Search - Pokemon: The First Movie on DVD

MPAA Rating: G Content Advisory: Mild Violence Movie Release: 1998 DVD Release: 03/21/2000 Format: DVD - Pan and Scan Edition: Special Collection Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 30 mins Studio: Warner Home Video Members Wishing: 0 Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Children's/Family, Children's Fantasy, Fantasy Comedy, Fantasy Adventure, Anime See Also: Pokemon the First Movie [MD]

Pokémon, the lovable little characters who have become favorites in video games, TV cartoons, comic books, and toys, comes to the big screen with this animated feature film. In a fantastic alternate universe, there are 151 different varieties of the creatures called Pokemon, each with its own unique talents. Many humans attempt to capture the Pokemon and train them; the top trainers can teach the critters how to capture and train other Pokemon, making them Pokemon Masters. Ash Ketchum is one of the leading Pokemon Masters, and with his friends Misty, Brock, and Pikachu (a Pokemon with electrical powers), he discovers Mewtwo, a super-powered Pokemon created through biological engineering. Mewtwo has powers of which a mere Pokemon can only dream, and when he uses his skills to create even more super-Pokemon, Ash and his Pokemon friends must join forces to battle for survival. A major box-office success when released in Japan in 1998, Pokemon the First Movie was accompanied for its 1999 U.S. release by a 22-minute short subject, Pikachu's Vacation. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Veronica Taylor
Philip Bartlett
Rachael Lillis
Eric Stuart
Addie Blaustein

Warner's packs the DVD release of Pokemon: The First Movie with a generous assortment of extras for the Pokemon faithful. Along with the feature presentation, the disc includes the 20-minute "minimovie" Pikachu's Vacation, a short cartoon called "The Story of Mewtwo's Origin," and a trailer for the sequel Ash's Journey. DVD-ROM users will find virtual trading cards, !Nintendo game guides, and links to the website. A very detailed behind-the-scenes feature can help parents to understand Poke-babble. An unusual addition for a kid-oriented cartoon is the full-length audio commentary by the English-version producer, Norman J. Grossfeld, and director Michael Haigney, which will probably interest animators and parents more than the children who make up the Pokemon fan base. Their comments focus on the story background and point out the differences between the American and Japanese versions of the movie. For instance, Meowth, the Pokemon companion to bad guys Team Rocket, is a wisecracking sidekick in the U.S. version, but in Japan he is a philosopher/singer/poet. They've also added 3-D computer graphics and a pop music soundtrack for the American audience. Though Pokemon fans would probably be satisfied with the movie alone, this DVD presentation offers an entertaining and informative mix of features. ~ Marina Chavez, All Movie Guide