Sources: Wikidata. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
FILM NOTES
Pokémon 4Ever arrived in 2002 as the fourth theatrical feature built from the franchise, produced by OLM under Kids WB and Miramax's stateside distribution. It marked a turning point for the series on screen, introducing Celebi as a mythical Pokémon central to a time travel narrative, and folding in a darker undertone about poaching and forest destruction than earlier entries had attempted. For a franchise built on syndication and merchandising, the film represented an effort to give the mythology weight beyond the games and cards, tying its cinematic universe to a specific, collectible creature whose rarity in the Pokémon world mirrors its rarity on screen.
This cell pairs Ash Ketchum with Celebi, the film's title character and one of the more sought-after mythical Pokémon in the franchise's iconography. Celebi's appearances are limited by design, making any frame pairing it directly with the series protagonist a natural focal point for collectors tracking the creature across its scarce screen history. Ash's presence anchors the moment within the ongoing story rather than a standalone promotional image, suggesting a scene drawn from the narrative itself. As a 35mm frame, it preserves a physical fragment of the film's original theatrical run, distinct from a title card or trailer excerpt.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm Fujicolor theatrical release print of Pokémon 4Ever (2002).
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame visible on both edges; the strip holds one full frame with partial frames above and below.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even and the punched edges appear clean with no torn or missing perforations visible.
Soundtrack
A cyan-tinted horizontal band runs below the picture area, consistent in appearance with a Dolby Digital or optical soundtrack zone, but the resolution of this capture does not allow the track type to be distinguished further.
Edge print
Lower edge reads 'FUJICOLOR'; no key numbers or SAFETY FILM text are legible in this capture.
Base & colour
The clear base shows a warm cream tint typical of Fujicolor stock; the dye image reads with strong, saturated colour and no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
No scratches, splice marks, or cue marks are visible in this capture.
Picture
Positive colour image; the single frame visible shows animated cel-style artwork consistent with the Pokémon animated feature series on record.
Era check
Fujicolor release stock, four-perforation 35mm format, and the soundtrack band placement are all consistent with a theatrical release print from the early 2000s, matching the 2002 release date on record.
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
