National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in North American theaters in November 1999, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures as the theatrical centerpiece of a franchise already reshaping popular culture. Produced by OLM, Inc. and 4Kids Entertainment, the film adapted the television series into a feature-length story centered on the genetically engineered Pokémon Mewtwo. It remains a defining artifact of the late-1990s anime wave that introduced an entire generation to Japanese animation.

This cell, titled Team Rocket in Mewtwo's Lab, captures Jessie, James, and Meowth navigating the cold, mechanized interior of Mewtwo's facility, a pink glowing panel casting dim light across the scene. Jessie was voiced by Rachael Lillis, James by Eric Stuart, and Meowth by Madeleine Blaustein. The four-frame sequence preserves a quiet, atmospheric moment from one of the film's most visually distinctive settings.