On what date was the first Pokémon animated film released in Japan?

The first Pokémon animated film was released in Japan on July 18, 1998.

Known in English as Pokémon: The First Movie, the film is commonly subtitled Mewtwo Strikes Back. It was directed by Kunihiko Yuyama and distributed in Japan by Toho. The story follows Ash, Misty, and Brock as they encounter Mewtwo, a genetically engineered Pokémon created from research involving Mew.

The Japanese theatrical release predates the North American release by more than a year. Warner Bros. released the English-language version in North America in November 1999, which is why international audiences may remember a different date.

The film became a major theatrical event for the franchise and helped establish Pokémon as a film property as well as a game, television, and card-game brand. In 2019, it received a computer-animated remake titled Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution.