Pokémon: The Movie Trailer arrived in 1999 as part of the marketing push surrounding the franchise's explosive leap from television and trading cards to the big screen, timed alongside Pokémon: The First Movie. Warner Bros. handled the theatrical release in North America, and promotional reels like this one circulated in cinemas to build anticipation for Pikachu, Ash Ketchum, and the rest of the roster making their feature debut. The era marks the height of Pokémania, a cultural moment collectors continue to chase in physical ephemera.
This cell preserves a moment named Ash and Pikachu Falling, pairing the franchise's trainer protagonist with his signature partner in a scene drawn from the trailer's assembly of highlights. Ash and Pikachu are the emotional core of the series, and any early trailer material featuring them together holds appeal for those tracing the promotional history of the first film. As a trailer cell rather than a frame from the finished feature, it belongs to the marketing artifacts that introduced audiences to the stakes and energy of the story before release.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm Dolby Digital release print of the 1999 Pokémon: The Movie trailer.
Gauge
35mm layout with four perforations per frame along both edges; the strip holds three complete frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both the top and bottom edges, evenly spaced, rounded-rectangle shape and cleanly punched with no visible tearing.
Soundtrack
A two-track variable-area optical track runs beside the picture, with Dolby Digital data blocks visible in the gaps between the lower perforations.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Clear base with a light blue-cyan tint along the edges; the dye image looks neutral with saturated colours and no obvious fading.
Projection history
No lines, scratches, cue marks or splices seen at this size.
Picture
Positive image; the three frames run consecutively as one shot with small changes between them, and the animated style fits the Pokémon film on record.
Era check
Optical track plus Dolby Digital blocks between the perforations is consistent with a late-1990s 35mm release print, matching 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 000070058
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
