Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in late 1999 as Warner Bros. and Nintendo's gamble on bringing the franchise to American theaters, riding the peak of Pokémania. Produced in Japan and localized for Western audiences, it paired the New York premiere of the animated feature with the short Pikachu's Vacation, and its promotional campaign, including this trailer, became a cultural flashpoint for a generation of young collectors and the merchandise boom that followed.
This cell preserves a moment from that early trailer, built around Mewtwo, the genetically engineered Pokémon whose origin and moral conflict anchor the film's plot. Appearing alongside it are Gyarados, Scyther, and Nidoqueen, the cloned Pokémon central to Mewtwo's confrontation with the original species. A trailer cell like this one captures the film's first public pitch to audiences, a teaser frame meant to introduce Mewtwo's presence and the cloning premise before the story had even opened. For collectors, Mewtwo's early billing here carries particular weight given the character's lasting popularity.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release-print trailer strip of Pokémon: The First Movie (1999).
Gauge
Four perforations per frame along both edges, which is the 35mm layout; the strip holds three frames, the third cut off at the right.
Perforations
Four per frame on the top edge and on the bottom edge, rounded-rectangle holes, evenly spaced and cleanly punched, with no torn or damaged holes visible.
Soundtrack
A two-track variable-area optical track runs between the picture and the lower perforations, and small speckled blocks sit in the gaps between the lower perforations, matching Dolby Digital data.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Light blue tint on the edge margins with a clear, neutral base across the picture area; the dye image looks saturated, with no red shift or fading.
Projection history
No scratches, cue marks or splices are seen at this size; the strip looks clean on the panel.
Picture
Positive colour image; the three frames repeat one continuous shot with only slight movement between them, and the animated look is consistent with a Pokémon film.
Era check
The optical track plus Dolby Digital data blocks fit a late-1990s 35mm release print, which is consistent with a 1999 trailer for this film.
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 000069871
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
