Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in 1999 through Warner Bros., riding the crest of Pokémania as it swept American theaters and playgrounds alike. Adapted and expanded from the Japanese original, the film paired Mewtwo's origin story with a bonus short, Pikachu's Vacation, and became a cultural marker for a generation raised on the franchise. Its trailer run was itself an event, teasing audiences with glimpses of the core cast before the feature's release and cementing the movie's place as a defining crossover from television to cinema.
This cell preserves a promotional moment built around Ash Ketchum and three of his earliest, most recognizable companions: Pikachu, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur. These are the franchise's foundational faces, prized by collectors for representing Pokémon at its original, unadulterated peak. As a trailer cell, it belongs to the marketing lineage of the film rather than its narrative body, capturing the ensemble as it was presented to draw audiences in before the story itself unfolded on screen.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokemon: The First Movie Trailer (1999).
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds two frames.
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 variable-area optical soundtrack track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area, with what appears to be a second narrower track adjacent, consistent with a stereo variable-area optical print; Dolby Digital pixel blocks between perforations are not clearly distinguishable at this size.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture.
Base & colour
The base shows a cool blue-neutral tint; the dye image reads with strong saturated colour, no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
Light horizontal abrasion lines are visible across the soundtrack area, consistent with a projected print; no splices or cue marks seen.
Picture
Positive colour image; both frames appear to be the same or near-consecutive frames from a single shot, and the animated content is consistent with the Pokemon: The First Movie Trailer (1999) on record.
Era check
The variable-area optical soundtrack, saturated dye image, and blue-tinted polyester-type base are all consistent with a 1999 theatrical release print of the film 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
