Pokémon: The Movie Trailer arrived in 1999 as part of the promotional push surrounding the franchise's leap from television to theatrical release, a moment when Pokémon had become a defining cultural force in North America. Distributed in advance of the feature itself, these trailer reels circulated through theaters to build anticipation for Ash Ketchum's first big-screen adventure. For collectors, material from this early promotional window holds particular value, since it captures the franchise at the height of its initial popularity, before sequels and spinoffs diluted the novelty of seeing these characters on 35mm film.
This cell preserves a moment described as Ash and Friends Swim To The Surface, placing Ash, Misty, and Brock together with their Pokémon companions Pikachu and Squirtle. The pairing of all three trainers with two of the franchise's most recognizable Pokémon makes this a strong ensemble piece, appealing to collectors who seek frames representing the core traveling group rather than isolated characters. As a trailer cell, it belonged to the marketing apparatus built to draw audiences into theaters, making it a tangible fragment of the film's earliest public life rather than the feature presentation itself.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release-print trailer strip from Pokémon: The Movie (1999).
Gauge
35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges, and the strip holds three complete frames side by side.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, with rounded-rectangle holes that look cleanly punched and uniform.
Soundtrack
A two-track variable-area optical soundtrack 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
Light blue-tinted clear base at the edges; the dye image looks saturated and neutral, with no obvious fading or red shift.
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 are near-identical consecutive frames from one shot, and the animated look fits the Pokémon film on record.
Era check
Consistent with a late-1990s release print: optical track plus Dolby Digital blocks suits a 1999 35mm print, and the image is animated like the film on record.
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 000069965
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
