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Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in North American theaters in November 1999, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures following the franchise's explosive rise through the Game Boy games and animated television series. Produced by OLM, Inc. for Nintendo and 4Kids Entertainment, the film represented a cultural milestone, becoming the highest-grossing anime film released in the United States at that time and cementing Pokémon as a genuine global phenomenon beyond its origins as a Japanese media property.
This cell captures Gyarados in close-up, the serpentine sea creature rendered against a deep blue field with its white mane and red eyes commanding the frame. Drawn from three sequential frames of what reads as a dramatic trailer moment, the shot reflects the theatrical presentation style used to introduce the film's world to audiences unfamiliar with the source material.