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Anime: Pokémon: The First Movie

"We dreamed of creating the world's strongest Pokémon...and we succeeded."

—Dr. Fuji, last words

The very first movie in the Pokémon series of films. Because it certainly wasn't going to be the last, so why mince words?

A team of scientists creates Mewtwo, a superior clone of legendary Pokémon Mew. Angry at having been created and used by humans, he decides he's Gotta Kill 'em All.

It should be noted that this Pokémon movie is the only one that has real plot significance to the series,* having plot elements set up throughout the first season of the show. Furthermore there is a made-for-television sequel called Pokémon: Mewtwo Returns that continues the plotline and themes.

This movie provides examples of:

All There in the Script: The three other trainers who made it to New Island (Corey, Neesha and Fergus) go unnamed throughout the whole movie.
- As does the blue-haired woman with Officer Jenny at the ferry port. The novelization gives her name as "Miranda."
  - The Japanese version has her give her name as Voyager.
Angst Nuke: Twice within the first 10 minutes.
Anti-Villain: Mewtwo is dead-set between Types I I and III.
Animal Wrongs Activist: Mewtwo's original goal was to 'save the Pokémon' by killing all humans, but believed Pokémon that already lived alongside humans were a lost cause.
Apocalyptic Log
Badass: Several
- Badass Adorable: Mew
- Badass Baritone: Mewtwo, particularly in the English dub.
- Badass Boast: The Japanese version of Mewtwo only does occasional boasting. His English incarnation, on the other hand, does enough boasting to possibly fill a small page.
Beta Test Baddie: Mewtwo.
Big Bad: Mewtwo, who starts off a Tragic Monster, but becomes a villain thanks to Giovanni's influence (Not that Giovanni ends up benefiting from this at all.) He gets better after witnessing Ash's sacrifice and realizing that maybe not all humans are bastards.)
Bowdlerize: The intro was severely shortened to remove references to death and human cloning. Also a case of Executive Meddling, as the original part of the intro dealing with baby Mewtwo and Amber was actually completely dubbed by 4Kids at the time of producing the American version of the movie, but was forced to be cut out by Kids' WB. It was later put as an extra in the Mewtwo Returns DVD.
- Also, the complete meaning of the movie was changed.
- This creates an odd moment at the end of the movie. While the American version goes with the "fighting is wrong" Aesop, they forgot to change Mewtwo's dialogue, so the moment where he learns his lesson, he states that it doesn't matter how you're born, but how you live your life that matters. If they were willing to keep that line of dialogue in, why not just keep the original Aesop altogether?
- In the original, Mew believed that all clones are inferior to the originals. The dub changed it into a speech about how real strength comes from the heart (just "We can take you!" rather than "You shouldn't even exist!")
- With the events of The Birth of Mewtwo taken into consideration, Mewtwo wasn't born evil. It's indicated that the reason he became so vicious and unpredictable was because the drugs the scientists injected into him while he was still developing inside the cloning tube, in order to erase his memories of Amber (fearing that the psychological trauma of her death would kill him), permanently warped his brain and broke his mind.
- Miranda's tale of "the legend of winds" was added to the dub to provide an explanation for why Pokemon tears had the power to bring people back from the dead. In the original, she just didn't want anyone's lives to be endangered by the storm. Pokemon tears having life giving power was previously mentioned by Amber in "The Birth of Mewtwo", when she was dying and young Mewtwo began to cry, which was all cut from the film.
Big Damn Movie
Broken Aesop: the movie's end morale in the English version was changed from "All Life Is Equal" to "Fighting Is Wrong"...in a series whose entire profit comes from glorified dog fighting.
Broke Your Arm Punching Out Cthulhu: Not a good idea to physically punch a psychic-powered clone, Ash...
- He still gets points for trying...
Broken Ace: Mewtwo was designed to be the strongest Mon ever...unfortunately, he had some issues with the "designed" part.
Call Back/Continuity Nod: Both Mewtwo's fight with Gary Oak and his escape from Team Rocket's base happened in the TV series.
Captain Ersatz: Dr. Fuji to Dr. Tenma, the creator/father of Astro Boy.
Cloning Blues: The main reason for this movie.
Conspicuous CG: Several examples, but the most conspicuous is the huge door to Mewtwo's arena. The original Japanese theatrical cut was almost wholly hand-drawn; the CG was added to the Japanese video release and that cut is the one that was adapted internationally.
Crucified Hero Shot: When Ash gets hit by the oncoming blasts of both sides of the Mew and Mewtwo fight, his arms stretch out to his sides before he collapses and dies.
Cultural Translation: Songs by American pop bands were inserted into the dub.
"We also rescored the entire movie with all new music that would better reflect what American kids would respond to."
—Norman Grossfeld
- The English dub also throws in a Minnesota Vikings joke between Ash and Brock.
Curb-Stomp Battle: Mewtwo's first three clones (of the three Kanto starters' fully evolved forms) easily beat the real starters (Ash's Charizard lasts the longest, but then, he only lasts about a minute as opposed to 10 seconds like the others).
- Footage is shown of gym leader Giovanni using armored!Mewtwo against several trainers in the anime, including Gary Oak.
Cut-and-Paste Translation: The English dub, especially when compared to later movies and the regular series. Even the dubber's DVD commentary has them admitting to having trouble during translation. There is quite a Broken Base as to how this affects the film's enjoyability.
Dangerously Genre Savvy: Think Mewtwo can't take Pokémon while they're in their Poké Balls? Think again.
Darker and Edgier: Than the TV show. Human characters die and Pokémon are cloned and forced to fight to the death.
Deus ex Machina: Ash brought back to life by Pokémon tears in the original version. At least the dub gave it a set-up early on.
Disney Death: Ash gets caught in the crossfire trying to stop the fighting, is killed, and is turned to stone. However, Pikachu, and all the other Pokémon (save Mew and Mewtwo) begin crying over his death and their tears of sorrow bring Ash back to life.
Disproportionate Retribution: While Mewtwo's early life wasn't what you would call pleasant, wanting to destroy everyone on the planet because of it, even though they never knew of his existence, let alone have a desire to deliberately want to hurt him, is not something a sane individual would do.
Early-Bird Cameo: Marill and Snubbull (in the tie-in short movie), and Donphan. Mewtwo's Signature Move (in this movie, at least) Shadow Ball. Corey (the Pidgeot trainer) may also count, as he greatly resembles the Cooltrainer design from Pokémon Gold and Silver .
Evil Counterpart: Mewtwo to Mew. However, it's revealed at the end that Mew isn't really good to begin with.
- Almost all the clones to the originals, the only exception being Meowth.
Fantastic Racism: In the Japanese version, Mew believed that all clones are inferior to the originals. The dub changed it into a speech about how real strength comes from the heart.
Floating in a Bubble: How Mew and Mewtwo fight.
Freak Out/Go Mad from the Revelation: When told in the beginning of the movie that he is nothing more than a science experiment and/or a tool for the humans who created him, Mewtwo doesn't take the news very well.
Glowing Eyes of Doom: Mewtwo
Gone Horribly Right: The page quote is a scientist's last words as Mewtwo destroys his lab.
Gratuitous English: The pirate trainer who challenges Satoshi (Ash) in the Japanese version speaks with this mixed into his Japanese, complete with a hilarious "Oh my God!" when he loses.
- Rather appropriate considering the voice actor was an American singer named Raymond Johnson, who usually does Gratuitous English in the Pokemon songs he did later.
Humans Are Bastards: Mewtwo's belief. Justified in that he had only really dealt with two humans: the scientist who made him, and Giovanni. He might not have even thought so about the scientist had he not started destroying everything a minute after birth^note
I Lied: Giovanni's response to Mewtwo when the latter confronts the former's early declaration that they were equal partners. Not surprisingly, Mewtwo is royally pissed at the betrayal and decides to blow the joint - figuratively and literally. Unfortunately, Giovanni turns out luckier than the scientists, and survives.
Island Base: After ending his "partnership" with Giovanni, Mewtwo returns to New Island and makes it his lair, complete with a castle◊ that looks like a Miyazaki-esque version of Minas Morgul.
Killed Off for Real: The scientists that created Mewtwo.
Kung-Fu Sonic Boom: During the Mewtwo vs Mew fight. With Psychic Powers, and it is awesome.
Laser-Guided Amnesia: After a young Mewtwo was distraught over Amber's death, the scientists pacified it by injecting a serum that as a result forced him to forget about her.
Little “No”: Misty's reaction to Ash's "death" and Pikachu's failed attempts to revive him with electricity is an incredibly quiet, saddened whisper of: "Please no..."
Lost in Translation: The English translation completely changed the characters of Mewtwo and Mew. Originally, Mewtwo was less outright evil, and more confused and lost than anything else. Mew also was not the goody Purity Sue the English version depicts; in fact, Mew's beliefs are completely opposite to Mewtwo's: it believes that the naturally born Pokemon are superior, and the clones shouldn't exist because they are abominations.
Manifest Destiny: Mewtwo's main motivation is that he is searching for his true destiny after two cases of Screw Destiny.
Mirror Match: The whole plot of the movie revolved around Mewtwo luring trainers to his island and making clones of their Pokémon, leading to a climax which sees each Pokémon fighting its clone. The downside to this is that, because of Mewtwo making the fight even by suppressing his clones' enhanced strength, that they're killing each other.
- Well, all except Pikachu, who won't even lift a paw to defend himself against his clone's attacks.
- Meowth and his clone are another subversion; the former restraining himself from staring a fight and the latter not taking any interest in proving himself at all and doesn't seem to mind that he was born a clone.
Mon of Mass Destruction: Mewtwo.
My God, What Have I Done?: As nuts as Mewtwo was in this movie, there was enough good left in him to question his actions when Ash nearly died trying to stop the battle between the clones and the originals.
Nasty Party: Mewtwo's invitation to his island turns out to be this.
Nietzsche Wannabe: Mewtwo.
Not So Different: Mew in the Japanese version is bigoted to the clones, exactly as Mewtwo to the natural creatures. This was left out in the English version.
Oh Crap: Mr. Fuji - as quoted at the beginning of the page - right before being torn apart by Mewtwo.
Perpetual Frowner: Mewtwo.
Please Wake Up: Pikachu's reaction to Ash's death.
The Power of Love: It helps win the final battle and bring Ash back from the dead.
Precision F-Strike: In the Japanese version: "Discharge, damn machine!"
- Also, in the Mexican Spanish version, Ash refers to the same cloning machine as a "maldita maquina" ("damn machine," too).
- In Mexican TV, "maldito/a" is said all the time, sure its somewhat rude to say but is not considered swearing like its English counterpart.
Pstandard Psychic Pstance: Mostly played straight with Mewtwo, but averted with Mew.
Psychopathic Manchild: Some fans of Mewtwo's Japanese incarnation have likened him to a scared, confused and angry child, placing him in types B and C of the trope. His motives basically amount to a psychic powered temper-tantrum (albeit one that is not entirely unjustified) as a result of his mistreatment and even some of his dialog is childish in some aspects, saying "Don't tell me what to do!" when Ash and co. confront him on taking their Pokémon. The English dub averts this, glossing over most, if not all, of Mewtwo's childish mannerisms from the Japanese version.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: Cute, cheerful Mew in comparison to the badass, angsty Mewtwo. Their force-fields are even color-coded to match.
Replacement Goldfish: The scientists who created Mewtwo did so in the hope that it would help find a way to clone one scientist's daughter.
Reset Button: Mewtwo apparently hits one at the end; not only are all memories of his plot wiped out, but the crew ends up back at the ferry station...during the storm. Effectively, he turned back time.
Restraining Bolt: Kinda-sorta-not-really. The armor serves its purpose (hey, Mewtwo didn't kill the trainers' Pokémon) up until Giovanni told Mewtwo exactly what his purpose was after Giovanni found him. Then Mewtwo goes Harrison Bergeron on the restraints and blows up Team Rocket's base.
Ridiculously Cute Critter: Mew, who also passes for Cute Bruiser.
Science Is Bad: How Mewtwo views the scientists who created him. Strangely, this doesn't stop him from creating clones of his own.
- Actually, his view isn't that science is bad, but humans, in particularly their USE of science, are bad. He is allowed to make his own clones because he will give their lives meaning, while the humans made him for (as was explained to him) no reason. "You are an experiment and your purpose is to be viewed in a tube."
Screw the Rules, I Have Supernatural Powers!: When one of his human guests says that a Pokémon can't be a trainer, Mewtwo counters this argument by tossing him into a fountain via telekinesis and later proceeds to do the same with said human's Gyarados.
Sheathe Your Sword: Pikachu refuses to fight his clone. It...doesn't really work. Weirdly enough, Meowth has more success with his.
- As does Psyduck
Shout Out: The subtitles for the movie (it actually has two, both are seen as correct however) are references to The Empire Strikes Back and Char's Counterattack.
Shut Up, Kirk!: Pikachu tries to convince Mewtwo that Ash views him (Pikachu) as a friend, not a slave. Mewtwo is not convinced and hurls him against Ash.
The Social Darwinist: Mewtwo
- Only in the English version. In the original its mew who view the originals as superior.
Stealth Pun: The English dub has Brock say that he didn't know Vikings were still around while Team Rocket (dressed as them) are attempting to ferry them to New Island. Ash responds that "They mostly live in Minnesota!" This went over the heads of more than a few British and Canadians. *
The Minnesota Vikings are a team in the National Football League.
Swiss Army Tears: The climax of the movie. Ash is brought back to life thanks to these.
- Somewhat doubles as a Clap Your Hands If You Believe.
Taken for Granite: Ash, see Disney Death above.
Take Over the World: This appears to have been Giovanni's motive for manipulating Mewtwo. Mewtwo then tries to pull this off himself with his cloned Pokémon...sort of; everyone would be wiped out prior to this, so he wouldn't really be "taking it over" from anyone.
Theme Tune Extended: The theme song for the first season of Pokémon receives a remix here, featuring the additional verses of the original theme.
Throw It In: The commentary remarked that Misty's "please, no" reaction to Ash's death was originally, jokingly ad-libbed by Rachael Lillis as "my bike!" when trying to find a workable two-syllable reaction to said event.
Throwing Down the Gauntlet: "You can't do this. I won't let you."
Tragic Villain: MEWTWO is perhaps the most tragic villain in the anime's universe. The short written for it makes it even more tragic, which makes you feel sorry for the poor guy.
- It doesn't help that in the short, Mewtwo is a wide-eyed youngster easily as adorable as Mew.
Turn The Other Cheek: Pikachu refuses to attack his clone or defend himself against the blows.
Turned Against Their Masters: Mewtwo. It took him all of 12 seconds to do so.
Victory Guided Amnesia: None of the trainers or their Pokémon remember the events of this movie.
- See Reset Button above.
  - Someone does.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: Mewtwo.
Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: Mewtwo, again. Even moreso in the Japanese version.
The Worf Effect: The montage of Mewtwo while under Giovanni's control shows him curb-stomping among other things, an Alakazam in seconds, and help capture a large herd of Tauros.
Writer on Board: This movie was released at the height of both Pokemon's Popularity and Controversy. To appease the parents in the audience, the last leg of the movie turned into a lecture over why fighting is bad.
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Mewtwo to Nurse Joy; downplayed in that he simply lifts her from his mind control instead of killing her.