Sources: Wikidata. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Pokémon: The Movie 2000 arrived from Warner Bros. and 4Kids Entertainment as the follow-up to the franchise's blockbuster theatrical debut, riding the peak of Pokémania in North America. Built around the Legendary birds and the balance of the elements, it expanded the mythology beyond Mewtwo and introduced audiences to a wider roster of creatures central to the games and anime. For collectors of animation history, this film marks a moment when a Japanese media property became a genuine Hollywood theatrical event, with reels circulating from prints struck for wide national release.
This cell bears the name Slowking, the psychic evolution of Slowpoke, a character prized by collectors for its rarity in animated appearances compared to its more common pre-evolved form. Its presence on 35mm ties directly to the film's broader Pokémon showcase, where lesser-seen species were given screen time alongside the leads. A single cell like this represents a frame excerpted from that theatrical print, a physical artifact of the character's inclusion in this specific movie rather than merely the games or trading cards.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokémon: The Movie 2000.
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds one full frame with partial frames above and below.
Perforations
Four per frame on each edge, evenly spaced; the punched holes appear cleanly cut with no visible tearing or distortion.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture, with what appears to be a Dolby Digital data-block strip in the inter-perforation area on the same edge; a purple-tinted band consistent with a DTS timecode line is also visible below the picture area.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read any key numbers or manufacturer text.
Base & colour
The base shows a neutral-to-cool tint; the dye image appears fully saturated with no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
No visible scratches, splice marks, or cue marks are apparent in this capture.
Picture
Positive colour image; the single frame visible is consistent in style and character design with the animated feature listed on record.
Era check
The combination of variable-area optical track, Dolby Digital data blocks between perforations, and DTS timecode strip is consistent with a late-1990s to early-2000s theatrical release print, matching the 2000 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
