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 courtesy of Warner Bros. and Nintendo, following its 1998 Japanese debut, at the height of Pokémania. It introduced Mewtwo, a genetically engineered Pokémon whose origin story and philosophical struggle gave the franchise unexpected weight beyond its toy and card empire. The film became a box office phenomenon, cementing Pokémon's place in American pop culture and proving animated properties built on children's media could command massive theatrical audiences.
This cell centers on Mewtwo alone, the film's central creation and its most psychologically complex figure. Mewtwo's appeal to collectors rests on its singular role as antagonist turned tragic protagonist, a being defined by questions of purpose and identity rather than simple villainy. A cell isolating this character speaks to that solitary narrative arc, capturing a piece of film history from the character's defining screen presence in a movie built around Mewtwo's central conflict.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm Dolby SR·D 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 holes appear cleanly cut with no visible tearing.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge, with what appears to be a second parallel line consistent with a Dolby Stereo SR two-track variable-area format; Dolby Digital pixel blocks are visible in the inter-perforation gaps on the same edge, indicating a hybrid SR·D optical track.
Edge print
Edge print reads mirrored as printed: '2283 189 022 0 20 18 K.ODAK 1999', consistent with Kodak stock key numbers and a 1999 manufacture date.
Base & colour
Base shows a cool blue-green tint typical of Kodak Vision or EXR colour print stock; the dye image reads in blue-dominant tones consistent with the animated source.
Projection history
No visible splices or cue marks; light horizontal surface lines are present across the strip consistent with projection wear.
Picture
Positive colour image; all four frames appear to be from the same continuous shot and the animated character style is consistent with the Pokémon: The First Movie theatrical release print.
Era check
The hybrid Dolby SR·D optical track format, Kodak 1999 edge date, and blue-green base tint are all consistent with a 1999 North American theatrical release print of this film.
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
