Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in American theaters in November 1999, released by Warner Bros. in partnership with Nintendo and Pikachu Project 1998, riding the height of Pokémania as the franchise crossed from television and trading cards into a theatrical event. The promotional trailer that preceded it played a key role in building anticipation, stitched together from footage meant to stoke excitement among a generation discovering the series for the first time. As one of the earliest pieces of film promoting the Pokémon brand on American screens, it holds a notable place in franchise history.
This cell, titled Pikachu Attacks!, isolates a moment built around the franchise's defining character, the electric mouse whose popularity carried the entire property into mainstream culture. The word "attacks" points to Pikachu in an active, forceful role, consistent with the character's signature electric abilities that made it a favorite among fans and collectors alike. As a trailer cell, it comes from promotional material designed to excite audiences before the feature itself, making it a fragment of the marketing campaign rather than the finished film, valued by collectors for capturing Pikachu at a pivotal early moment in its cinematic debut.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release-print trailer strip of Pokémon: The First Movie (1999).
Gauge
35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges, with four frames showing on this strip, each separated by a wide black frame line.
Perforations
Four per frame on the upper and lower edges, evenly spaced and cleanly punched, with rounded-rectangle holes and no visible tears or missing perforations.
Soundtrack
A two-track variable-area optical track runs along the lower edge, with Dolby Digital data blocks in the gaps between the lower perforations; no DTS or SDDS seen.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Clear to light-blue base tint at the edges; the dye image looks saturated and neutral, with no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
No scratches, cue marks or splices seen at this size; the frames look clean.
Picture
Positive colour image; four consecutive frames of one continuous shot of a yellow Pokémon figure in lightning against a blue sky, matching the film on record.
Era check
Consistent with a late-1990s release print: analogue optical track plus Dolby Digital data blocks suit a 1999 theatrical trailer on 35mm.
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
