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 bring the phenomenon to American theaters, pairing Mewtwo Strikes Back with a Pikachu short and cementing the franchise as a fixture in Western pop culture. Its box office success proved that the animated series could translate into a theatrical event, drawing children and collectors alike into a shared cultural moment. For a generation, this was their first encounter with Pokémon on the big screen, and the film became a touchstone of late nineties fandom, released at the height of Pokémania.
This cell bears the name of Mew, the legendary Pokémon whose genetic material forms the basis for Mewtwo's creation, making it central to the film's origin story even in its more elusive appearances. Mew's rarity within the games and the anime alike has made it a favorite among collectors, prized as a kind of holy grail figure in the Pokémon mythos. A 35mm cell carrying this name preserves a fragment of that legacy, a physical remnant from the animation process tied directly to one of the franchise's most sought-after characters.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokémon: The First Movie (1999).
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame visible on both edges; the strip holds two frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even; perforation edges appear cleanly punched with no visible tearing.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area, consistent with a mono or stereo optical release print.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to quote any key numbers or manufacturer text.
Base & colour
Base appears with a slight cool-blue tint under the backlight; dye image reads as a warm amber-brown in the lit portions, with no obvious fading or heavy red shift.
Projection history
Horizontal scratches and abrasion lines are visible across the lower portion of the strip, consistent with evidence of a projected print.
Picture
Positive image; the two frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot, and the animated character style visible is consistent with the Pokémon franchise film on record.
Era check
The variable-area optical soundtrack, polyester-base stock appearance, and print construction are consistent with a 1999 North American 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
