Which Pokémon movie was the first feature film in the Pokémon TV franchise?

Pokémon: The First Movie was the first feature film in the Pokémon TV franchise.

Its full English title is Pokémon: The First Movie—Mewtwo Strikes Back. The film was released in Japan on July 17, 1998, and later received an English-language theatrical release in North America in 1999. Its central story follows Mewtwo, a genetically engineered Pokémon created from research involving Mew.

Ash, Misty, and Brock travel to a mysterious island after receiving an invitation to a Pokémon battle. The film explores questions about identity, creation, and whether a Pokémon’s origin determines its worth.

The movie is sometimes confused with Pokémon 2000 because that is the second major theatrical Pokémon film. It also included the short film Pikachu’s Vacation in its original theatrical presentation, but Pikachu’s Vacation is not the feature film’s title.