Pokémon: The Movie 2000 arrived in American theaters in the summer of 2000, riding the peak wave of Pokémania as Warner Bros. distributed the second theatrical feature built on the Pikachu phenomenon. Produced in Japan and localized for Western audiences, it followed the franchise's successful debut film and helped cement the movie-length Pokémon event as an annual theatrical tradition. The picture introduced Lugia, the legendary guardian of the seas, to mainstream audiences, expanding the mythology beyond the television series and giving the franchise a cinematic scale it hadn't shown before.
This cell comes from the trailer reel, the promotional footage cut together to sell the film ahead of release, gathering key figures to signal scope and stakes. Pairing Lugia's name with Ash Ketchum and Pikachu points to the film's central journey, the bond between trainer and partner set against a legendary creature's presence. The inclusion of Jessie, James, and Meowth situates Team Rocket's familiar comic antagonism within that larger adventure, a combination collectors prize for capturing the franchise's full cast dynamic in a single promotional frame.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print trailer strip of Pokémon: The Movie 2000.
Gauge
35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges; the strip holds three frames, with the first a different shot from the second and third.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced and cleanly punched, with rounded-rectangle holes of uniform shape and no visible tears or missing sprocket holes.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track of two bands runs along the lower edge, and the gaps between the lower perforations hold a speckled grey pattern consistent with Dolby Digital data blocks.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Clear base with a light blue tint along the edges; the dye image looks saturated and neutral, with no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
No scratches, cue marks or splices seen at this size; the edges look clean.
Picture
Positive image. The first frame is a different shot from the other two, which are consecutive near-identical frames of one shot. Pokémon characters match the film on record.
Era check
Consistent with a 2000-era 35mm release print, since the optical track plus Dolby Digital blocks suits a theatrical print of that period, and the animation matches Pokémon.
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 000071284
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
