CrownGrading Pro
Crown Portal
Submit cards Submissions Start your submissions Submission walkthrough Grading process Pre-Grade estimator Film authentication Programs Crown Ascension Crown Royal Tier Resources About Crown CrownStandard Knowledge Center CrownVault Contact Crown Portal
Ready to grade your cards? Submit Cards →
Crown Grading

Crown Grading

OFFICIAL MOTION PICTURE FILM AUTHENTICATION
A
AUTHENTIC
CROWN CERTIFIED
Film cell 000067156 Tap to enlarge
MOVIEPokémon: The First Movie - Trailer
SCENEMew Dodges!
FILM FORMAT35mm
YEAR1999
CERTIFICATE ID000067156

FILM NOTES

Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in 1999 as Warner Bros. and Nintendo's push to bring the phenomenon from television screens to theaters, pairing "Mewtwo Strikes Back" with a Pikachu short to capture a fanbase at its commercial peak. The theatrical trailer that preceded it played a key role in building anticipation, distributed to cinemas as a teaser for a franchise still proving it could translate beyond cards and games into a full theatrical event, making these promotional reels historically significant as artifacts of that crossover moment.

This cell centers on Mew, the rare and elusive Pokémon whose mythic status within the game and film lore has long made it a favorite among collectors seeking scarcity and lineage tied to the franchise's origins. "Mew Dodges" points to a moment of evasive movement, fitting for a creature defined by its reputation as untouchable and mysterious. As a trailer cell, this frame comes from promotional film stock meant to entice audiences before the feature itself, capturing an early, fleeting glimpse of Mew in motion during the marketing campaign that introduced Pokémon to the big screen.

Authentication Findings 8 checks

Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokémon: The First Movie Trailer (1999).

Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even and punches appear clean across all visible frames.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible along one edge, with what appears to be a Dolby Digital data block strip also present between the perforations on the same edge, consistent with a dual-format optical release print.
Edge print
Edge print reads, mirrored: '2283 189 022 0 20 19 KODAK 1999'
Base & colour
Base shows a slight blue-green tint typical of safety stock; dye image appears violet-shifted, consistent with the colour palette of the frames rather than fading.
Projection history
No visible splices, cue marks, or heavy scratching are apparent in this capture.
Picture
Positive image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot, and the animated character visible is consistent with the Pokémon franchise as recorded.
Era check
The Kodak 1999 edge code, safety base, variable-area optical track, and apparent Dolby Digital data blocks are all consistent with a 1999–1999 theatrical release print of 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 Capture As received
The film strip as photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size