Sources: Wikidata. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai arrived in 2008 as part of the franchise's tenth-anniversary push, distributed theatrically before its home video release and produced under the Pokémon Company's ongoing partnership with OLM and Toho. It expanded the mythology of the Sinnoh region's Legendary Pokémon, giving Dialga a prominent feature role alongside Palkia and the titular Darkrai. For a franchise built on serialized television, theatrical entries like this one carried weight as rare big-screen events, drawing collector interest in physical film ephemera tied to their limited theatrical runs.
This cell captures Dialga in battle, placing it at the center of the film's conflict between two Legendary Pokémon whose powers govern time and space. Dialga's design and role as a Legendary make it a natural focal point for collectors, since screen-accurate footage of such characters in active combat is scarcer than promotional or static material. A moment described simply as battling signals kinetic, plot-driving footage rather than incidental animation, the kind of frame that anchors a reel to the film's climactic stakes.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm colour release print of Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, cleanly punched with no visible torn or deformed holes
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area, appearing as a single-track analog optical stripe
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Base appears neutral to very slightly cool; dye image shows strong saturated colour with no visible fading or red shift
Projection history
No visible scratches, splice marks, or cue marks seen
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, consistent with animated content matching the film on record
Era check
A single variable-area optical track alongside a colour positive 35mm print is consistent with a 2008 theatrical release print, as that format remained standard for that period
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
