Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in the fall of 1999 as Warner Bros. and Nintendo brought the phenomenon to American theaters, riding the crest of Pokémania at its peak. Adapted and expanded from the Japanese original, it introduced millions of moviegoers to the franchise's mythology beyond the television series, pairing the cartridge-and-card craze with a big-screen event built around a darker, more philosophical narrative than fans expected from a children's property.
This cell centers on Mewtwo, the genetically engineered Pokémon whose existence drives the film's central conflict about creation, identity, and purpose. As the movie's most complex figure, Mewtwo remains a favorite among collectors seeking material tied to the story's emotional core rather than its lighter Pikachu-driven marketing. A 35mm cell bearing this name preserves a piece of that narrative thread, offering physical connection to a character whose presence elevated the film beyond typical tie-in fare and into something collectors still return to decades later.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm Dolby Digital release print of Pokémon: The First Movie.
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 one edge beside the picture area, appearing as a dual bilateral variable-area pattern consistent with a Dolby analogue stereo print; Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks are also visible in the gaps between the perforations on the same edge.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read any key numbers or manufacturer text.
Base & colour
The base shows a blue-cyan tint typical of a colour release print; the dye image reads as a cool blue-dominant palette with no obvious red shift or fading.
Projection history
No visible splices, cue marks or heavy scratching are apparent; the image area appears consistent with a projected print.
Picture
Positive colour image; all four frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, and the animated character style is consistent with the Pokémon franchise film on record.
Era check
The combination of dual bilateral variable-area optical track and Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks is consistent with a 35mm 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
