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 through Warner Bros., following its 1998 Japanese debut from Toho, and became the franchise's breakout cinematic moment during the height of Pokémon mania. Built around Mewtwo's origin story, it introduced a generation of young viewers to their first theatrical Pokémon experience, pairing the film with the now-legendary Pikachu's Vacation short. Its box office success proved the franchise could extend beyond television and trading cards into a genuine cultural event, cementing Pikachu as an inseparable ambassador for the series worldwide.
This cell centers on Pikachu alone, the franchise's signature creature and the figure most responsible for Pokémon's crossover into global pop culture. A single-character cell like this holds particular appeal for collectors precisely because it isolates the icon without supporting cast, making it a clean visual anchor tied directly to the character's own identity within the film rather than to a specific plot beat. Whether drawn from a trailer, title card, or credits sequence, these cells function as artifacts of introduction or closure, moments the studio used to frame Pikachu as the emotional throughline of the picture for audiences returning again and again.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm Dolby Digital theatrical release print of Pokémon: The First Movie.
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds four frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even and the punched edges look clean throughout the strip.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along the bottom edge beside the picture area, appearing as a dual-bilateral (two-track) waveform pattern; Dolby Digital data blocks are also visible in the inter-perforation gaps along the bottom edge.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to quote any text or key numbers.
Base & colour
The base shows a neutral-to-slightly-warm tint; the dye image reads as a fully saturated colour positive with no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
No splices, cue marks, or prominent scratches are visible in this capture.
Picture
Positive colour image; all four frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, and the animated character depicted is consistent with the Pokémon franchise as recorded.
Era check
The combination of a dual-bilateral variable-area optical track with Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks is consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print from the late 1990s, matching the 1999 North American 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
