Released in 1999 as Warner Bros. brought Pokémon to American theaters alongside the feature Pokémon: The First Movie, this trailer reel captures the franchise at its commercial peak, when Nintendo's creatures dominated playgrounds, television, and trading card binders alike. The marketing campaign surrounding the film was enormous, and trailer prints like this one were struck for theatrical distribution to build anticipation among a young, devoted audience. These promotional reels, often overlooked compared to feature prints, offer a direct window into how a studio chose to sell a cultural phenomenon still finding its footing in American cinema.
This cell preserves a moment built around four of the franchise's most recognizable original creatures: Pikachu, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Vulpix. Pikachu's presence alone makes this desirable to collectors, as the character served as the franchise's mascot and face from day one. Squirtle and Bulbasaur, two of the original starter Pokémon, carry their own nostalgic weight, while Vulpix rounds out the grouping as a fan favorite from the early roster. As a trailer cell, this frame belongs to the promotional material meant to introduce these characters to a wide audience before the feature itself.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm Dolby Digital release print of the Pokémon: The Movie trailer (1999).
Gauge
Four-perforation pitch on both edges and a standard-ratio frame size match 35mm; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four perforations per frame on both edges, evenly spaced and cleanly punched with rounded-rectangle holes, no tears or missing holes seen.
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
Clear base with a slight light-blue tint at the outer edges; the dye image looks neutral and saturated, with no visible fading or colour shift.
Projection history
No scratches, cue marks or splices seen at this size; the frames look clean and unmarked.
Picture
Positive colour image; the three frames run consecutively as near-identical moments of one shot, and the cartoon characters are consistent with the Pokémon film on record.
Era check
A two-track optical track with Dolby Digital blocks between the perforations fits a late-1990s 35mm release print, so the strip is consistent with the 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 000070029
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
