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 a Warner Bros. release built from the Japanese Pocket Monsters franchise, adapted for American audiences at the height of Pokémon's global rise. It brought the animated series to theaters for the first time, pairing a original clone-versus-original narrative with the marketing muscle of a card game and toy line already dominating playgrounds. For many collectors it marks the franchise's first attempt at cinematic scale and emotional weight, elevating Mewtwo from a background legend into a tragic central figure and cementing Mew as the mythic counterpart tied to the franchise's origins.
This cell, Mewtwo Attacking, isolates a moment of direct confrontation between Mewtwo and Mew, the film's two most sought-after Pokémon. Mewtwo, engineered as a clone, carries collector interest for its identity crisis and philosophical weight in the film's story. Mew, the ancient original, represents the natural counterpart to that creation. A 35mm cell like this preserves a single frame excised from the release print, a physical fragment of the theatrical run rather than a reproduction, valued for tying directly to the movie's actual exhibition history.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm colour release print of Pokémon: The First Movie (1999/1999).
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds four complete frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even and the punched edges appear clean with no torn or missing perforations visible.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along the bottom edge of the picture area, appearing as a two-track variable-area format; Dolby Digital data blocks are not clearly distinguishable, DTS timecode and SDDS tracks are not visible in this capture.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read any key numbers, manufacturer text, or SAFETY FILM legend.
Base & colour
The base shows a strong blue-violet dye saturation consistent with a colour release print; no obvious red shift or fading is apparent.
Projection history
Fine longitudinal lines consistent with projection wear are visible running through the frame area; no splices or cue marks are seen.
Picture
Positive colour image; all four frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, and the animated character imagery is consistent with the Pokémon: The First Movie animated feature on record.
Era check
A variable-area optical track alongside a colour positive 35mm print is consistent with a 1999-1999 theatrical release print of this title, which was distributed with analogue optical audio.
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
