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 from OLM, Inc. and Toho. Adapted from the globally dominant Game Boy franchise and animated television series, the film marked a cultural peak for the Pokémon phenomenon, drawing record opening weekends and introducing theatrical animation to an entirely new generation of young audiences.

This encapsulated cell, titled Pikachu Crying, captures two consecutive frames of Pikachu — voiced throughout the series by Ikue Ōtani — in the film's emotionally charged climactic sequence. Set against a dark background with a lightning bolt graphic, the frames show tears streaming down Pikachu's face, the slight animation variation between them confirming their sequential origin from one of the most recognizable moments in the production.