What subtitle follows Pokémon: The First Movie?

The subtitle of Pokémon: The First Movie is “Mewtwo Strikes Back.” The film centers on Mewtwo, a genetically engineered Pokémon who questions its origins and seeks revenge against humanity.

The movie premiered in Japan on July 18, 1998, making it the first theatrical Pokémon animated film. Kunihiko Yuyama directed it, and Takeshi Shudo wrote the screenplay. Its story follows Ash, Misty, and Brock after they accept an invitation to a mysterious Pokémon battle.

The English title is commonly written as Pokémon: The First Movie—Mewtwo Strikes Back. In Japan, the title is Pocket Monsters the Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back. The distinction matters because later films received numbered titles such as Pokémon the Movie 2000 and Pokémon 3.

A 2019 computer-animated remake, Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution, retold the same basic story. It is a remake, not the original film’s first release, and it should not be confused with the television special Mewtwo Returns.