Pokémon: The Movie Trailer arrived in 1999 as part of the marketing push surrounding Pokémon: The First Movie, released theatrically by Warner Bros. in the United States under license from Nintendo and the Pokémon Company. The franchise was at its commercial peak that year, riding the success of the games, the animated series, and the trading card phenomenon. Promotional trailer reels like this one circulated through theaters to build anticipation for the feature, making them an early and tangible artifact of Pokémon's crossover into mainstream American pop culture.
This cell centers on Ash Ketchum, the series' central trainer and the character most identified with its themes of perseverance and companionship. The moment named here, his act of rescuing his Pokémon, speaks to one of the franchise's core emotional throughlines, the bond between trainer and creature that goes beyond battle. As a trailer cell, this frame would have functioned to tease that relationship to audiences ahead of the film's release, offering a glimpse meant to stir recognition and anticipation rather than tell the full story.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release-print strip from the Pokémon: The Movie trailer (1999).
Gauge
35mm layout with four perforations spanning each frame on both edges; the strip holds three full frames of picture.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, rounded-rectangle punches that look evenly spaced and cleanly cut, with no torn or distorted holes seen.
Soundtrack
A two-track variable-area optical track runs between the picture and the lower perforations, with a dashed timecode-style line along its outer edge; no Dolby Digital blocks visible between the perforations.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Pale cyan-blue tint on the edge margins, with a neutral clear base and saturated, unfaded dye colours in the picture.
Projection history
No scratches, splices or cue marks seen at this size; the only marks are camera reflections on the middle and right frames.
Picture
Positive colour image, the three frames run consecutively as one continuous shot, and the animation style is consistent with Pokémon: The Movie.
Era check
Optical variable-area track on a colour positive 35mm print fits a 1999 theatrical release print or trailer, which carried analogue optical sound.
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 000069955
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
