Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in 1999 as Warner Bros. and Nintendo's bid to translate the era's biggest television phenomenon into a theatrical event. Backed by a national marketing push, the trailer that preceded it worked to introduce non-fans to the franchise's mythology while rewarding devoted viewers with a glimpse of Mew and Mewtwo's central conflict. As one of the earliest American promotional materials for the film, this trailer holds a foundational place in Pokémon's crossover into mainstream cinema history.
This cell preserves a moment from that trailer showing Mew, the rare and elusive Psychic-type at the heart of the film's origin story. Mew's scarcity within the Pokémon universe, being the genetic template for the villain Mewtwo, makes any appearance a point of interest for collectors tracing the character's early screen presence. The label "Mew Dodges" points to a beat of evasive movement built into the trailer's pacing, hinting at the agility that defines Mew's reputation. As a trailer cell, it captures promotional footage crafted to entice audiences ahead of the feature's release, distinct from frames drawn from the finished film itself.
Authentication Findings8 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 two frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even and the punched edges appear clean.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge, with what appears to be a DTS timecode line adjacent to it; Dolby Digital data blocks are not clearly distinguishable in this capture.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture.
Base & colour
The base shows a cool, slightly blue-tinted clear stock; the dye image reads in purple and lavender tones consistent with an intact colour dye set.
Projection history
Light surface scatter and a few small dark specks are visible on the image area, consistent with a print that has passed through a projector gate.
Picture
Positive colour image; both frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot and the animated character style is consistent with the Pokémon: The First Movie Trailer (1999) on record.
Era check
The variable-area optical track combined with a DTS timecode stripe and the polyester-base stock are consistent with a mid-to-late 1990s theatrical release print, matching the 1999 record date.
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
