Pokémon: The First Movie

Pokémon: The First Movie is a 1998 Japanese anime fantasy adventure film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama. The first theatrical release in the Pokémon franchise, the plot takes place during the first season of Pokémon: Indigo League. The film was first released in Japan on July 18, 1998, to positive reviews, with praise directed at the film's emotional impact and exploration of ethical topics such as cloning, genetic modification, and existentialism.

The English-language adaptation was released in North America and other countries on November 10, 1999, by Warner Bros. Pictures. This version was received far less positively, with much criticism pointed at the poorly dubbed voice acting and its inclusion of an anti-violence message contradictory of the series' overall concept. Further, retrospective criticism of the dub has been targeted against the removal of most of the ethical topics from the original Japanese version, such as part of Mewtwo's origin story. Despite divided reviews (including Japan and the United States), it was a box office success worldwide, topping the box office charts in its opening weekend and eventually grossing over $172 million at the worldwide box office. It also sold 10 million home video units in the United States, including 4.2 million VHS sales that earned $58.8 million in 2000.

On July 8, 1999, an extended version aired on Japanese television. In addition to an added prologue, the release included new animation and CGI graphics. The film primarily consists of two segments: Origin of Mewtwo, the ten-minute prologue added to the extended version; and Mewtwo Strikes Back, the main 75-minute film feature. Overseas, the prologue can only be seen as a bonus short in DVD versions of Pokémon: Mewtwo Returns. A full CGI remake of the movie, titled Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution, was released in 2019.