Crown Grading

FILM NOTES

Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in North American theaters in November 1999, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures following its original 1998 Japanese release by Toho. Produced by OLM, Inc. and based on the global phenomenon from Nintendo and Game Freak, the film marked the franchise's theatrical debut and became one of the highest-grossing animated films of its year, cementing Pokémon's cultural footprint beyond television.

This cell, titled Pikachu, captures the series' most recognizable character mid-air against a stark blue background, lightning-bolt tail clearly visible. Voiced throughout the franchise by Ikue Otani, Pikachu appears in two near-consecutive frames, the second showing a faint luminous aura suggesting an energy effect during what reads as an active battle sequence.