Released in 1999 by Warner Bros. in the United States following its 1998 Japanese debut as a Toho production, Pokémon: The First Movie brought Satoshi Tajiri's phenomenon to the big screen at the height of Pokémania. Built around Mewtwo's origin story and paired theatrically with the short Pikachu's Vacation, it became one of the highest grossing anime releases in American history and introduced a generation of young audiences to franchise cinema beyond the television series and trading cards. Promotional trailers for the film circulated widely through theaters and television, building anticipation for a property that had already saturated toy aisles, playgrounds, and Saturday morning schedules.
This cell preserves a frame from that promotional reel, specifically the moment the Pokémon logo appears on screen. A trailer title card like this exists to announce the franchise itself before any story details unfold, a single graphic meant to trigger instant recognition in an audience already primed by the games and show. For collectors, such pieces mark the commercial launch point of the franchise's theatrical ambitions, a snapshot of the branding that carried Pokémon from handheld screens into movie houses at the peak of its 1999 cultural reach.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release print of the Pokémon: The First Movie trailer (1999).
Gauge
35mm layout: four perforations per frame along both edges, and the strip holds three complete frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, rounded-rectangle holes, cleanly punched with no visible tearing or distortion.
Soundtrack
A two-track variable-area optical track runs beside the picture, with Dolby Digital data blocks visible in the gaps between the lower-edge perforations.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Pale blue-tinted base along the edges; the dye image looks neutral and saturated, with no visible fading or colour shift.
Projection history
None seen at this size; no scratches, splices or cue marks are visible on the three frames.
Picture
Positive image; three consecutive frames show the same Pokémon logo card, and the title matches the film on record.
Era check
Consistent: an optical track plus Dolby Digital blocks on a 35mm strip fits a late-1990s release print of this trailer.
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 000069852
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
