Pokémon: The Movie 2000 arrived at the height of Pokémania, when Warner Bros. and Nintendo pushed the franchise's second theatrical feature into wide release on a wave of trading cards, Saturday morning television, and a fanbase hungry for more after the first film's surprise box office success. Known in Japan as Mewtwo Strikes Back's successor, The Power of One, the movie served as a cornerstone of the brand's early push into American pop culture, cementing Pokémon's place in multiplex history during a period when few animated imports achieved that kind of saturation.
This cell preserves a frame from the film's promotional trailer, specifically its title card moment, the point where the movie's name is presented to the audience before footage builds anticipation. Title card cells like this are prized by collectors as artifacts of the marketing machine itself, separate from the feature film reels, capturing how the studio chose to announce the picture to theatergoers. As a piece of 35mm promotional material, it stands as a tangible fragment of the theatrical experience that introduced a generation to Pokémon on the big screen.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release trailer print of Pokémon: The Movie 2000.
Gauge
Four perforations per frame along both edges, which is the 35mm layout; the strip holds three full frames, each showing the same title card.
Perforations
Four per frame on both the top and bottom edges, evenly spaced, rounded-rectangle shape and cleanly punched, with no torn or missing holes in this capture.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track runs beside the picture as two bilateral tracks, 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 tint along both edges; the dye image reads neutral black, yellow and blue with no obvious fading or colour shift.
Projection history
Fine white speckles across the dark picture areas, consistent with dust or light surface marks; no cue marks, splices or long scratches seen at this size.
Picture
Positive image; three consecutive frames show the same 'Pokémon The Movie 2000' title card on a black starfield, matching the film on record.
Era check
Optical tracks plus Dolby Digital blocks between perforations fit a circa-2000 35mm release print, and the Pokémon The Movie 2000 logo fits the film on record.
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 000071237
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
