Pokémon: The Movie 2000 arrived in American theaters through Warner Bros. in the summer of 2000, riding the peak of Pokémania that had already conquered television, trading cards, and handheld games. As the second theatrical feature in the franchise, it served as a cultural checkpoint, proof that the property could sustain a full cinematic run beyond the small screen. Trailers for the film circulated widely in advance of release, building anticipation among a generation of young fans and giving theaters a preview reel that promised adventure, spectacle, and the familiar cast returning to the big screen.
This cell preserves a moment from that promotional reel centered on Pikachu, the franchise's defining mascot and the character most responsible for its global reach. A trailer cell like this one functions as a fragment of anticipation itself, a single frame pulled from the material used to sell the feature before general audiences ever saw it. The designated mood, happiness, aligns with Pikachu's core identity as an approachable, good natured companion, the emotional anchor that made the character a lasting collectible symbol.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokémon: The Movie 2000.
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame visible on the top edge; the strip holds three frames
Perforations
Four per frame on the top edge, evenly spaced and cleanly punched; bottom edge perforations are also visible and appear evenly spaced
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along the bottom edge beside the picture area, appearing as a dual-track variable-area format; a dense dotted band consistent with a Dolby Digital data block is also visible between the bottom perforations and the picture
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Base appears warm-amber tinted; dye image reads as a colour positive with yellow and orange tones intact, no obvious fading or red shift
Projection history
Light surface abrasion lines and scattered emulsion spotting are visible across all three frames, consistent with a print that has passed through a projector
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, and the animated character depicted is consistent with the Pokémon franchise as recorded
Era check
The combination of a variable-area optical track, Dolby Digital data blocks between perforations, warm-amber base stock, and colour positive image is consistent with a theatrical release print from the late 1990s to early 2000s, matching 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
