National Film Vault

OFFICIAL FILM AUTHENTICATION BY CROWN GRADING

AUTHENTIC

CROWN CERTIFIED

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MOVIEThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker TV Commercial

SCENECloaked Aryll Close-Up

FILM FORMAT35mm

YEAR2003

CERTIFICATE IDNFV-000003232

FILM NOTES

Nintendo released The Wind Waker in 2003 as the follow-up to Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, carrying the Zelda franchise into a stylized cel-shaded direction that split opinion at the time but has since become beloved. The television commercial that promoted the game is a rare piece of promotional film, a 35mm strip made to run in broadcast rotation rather than in theaters, meant to introduce American audiences to the new look of Link's world ahead of the holiday release window. These commercial reels are scarce compared to theatrical trailers, since they were produced in smaller quantities for a narrower purpose.

This cell preserves a close-up of Aryll, Link's younger sister, shown here cloaked. Aryll is a key emotional figure in the game's opening, her capture setting Link's journey in motion, and collectors seek her imagery for that narrative weight within the Wind Waker line. A close-up frame isolates her as a recognizable presence apart from the game's wider cast, making this a focused character study rather than an action moment. For archivists of Nintendo promotional material, a commercial cell naming her specifically marks an early, pre-release glimpse of her design reaching the public.

Authentication Findings 8 checks

Consistent with a 35mm release print of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker TV commercial (2003).

Gauge: 35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges, and the strip holds about three frames, two near-identical and one separate frame at right.
Perforations: Four per frame on both edges, rounded-rectangle holes, evenly spaced and cleanly punched, with no torn or missing perforations visible.
Soundtrack: A Dolby Digital block pattern sits between the perforations on the lower edge, with dark optical-style stripes inboard of it; no DTS timecode or SDDS tracks are visible.
Edge print: Not visible in this capture
Base & colour: Pale blue-tinted clear base; the dye image looks saturated and neutral, with no obvious fading or red shift.
Projection history: A few thin white scratch-like lines run along the soundtrack stripes; no splices or cue marks are visible in this capture.
Picture: Positive image; the first two frames repeat one shot, the third differs, and legible text on it (partly 'NOW') fits a commercial, not contradicting the film on record.
Era check: Dolby Digital data between the perforations plus a stripe-type optical track suits a 2003 35mm release print, and nothing seen conflicts with that.

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 000071007

Original Film Capture As received

The film strip as photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation

Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size