Pokémon The First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back[a] is a 1998 Japanese anime film[4] directed by Kunihiko Yuyama, the chief director of the Pokémon television series. For the March 2000 home video release of The First Movie, had TV, in-school, and internet ads with companies such as Clorox, Kraft and Zenith Electronics, a contest to win a trip to Japan, and a limited edition Mewtwo card (different from that used for the theatrical release) was packaged with the video.[19]. "Don't Say You Love Me" by M2M was released as a single from the album. [34] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale. The movie was released on March 21, 2000 in Region 1 format (United States and Canada) on both VHS and DVD by Warner Home Video. [11] In the English dub, three Pokémon are referred to by the wrong name. In July of that year, a five episode radio drama titled The Birth of Mewtwo was broadcast over the five Sundays leading up to the premiere of the movie in Japan. [35], Anime News Network review called the main feature "contradictory", stating that "the anti-violent message that is pretty much crammed down our throats works directly against the entire point of the franchise" and criticized Pikachu's Summer Vacation for being "incoherent, pointless and fluffy". Despite a 59.72% drop in its second weekend to $12.5 million, the film made $67.4 million within 12 days. It is the first theatrical release in the Pokémon franchise. Pikachu tries to revive Ash with its electricity but fails. Mewtwo befriends the salvaged consciousness of Amber, named Ambertwo, as well as the clones of other Pokémon in the laboratory. Share. Whatever the case may be, Tim and Harry are free to reconcile as father and son at the end, and Pikachu is back to his adorable self. Eiga Tamagotchi: Himitsu no Otodoke Daisakusen! It was released in the United States on November 9, 1999. In accommodation with the 20th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise, a digitally remastered version of the film was released on iTunes, Amazon and Google Play on February 27. This was the biggest animated film opening for any film in the history of Warner Bros.[41] During its first weekend, it grossed $31 million and went on to generate a total of $50.8 million since its Wednesday launch in 3,043 theaters, averaging to about $10,199 per venue over the three-day span. [30], The film was included in the Blu-ray compilation titled Pikachu Movie Premium 1998-2010 in Japan on November 28, 2012.[31]. The CD contains extra features, such as Pokémon videos and a screensaver. Due to its mature themes, it was never dubbed in English. In December 2018, the release date of the remake was revealed as July 12, 2019. The original VHS release sold 4.2 million units and earned $58.8 million in the United States by the end of 2000. [35], Anime News Network review called the main feature "contradictory", stating that "the anti-violent message that is pretty much crammed down our throats works directly against the entire point of the franchise" and criticized Pikachu's Summer Vacation for being "incoherent, pointless and fluffy". And there's a 10-minute prologue. [26][27][28] The original DVD release with the snap case contained numerous features deleted from later reprints, such as the origin prologue and most importantly, the Pikachu's Vacation short film. Moved by Ash's sacrifice, Mewtwo realizes that he should not have to be judged by his origins but rather his choices in life. Tap to unmute. [36] Rating the movie two stars out of four, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called the movie "a sound-and-light show, linked to the marketing push for Pokemon in general" and said that the movie had "no level at which it enriches a young viewer, by encouraging thinking or observation. Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel. In a laboratory, the weapon eventually gains sentience and is named Mewtwo. The storm outside clears up, Ash spotting Mew flying through the clouds and tells his friends of how he saw another legendary Pokémon the day he left Pallet Town. Thus, I've come up with an alternate ending of sorts to the movie. Customers returning the toy were given a small order of french fries in return. The dead children's families settled their lawsuits on undisclosed terms. On July 8, 1999, a Complete Version[b] of the film aired on Japanese television. Since the drama was conceived a few months after the manga, the events depicted in the drama do not match up with the events portrayed in the manga. As a result, Ash's group are picked up by Team Rocket disguised as Vikings on a boat. Overseas, the prologue can only be seen as a bonus short in DVD versions of Pokémon: Mewtwo Returns. He also wrote/co-wrote the first three Pokémon movies and the Mewtwo Returns TV special This was the biggest animated film opening for any film in the history of Warner Bros.[41] During its first weekend, it grossed $31 million and went on to generate a total of $50.8 million since its Wednesday launch in 3,043 theaters, averaging to about $10,199 per venue over the three-day span. ", "劇場版ポケモン「ミュウツーの逆襲」完全版がHDリマスターに 5月3日テレビ東京他で初放送", "Pokémon The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back Special Event! Written by Takeshi Shudo, the drama delves into Mewtwo's origin prior to the start of the film. The second trailer was released in the fall of 1999 and was attached to The Bachelor. Final Mewtwo's Counterattack movie poster 3. You're signed out. Pikachu, his friends, and the bullies work together and successfully free Charizard and rebuild the park, spending the rest of the day playing before parting ways when their trainers return. This kicks off an exciting fight in a museum and a great set piece where the two dragons stop a massive tidal wave. On December 28, 1999, Burger King issued a recall of the toys. [32], While the English dub of the film received decent reviews from audiences, it received mostly negative reviews from critics. [38], In Japan, it was the second top-grossing domestic film of 1998, earning a distribution income of ¥4.15 billion,[39] and grossing a total of ¥7.6 billion. After Mewtwo rebuilds the laboratory and establishes base there, he invites several trainers with hologram messages to battle the world's greatest Pokémon trainer at New Island. ", "劇場版ポケモン「ミュウツーの逆襲」完全版がHDリマスターに 5月3日テレビ東京他で初放送", "Pokémon The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back Special Event! These incidents led to a website titled "Pokémon Kills". In December 2018, the release date of the remake was revealed as July 12, 2019. It was released on 10 November 1999 on Compact Disc and Compact Cassette. Dr. Fuji, a research scientist of Team Rocket, briefly describes in a prologue how his researchers uncovered a fossil of the remnants of Mew, one of the rarest Pokémon in existence, believed to be extinct (although this is not the case). [15][17] The drama eventually served the basis for the Origin of Mewtwo prologue that would appear in the Complete Version of the film. In addition to an added prologue, the updated version included new animation and CGI graphics. Reviews", https://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/13/movies/pokemon-is-catching-and-keeping-them.html, "Video Game Adaptation Movies at the Box Office - Box Office Mojo", "Japan: The 22nd Pokemon Movie Coming July 12, 2019", "Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution is the Next Pokemon Movie Set For Next Year", "Mewtwo Takes the Spotlight Again in 2019 Pokémon Anime Film", "Pokémon The Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution Releases in 2019", "Le film Pokémon révèle son titre et indique le 12 juillet 2019 comme date de sortie", Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Card, Zeta Gundam A New Translation: Heirs to the Stars, Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion, Piano: The Melody of a Young Girl's Heart, Full-Blast Science Adventure – So That's How It Is, Agatha Christie's Great Detectives Poirot and Marple, Pokémon: The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon, Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars, Tomica Hyper Rescue Drive Head Kidō Kyūkyū Keisatsu, Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion THE ANIMATION. All of the Pokémon originals battle their clones save for a defiant Pikachu and Meowth, who makes peace with his own clone after realizing the senselessness of their fighting. "Don't Say You Love Me" by M2M was released as a single from the album. The woman is revealed to be a brainwashed Nurse Joy after she is released from Mewtwo's mind control. [18], In the United States, the first trailer was released in August 1999 and was shown before The Iron Giant and Mystery Men. Toshihiro Ono, author of Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu, created a manga version of the film. [20], The Japanese version of the film was initially distributed theatrically by Toho on July 18, 1998. Mew then reveals itself and Mewtwo challenges it in order to prove his superiority. In Japan, Mewtwo Strikes Back was positively received, with praise directed at the film's emotional impact and exploration of ethical topics such as cloning, genetic modification and existentialism. On December 11, 1999 13-month-old Kira Murphy of North Carolina suffocated to death when half of the toy became stuck over her mouth and nose. Like Pikachu and Jigglypuff in this movie, it’s all a bit fuzzy. [36] Rating the movie two stars out of four, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called the movie "a sound-and-light show, linked to the marketing push for Pokemon in general" and said that the movie had "no level at which it enriches a young viewer, by encouraging thinking or observation. Further retrospective criticism of the English-language version has been targeted against the removal of most of the ethical topics such as part of Mewtwo's origin story. Correction: We're a Miracle was co-written by David Zippel, not Peter Zizzo (Peter co-wrote "Don't Say You Love Me"). After the third and the second movie score, here is the first one. Mewtwo challenges the trainers using cloned Pokémon coincidentally modeled after the deceased friends from his childhood. The film wasn't produced by Pikachu Project. ", "Pokemon' Fever to Hit Home in March As 'First Movie' Debuts on Video, DVD", "Pikachu the Movie Premium Box 1998-2010 release date announced - Bulbanews", "How The Original Pokemon Movie Was Changed (And Made Worse) Outside Japan", "Pokemon the First Movie - Mewtwo vs. Mew (1999)", "Pokémon: The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back! Movies Games Audio Art Portal Community Your Feed. ** ENDING HINT ** You can mostly see it near the end of the movie. [12], Grossfeld also had new music re-recorded for the film's release, citing that it "would better reflect what American kids would respond to". Ending / spoiler for Pokemon: the First Movie (1998), plus mistakes, quotes, trivia and more. Vanguard: High School Arc Cont. It also held the record for being the animated feature with the highest opening weekend in November, which would be broken two weeks later by Toy Story 2. Takeshi Shudo was the chief writer of the Pokémon anime from 1997-2002. The cards featured likenesses of Electabuzz, Pikachu, Mewtwo, and Dragonite, and were dispensed in random order for each week it was in that particular theater. Escorted into the island's palace by the woman who appeared on the hologram, Ash and the other trainers who were able to reach the island encounter Mewtwo. Wood did note that the main feature had a "mildly intriguing premise", but said that the rest of the film "was like a martial arts movie without the thrills". [29] By 2007, the film had sold 10 million units on home video in the United States. [42] Commercially, Takeshi Shudo states the film fared better overall in the U.S. than it did in its home country. It closed on February 27, 2000, earning $85.7 million in North America, and $77.9 million in other territories. Pokémon: The First Movie (Pocket Monsters the Movie: Mewtwo's Counterattack) is the first Pokémon anime film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama, the chief director of the Pokémon television series. Mewtwo challenges the trainers using cloned Pokémon coincidentally modeled after the deceased friends from his childhood. The website's critics' consensus reads, "Audiences other than children will find very little to entertain them. Autoplay is paused. Asked by editors to draw Mewtwo's birth, he received the source material to base the manga off of in April 1998 and finished the manga in May. If … Stream songs including "The Birth of … On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, just 15% of critics have given the film's English adaptation a positive review based on 89 reviews, with an average rating of 3.57/10. [40], In the U.S. box office, Pokémon: The First Movie was an instant commercial success, debuting at number one and earning $10.1 million on its Wednesday opening day. Ash destroys the cloning machine, frees the captured Pokémon, and leads them to confront Mewtwo and his clones. 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