Released in 1999 by Warner Bros. in partnership with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, Pokémon: The First Movie brought the phenomenon to American theaters at the height of its cultural saturation. The trailer campaign that preceded it was essential to that rollout, circulating in theaters and on broadcast television to introduce mainstream audiences to a roster already beloved by young fans. For many collectors, trailer material from this release marks the exact moment Pokémon crossed from a handheld game and Saturday morning cartoon into a full theatrical event.
This cell gathers Ash Ketchum alongside Pikachu, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur, three of the franchise's most recognizable starter and companion creatures, with Scyther rounding out the group as a reminder of the broader cast beyond the core trio. As a trailer frame, its purpose was promotional, assembling the team to signal unity and adventure ahead of the feature. Collectors prize such cells for capturing the ensemble as it was marketed to the public, a snapshot of the franchise's early identity before the film itself had even opened.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release trailer print of Pokémon: The First Movie (1999).
Gauge
35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges, and the strip holds three complete frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, rounded-rectangle holes, evenly spaced and cleanly punched, with no torn or missing perforations seen.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track, two tracks side by side, runs between the picture and the lower perforations; no Dolby Digital blocks, DTS line or SDDS tracks are visible.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Pale blue-green base tint along both edges, with the dye image looking neutral and saturated, no red shift or fading seen.
Projection history
Not visible in this capture beyond faint dust specks; no scratches, cue marks or splices are seen at this size.
Picture
Positive colour image, three consecutive near-identical frames of one shot, and the animated Pokémon characters are consistent with the film on record.
Era check
A two-track variable-area optical track on a tinted-base positive is consistent with a 1999 35mm release or trailer print, though the strip carries no printed identifiers.
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 000069773
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
