National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in North American theaters in November 1999, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and produced by OLM, Inc. for Nintendo and Game Freak. Released at the height of the franchise's cultural saturation, it became the highest-grossing anime film in American history at the time and remains a defining artifact of late-nineties children's entertainment and the broader anime crossover moment in Western markets.

This cell, titled Team Rocket, captures Jessie, James, and Meowth mid-tumble within a darkened interior space, blue architectural elements curving behind them across four sequential frames. The progression documents a brief but complete motion sequence, offering a rare look at the trio in unguarded physical comedy rather than their more composed scheming postures.