Pokémon: The First Movie (1999)

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Plot Summary

After being created inside of laboratory from the DNA of a rare pokemon called Mew, Mewtwo has become bored and feels restricted within his life as an experiment. Mewtwo destroys the lab and after its destruction meets the head of the organization, Team Rocket, creating him, Mr. Giovanni. Giovanni suggests they join forces, Mewtwo does work for Team Rocket while Giovanni teaches Mewtwo to control and use his vast power. After months of training Mewtwo realizes he is nothing but a tool and destroys Team Rocket's headquarters and flies to the island where he was created to get his revenge.

Ask Ketchum, Brock, and Misty are all Pokemon trainers who have banded together along their adventure. They all receive a mysterious invitation for a party being put on by the greatest Pokemon Master on New Island. Ash and the group are excited and hurry off to catch a boat to New Island. A storm rises up and cancels all boat rides to the island, and while a few trainers make it across with their pokemon's aide, Ash and his friends are stalled by Team Rocket in disguise. After dealing with Jessi and James, the two members of Team Rocket, Ash and his friends finally make a daring cross through the storm. 

Once on the island they are directed inside of a palace where Mewtwo reveals himself to Ash, Misty, Brock, and three other trainers who made the dangerous crossing. Mewtwo claims he created the storm to test the wills of all trainers and was the Pokemon Master. Mewtwo bemoans the relationship that the trainers have with their pokemon and he is challenged. But Mewtwo has clones of the very pokemon the trainers pit against him, which easily defeat the originals. Mewtwo begins to steal the remaining trainer's pokemon, but Ash chases his Pikachu down.

Deep inside the palace Ash discovers a cloning center in which the trainer's original pokemon are stored and cloned. Mewtwo reveals that he intends to take over humanity with his new army of clones. Ash and his friends attempt to fight back but Mewtwo's power is too strong, luckily Mew arrves. Mew's attitude is playful and nonchalant which only serves to enrage Mewtwo. 

A battle breaks out, original pokemon take on their clones while Mew and Mewtwo fight one another. The trainers are appalled by the violence and the two Mews fight increases in power and hostility. But their powers go awry, and as Ash is running to try and stop the fight he is killed. Pikachu runs to Ash's side which has now turned to stone. Pikachu tries desperately to revive his master but to no end and begins to cry. As his tears touch Ash they magically revive him. Mewtwo is taken off guard by Ash's actions to save all the pokemon and it changes his views on humanity. Mew, Mewtwo, and all the cloned pokemon leave the island peacefully and erase everyone's memory of the incident. 

Ash, Misty, and Brock wake up back on the docks and as Ash spots Mew far away he recalls his first day as a pokemon trainer seeing another rare pokemon off the in distance.

Pikachu's Vacation

Starting a tradition with most pokemon films Pokemon: The First Movie opens with a short that doesn't have any implication with the rest of the film. This one is a 21 minute short film and was shown in both the DVD and theatrical versions of the films. Also started as a tradition was premiering new pokemon from the next generation of pokemon.

Ash and his friends find a pokemon-only resort they let pokemon enjoy the environments natural to the types. All their pokemon go into the resort where they find bully pokemon that cause trouble for Pikachu and the other pokemon. They start competing with one another in a variety of contests until one of the pokemon, Charizard, gets his head stuck in a tree. The two groups of pokemon must overcome their differences and help get Charizard free. After rejoicing in helping Charizard the new pokemon friends go back with their trainers with new memories.