Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in 1999 courtesy of Warner Bros. and Nintendo, riding the crest of a cultural wave that had already swept American children's media. The trailer preceding its release served as an early signal to audiences that the Pokémon franchise could command the big screen, not just television and trading cards. For collectors, teaser and trailer material from this period holds particular value, as it captures the marketing push that helped cement Pokémon's crossover from a handheld game into a theatrical phenomenon, reaching families who may not have followed the series week to week.
This cell, called Pokémon Group, brings together Hitmonlee, Rhyhorn, Venusaur, Sandslash, Scyther, and Rhydon, a roster spanning several original generation creatures recognizable to fans of the early games and television series. A grouping like this in trailer footage speaks to the film's intent to showcase breadth, reminding audiences of the roster's variety ahead of the feature's central battle narrative. Each of these creatures carries its own following among collectors, from Venusaur's status as a starter evolution to Scyther's popularity among competitive players, making a shared appearance especially desirable for anyone building a themed collection around the franchise's debut cinematic push.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release-print trailer strip of Pokémon: The First Movie (1999).
Gauge
35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges, with three full frames visible on this strip.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, rounded-rectangle holes, evenly spaced and cleanly punched, with no tears or missing perforations seen.
Soundtrack
Two variable-area optical tracks run beside the picture, plus Dolby Digital data blocks in the gaps between the lower-edge perforations.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Clear base with a pale blue cast at the edges; the dye image looks saturated, with no obvious fade or red shift.
Projection history
None seen at this size; no scratches, cue marks or splices are visible on these three frames.
Picture
Positive colour image; the three frames are consecutive and near-identical, reading as one held shot, and the animated Pokémon artwork is consistent with the film on record.
Era check
Optical tracks with Dolby Digital blocks between the perforations fit a late-1990s 35mm release print, consistent with a 1999 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 000069891
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
