Sources: Wikidata. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Pokémon: The Movie 2000 arrived from Warner Bros. and 4Kids Entertainment as the second theatrical outing for the franchise, following hot on the heels of the original Pokémon series' explosive Western debut. Built around the Legendary Birds and the balance of the elements, it cemented the brand's hold on American theaters during the peak of Pokémon mania, pulling in families and collectors alike who had only recently discovered Pikachu and company. For archivists, this film marks a transitional moment, the point where Pokémon proved it could sustain a cinematic universe beyond the television format.
This cell gives us Magikarp, the famously humble creature known more for its limited utility than its strength, a fan favorite precisely because of its reputation as an underdog among the franchise's roster. The Magikarp Migration moment speaks to a recurring thread in Pokémon storytelling, where even the most overlooked species have their place in the natural world's larger movements and rhythms. For collectors, a Magikarp cell is a quieter curiosity, prized not for spectacle but for its connection to a beloved, self-aware joke within the franchise's own mythology.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm Dolby Digital release print of Pokémon: The Movie 2000.
Gauge
35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges, and the strip holds three full frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, rounded-rectangle punches, cleanly cut with no visible tearing or missing holes.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track runs beside the picture inside the perforations, plus Dolby Digital data blocks visible in the gaps between the lower-edge perforations.
Edge print
Reads "KODAK 2383" followed by a number code and a purple square, quoted as read (reversed, with the numbers partly legible).
Base & colour
Clear base with a light blue tint at the edges, and the dye image looks neutral with saturated colours and no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
None seen at this size; no scratches, splices or cue marks are visible, and the dark circles on the middle frame are camera reflections.
Picture
Positive image; the three frames run consecutively as one near-identical shot, and the animated style is consistent with the film on record.
Era check
Kodak 2383 print stock with an optical track and Dolby Digital blocks is consistent with a 2000 theatrical release print.
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 000071312
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
