereo variable-area optical track; Dolby Digital pixel blocks are not clearly distinguishable in the inter-perforation gaps at this size; DTS timecode line not visible in this capture; SDDS outer-edge tracks not visible in this capture.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture.
Base & colour
Base appears with a slight cool-neutral tint; the dye image shows strong saturated blues and greens with no obvious red shift or fading.
Projection history
No visible scratches, splice marks, or cue marks are apparent in this capture.
Picture
Positive colour image; the single frame shows animated characters consistent with the visual style of the film on record.
Era check
The dual variable-area optical track, saturated colour dye image, and cool-neutral base are all consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print from the late 1990s, matching the 1999 US release window 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
