Honestly, if you grew up in the late '90s, you probably remember the absolute chaos of the first Pokemon movie. People were skipping school. Lines were wrapping around suburban malls. Everyone wanted that gold-plated Jigglypuff card from Burger King. But at the center of all that hype was a battle that felt surprisingly heavy for a "kids' show." We’re talking about pokemon movie mew vs mewtwo, a showdown that, on the surface, looks like a standard psychic brawl but is actually a weirdly deep meditation on why we even exist.
Most people remember the English dub version where Mewtwo is basically a world-ending supervillain. He's got the cool cape, the floating island, and a massive chip on his shoulder. But if you dig into the original Japanese script or the "Birth of Mewtwo" radio drama, the story gets a lot darker—and a lot more interesting.
The Existential Crisis You Didn't See
In the version most of us saw in theaters, Mewtwo's motivation is kind of "evil genius 101." He wants to prove he’s the strongest, so he clones everyone’s Pokemon and decides to wipe out humanity. It’s effective, sure. But the original Japanese creator, Takeshi Shudo, had something way more tragic in mind.
Before the events of the movie, Mewtwo wasn't just some lab experiment destined for world domination. He was part of a group of clones including "Ambertwo," the cloned daughter of the lead scientist, Dr. Fuji. Dr. Fuji wasn't just trying to make a weapon; he was a grieving father trying to bring his dead child back to life. While they were still in their tubes, the consciousness of baby Mewtwo and Ambertwo actually hung out in a psychic "dream world."
Then, the other clones died. Ambertwo faded away right in front of him.
Mewtwo's entire rage in the original Japanese cut comes from this specific trauma. He wasn't just "born bad." He was a sentient creature who lost his only friends before he even had a body. When he eventually wakes up and asks "Who am I?", the scientists tell him he's just a copy. A tool. That's the spark that leads to the explosive confrontation in pokemon movie mew vs mewtwo.
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Why the Battle is More Than Just "Punches"
The actual fight on New Island is brutal. It’s not like the gym battles we see in the show where everyone is calling out moves like Thunderbolt or Flamethrower. Mewtwo actually disables the special abilities of the Pokemon. He forces them to fight "naturally."
Basically, it’s a physical slugfest.
You’ve got Charizards scratching each other and Pikachus slapping each other until they’re both sobbing. It’s hard to watch. But here’s the kicker: in the English version, Mew is portrayed as this pure, saint-like hero who shows up to save the day. The message is basically "fighting is wrong."
The Japanese version? Not so much.
In the original script, Mew is kind of a jerk. It views the clones as "fakes" that shouldn't exist. The battle isn't just about peace; it's a fight for the right to exist. Mewtwo is trying to prove that his life has value even if he was made in a test tube, while Mew is essentially trying to "delete" the copies. It adds this huge layer of nuance to the pokemon movie mew vs mewtwo dynamic. It’s not "Good vs. Evil." It’s "Original vs. Copy" in a way that’s much more philosophically messy.
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What Actually Happened with the Ending?
Everyone remembers Ash Ketchum turning to stone. It’s the scene that made an entire generation of kids cry in the dark. Ash runs between the psychic blasts of Mew and Mewtwo, gets caught in the crossfire, and petrifies.
Then come the tears.
The "tears of life" have been mocked by critics for years as a massive deus ex machina, but within the logic of the movie, they serve a specific purpose. It’s the moment where the fighting stops because everyone realizes that the pain is the same for the originals and the clones.
- Pikachu’s Refusal: Pikachu is the only one who refuses to fight back against his clone. This is the catalyst that starts to break the cycle.
- The Memory Wipe: A lot of people hate that Mewtwo wipes everyone's memories at the end. It feels like a "it was all a dream" cop-out. But from Mewtwo's perspective, it was a way to protect himself and the clones from being hunted again.
- The Final Quote: "I see now that the circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are."
That quote? It’s arguably the most famous line in Pokemon history. It’s the moment Mewtwo finally finds his peace.
The Legacy of Mewtwo in 2026
Looking back, this movie was a massive risk. It cost about $30 million to produce and ended up making over $160 million worldwide. It proved that Pokemon wasn't just a fad; it was a cultural powerhouse that could handle "adult" themes like cloning ethics and the meaning of the soul.
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Even now, years later, fans are still debating the differences between the versions. The 2019 CGI remake, Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution, basically retold the same story with updated graphics, but most purists still stick with the 1998 hand-drawn original. There’s just something about that gritty cel animation that makes the psychic energy look more dangerous.
If you're revisiting the pokemon movie mew vs mewtwo rivalry today, here’s how to get the most out of it:
- Watch the Prologue: If you’ve only seen the US theatrical version, go find "The Uncut Story of Mewtwo’s Origin." It completely changes how you view Mewtwo’s anger.
- Compare the Music: The English soundtrack is full of late-'90s pop (Blessid Union of Souls, anyone?), but the Japanese score is much more orchestral and somber. It changes the "vibe" of the final battle significantly.
- Look for the Meowth Scene: Meowth and his clone have a conversation about looking at what’s the same rather than what’s different. It’s arguably the smartest piece of writing in the whole film and often gets overshadowed by Ash turning to stone.
At the end of the day, this movie isn't just about super-powered pets hitting each other. It’s a story about a creature trying to figure out if he's a "someone" or a "something." Whether you’re 8 or 38, that’s a question that still hits pretty hard.
To truly understand the depth of this story, track down a subbed version of the original Japanese theatrical cut. It removes the "evil for the sake of evil" tropes added for Western audiences and replaces them with a much more human—well, Pokemon—exploration of trauma and identity. Once you see the "Ambertwo" scenes, you'll never look at Mewtwo as a villain ever again.