Sources: Wikidata. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
FILM NOTES
Pokémon: Pikachu's Vacation arrived in 1999 as the animated short accompanying Pokémon: The First Movie, released theatrically by Warner Bros. in North America as part of the franchise's early cinematic push. Produced in Japan by OLM and brought stateside during peak Pokémania, the short gave audiences a dialogue-light breather from the feature's drama, following Pikachu and a cast of Pokémon on a day of leisure. It remains a touchstone of the franchise's first theatrical wave, valued for its gentle, ensemble-driven approach to characters many fans met for the first time on the big screen.
This 35mm cell groups Cubone, Raichu, Snubbull and Marill, four Pokémon drawn from across different generations and designs, suggesting an ensemble moment from the short's roaming, communal pacing. Raichu in particular draws collector interest as Pikachu's evolved form, rarely given screen time of its own in the main series. Cubone and Snubbull bring their distinct silhouettes into the frame grouping, while Marill rounds out the gathering. As a film cell rather than a trailer or title card, it preserves an actual theatrical frame, a physical artifact from the animation's original release print.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release print of the Pikachu's Vacation trailer (1999).
Gauge
35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges, and 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 tears seen.
Soundtrack
Two variable-area optical tracks run beside the picture, with Dolby Digital data blocks visible in the gaps between the lower-edge perforations; no DTS timecode or SDDS tracks seen.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Pale blue-tinted base along both edges, with a neutral, colourful dye image showing no obvious fading or colour shift.
Projection history
No scratches, cue marks or splices seen at this size.
Picture
Positive image; the three frames run consecutively as one near-identical shot, and the animated Pokémon characters fit the Pikachu's Vacation trailer on record.
Era check
Consistent with a late-1990s release print, since the optical track plus Dolby Digital data blocks match the digital-era stock used for 1999 theatrical trailers.
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 000071043
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
