What was the English title of the first Pokémon theatrical film, released internationally in 1999?

The English title of the first Pokémon theatrical film was Pokémon: The First Movie.

The film was released in Japan in 1998 under the title Pocket Monsters the Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back. Its international English release followed in 1999 and used the subtitle Pokémon: The First Movie. The story centers on Mewtwo, a genetically created Pokémon who questions its identity and relationship to humans.

The movie was paired with the short film Pikachu’s Vacation in many theatrical releases. That short features Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu at a Pokémon resort and helped make the cinema experience appeal to younger viewers as well as fans of the television series.

The subtitle is important because several later films also used numbered or descriptive titles. Pokémon the Movie 2000 was the second major theatrical release, while Mewtwo Returns was a later television special. The first film’s central conflict and dramatic presentation helped establish Pokémon as a successful movie franchise.