Pokémon: The Movie Trailer arrived in 1999 as part of the promotional push surrounding Pokémon: The First Movie, released domestically by Warner Bros. after Nintendo and the franchise's Japanese backers brought the phenomenon to American theaters. The trailer cells circulated as part of the marketing apparatus that turned a card game and television series into a billion-dollar cross-media event, making this era one of the most significant merchandising moments in animation history. Trailer material from this period is scarce compared to film frames proper, since far less footage was struck for promotional reels than for the feature itself.
This cell captures Ash Ketchum reaching for Pikachu, a moment built around the central bond of the entire franchise: trainer and partner. Ash is the franchise's protagonist and audience surrogate, while Pikachu remains its most recognizable and sought-after character across all collecting categories. A reaching gesture in a trailer context typically signals connection, urgency, or reunion, themes trailers use to hook audiences before the full story unfolds. For collectors, trailer cells hold a distinct appeal separate from film frames, representing the promotional machinery that introduced millions of young viewers to the characters for the first time.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release-print trailer strip of Pokémon: The Movie (1999).
Gauge
35mm layout with four perforations per frame along both edges; the strip holds three complete frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, with rounded-rectangle holes that look cleanly punched and uniform.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track runs as two wavy white tracks beside the picture, with a dashed blue-and-white line above them; Dolby Digital blocks are visible between the lower perforations.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Clear base with a light blue edge tint; the dye image looks colourful and neutral, with no obvious fading or red shift.
Projection history
None seen at this size; no scratches, splices or cue marks are visible on these three frames.
Picture
Positive image; the three frames run consecutively as one shot with small changes in the figure's position, consistent with an animated Pokémon trailer.
Era check
The optical track plus Dolby Digital blocks between perforations suits 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 000070063
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
