Pokémon: The Movie 2000 arrived in theaters courtesy of Warner Bros. and The Pokémon Company at the height of Pokémania, when the franchise's leap from handheld game to global phenomenon was still accelerating. As the second theatrical feature, it carried the weight of proving the series could sustain a film franchise beyond novelty, and promotional trailers like this one played a key role in building anticipation among a fan base hungry for any new footage ahead of release.
This cell comes from that promotional reel, a 35mm trailer frame built to tease the feature rather than deliver its full story. Misty and Melody together place this squarely within the film's water-centered subplot, as Melody was introduced specifically for this movie and paired narratively with Misty, one of the original series' most enduring companions. Togepi's presence alongside them reflects its status as Misty's constant companion during this era. For collectors, trailer cells hold particular appeal as artifacts of anticipation, preserving a moment the studio chose to showcase before audiences ever saw the finished film.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm release print of the Pokémon: The Movie 2000 trailer.
Gauge
35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges, and the strip holds three frames, with a fourth edge sliver not counted.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, rounded-rectangle holes, evenly spaced and cleanly punched, with no torn or missing perforations seen.
Soundtrack
Two variable-area optical tracks run beside the picture, plus Dolby Digital data blocks in the gaps between the lower-edge perforations; no DTS timecode or SDDS tracks visible.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Pale blue-tinted base along both edges; the dye image looks saturated, with purples, oranges and pinks intact and no obvious fade.
Projection history
No scratches, splices or cue marks seen at this size; the dark rings on the right frames are phone reflections and are ignored.
Picture
Positive image; the three frames run consecutively as one shot with only slight drift, and the animated style fits the film on record.
Era check
Optical tracks plus Dolby Digital blocks on a cel-style anime print fit a 2000-era 35mm release trailer, though the strip carries no printed identifiers.
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 000071258
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
