Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in American theaters in November 1999 from Warner Bros., distributing the Japanese animated feature alongside a Pikachu short, "Pikachu's Vacation." It rode the crest of the Pokémon franchise's explosive stateside debut, capitalizing on the trading card game and television series that had become a cultural phenomenon that year. The promotional trailer campaign leading into release was a significant part of introducing Mewtwo's story to a broader American audience beyond existing fans, making trailer material from this period a touchstone for the franchise's theatrical arrival.
This cell comes from the trailer reel itself, promotional footage cut together to build anticipation ahead of the film's run. The Team Rocket Viking Ship places Jessie, James, and Meowth in one of their recurring comic schemes, the trio's elaborate vehicles being a signature gag throughout the series. Misty and Brock's presence alongside them in this stretch of trailer footage reflects the core traveling group central to the show's structure. Trailer cells like this one appeal to collectors for marking the exact promotional moment this franchise crossed into American theaters.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm positive release-print trailer strip for Pokémon: The First Movie (1999).
Gauge
35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges; the strip holds three full frames, with a sliver of a fourth at the right.
Perforations
Four per frame on each edge, evenly spaced, rounded-rectangle shape and cleanly punched, with no torn or missing perforations seen.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track with two tracks runs beside the picture; no Dolby Digital blocks, DTS timecode or SDDS tracks are visible at the edges.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Clear base with a light blue tint at the edges and neutral-to-saturated dye colours; no red shift or fading seen.
Projection history
None seen at this size; no scratches, cue marks or splices are visible across the three frames.
Picture
Positive image; the three frames run consecutively as one near-static shot, and the animated look is plausible for the Pokémon film on record.
Era check
Consistent with a 1999 35mm release print: a positive colour image with a two-track variable-area optical soundtrack suits the period, though no stock-dating edge print is readable.
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 000069834
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
