Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in American theaters in November 1999 from Warner Bros., riding the crest of Pokémania as the franchise expanded from Game Boy screens and Saturday morning television into a full theatrical event. Produced by Nintendo and OLM alongside 4Kids Entertainment's adaptation team, it introduced Mewtwo's origin story to Western audiences while anchoring the film in the familiar cast fans already loved. Its box office success proved that the Pokémon brand could sustain a cinematic run, cementing 1999 as the franchise's breakout year in the United States.
This cell centers on Pikachu, the character whose image effectively launched the entire Pokémon phenomenon and remains the most recognizable figure in the franchise's history. As the series mascot, Pikachu anchors the film's emotional throughline even within a story built around Mewtwo and Mew. A 35mm cell bearing only Pikachu speaks to the character's singular pull for collectors, a piece of film stock preserving the presence of the one figure inseparable from Pokémon's identity itself.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokémon: The First Movie.
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even and the punched edges appear clean with no visible tearing.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible below the picture area, appearing as a dual bilateral variable-area pattern, with what appears to be a Dolby Digital data block region visible in the inter-perforation gaps on the lower edge strip.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture.
Base & colour
The base appears with a slight warm-neutral tint; the dye image reads with stable colour saturation showing no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
No visible scratches, splice marks, or cue marks are apparent in this capture.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, and the character depicted is consistent with the Pokémon franchise as recorded.
Era check
The combination of a dual bilateral variable-area optical track with apparent Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks is consistent with a theatrical release print from the late 1990s, matching the 1999/1999 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
