What was the Japanese release date of Pokémon: The First Movie, featuring Mewtwo?
Answer
July 18, 1998
Pokémon: The First Movie was first released in Japan on July 18, 1998.
The film, directed by Kunihiko Yuyama, centers on Mewtwo, a genetically engineered Pokémon who challenges trainers and confronts questions about identity and existence. Ash, Misty, and Brock are drawn to New Island, where Mewtwo has arranged a battle involving cloned Pokémon.
The Japanese title is Pocket Monsters the Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back. Its English-language version arrived in North America on November 10, 1999, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. That later date is a frequent source of confusion when comparing the film’s international release history.
The movie was accompanied by the short Pikachu’s Vacation in many theatrical presentations. A full computer-animated remake, Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution, was released in 2019, while the original remains the first theatrical film in the Pokémon anime series.