Pokemon: The First Movie arrived in the United States in November 1999, distributed by Warner Bros. after Nintendo and 4Kids built the franchise into a cultural wave through the animated series and trading card craze. The teaser and trailer materials that preceded the feature circulated through theaters in 1998 and 1999, a stretch when Pokemon merchandising was reaching its commercial peak. These promotional strips are scarcer than frames pulled from the film itself, since trailers saw limited print runs and were often discarded once their theatrical run ended.
This cell isolates Mew, the legendary Pokemon whose mystery and rarity anchored the film's central conflict with its clone, Mewtwo. As a trailer excerpt rather than a scene from the finished picture, it belongs to the promotional apparatus built to generate anticipation ahead of release, distinct from screen-used frames and valued by collectors precisely for that separate lineage. Mew's presence alone, without surrounding characters, keeps the focus on the creature that gave the franchise its origin myth and its enduring appeal to collectors of early Pokemon film material.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm Dolby Digital release print of Pokémon: The First Movie.
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; punched edges appear clean with no torn or missing perforations visible.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible along one edge; Dolby Digital data blocks appear present in the perforation gaps, consistent with a mid-to-late 1990s release print.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to quote any text or key numbers.
Base & colour
Base tint is neutral to slightly warm; dye image shows no visible fading or colour shift.
Projection history
No visible scratches, splice marks, or cue marks seen in this capture.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, consistent with a release print of the film on record.
Era check
The combination of a variable-area optical track, apparent Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks, and colour positive stock is consistent with a 1999-1999 theatrical release print.
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
