Pokémon: The Movie Trailer arrived in 1999 as part of the promotional push surrounding Pokémon: The First Movie, released theatrically in the United States by Warner Bros. in partnership with Nintendo and 4Kids Entertainment. The franchise had exploded across television, trading cards, and merchandise, and this theatrical trailer served as an early signal that Pokémon was crossing into feature filmmaking. For collectors, these trailer reels mark a transitional moment, when the brand's momentum was being tested on the big screen for the first time.
This cell preserves a moment from that trailer centered on Ash Ketchum, the series' central trainer and the figure most audiences associate with the franchise's identity. A trailer cell exists to tease narrative stakes without full context, offering a fragment meant to build anticipation. The moment named here, Ash being knocked down, points to a scene of conflict or hardship within the story being promoted, suggesting tension and challenge awaiting the character. For collectors, it represents an early, promotional glimpse of Ash under duress, a piece of the film's marketing history.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release print of Pokémon: The Movie Trailer (1999).
Gauge
35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges, and the strip holds three complete frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, rounded-rectangle punches, evenly spaced and cleanly cut, with no torn or missing holes seen.
Soundtrack
Two variable-area optical tracks run beside the picture; Dolby Digital blocks sit between the lower perforations, but no DTS line or SDDS tracks are visible.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Clear base with a faint pale-blue tint at the edges; the dye image looks neutral and well saturated, with no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
Not visible in this capture; no scratches, cue marks or splices seen at this size, only small dust-like specks in the picture area.
Picture
Positive colour image; the three frames run consecutively as one shot of an animated character, which fits an animated feature such as Pokémon: The Movie.
Era check
Consistent with a late-1990s release print: the analogue optical tracks together with Dolby Digital blocks fit the 1999 period, and the positive stock is typical of release prints.
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 000070102
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
