Pokémon - The First Movie

Pokémon: The First Movie
File:Pokemon-mewtwo-strikes-back.jpg Japanese release poster
Directed by	Kunihiko Yuyama
Produced by	Choji Yoshikawa Tomoyuki Igarashi Takemoto Mori
Written by	Takeshi Shudō
Narrated by	Unshō Ishizuka
Starring	Rica Matsumoto Ikue Ōtani Mayumi Iizuka Yūji Ueda Satomi Kōrogi Megumi Hayashibara Shin-ichiro Miki Inuko Inuyama Masachika Ichimura Kōichi Yamadera
Music by	Japan: Shinji Miyazaki International: Ralph Schuckett John Loeffler
Cinematography	Hisao Shirai
Editing by	Toshio Henmi Yutaka Itō
Distributed by	Japan: Toho International: Warner Bros. Pictures
Released	July 18, 1998 (Japan) November 12, 1999 (United States)
Running time	75 minutes
Budget	¥3 billion (US $30 million)
Gross revenue	$163,644,662

Pokémon: The First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back, commonly referred to as Pokémon: The First Movie, originally released as Pocket Monsters the Movie: Mewtwo's Counterattack (劇場版ポケットモンスター ミュウツーの逆襲, Gekijōban Poketto Monsutā: Myūtsū no Gyakushū), is a 1998 Japanese anime film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama, the chief director of the Pokémon television series. It is the first theatrical release in the Pokémon franchise.

It was released in Japan on July 18, 1998. The English-language adaptation, produced by 4Kids Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, was released in North America on November 12, 1999.

The film primarily consists of three segments: Pikachu's Vacation, a 21-minute feature focusing on the series mascot 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 film feature. The featurette was eventually dubbed as a special feature in the U.S. release of the direct-to-video follow-up film sequel Pokémon: Mewtwo Returns as The Uncut Story of Mewtwo's Origin.

As Pokémon was extremely popular when the film was released, it was a box office success worldwide. The First Movie topped the box office charts in its opening weekend, and eventually grossed US$163.6 million worldwide, despite negative reviews from film critics.

Plot

Pikachu's Vacation

Pikachu's Vacation (ピカチュウのなつやすみ, Pikachū no Natsuyasumi, Pikachu's Summer Vacation) is a 21-minute short film that is shown before Mewtwo Strikes Back in both the theatrical, VHS and the DVD version of the main film. 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 sixth 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, as well as the first primary anime appearance of 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 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 — 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. 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.

The Uncut Story of Mewtwo’s Origin

The devious leader of Team Rocket Organization, Giovanni, has a fervent ambition to take control of the Pokémon world through both financial and military means. To achieve his military needs, he covets a Pokémon stronger and more adept than any other, a veritable living war weapon, so he enlists a scientist named Doctor Fuji to create this being from the DNA of the rarest and most powerful of Pokémon, Mew, which Fuji had found on a previous jungle expedition. Fuji accepts, for he is heavily into the prospect of cloning to create and restore life itself, because of his love for his deceased daughter, Amber. At the time of her tragic death, Fuji was devastated. Rather than trying to overcome his grief, Fuji figured he could instead clone Amber, and was in the process of creating Amber's consciousness in his offshore laboratory. However, his wife, as much as she loved their daughter, could not bear to see Fuji’s misguided drive to tinker with life, and thus she parted with him for good. Fuji then received the order from Giovanni to commence the Mew cloning project, which he continued while trying to clone Amber.

A while passes, and a now physical, but young, Mewtwo rests in an unconscious slumber of development inside a containment cell, next to a cell containing the glowing conscience of a cloned Amber. Mewtwo stirs in mind and begins to communicate with the artificial conscience of Ambertwo in a plane of limbo, and the two entities grow a personal bond. This exchange is tragically short-lived, however, as the inability of science to recreate souls catches up with the project, and Ambertwo’s consciousness fades into the darkness forever with the other prospective clones. She leaves the traumatized Mewtwo with the advice that life is wonderful, and to be alive is the greatest gift he has. Mewtwo, confused by her departure, succumbs to grief and desperately calls out for Amber telepathically, his brainwaves nearly overloading the lab’s systems. Fuji immediately administers a hundred doses of serum, forcing Mewtwo to be subdued into an artificial state of calmness and ignorance of what just transpired. Fuji, emotionally broken by the now-permanent loss of his daughter, is now intent on ensuring that Mewtwo, his brainchild, survives.

Alone in the darkness, and unaware of whatever he apparently lost, Mewtwo develops in size and power, but is tormented in sleep by a single, cryptic question: “Life is wonderful… but why?”

Mewtwo Strikes Back

The Pokémon Mewtwo was created in an island laboratory from the DNA of Mew, a rare Pokémon believed to be extinct, recovered from fossilized remains. Displeased with the concept of being nothing more than a mere lab experiment, Mewtwo destroys the laboratory. Shortly afterward, he meets Giovanni, the head of Team Rocket, who proposes a partnership with the Pokémon in exchange of helping him control his powers. Mewtwo is "trained" over the next few months, being pitted against challengers in Giovanni's gym and restraining Pokémon for Team Rocket to capture. Mewtwo eventually realizes that Giovanni is merely using him as a tool and destroys his headquarters. After defeating Giovanni, Mewtwo flies back to the island where he was created and begins plotting revenge against humanity.

Meanwhile, Ash Ketchum and his friends Misty, Brock, Pikachu, and all their Pokémon companions receive an invitation to a party hosted by the world's "greatest Pokémon Master" on New Island. Ash and his friends are excited and rush to the docks in an attempt to catch a boat to New Island, but a storm is mysteriously formed and all boat rides to the island are canceled. Undeterred, several trainers make their way out to the island by riding their Pokémon, though neither Ash nor his friends have any Pokémon of their own that can help them safely navigate the stormy sea. In their latest plot to steal rare Pokémon, Team Rocket offers the trio a lift to the island, disguised as a pair of Vikings, but their small wooden boat is destroyed by a wave. Ash and his friends manage to reach the island with their aquatic Pokémon, and are escorted inside the palace on the island.

Mewtwo reveals himself to Ash, his friends, and three other trainers who braved the storm battle as the "World's Greatest Pokémon Master," and that it had created the storm with its powers to test the trainers' wills. After being berated by Mewtwo for the relationships they share with their Pokémon, Ash and some of the other trainers challenge Mewtwo after witnessing Mewtwo's confession of having kidnapped Nurse Joy for his own personal purposes, the trainers pit their Pokémon against clones of Venusaur, Blastoise, and Charizard. The clones easily defeat the Trainers' Pokémon. Mewtwo proceeds to steal all the Pokémon present, including Ash's Pikachu, with a special set of Poké Balls. Ash pursues his Pokémon as they are taken deep into a cloning facility on the island and rescues them while they are being cloned. The clones join with Mewtwo and the cloning machine explodes, releasing all the captured Pokémon. Mewtwo announces his intentions to overthrow humanity with his army of Pokémon.

Enraged, Ash lashes out at Mewtwo, who repels and blasts him away with his psychic powers. Ash is saved by Mew, the rare, playful Pokémon having appeared periodically before, who is engaged by Mewtwo. A brutal battle between the Trainers' Pokémon and their clones erupts, although Pikachu refuses to fight with his own clone resorting to slapping it (Meowth's clone also seems to refuse to fight, causing the original Meowth to ponder on what the two sides have in common).

The trainers are unable to bear this senseless violence, even while Mew and Mewtwo grow tired but continue fighting. In an attempt to put an end to the ordeal, Mew and Mewtwo sum up all their remaining powers for one final duel. However, just as they open fire, Ash runs to the center of the arena in a brave but desperate attempt to stop the fight. Both Mew and Mewtwo's attacks hit Ash at the same time, turning him to stone after he sinks onto the floor.

Pikachu runs to Ash's side and tries to wake him up. He uses Thunderbolt on Ash, while the other Pokémon, Brock, Misty, and Nurse Joy look on. After several vain attempts to revive Ash using Thunderbolt, Pikachu grows tired and stops. Realizing that Ash is dead, Pikachu starts crying for his fallen master, the other Pokémon in the arena doing the same. Their tears all gather together and eventually reach Ash, their mystical healing powers bringing him back to life. Overjoyed, Pikachu leaps into Ash's arms as the two embrace, happy to be reunited once again.

As everyone rejoices, Mewtwo, taken aback by Ash's act of selflessness to save all the Pokémon, has an epiphany over the relationship between humans and Pokémon, and realizes that the circumstances of how one is born should not be allowed to divide anyone. He leaves the island with Mew and the cloned Pokémon, erasing everyone else's memory of the horrifying incident, knowing it is for the best.

Ash and his friends find themselves back on the docks with no idea how they got there. Ash looks up to the sky and spots Mew flying past, and recounts to his friends how he saw a rare Pokémon on the first day of his journey.

Cast

Regular characters

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• Rica Matsumoto (Veronica Taylor in the English adaptation) as Satoshi (Ash Ketchum in the English adaptation), the main protagonist of the film. He desires to be the world's most powerful Pokémon master and is one of the trainers summoned to New Island by Mewtwo.
• Ikue Ōtani as Pikachu, Satoshi's/Ash's first and most loyal Pokémon - a yellow mouse capable of manipulating electricity.
• Mayumi Iizuka (Rachael Lillis in the English adaptation) as Kasumi (Misty in the English adaptation), Satoshi's/Ash's travelling partner.
• Yūji Ueda (Eric Stuart in the English adaptation) as Takeshi (Brock in the English adaptation), a Pokémon breeder and Satoshi's/Ash's travelling partner.
• Satomi Kōrogi as Togepi, a Pokémon owned by Kasumi/Misty.
• Megumi Hayashibara (Rachael Lillis in the English adaptation) as Musashi (Jessie in the English adaptation), a member of Team Rocket who infiltrates New Island alongside Kojirō/James and Nyarth/Meowth.
• Shin-ichiro Miki (Eric Stuart in the English adaptation) as Kojirō (James in the English adaptation), a member of Team Rocket.
• Inuko Inuyama (Maddie Blaustein in the English adaptation) as Nyarth (Meowth in the English adaptation), a member of Team Rocket. He is a cat-like Pokémon that can walk upright and speak the human language.
• Satoshi's (Ash's) Pokémon:
  • Megumi Hayashibara (Tara Jayne in the English adaptation) as Fushigidane (Bulbasaur in the English adaptation)
  • Shin-ichiro Miki as Lizardon (Charizard in the English adaptation)
  • Rikako Aikawa (Eric Stuart in the English adaptation) as Zenigame (Squirtle in the English adaptation)
• Unshō Ishizuka (Ken Gates in the English adaptation) as the Narrator

New human characters

• Wataru Takagi (Jimmy Zoppi in the English adaptation) as Umio (Fergus in the English adaptation), a hot-blooded Water Pokémon trainer invited to New Island. The Pokémon he owns consist of Gyarados, Nidoqueen, Dokukurage (Tentacruel in the English adaptation), Showers (Vaporeon in the English adaptation), Golduck and Seadra.
• Tōru Furuya (Ted Lewis in the English adaptation) as Sorao (Corey in the English adaptation), a Nature Pokémon trainer invited to New Island. The Pokémon he owns consist of Pidgeot, Fushigibana (Venusaur in the English adaptation), Strike (Scyther in the English adaptation), Sawamular (Hitmonlee in the English adaptation), Sandpan (Sandslash in the English adaptation) and Sihorn (Rhyhorn in the English adaptation).
• Aiko Satō (Lisa Ortiz in the English adaptation) as Sweet (Neesha in the English adaptation), a Sweet Pokémon trainer invited to New Island. The Pokémon she owns consist of Dewgong, Kamex (Blastoise in the English adaptation), Gallop (Rapidash in the English adaptation), Wigglytuff, Kyūkon (Ninetales in the English adaptation) and Rafflesia (Vileplume in the English adaptation).
• Sachiko Kobayashi (Kayzie Rogers in the English adaptation) as Voyager (Miranda in the English adaptation).
• Raymond Johnson (Maddie Blaustein in the English adaptation) as the Pirate Trainer, a Pokémon trainer Satoshi/Ash defeats in the beginning of the film. His Pokémon include Donphan, Kairiki (Machamp in the English adaptation), Pinsir, Golem, and Venomoth.

Guest Pokémon

• Masachika Ichimura (Phillip Bartlett in the English adaptation) as Mewtwo, the main antagonist of the film. He is a genetically engineered Pokémon who questions the meaning of his life due to the circumstances of his birth and strikes back against humanity to prove his own worth. Possessing great psychic power, he is able to manipulate the weather, control the minds of others and verbally communicate telepathically. During his younger years, he is voiced by Fujiko Takimoto in a drama CD covering his backstory and by Showtaro Morikubo in the animated adaptation of said drama CD.
• Kōichi Yamadera as Mew, an extremely rare Pokémon who faces off against Mewtwo in the New Island castle.
• Tesshō Genda as Kusukusu (Shellshocker in the English adaptation), a Kamex (Blastoise in the English adaptation) owned by Sweet.
• Ryūzaburō Ōtomo as Bernard (Bruteroot in the English adaptation), a Fushigibana (Venusaur in the English adaptation) owned by Sorao.
• Mitsuru Ogata as Kairyū (Dragonite in the English adaptation), a Pokémon that delivers Satoshi's invitation to New Island to him.
• Naoki Tatsuta (Jimmy Zoppi in the English adaptation) as Burū (Snubbull in the English adaptation), a member of the Pokémon gang in Pikachu's Vacation.
• Chiyako Shibahara as Karakara (Cubone in the English adaptation), a member of the Pokémon gang in Pikachu's Vacation.
• Urara Takano as Raichu, a member of the Pokémon gang in Pikachu's Vacation.
• Mika Kanai (Kayzie Rogers in the English adaptation) as Mariru (Marill in the English adaptation), a member of the Pokémon gang in Pikachu's Vacation.

Other characters

• Hirotaka Suzuoki (Ted Lewis in the English adaptation) as Sakaki (Giovanni in the English adaptation), the boss of Team Rocket. He takes in Mewtwo and teaches him to harness his psychic powers in hopes of using him in his plot for global domination, but fails as Mewtwo abandons him.
• Chinami Nishimura (Lee Quick in the English adaptation) as Junsar (Jenny in the English adaptation), a policewoman who suspends the service of the ferryboats in lieu of the recent storm.
• Ayako Shiraishi (Megan Hollingshead in the English adaptation) as Joi (Joy in the English adaptation), a female doctor who goes missing from the Pokémon Center.
• Yōsuke Akimoto (Maddie Blaustein in the English adaptation) as Doctor Fuji (Dr. John Smith in the English adaption), a scientist who performs genetic experiments in an attempt to revive his beloved daughter, creating Mewtwo in the process.
• Kyōko Hikami (Kerry Williams in the English adaptation) as Aitsū (Ambertwo in the English adaption), a clone of Ai (Amber), the deceased daughter of Doctor Fuji. She makes contact with Mewtwo when she is a child and teaches him about the ways of the world before her physical body deteriorates.
• Shinobu Adachi as Doctor Fuji's wife and Ai's mother.
• Katsuyuki Konishi and Chiyako Shibahara as scientists
• Yūji Ueda as Hitokagetwo (Charmandertwo in the English adaptation)
• Satomi Kōrogi as Zenigametwo (Squirtletwo in the English adaptation)
• Etsuko Kozakura as Fushigidanetwo (Bulbasaurtwo in the English adaptation)
• Shinpachi Tsuji and Tomohisa Asō as investigators
• Hidenari Ugaki, Takuma Suzuki and Akio Suyama as researchers
• Tomokazu Seki as Menokurage (Tentacool in the English adaptation)

Production

Kunihiko Yuyama directed the original Japanese version of the film, while Choji Yoshikawa served as that version's producer and Takeshi Shudo served as the writer. Norman J. Grossfeld, former president of 4Kids Entertainment, served as the film's producer for the English-language North American version. Grossfeld, Michael Haigney and John Touhey wrote the English adaptation, and Haigney served as the English version's voice director. The English version was heavily edited from the original Japanese; along with various content edits, Mewtwo was changed from a morally confused character into a more straightforward villain so that children would be able to identify it as the villain more easily. Furthermore, the moral message of the movie was changed from "all life is equal" to "fighting is wrong".Template:Fact The English version editors translated various Japanese texts, including text on signs and on buildings, into English. Shogakukan digitally altered the backgrounds for the U.S. English version. In the English dub, three Pokémon are referred to by the wrong name. Pidgeot was called Pidgeotto, Scyther was called Alakazam, and Sandslash was called Sandshrew. 4Kids said that they decided to leave the Alakazam error when they noticed it as something for the children watching to notice and because they felt it was plausible in context that Team Rocket could make a mistake.

Grossfeld also had new music re-recorded for the film's release, citing that it "would better reflect what American kids would respond to." John Loeffler of Rave Music produced the English-language music and composed the film score with Ralph Schuckett. Loeffler also collaborated with John Lissauer and Manny Corallo to produce the English-language "Pikachu's Vacation" score. Grossfeld also revealed that the English version of the film "combines the visual sense of the best Japanese animation with the musical sensibility of Western pop culture."

Marketing campaign

The First trailer was released in August 1999 and was shown before The Iron Giant and Mystery Men. The 2nd trailer was released in the fall of 1999 and was attached to The Bachelor.

For the film'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 home video release of The First Movie, a limited edition Mewtwo card (different from that used for the theatrical release) was packaged with the video.

Toshihiro Ono, author of Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu, created a manga version of the film. He received the scripts and continuity in April 1998. The manga was released in May of that year. Ono's editors asked him to draw Mewtwo's birth, which was not included in the film. At a later point the anime staff wrote the Origin of Mewtwo special, which does not match his story. Ono said that "there's not much connection between the manga and the movie."

Reception

Commercial/Box office

Pokémon: The First Movie was an instant commercial success, debuting at number one on the U.S. box office charts and making $10,096,848 on its Wednesday opening day. During its first weekend, it grossed $31,036,678 and went on to generate a total of $50,754,104 since its Wednesday launch in 3,043 theaters, averaging to about $10,199 per venue over the three-day span. It also held the record for being the animated feature with the highest-grossing weekend, which would be broken two weeks later by Toy Story 2. Despite a 59.72% drop in its second weekend to $12,502,869, the film made $67,372,092 within 12 days. It closed on February 27, 2000, earning $85,744,662 in North America, and $77,900,000 in other territories. Worldwide, the film made $163,644,662, making it the highest-grossing anime film in the United States and the third highest-grossing animated film based on a television show worldwide. It was also the highest-grossing film based on a video game at the time, until 2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.

Critical

The film received negative reviews from film critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 14% "rotten" approval rating, the lowest for a Pokémon film adaption tied with Pokémon: The Movie 2000 (2000), based on the reviews of 79 critics, although the consensus being, "Audiences other than children will find very little to entertain them." The film reviews from the audience also received a 56% "rotten" approval rating. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 35 out of 100 based on 25 reviews, meaning "generally unfavorable reviews".

Pikachu's Summer Vacation also received generally negative reviews. Anime News Network's 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". Patrick Butters, of The Washington Times, accused Pokémon: The First Movie of taking ideas from other films such as Star Wars and being "just another cog in the mighty Nintendo machine". Michael Wood, of England's Coventry Evening Telegraph said that Pikachu's Summer Vacation "can only be described as a mind-numbingly tedious piece, with no discernible storyline and lots of trippy images and silly voices". 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".

HD Remaster

The movie was Digitally Remastered for High Definition and aired by a TV station in Tokyo on 3 May 2013, its also to be aired by other TV stations in Japan.

Soundtrack

Pokémon: The First Movie

Template:Infobox album Template:Album ratings Pokémon: The First Movie is the soundtrack to the first Pokémon film in the United States of America, It was released on November 10, 1999, on Audio CD and Compact Cassette. Some of the songs were featured in the animated short Pikachu's Vacation, and some songs did not feature in either the short or the movie at all. The CD contains extra features, such as Pokémon videos and a screensaver. When it was released it included a promotion for one to send a Proof of Purchase to receive an exclusive promo Jigglypuff card from the Pokémon TCG that lasted for a few months.

Track listing

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Denotes

• 1^ These tracks were featured in the actual film.
• 2^ These tracks were featured in the end credits.
• 3^ These tracks were not in the movie or the short at all.
• 4^ These tracks were not in the movie itself, but were part of Pikachu's Vacation.

Charts

Chart (1999)	Peak position
Australian Albums Chart	9
Austrian Albums Chart	8
French Albums Chart	2
Canadian Albums Chart	10
Finnish Albums Chart	17
New Zealand Albums Chart	18
Swedish Albums Chart	14
Swiss Albums Chart	65
U.S. Billboard 200	8
U.S. Billboard Top Internet Albums	15

Certifications

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Pokémon: The First Movie Original Motion Picture Score

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Alongside this soundtrack, the orchestral score from the movie was also released on the CD Pokémon: The First Movie Original Motion Picture Score.

Track listing

1. "The Birth of Mewtwo"
2. "Dragonite Takes Flight"
3. "Invitation to Danger"
4. "Surviving the Storm"
5. "Mewtwo's Island"
6. "Pokémon Vs. Clone"
7. "Tears of Life"
8. "This Is My World Now"
9. "Three on Three"
10. "Mew's Theme"
11. "Freeing Charizard"
12. "Adventure in Paradise"
13. "All Good Things Must End"

External links

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Template:Pokémon Template:Animation Kobe Feature Film Award