Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution

Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution[lower-alpha 1] is a 2019 Japanese computer-animated film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama and Motonori Sakakibara. The film is the 22nd installment in the Pokémon film series and a CGI remake of the first film. The film was animated at OLM's CGI unit.[2]

Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution
Japanese Theatrical release poster
Japaneseミュウツーの逆襲 EVOLUTION
HepburnMyūtsū no Gyakushū EVOLUTION
Directed byKunihiko Yuyama
Motonori Sakakibara
Produced byYosuke Nagafuchi
Satoshi Shimohira
Written byTakeshi Shudo
Starringsee below
Music byShinji Miyazaki
Production
company
Distributed byToho
Release date
  • July 4, 2019 (2019-07-04) (Los Angeles)
  • July 12, 2019 (2019-07-12) (Japan)
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese
Box office¥2.98 billion ($27 million)[1]

In Japan, it was released on July 12, 2019 by Toho. A preview was shown in Los Angeles, California on July 4, 2019. The film was released worldwide on Netflix on Pokémon Day on February 27, 2020.[3] And this was the last Pokémon film to be composed by Shinji Miyazaki before his retirement.

Plot

Scientist Dr. Fuji is hired by Giovanni, leader of Team Rocket, to utilize his expertise in cloning in order to create a living weapon based on an eyelash from legendary Pokémon Mew. Soon after the weapon is created, it gains sentience and is named Mewtwo.

Several years later, Mewtwo has fully awakened from a long slumber in a laboratory on New Island, and learns of his origin as Mew's clone from Dr. Fuji. Infuriated that Fuji and his colleagues see him as nothing more than an experiment, he unleashes his psychic powers and destroys the laboratory, killing Fuji and the rest of the scientists. Giovanni, witnessing the carnage afar, approaches and convinces Mewtwo to work with him to hone his powers. However, after Mewtwo learns of his purpose to be a weapon for Giovanni's benefit, he escapes back to New Island where he plots his revenge against humanity.

After Mewtwo rebuilds the laboratory and establishes a base there, he invites several trainers with hologram messages to battle the world's greatest Pokémon trainer at New Island. Ash, Misty, and Brock receive a message and accept the invitation, but when they arrive at the port city, Old Shore Wharf, Mewtwo creates a storm, causing the boats on the wharf to be closed off for safety. As a result, Ash's group are picked up by Team Rocket disguised as captains on a Lapras-shaped sailboat. After the storm sinks their vessel in the middle of the ocean, Ash and his friends use their Pokémon instead to reach New Island.

Escorted into the island's palace by the woman who appeared on the hologram, Ash and the other trainers who were able to reach the island encounter Mewtwo. The woman is revealed to be a brainwashed Nurse Joy after she is released from Mewtwo's mind control. Mewtwo challenges the trainers using cloned Pokémon. Meanwhile, Team Rocket also reaches New Island and explores its inner sanctum with a Mew innocuously following them. After Mewtwo's clones effortlessly defeat the challengers' Pokémon, he confiscates them and expands his clone army. Ash chases after his captured Pikachu down the cloning lab, where Team Rocket's Meowth is also cloned. Ash destroys the cloning machine, frees the captured Pokémon, and leads them to confront Mewtwo and his clones. Mew then reveals itself and Mewtwo challenges it in order to prove his superiority.

All of the Pokémon originals battle their clones save for a defiant Pikachu and Meowth, who makes peace with his own clone after realizing the senselessness of their fighting. Horrified at the pain and anguish felt on both sides of the battle, Ash puts himself in between a psychic blast caused by Mewtwo and Mew's fighting, leading to Ash to become stone. Pikachu tries to revive Ash with its electricity but fails. However, the tears of the Pokémon are able to heal and revive Ash. Moved by Ash's sacrifice, Mewtwo realizes that he should not have to be judged by his origins but rather his choices in life. Departing with Mew and the clones, Mewtwo turns back time to just before the trainers leave Old Shore Wharf, and erases everyone's memories of the event.

Back in Old Shore Wharf, the now-restored Nurse Joy has returned to reopen the Pokémon Center to shelter the trainers. The storm outside clears up, Ash spots Mew flying through the clouds and tells his friends of how he saw another legendary Pokémon the day he left Pallet Town. Meanwhile, Team Rocket find themselves stranded on New Island but enjoy their time there.

After the credits, a brief scene shows Mewtwo and the clones had flown towards Mount Quena.

Voice cast
Character (Japanese) Japanese voice actor English voice actor
Ash Ketchum (Satoshi) Rika Matsumoto Sarah Natochenny
Misty (Kasumi) Mayumi Iizuka Michele Knotz
Brock (Takeshi) Yuji Ueda Bill Rogers
Pikachu
Ikue Ōtani
Togepi
Satomi Korogi
Jessie (Musashi) Megumi Hayashibara Michele Knotz
James (Kojirō) Shin-ichiro Miki James Carter Cathcart
Meowth (Nyarth) Inuko Inuyama James Carter Cathcart
Narrator Unshō Ishizuka Rodger Parsons
Giovanni (Sakaki) Kenta Miyake Ted Lewis
Dr. Fuji Minoru Inaba Billy Bob Thompson
Mew
Kōichi Yamadera
Mewtwo Masachika Ichimura Dan Green
Miranda (Voyager) Sachiko Kobayashi Lisa Ortiz
Corey (Sorao) Hiroshi Kamiya Ted Lewis
Neesha (Sweet) Ayane Sakura Lisa Ortiz
Fergus (Umio) Hiroyuki Yoshino James Carter Cathcart
Pirate (Raymond)
Raymond Johnson
Nurse Joy (Joy) Chika Fujimura Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld

Production

The film was announced on December 14, 2018.[4] Despite Unshō Ishizuka's death on August 13, 2018, the staff confirmed that his narration work was featured in the film.

For the film's end credits, the English song, "Keep Evolving" is performed by Haven Paschall (who voiced Serena in the Pokémon XY and XYZ series) and the Sad Truth and arranged and produced by Ed Goldfarb, who composed the score for the North American version of the anime series.

Release

Theatrical run

The film was released on July 12, 2019, by Toho in Japan. A special Mewtwo (for use only in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!) was distributed in Japan from April 12 to September 30 for purchasers of premium advance tickets.[2] The film had its world premiere at Anime Expo 2019 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Home media

The movie was released on DVD and Blu-ray in Japan on December 18, 2019.[5][6]

Streaming

On January 21, 2020, The Pokémon Company International announced that the movie would be released worldwide (except for South Korea) as a Netflix Original Movie on Pokémon Day – February 27, 2020.[3][7] This is the first Pokémon movie to premiere on a streaming platform rather than premiere in theatres or on television.

Reception

The film received an approval rating of 44% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on nine reviews.[8] Paul Asay of Plugged In, wrote: "For some, Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution will feel extraordinarily nostalgic. Others (read: non-fan parents) will likely be thinking... Meh."[9] Common Sense Media gave the film a three out of five stars, saying: "Whether or not viewers, and Pokemon fans in particular, enjoy this movie is inevitably dependent on how much they like the change to 3D computer animation."[10]

gollark: I don't need to be able to read or think to insult things.
gollark: But you seem to assume sideways peeing?
gollark: Okay, hmm, correction, you are *not*, good.
gollark: You're modelling the urine as if it has 0 velocity and just magically appears at a point then accelerates downward, in which case... it obviously can't go anywhere but right below where it appears.
gollark: This does not seem remotely accurate.

References
  1. "2019". Eiren. Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  2. "ポケモン映画公式サイト「ミュウツーの逆襲 EVOLUTION」7月12日（金）公開". ポケモン映画公式サイト「ミュウツーの逆襲 EVOLUTION」7月12日（金）公開.
  3. Pokémon [@Pokemon] (2020-01-21). "As the Legendary Pokémon Mewtwo becomes aware of its own dubious origin, it begins to resent its human creators and seeks revenge… It's happening, Trainers. #MewtwoStrikesBackEvolution is coming to @Netflix on February 27!" (Tweet). Retrieved 2020-01-21 – via Twitter.
  4. "Pokémon movie reboots look to continue with announcement of Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution". December 14, 2018.
  5. "ニュース│ポケモン映画公式サイト".
  6. "Anime Expo to Host Exclusive Screening of Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution!". June 10, 2019.
  7. Amanda N'Duka (January 21, 2020). "Netflix To Release Animated Movie 'Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back — Evolution'; Watch The Trailer". deadline.com. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  8. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pokemon_the_movie_mewtwo_strikes_back_evolution
  9. https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/pokemon-mewtwo-strikes-back-evolution/
  10. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/pokemon-mewtwo-strikes-back-evolution

Notes
  1. Originally released in Japan as Mewtwo Strikes Back: EVOLUTION (ミュウツーの逆襲 EVOLUTION, Myūtsū no Gyakushū EVOLUTION)
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