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 Creatures Inc. It was the first theatrical feature spun from the global Pokémon phenomenon, drawing record opening-weekend audiences and introducing a generation of young viewers to feature-length animation. The film remains a cultural landmark of late-1990s anime crossover into Western mainstream cinema.

This cell, confirmed as Mewtwo, captures the genetically engineered Pokémon rendered as a dark silhouette against the luminous blue glow of the New Island laboratory sequence. The surrounding mechanical architecture frames the figure in near-total shadow, a compositional choice that defined Mewtwo's brooding, enigmatic presence throughout the film. It is a quietly striking frame from one of the feature's most visually deliberate moments.