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 culmination of a cultural phenomenon that had swept through television, trading cards, and video games. Produced by OLM, Inc. and directed by Kunihiko Yuyama, the film drew enormous audiences and remains a defining artifact of late-1990s animation and franchise storytelling.

This cell captures Mewtwo in a commanding stance, one arm raised against a rich golden and amber field, with a large dark circular form looming overhead. The composition reflects the film's most dramatically charged sequences, where the genetically engineered Pokémon asserts his formidable presence. A striking single-character frame from one of the era's most recognized animated features.