Sources: Wikidata. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Pikachu's Vacation premiered in 1999 as part of Pokemon: The First Movie's theatrical release, produced by OLM under Nintendo and The Pokemon Company's banner and distributed by Warner Bros. in North America. Conceived as a companion short to ease younger viewers into the feature, it captures the franchise at its commercial and cultural peak, when Pokemon dominated toy shelves, television, and playgrounds alike. The short's gentle, low-stakes storytelling, following Pikachu and friends at a resort while trainers attend to other matters, offered fans a rare glimpse of these creatures away from battle, reinforcing their appeal as characters with personality beyond combat.
This cell centers on Psyduck and Charizard, two of the era's most collected Pokemon, each carrying different appeal: Psyduck for its comic, hapless reputation, Charizard for its status as a fan-favorite powerhouse. Framed under "Blastoff!", the moment suggests a burst of energetic action or launch, a beat likely drawn from the short's playful set pieces rather than its quieter vacation scenes. For collectors, a pairing of these two names on a single 35mm cell is notable, joining a bumbling everyman character with one of the franchise's marquee dragons in a single shared frame of film history.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pikachu's Vacation (1999)
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges, four frames on the strip
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, cleanly punched with no visible tearing or distortion
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible along one edge of the picture area; no Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks, DTS timecode stripe, or SDDS outer-edge tracks are discernible in this capture
Edge print
2383 324 335 1 06 12 KODAK 2000 (read mirrored as printed on the strip)
Base & colour
Base appears neutral to very slightly warm; dye image shows strong, saturated colour with no visible fading
Projection history
No scratches, splice marks, or cue marks visible in this capture
Picture
Positive colour image; all four frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, consistent with an animated theatrical release print matching the film on record
Era check
Kodak 2383 print stock with a variable-area optical track is consistent with a 1999 theatrical release print era for an animated feature of this type
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
