Pokémon: The First Movie
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| Pokémon: The First Movie | |
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| Directed by | Michael Haigney Kunihiko Yuyama |
| Produced by | Choji Yoshikawa Tomoyuki Igarashi Takemoto Mori |
| Written by | Takeshi Shudo |
| Starring | Veronica Taylor Rachael Lillis Eric Stuart Ikue Ootani Phillip Bartlett Maddie Blaustein Ted Lewis |
| Distributed by | Toho (Japan) Warner Bros. (on behalf of Kids' WB) in association with Nintendo Pictures (USA) |
| Release date(s) | Japanese: July 18, 1998 English: November 12, 1999 |
| Running time | 75 minutes |
| Country | USA/Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
| Followed by | Pokémon: The Movie 2000 |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Pokémon: The First Movie, known in Japan as Pocket Monsters Mewtwo no Gyakushū (ポケットモンスター ミュウツーの逆襲 Poketto Monsutā Myūtsū no Gyakushū?, lit. "Pocket Monsters Mewtwo Strikes Back"), is the first theatrical release based on the Pokémon anime. Like the anime, it is directed by Kunihiko Yuyama.
The title Mewtwo Strikes Back is a direct translation of the movie's Japanese name, Mewtwo no gyakushū, which can also be interpreted as Mewtwo's Counterattack.
As Pokémon was extremely popular back when this movie came out, it was a box office hit worldwide. It primarily consists of three segments: Pikachu's Vacation, a 20+ minute feature focusing on the most popular Pokémon character Pikachu; Origin of Mewtwo, a 10-minute featurette that functions as a prologue to the main feature; and Mewtwo Strikes Back, the main 75-minute movie feature. However, the United States dub version by 4Kids Entertainment omitted "Origin of Mewtwo" from the package before its U.S. theatrical run due to its dark nature, as the target MPAA rating was a G; it was partially restored in the movie's release on VHS and DVD. The featurette was eventually dubbed and restored as a special feature in the U.S. release of the direct-to-video follow-up movie sequel Pokémon: Mewtwo Returns.
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[edit] Pikachu's Vacation
Pikachu's Vacation (ピカチュウのなつやすみ Pikachū no Natsuyasumi?) is a 21-minute short movie that is shown before Mewtwo Strikes Back in both the theatrical and the DVD version of the main movie. It is the first of the “Pikachu shorts” in what would be a traditional process of hosting a 20+ minute mini-movie before the main Pokémon feature that would last up until the 6th movie. Pikachu's Vacation, like the five Pikachu shorts that would follow, focuses primarily on an action-packed affair involving solely the Pokémon seen from the anime as they take part in a scenario that eventually illustrates a moral.
In Pokémon fan communities, Pikachu's Vacation was noted for introducing the never-before-seen Pokémon character Snubbull (albeit spelled Snubble), as well as the first primary anime appearance of the already popular Marill. This became a tradition for all Pikachu shorts, as they were used to introduce new Pokémon from the upcoming “generations” of Pokémon games, cards, and anime material.
When Ash and his friends stumble upon a Pokémon-only vacation resort, they decide to let their Pokémon have a day of fun and relaxation and let all their Pokémon out as the trainers go off relaxing on their own. Pikachu and the Pokémon (Bulbasaur, Charizard, Squirtle, Pidgeotto, Geodude, Onix, Vulpix, Zubat, Staryu, Goldeen, Psyduck, and Togepi) go off into the resort and immediately contend with an unhappy Togepi, which they succeed in doing. Soon, a group of border-ruffian Pokémon comprised of a Raichu, Cubone, Snubbull, and Marill come along and immediately cause trouble for Pikachu's group. The ensuing standoff soon becomes a series of competitions such as a swimming race. Their increasingly passionate rivalry soon comes to a standstill when Pikachu's companion Charizard finds its head stuck in a tight storage receptacle. Putting aside their squabble, Pikachu and Raichu's groups join together to release Charizard, and they soon find themselves as friends for the rest of the day. At the end of the day, Pikachu and his fellow Pokémon leave the resort with fond memories and new friends and rejoin their trainers.
[edit] Mewtwo Strikes Back
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). Using the DNA of Mew and a research laboratory, they created Mewtwo. Mewtwo, a Psychic Pokémon instantly distrusts humans upon learning they intend on experimenting him, and using his amazing powers, he levels the base, killing Dr. Fuji. Head of Team Rocket, Giovanni, approaches Mewtwo and offers him an alliance, Giovanni promising to help Mewtwo control his powers. Mewtwo is "trained" over a course of several months but he soon is told by Giovanni that Mewtwo is merely his tool. Mewtwo destroys Giovanni's headquarters and flies back to the remains of the laboratory island. He decides to find his own purpose and destroy all those who oppose him. He deems the relationship of humans and Pokémon living together horrific and declares that his reign will soon begin.
Elsewhere, Ash Ketchum, and his companions Misty, Brock and their Pokémon are resting. After Ash defeats a Pokémon Trainer who has a Donphan (a new Pokémon around the time the film was released), a Dragonite delivers a holographic message to the trio. A woman addresses them, inviting them to attend a party hosted by the world's best Pokémon Master at his palace on New Island. Excited, Ash wastes no time in heading a seaport where he and his friends can get a boat to New Island. Coincidentally, a deadly storm has formed and the boat to the island has been cancelled. Several brave trainers head out to the island, while Ash and his friends are left on the dock. A pair of vikings appear and offer the trio a lift in their small boat. However, a wave hits the boat, revealing the vikings to be Team Rocket in disguise. Another wave destroys the boat, the trio using their aquatic Pokémon to reach the island. Team Rocket also survive the storm. The woman from the invitation leads the trio up to a large room where others trainers wait - Corey, Fergus and Neesha. A beam of light appears from a spiral staircase and the ultimate Pokémon Master appears: Mewtwo. Mewtwo quickly berates the relationships between humans and Pokémon, tortures several of the trainers and their Pokémon, and reveals his maid is Nurse Joy, who went missing previously. Ash challenges Mewtwo to a battle, which Mewtwo accepts. Team Rocket come across a secret lab and find a video of Dr. Fuji who explains how he created Mewtwo. In a large machine which can clone Pokémon, are clones of Charizard, Blastoise and Venusaur, who are summoned by Mewtwo upstairs. Around this time, Meowth is also cloned.
Ash, Corey and Neesha battle Mewtwo's clones with their own Charizard, Blastoise and Venusaur, but all three are defeated. Mewtwo claims his prize, all of the trainers' Pokémon so he can create a clone army which will replaced humanity and real Pokémon when they are destroyed by Mewtwo's storm. Mewtwo conjures hundreds of his strange Pokeballs and sends them at the trainers. Mewtwo watches with a smirk as the trainers try frantically to get their Pokemon away, but with no success. Surprisingly, the other trainers' high level Pokemon are captured with ease, while Ash's low-level Pokemon manage to avoid capture longer. Ash tries returning Bulbasaur and Squirtle (who have been fighting the balls bravely), but two of Mewtwo's Pokeballs fly over and capture Bulbasaur and Squirtle's Pokeballs. Brock, Misty (after tucking Togepi safely in her bag), and Nurse Joy try running away with Psyduck right behind them but it is captured, infuriating Misty. Another Pokeball then captures Vulpix right out of Brock's arms, to his horror. The balls manage to capture all the trainers' Pokemon except Pikachu. This leads to chase with Pikachu finally being caught, but Ash pursues the Pokeballs down into the cloning room. Ash manages to save his Pikachu but this causes the cloning machine to explode and release both the clones and real Pokémon. Ash leads the real ones upstairs to the battle arena to stop Mewtwo and his clones. Ash is blasted away by Mewtwo's powers but Mew suddenly appears and saves him. Mew and Mewtwo take command of their armies and fight in a brutal battle that leaves all the Pokémon wounded to the point of death. Ash's Pikachu refuses to fight and receives a severe series of slaps from his crying clone. Horrified, Ash leaps in the middle of an attack fired by Mewtwo and Mew and seems to die, transforming into stone. Pikachu and all the other Pokémon cry, reviving Ash. Upon seeing Ash's sacrificial death, Mewtwo has a change of heart and realises that it does not matter how he was born, it is what he does that defines who he is. Using his powers, he leaves the island with Mew and the clones, but he erases the memories of Ash and all those present on the island, so they do not remember the event. Ash and his friends find themselves back on the dock with no idea how they got there, but go outside when the storm clears up. Ash spots Mew in the clouds and reveals to Misty and Brock how he saw a rare Pokémon on the first day of his journey. Team Rocket end the film by "signing off again", left on New Island.
However, though Mewtwo erased everyone's memories of him at New Island, he is still being targeted by Giovanni, who has been making another plan to capture and bend Mewtwo to his will. This chapter of the story plays out in the sequel Mewtwo Returns.
[edit] Cast
| Character name | Voice actor (Japanese) | Voice actor (English) |
|---|---|---|
| Satoshi ("Ash Ketchum") | Rica Matsumoto (松本 梨香) | Veronica Taylor |
| Pikachu | Ikue Ōtani (大谷 育江) | Ikue Ōtani |
| Kasumi ("Misty") | Mayumi Iizuka (飯塚 雅弓) | Rachael Lillis |
| Takeshi ("Brock") | Yūji Ueda (上田 祐司) | Eric Stuart |
| Togepi | Satomi Kōrogi (こおろぎ さとみ) | Satomi Kōrogi |
| Musashi ("Jessie") | Megumi Hayashibara (林原 めぐみ) | Rachael Lillis |
| Kojirō ("James") | Shinichirō Miki (三木 眞一郎) | Eric Stuart |
| Nyarth ("Meowth") | Inuko Inuyama (犬山 犬子) | Addie Blaustein |
| Sakaki ("Giovanni") | Hirotaka Suzuoki (鈴置 洋孝) | Ted Lewis |
| Junsā ("Officer Jenny") | Chinami Nishimura (西村 ちなみ) | Megan Hollingshead |
| Nurse Joy | Ayako Shiraishi (白石 文子) | Megan Hollingshead |
| Mewtwo | Masachika Ichimura (市村 正親) Shōtarō Morikubo (Radio drama) (森久保祥太郎) Fujiko Takimoto (Radio drama, young) (瀧本 富士子) |
Phillip Bartlett |
| Mew | Kōichi Yamadera (山寺宏一) | Kōichi Yamadera |
| Professor Fuji | Yōsuke Akimoto (秋元 羊介) | Alexander Davis |
| Narrator | Unshou Ishizuka | Ken Gates |
[edit] Release
For the movie's theatrical release, select theaters would give away exclusive Pokémon trading cards, to capitalize on the success of the trading card game. 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. The subsequent releases of Pokémon: The Movie 2000 and Pokémon 3: The Movie featured a similar marketing campaign. For the 2000 VHS/DVD release of The First Movie, a limited edition Mewtwo card (different from that used for the theatrical release) was packaged with the video.
[edit] Box Office
The film was a box office hit, making $10,096,848 on its Wednesday opening day and $31,036,678 over the Friday-to-Sunday span in at the time, an ultrawide 3,043 theaters, averaging to about $10,199 per venue and ranking as the number one film at the box office for that weekend. It closed on Thursday February 27, 2000 making $85,744,662 in North America, and internationally it made $77,900,000. All together, the film made $163,644,662. Making it the highest grossing anime film in the US and the third highest grossing animated film based on a television show in the world. It was also the most-grossing film based on a video game at the time,until getting beaten by Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in 2001.
When the film was released in North America, it briefly held the record for the largest opening weekend for an animated film. The record was broken two weeks later with the release of Toy Story 2.
[edit] Response
Though the movie was praised by viewers and fans of the show at the time of its release, critics gave the film bad reviews, on Rotten Tomatoes the headline for the movie is, "Audiences other than children will find very little to entertain them." The film attained a "Rotten" score of 15%.
However, it was much better received than most of the Pokemon movies after it.
[edit] Official Movie Soundtrack
| Pokémon: The First Movie Original Motion Picture Score | |||||
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| Soundtrack by Various artists | |||||
| Released | 1999 | ||||
| Recorded | ? | ||||
| Genre | Orchestral, Film Soundtrack | ||||
| Length | 46:12 | ||||
| Label | Koch Records | ||||
| Producer | John Loeffler | ||||
| Various artists chronology | |||||
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Tracks 11 to 13 are from Pikachu's Vacation. Some versions of the CD come with a 14th bonus track, listed as the theme to the first Pokémon series, when on the CD, it is the theme to the second series.
Another soundtrack released alongside this one, Pokémon: The First Movie soundtrack, features a selection of songs by popular artists.
Music from and inspired by the motion picture.
- "Pokémon Theme" (Billy Crawford)
- "Don't Say You Love Me" (M2M)
- "It Was You" (Ashley Ballard/So Plush)
- "We're A Miracle" (Christina Aguilera)
- "Soda Pop" (Britney Spears)
- "Somewhere Someday" (*NSYNC)
- "Get Happy" (B*Witched)
- "(Hey You) Free Up Your Mind" (Emma Bunton)
- "Fly With Me" (98°)
- "Lullaby" (Mandah)
- "Vacation" (Vitamin C)
- "Makin' My Way (Any Way That I Can)" (Billie)
- "Catch Me If You Can" (Angela Via)
- "(Have Some) Fun With The Funk" (Aaron Carter)
- "If Only Tears Could Bring You Back" (Midnight Sons)
- "Brother, My Brother" (Blessid Union of Souls)
Purchase of the soundtrack also came with a special edition Jigglypuff Pokemon card.
[edit] Goofs
- During the start of the movie, when Ash battles while the credits are rolling, the trainer releases a Venemoth, Pinsir, and a Golem. Pikachu beats all three using a Thunder attack. Although that could have defeated Venemoth and Pinsir, Golem shouldn't have been hurt.
- When images of the pokemon to be cloned were appearing on the screen in Mewtwo's lab, and Team Rocket was naming them, they said, "Alakazam," when the appearing pokemon was actually Scyther.
[edit] Differences between the Japanese and English versions
- According to the director's commentary, the American edit of the film contains CGI effects that weren't included in the original Japanese cut. These include realistic-looking clouds, and smoother animations of the doors on New Island. (The original doors can be seen briefly in the North American DVD animation.) Those CGI effects can also be seen on the Japanese DVD.
- In the American version of the film, Team Rocket are disguised as vikings, and Ash says they come from Minnesota, a reference to the Minnesota Vikings football team.
- In the original Japanese, Mewtwo is angry because he was created by scientists and not God, and attempts to fight back against the world to prove he should be alive. In the American dub, the references to God were removed and he is taking over the world for the benefit of his cloned Pokemon.
- The original Japanese soundtrack was removed, and an entirely new soundtrack was composed for the American dub.
[edit] External links
- Pokémon: The First Movie at the Internet Movie Database
- Roger Ebert's review of Pokémon: The First Movie
- PokeZam's Summary and Comparison of Pokemon: The First Movie
- Nostalgia Critic's review of Pokémon: The First Movie
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| Preceded by ''The Bone Collector'' |
Box office number-one films of 1999 (USA) 14 November 1999 |
Succeeded by ''End of Days'' |
