Pokémon: The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998)

Scientists genetically create a new Pokémon, Mewtwo, but the results are horrific and disastrous.

Directors:

Kunihiko Yuyama, Michael Haigney

Writers:

Satoshi Tajiri (creator), Takeshi Shudo

Stars:

Veronica Taylor, Rachael Lillis, Eric Stuart

3 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Veronica Taylor	...	Ash Ketchum / Female Scientist / Computer / Fuji's Wife (voice)
Jay Goede	...	Mewtwo / Dr. Fuji (voice) (as Philip Bartlett)
Rachael Lillis	...	Misty / Jessie / Wigglytuff (voice)
Eric Stuart	...	Brock / James / Squirtle / Weezing / Scyther / Hitmonlee / Magneton / Male Scientist / Squirtletwo (voice)
Madeleine Blaustein	...	Raymond / Meowth / Alakazam (voice) (as Addie Blaustein)
Ikue Ôtani	...	Pikachu (voice) (as Ikue Otani)
Ted Lewis	...	Giovanni / Corey / Male Scientist (voice) (as Ed Paul)
James Carter Cathcart	...	Fergus (voice) (as Jimmy Zoppi)
Michael Haigney	...	Psyduck / Venusaur / Nidoqueen / Blastoise / Dewgong / Venusaurtwo / Blastoisetwo / Raticate / Spearow / Charmandertwo (voice)
Kayzie Rogers	...	Miranda / Vaporeon / Vileplume / Ninetales (voice)
Rodger Parsons	...	Narrator (voice) (as Ken Gates)
Hirotaka Suzuoki	...	Sakaki (voice)
Lee Quick	...	Officer Jenny (voice)
Ayako Shiraishi	...	Joi (voice)
Chinami Nishimura	...	Junsar (voice)

Storyline

When a group of scientists are offered funding into genetic research if they agree to try and clone the greatest ever Pokémon, Mew, the end result is success and Mewtwo is born. However Mewtwo is bitter about his purpose in life and kills his masters. In order to become the greatest he throws open a challenge to the world to battle him and his Pokémon. Ash and his friends are one of the few groups of trainers who pass the first test and prepare for battle. However they soon find out about further cloning and Mewtwo's ultimate plan for the earth.

---

Plot Keywords:

clone | pokemon | scientist | battle | cloning | 

---

Taglines:

The Pokemon match of all time is here.

---

Genres:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Sport

---

Certificate:

G

Details

Official Sites:

Kids' WB Official site

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

10 November 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back

Filming Locations:

Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$31,036,678, 14 November 1999, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$85,744,662, 27 February 2000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$163,644,662

Company Credits

Production Co:

Oriental Light and Magic (OLM), Shogakukan Production, Tomy

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min 85 min (Extended Cut)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Japanese version has an entirely different story.

---

Goofs

Meowth calls a Sandslash a Sandshrew.

---

Quotes

James: Who's *that* Pokémon?

---

Crazy Credits

As the ending credits roll, we see clips of Ash, Brock and Misty continuing on their journey, in different places and times. In order they show: them walking down the coast as the waves lap beside the credits. Them walking through a grassy field. Them by a waterfall, with Misty sitting down with a fishing rod. Them all standing in a field watching a herd of Taurus grazing in the distance. Them all sitting in a cave, while the sky is filled with black clouds and it is raining. Them walking through a forest full of enormous trees. A panning shot of all three of them sleeping in sleeping bags out in the woods. All three of the gang walking up a desert highway. The gang sitting on top of a high mountain with a campfire, watching the sun set. The three heading toward a forest, with a huge rainbow in the foreground. And the final shot of the three is of them walking towards the camera, through a poppy field.

---

Alternate Versions

The VHS/DVD includes a cut scene which better explains the existance of Mewtwo, including a reference to Jurassic Park. This scene is played before the actual movie. (And makes the opening of the movie much more understandable). In the following "straight to video" DVD, "Pokemon : Mewtwo Returns" which was a direct sequel to this film, there is a longer version of this introduction introducing a young girl who appears to be the scientists daughter, who teaches Mewtwo a little bit about life. However, the little girl passes away when Mewtwo was still a little baby Pokemon, making his brainwaves violent, forcing the Scientists to rid his mind of his knowledge of the little girl, explaining his grainy memory.

---

Connections

Referenced in Rewind This! (2013)

---

Soundtracks

Kaze to Issho Ni
Written by Toda Shuogo
Performed by Sachiko Kobayashi

User Reviews

Its Based on Frankenstein, How Could It Be Bad?

I first saw this when I was probably 10 or 11 years old, and I appreciated it then as being a moving and entertaining film, as well as surprisingly philosophical. I was deeply offended when they did it in English and, through dubbing, changed the entire moral lesson into something far more cheesy, clichéd, and dumbed down.

See, even a 12 year old can appreciate quality film! (I just gained another year there......) In any case, it was the first anime I'd seen in Japanese, and I was impressed with the whole thing; the music was awesome, the dialogue was meaningful, the voices were cute, and the names were....strange and hard to remember. But thats OK. Names are not important.

I liked the way Mewtwo kept saying "Where am I? Who am I?". He said it so often, it was the first phrase I learned in Japanese. I concluded that both would come in handy should I ever find myself lost in Japan.

Later, as my Anime horizons expanded, and a anime-obsessive friend of mine taught me some basic phrases, and found I could recognise a lot of what was said. The vocabulary is fairly simple; its a good movie to practise your Japanese on.

And finally, the most impressive thing I found. Upon reading Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, I kept noticing similarities. Of course many, many things are different, but the basic themes are there: who asked to create me? I hate everything that made me."This is not an attack, nor a declaration of war, but revenge on you who made me" Except this one has a happy ending.

If You have seen the movie in English....well, what can I say, its better in Japanese. :P