Toho first distributed the original Pokémon animated film in Japan.
Pokémon: The First Movie was theatrically released in Japan on July 18, 1998, with Toho handling distribution. Its Japanese title was Pocket Monsters the Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back, and Kunihiko Yuyama directed the production.
The film was later distributed outside Asia through different arrangements. Warner Bros. Pictures handled the English-language North American release, which is why international viewers may associate the movie with Warner Bros. rather than Toho.
The movie was the first theatrical film based on the Pokémon anime. Its story focused on Mewtwo and themes involving cloning, identity, scientific ambition, and the relationship between humans and Pokémon. The film's success established a long-running theatrical series.