Nostalgic Pokémon 90s Classic Now Streaming Free on YouTube

by

Back in the ’90s, a beloved animated film is now free to watch on YouTube! This is fantastic news for fans of the series, particularly those who remember watching it when it initially debuted. You might recognize it as “Pokémon: The First Movie,” which made its premiere in Japan in 1998 under the direction of Kunihiko Yuyama. As the first big-screen outing for the franchise, the film is set during the early stages of the animated series.

The movie narrates the tale of a mighty Pokémon named Mewtwo, who was manufactured in a laboratory by a team of scientists under Dr. Fuji’s guidance, using the genetic material of a scarce Pokémon called Mew. Driven by the desire to resurrect his daughter, Amber, Dr. Fuji participated in the experiment. However, during the process, Mewtwo develops self-awareness and begins pondering his purpose. Shocked by the scientists’ treatment, Mewtwo demolishes the lab and ventures out independently.

In Japan, upon its release, the film garnered positive feedback from viewers due to its heartfelt narrative and exploration of themes such as cloning, personal identity, and life’s purpose. However, when the movie was translated into English and distributed by Warner Bros. in North America in 1999, the reception was far more divided.

A significant number of reviewers found issues with the voice acting and felt that the peace theme contradicted the general flow of the series. Additionally, they noted several key aspects from the original Japanese version, particularly details about Mewtwo’s background, were omitted in some parts.



Despite facing criticism, the movie was financially successful, raking in approximately $172 million globally and selling 10 million copies of home video versions exclusively within the U.S. According to Box Office Mojo, it also generated over $58 million from VHS sales in the year 2000 alone.

The film received generally unfavorable criticism, as indicated by Rotten Tomatoes awarding only 16% to the English version after evaluating 91 reviews and giving it a score of 3.57 out of 10. Critics on this platform stated that “adults will find very little to engage with.” Metacritic assigned the movie a score of 35 out of 100, suggesting that most critics were unimpressed. However, CinemaScore, which surveys regular cinema-goers, reported that audiences gave it a grade of A-.

Renowned film critic Roger Ebert assigned the movie only two stars out of four. He described it as more of a “spectacle of sound and light,” tied to the promotional campaign for Pokémon overall. Moreover, he stated that there was no educational aspect to the film, as it neither stimulated thinking nor observation in young viewers.

During its launch, the film faced some heated discussions due to an unfortunate incident involving a child’s death. Specifically, in December 1999, a baby girl named Kira Murphy tragically passed away after accidentally choking on a Poké Ball toy that came with a Burger King children’s meal.

In a parallel situation, another child in Kansas managed to survive a comparable mishap, leading Burger King to ultimately withdraw the involved toys from circulation. Regrettably, following this recall, yet another child met a tragic end in a similar circumstance. The families involved in these incidents eventually reached settlements; however, specifics about these agreements were kept confidential.

To this day, both fans and critics continue to discuss the distinctions between the original Japanese version and its international releases. Some believe that much of the original’s essence was diluted during the English adaptation process. For those who first watched the show as children, it remains a significant milestone in the series’ history.

With the film now streaming free on YouTube, this presents an opportunity for old enthusiasts as well as newcomers to rewatch it, possibly with renewed perspective.

Read More

2025-07-05 10:14