Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in American theaters in November 1999 through Warner Bros., distributing 4Kids Entertainment's adaptation of the Japanese feature Mewtwo Strikes Back. It landed at the height of Pokémon's first great wave of popularity in the West, when the trading cards, the Game Boy titles, and the television series had already converted a generation of young collectors into devoted followers. The trailer that preceded the film's release served as many fans' first theatrical glimpse of the franchise's leap to the big screen, and reels struck for promotional use in 1999 remain scarce, prized by archivists as artifacts of that singular cultural moment.
This cell preserves a trailer frame built around three of the franchise's most recognizable original Pokémon: Pikachu, the series' mascot and enduring emblem; Squirtle, the water starter beloved for its steady, dependable charm; and Bulbasaur, the grass starter long favored by collectors seeking the complete original trio. Their shared presence here reflects the ensemble appeal that the marketing campaign leaned on, inviting audiences to recognize familiar companions before the feature itself unfolded. As a trailer cell, it belongs to the promotional apparatus of the release, a fragment meant to entice rather than narrate.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm positive release print of the Pokémon: The First Movie trailer (1999).
Gauge
Four perforations span the single frame on each edge, the 35mm layout; the strip holds one complete frame, with only slivers of neighbouring frames visible.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, with clean rounded-rectangle punches and no torn or missing holes seen.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track appears as two wavy white lines beside the picture, with a dashed line above them; no Dolby Digital blocks, DTS timecode or SDDS tracks are visible.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
The base reads as a pale cyan-blue tint at the edges; the dye image looks neutral with saturated colours, and no obvious fading is seen.
Projection history
None seen at this size.
Picture
Positive colour image of an animated frame showing Pokémon characters, consistent with the film on record; only one frame is in view, so consecutive running cannot be checked.
Era check
The optical track and colour print on a 35mm base are consistent with a 1999 theatrical release print or trailer, though the analogue track alone does not pin the 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 in partnership with National Film Vault, 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.
CROWN SERIAL 000069749
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
