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Mewtwo is a Pokémon, a fictional creature from Nintendo and
Game Freak is a Japanese video game developer, best known as the primary developer of the mainline ''Pokémon'' series of role-playing video games published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. History Predating the video game company, ''Game Freak'' ...
. Created by
Ken Sugimori is a Japanese video game designer, illustrator, manga artist, and director. He is best known as the primary character designer and art director for the ''Pokémon'' franchise. Sugimori is also credited with the art direction for other titles, in ...
, it debuted in the
video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
s ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue'', and later appeared in subsequent sequels and spin-off titles, such as '' Pokken Tournament''. In the video games, the player can fight and capture Mewtwo in order to subsequently pit it against other Pokémon. The player first learns of Mewtwo late in ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue'' by reading research documents left in a ruined
laboratory A laboratory (; ; colloquially lab) is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific or technological research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. Laboratory services are provided in a variety of settings: physic ...
on Cinnabar Island. Mewtwo is regarded as one of the series' strongest Pokémon, and was the strongest in the original games in terms of stats. It is known as the "Genetic Pokémon" and is a Legendary Pokémon, a special group of Pokémon that are very rare and usually very powerful. Mewtwo has also appeared in various animated adaptations of the franchise.
Masachika Ichimura is a Japanese actor and voice actor. He was born in Kawagoe, Saitama and studied at the Theater Art College in Tokyo after graduating high school. He is best known to anime fans as the voice of Mewtwo. Ichimura is also the ex-husband of actress ...
was the first to voice the original Mewtwo character in Japanese, and the creature's younger self is voiced by
Fujiko Takimoto is a Japanese voice actress from Osaka Prefecture, Japan. On February 2, 2014, she married fellow voice actor and her '' Mahoromatic'' co-star Hideki Ogihara. Filmography Anime *'' Mahoujin Guru Guru'' (1994) (Nike) *''Captain Tsubasa J'' (19 ...
in the ''Sound Picture Box: Mewtwo's Origin'' CD drama and
Showtaro Morikubo is a Japanese actor, voice actor and singer who has voiced characters in anime, drama CDs, and video games. He was formerly affiliated with I'm Enterprise, Sigma Seven and VIMS. His most notable roles were Shikamaru Nara from ''Naruto'', Sou ...
in the anime adaptation.
In English,
Jay Goede A jay is a member of a number of species of medium-sized, usually colorful and noisy, passerine birds in the Crow family, Corvidae. The evolutionary relationships between the jays and the magpies are rather complex. For example, the Eurasian ...
voiced Mewtwo in '' Pokémon: The First Movie'' (being credited under the
pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
"Philip Bartlett") and the ''
Pokémon Live! ''Pokémon Live!'' was a musical stage show that toured the United States from September 15, 2000 to January 28, 2001. The musical was based on the ''Pokémon'' anime series, using similar characters, clothing, and story elements. The show uses ...
'' musical, while Dan Green provided the voice for ''The First Movie''s direct sequel, '' Pokémon: Mewtwo Returns''. Green reprised the role in the 2019 remake of the first Pokémon movie, '' Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution''. Actress
Reiko Takashima is a Japanese actress. Career Takashima starred in Shinji Aoyama's 1999 film, '' EM Embalming''. She has also appeared in films such as '' K-20: Legend of the Mask'', ''Railways'' and ''Space Battleship Yamato''. Filmography Film * ''Like a Ro ...
voiced a second, unrelated Mewtwo in the ''Pokémon'' anime special ''Mewtwo: Prologue to Awakening'' and its direct sequel, '' Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened''; this second Mewtwo is voiced by actress Miriam Pultro in the English dub. Mewtwo has featured in other game franchises, such as '' Super Smash Bros.'' series. A third Mewtwo also appears in the 2019
live-action animated film A live-action animated film is a film that combines live action filmmaking with animation. Films that are both live-action and computer-animated tend to have fictional characters or figures represented and characterized by cast members through mot ...
'' Detective Pikachu'', voiced simultaneously by Rina Hoshino and Kotaro Watanabe.


Design and characteristics

Japanese video game designer
Ken Sugimori is a Japanese video game designer, illustrator, manga artist, and director. He is best known as the primary character designer and art director for the ''Pokémon'' franchise. Sugimori is also credited with the art direction for other titles, in ...
designed Mewtwo for the first generation of ''Pocket Monsters'' games, ''Red'' and ''Green'', known outside Japan as ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue''. In the games, Mewtwo is the result of genetic recombination of Mew's DNA that was born from Mew similar to real life clones. While most Pokémon are hatched from eggs, Mewtwo is the only Pokémon that was born. In the anime adaptation, however, it is instead a modified clone whose name means the "second Mew" that, instead of being born from a Mew like in the games, it was created in a tube with the DNA sample being from a Mew eyelash. Until the first ''Pokémon'' movie was released in the United States, Mewtwo was rarely referred to as a "clone" in Japanese sources. Kubo Masakazu, executive producer of ''Mewtwo Strikes Back'', explained that they "intentionally avoid using the term 'kuron' lone because the word has a frightening feel". Despite being Mew's descendant, Mewtwo directly precedes Mew in the game's numerical Pokémon index, owing to the latter's secret inclusion by Game Freak programmer Shigeki Morimoto. During an interview, Pokémon Company president Tsunekazu Ishihara stated that Mewtwo was expected to be popular with North American audiences, citing their preference for strong, powerful characters. In the original games, Mewtwo is intended to be "the strongest Pokémon ever". Due to genetic engineering being applied to a sample of Mew's DNA in order to fully create Mewtwo's genome, Mewtwo is an extremely powerful
psychic A psychic is a person who claims to use extrasensory perception (ESP) to identify information hidden from the normal senses, particularly involving telepathy or clairvoyance, or who performs acts that are apparently inexplicable by natural laws ...
, yet its abilities surpass Mew's due to intentional alterations to the genetic source material. As such, it can use
telekinesis Psychokinesis (from grc, ψυχή, , soul and grc, κίνησις, , movement, label=ㅤ), or telekinesis (from grc, τηλε, , far off and grc, κίνησις, , movement, label=ㅤ), is a hypothetical psychic ability allowing a person ...
for
flight Flight or flying is the process by which an object moves through a space without contacting any planetary surface, either within an atmosphere (i.e. air flight or aviation) or through the vacuum of outer space (i.e. spaceflight). This can be a ...
, to shield itself, or to powerfully throw opponents aside. In addition, it is among the very few Pokémon capable of human speech, doing so via telepathy, alongside Zekrom, Reshiram, Zygarde, the Ultra Beast Naganadel, Xerneas, Diancie, Calyrex and Arceus. Otherwise, it conserves its energy until needed, such as against powerful opponents. In addition to its psychic abilities, Mewtwo can also regenerate, which allows it to quickly recover from near-fatal injuries. However, Mewtwo notably lacks Mew's ability to learn every single teachable move within the games. Although Mewtwo's genome is almost identical to Mew's, the genetic engineering used to complete its creation nevertheless resulted in Mewtwo's appearance being very different in comparison to Mew's. It appears as a
bipedal Bipedalism is a form of terrestrial locomotion where an organism moves by means of its two rear limbs or legs. An animal or machine that usually moves in a bipedal manner is known as a biped , meaning 'two feet' (from Latin ''bis'' 'double' ...
feline that is tall and has a light gray physique with a pronounced and girthy purple tail and abdomen, voluptuous thighs, purple irises, bulbous fingertips, toned chest, crest-like
pinnae The auricle or auricula is the visible part of the ear that is outside the head. It is also called the pinna (Latin for "wing" or " fin", plural pinnae), a term that is used more in zoology. Structure The diagram shows the shape and location ...
, and a tube-like mass of flesh that connects from behind its head to the center of its upper back. Its appearance has been likened to "an over sized cross of cat, squirrel and kangaroo". Although its modified genome resulted in its abilities surpassing Mew's, it also resulted in Mewtwo developing a vicious personality that is primarily interested in proving its own strength. The franchise's non-video game media, particularly the anime, has expanded upon the character. In the most notable instance, Mewtwo telepathically speaks with a male voice and is existentially torn over its purpose in the world. For the sixth and seventh generations of the Pokemon video game series, Mewtwo has two Mega Evolved forms, Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y. These can be activated if the player gives Mewtwo either the Mewtwonite X or the Mewtwonite Y.


Appearances


In video games

In ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue'', the player learns of Mewtwo's existence by reading research notes left in the ruined Pokémon Mansion on Cinnabar Island. The notes say that the island's scientists discovered a new Pokémon in a Guyana jungle, that they named it Mew, and that it later gave birth to a creature they called Mewtwo; the game's Pokédex entry states that Mewtwo was "created by a scientist after years of horrific gene splicing and DNA engineering experiments". Mewtwo proved too mighty to control, destroying the laboratory and escaping. The player is later given an opportunity to capture Mewtwo in the Cerulean Cave, which is accessible only after defeating the game's final bosses, the
Elite Four In political and sociological theory, the elite (french: élite, from la, eligere, to select or to sort out) are a small group of powerful people who hold a disproportionate amount of wealth, privilege, political power, or skill in a group. D ...
and
Blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when ...
; in the remakes ''Pokémon FireRed'' and ''LeafGreen'' this prerequisite was expanded, requiring the player to explore more thoroughly and record information on sixty Pokémon species before access to the cave would be granted. Mewtwo can be caught in ''Pokémon HeartGold'' and ''SoulSilver'' in the same location as before after defeating all of the gym leaders in Kanto. The character was also the focus of a promotion and
downloadable content Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enabli ...
giveaway for ''Pokémon Black'' and ''White''. It was also said to be under a truck in one of the cities, though this was revealed to be a hoax. Mewtwo also reappears in ''Pokémon X'' and ''Y'' after completing the main story, and is one of the handful of Pokémon capable of using the new Mega Evolution mechanic, as it can transform into either Mega Mewtwo X or Mega Mewtwo Y. Since its debut, Mewtwo has appeared in other Nintendo games, besides appearing in every ''Pokémon'' game. In ''
Pokémon Stadium ''Pokémon Stadium'', known in Japan as is a strategy video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. First released in Japan on April 30, 1999, it was later released as the first ''Stadium'' title in Western regions the foll ...
'' and '' Pokémon Pinball'', Mewtwo appears as a final boss after all competitions have been completed. In ''
Pokémon Puzzle League ''Pokémon Puzzle League'' is a puzzle video game in the '' Puzzle League'' series developed by Nintendo Software Technology and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. Released in North America on September 25, 2000, and in Europe on March 2 ...
'', Mewtwo serves not only as the final opponent, but also as the main antagonist responsible for the game's events. Other games, such as '' Super Smash Bros. Melee'' and the '' Pokémon Mystery Dungeon'' series, have featured Mewtwo as an unlockable player character that must be defeated before it may be used, while others like ''
Pokémon Snap is a 1999 first-person photography game with rail shooter style gameplay mechanics developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was first released in Japan in March 1999 and was later released in July 1999 in N ...
'' have featured the character in cameos, appearing once certain conditions have been met. For all appearances in which the character has spoken dialogue, Mewtwo is voiced by
Masachika Ichimura is a Japanese actor and voice actor. He was born in Kawagoe, Saitama and studied at the Theater Art College in Tokyo after graduating high school. He is best known to anime fans as the voice of Mewtwo. Ichimura is also the ex-husband of actress ...
, with the exception of ''
Pokémon Puzzle League ''Pokémon Puzzle League'' is a puzzle video game in the '' Puzzle League'' series developed by Nintendo Software Technology and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. Released in North America on September 25, 2000, and in Europe on March 2 ...
'', where it is voiced by Philip Bartlett, and ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' and ''Wii U'' and '' Ultimate'', where it is voiced by Keiji Fujiwara. After failing to make a playable appearance in ''
Super Smash Bros. Brawl ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' is a 2008 crossover fighting video game developed by Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The third installment in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, it was announced at a pre-E3 2005 press conferenc ...
'', Mewtwo returned to the series as a DLC character in ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' and ''Wii U'' on April 28, 2015, though it was made available to Club Nintendo members who registered both versions on April 15, 2015. In ''3DS'' and ''Wii U'', its Final Smash involves it Mega Evolving into Mega Mewtwo Y and using Psystrike, its signature move in the ''Pokémon'' games. Mewtwo also returned as a playable character in ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...
'' for the Nintendo Switch, where it is once again an unlockable character. A new form of Mewtwo, Shadow Mewtwo, appears as a boss character in ''
Pokkén Tournament is a fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The game combines gameplay elements from Bandai Namco's ''Tekken'' series and other fighting games, such as 3D and 2D movement, with characters from the ''Pokémon'' franchise. I ...
'' and has a special attack that involves it Mega Evolving into Mega Mewtwo X. In addition, its normal form appears as a playable character. In the augmented reality mobile game ''
Pokémon Go ''Pokémon Go'' (stylized as ''Pokémon GO'') is a 2016 augmented reality (AR) mobile game, part of the ''Pokémon'' franchise, developed and published by Niantic in collaboration with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for iOS and Android ...
'', a different variation of Mewtwo's armored appearance from '' Pokémon: The First Movie'' was available for a limited time in Tier 5 Raids in July 2019. Mewtwo also appears as a usable Pokémon in
Pokémon Masters (an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise. In terms of what each of those ...
as the partner of Giovanni, who first became playable in the first Legendary Event, “Lurking Shadow”. During the first part of the Villain Arc story with
Team Rocket A team is a group of individuals (human or non-human) working together to achieve their goal. As defined by Professor Leigh Thompson of the Kellogg School of Management, " team is a group of people who are interdependent with respect to infor ...
, “Looming Shadow of Kanto”, the player could obtain Giovanni Legendary Spirit to raise the rarity of Giovanni to 6-Star EX if the player also used all 20 Power-Ups for Giovanni, which gives it a power boost and makes his Sync Move target all opponents instead of one, and then in the second part of the arc, “Spreading Shadow”, the player could obtain Mewtwo Crystals to allow Giovanni’s Mewtwo to evolve into Mega Mewtwo Y, which makes it even stronger and replaces the move Confusion with Psystrike until the end of the battle.


In anime and related media

Mewtwo is featured in the film '' Pokémon: The First Movie'' as the main antagonist. Unlike in the games, it is shown to be the creation of the criminal organization
Team Rocket A team is a group of individuals (human or non-human) working together to achieve their goal. As defined by Professor Leigh Thompson of the Kellogg School of Management, " team is a group of people who are interdependent with respect to infor ...
, and is referred to as a clone instead of a genetically modified mammal. After Mewtwo destroys the laboratory where it was born, Team Rocket's leader,
Giovanni Giovanni may refer to: * Giovanni (name), an Italian male given name and surname * Giovanni (meteorology), a Web interface for users to analyze NASA's gridded data * ''Don Giovanni'', a 1787 opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, based on the legend of ...
, convinces Mewtwo he can help it control its powers, instead using Mewtwo as a weapon. After escaping Giovanni, Mewtwo questions the reason for its existence and declares revenge on its creators. To this end, it lures several
Pokémon trainers (an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise. In terms of what each of thos ...
, among them protagonist
Ash Ketchum Ash Ketchum, known as in Japan, is a fictional character in the ''Pokémon'' franchise owned by Nintendo. He is the protagonist of the ''Pokémon'' anime and certain manga series as well as on various merchandise related to the franchise. I ...
, to its island in order to clone their Pokémon. Once it does so, Mewtwo forces the originals to battle their clones in an effort to determine which set is superior, while Mewtwo faces its own genetic relative, Mew. Ash sacrifices himself to stop the fighting, though he is later revived from tears shed by both the originals and clones because of his sacrifice. Mewtwo, upon acknowledging the selflessness of Ash's sacrifice, comes to the conclusion that one's actions determine who they are and not the circumstances of their birth. Soon after having this epiphany, Mewtwo and the clones are joined by Mew as they leave to find a sanctuary, with Mewtwo erasing all memory of the events from those gathered. In localizing the film for English-language audiences, Mewtwo's personality became more arrogant and megalomaniacal; localization director Norman Grossfield ruled the changes necessary, as he believed American audiences needed a "clearly evil" instead of ambiguous villain. In the film, Mewtwo is voiced by
Jay Goede A jay is a member of a number of species of medium-sized, usually colorful and noisy, passerine birds in the Crow family, Corvidae. The evolutionary relationships between the jays and the magpies are rather complex. For example, the Eurasian ...
(credited as Philip Bartlett) in English, and by Ichimura in Japanese. In this film, Mewtwo displayed unique abilities and powers unseen in other Pokémon, such as blocking all Pokémon moves in his arena when the clones face off against the originals. In September 1999, Nintendo published ''Sound Picture Box Mewtwo'', which included ''The Birth of Mewtwo: Pokémon Radio Drama'', a CD drama that expands upon Mewtwo's origins. Created by scientist Dr. Fuji, Mewtwo is one of several cloning attempts, which also include Amber, a clone of Fuji's deceased daughter. The young Mewtwo befriends Amber, communicating telepathically; however, the cloning process proves unstable, and she dies. To save the traumatized Mewtwo, Fuji erases its memories and puts it under sedation until its body finishes developing, leading to the events of the film. The CD drama was later adapted into a short anime, and was included with Japanese home releases and broadcasts of ''Mewtwo Strikes Back'' and later in North America in December 2001 as part of ''Mewtwo Returns''. Mewtwo as a child is voiced in Japanese by
Fujiko Takimoto is a Japanese voice actress from Osaka Prefecture, Japan. On February 2, 2014, she married fellow voice actor and her '' Mahoromatic'' co-star Hideki Ogihara. Filmography Anime *'' Mahoujin Guru Guru'' (1994) (Nike) *''Captain Tsubasa J'' (19 ...
for the CD drama and
Showtaro Morikubo is a Japanese actor, voice actor and singer who has voiced characters in anime, drama CDs, and video games. He was formerly affiliated with I'm Enterprise, Sigma Seven and VIMS. His most notable roles were Shikamaru Nara from ''Naruto'', Sou ...
for the anime, while in the English localization the voice actor is uncredited. In December 2000, the film was followed by a direct sequel, '' Pokémon: Mewtwo Returns'', which was broadcast on Japanese television in December 2000 and released worldwide on home video and DVD in 2001. Voiced by Dan Green in English with Ichimura reprising the role in Japanese, Mewtwo and the clones have since found peace on Mount Quena in Johto, a region which directly neighbors Mewtwo's home region of Kanto. However, Giovanni, whose memories were left intact after the first film, locates and pursues Mewtwo. Assisted by Ash and his companions, Mewtwo comes to terms with its existence and defeats Giovanni, removing any memory of itself from his and his soldiers' minds, while leaving the others unaffected. As everyone departs, Mewtwo sets out on its own while the clones remain safely behind on Mount Quena. Mewtwo also appears in the musical ''
Pokémon Live! ''Pokémon Live!'' was a musical stage show that toured the United States from September 15, 2000 to January 28, 2001. The musical was based on the ''Pokémon'' anime series, using similar characters, clothing, and story elements. The show uses ...
'', a live action adaptation of the anime set after ''Pokémon: The First Movie'', and is portrayed by Marton Fulop. In it, Mewtwo faces a robotic replica of itself, MechaMew2, created by Giovanni and able to learn any attacks used against it. However, after learning compassion from Mewtwo, the machine rebels and self-destructs. The 2006 television special '' Pokémon: The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon'' features a
hologram Holography is a technique that enables a wavefront to be recorded and later re-constructed. Holography is best known as a method of generating real three-dimensional images, but it also has a wide range of other applications. In principle, i ...
version of Mewtwo, created and controlled by the story's antagonist Dr. Yung. With help from a hologram Mew, Ash and his companions destroy the Mewtwo hologram and defeat Yung. Another Mewtwo appears in the anime special ''Mewtwo: Prologue to Awakening'' and its direct sequel '' Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened'', voiced by the actress
Reiko Takashima is a Japanese actress. Career Takashima starred in Shinji Aoyama's 1999 film, '' EM Embalming''. She has also appeared in films such as '' K-20: Legend of the Mask'', ''Railways'' and ''Space Battleship Yamato''. Filmography Film * ''Like a Ro ...
. Compared to the original Mewtwo, this one is also conflicted about its existence, yet is more empathic to the point of not being belligerent toward humans, as shown when it protects Ash, Iris, Cilan, and Eric from the rampaging Genesect army. Unlike the original Mewtwo, this one is able to Mega Evolve into Mega Mewtwo Y; due to Mega Evolution not being fully introduced at the time, it is referred to in the film as Mewtwo's . A Mewtwo, which was created by Mr. Fuji, appears in the anime miniseries ''
Pokémon Origins ''Pokémon Origins'', known in Japan as , is a Japanese anime television mini series based on Nintendo's '' Pokémon'' franchise which follows the plot of ''Pokemon Red'' and ''Blue''. Like the television series, it was not owned by Media Fac ...
'', which is generally based on the plot of the video games ''Pokémon FireRed'' and ''LeafGreen''. As such, Red goes to Cerulean Cave, and uses the Mega Evolution mechanic introduced in ''Pokémon X'' and ''Y'' to Mega Evolve his
Charizard Charizard (), known in Japan as , is a Pokémon in Nintendo and Game Freak's '' Pokémon'' franchise. Created by Atsuko Nishida, Charizard first appeared in the video games ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue'' ( ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Green'' in ...
for the fight with Mewtwo, whom Red captures. Mewtwo made its live-action animated debut in the 2019 movie '' Detective Pikachu''. Mewtwo also appears in the film '' Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution'', a remake of ''Pokémon: The First Movie'', that premiered on July 12, 2019. Mewtwo from the first film appears in '' Pokémon Journeys'' episode "Getting More Than You Battled For!". Mewtwo protects several Pokémon that had been abused by humans on Cero Island since its departure from Mount Quena. Ash recognizes Mewtwo while Goh meets it for the first time after they were saved from the waterfall. After defeating Ash and Goh in a battle, Mewtwo decides to leave Cero Island with the rescued Pokémon and teleports them back to the Cerise Laboratory, allowing them to retain their memories of the encounter.


In printed adaptations

Mewtwo has appeared as a central character in several books related to the ''Pokémon'' franchise, including novelizations of ''Mewtwo Strikes Back'' and ''Mewtwo Returns'', both of which closely follow the events of the films. In December 1999,
Viz Media VIZ Media LLC is an American manga publisher, anime distributor and entertainment company headquartered in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ M ...
published the children's picture book ''I'm Not Pikachu!: Pokémon Tales Movie Special'', which featured children taking on traits of the characters from the film, including Mewtwo. In May 2001, Viz released a second children's book, ''Mewtwo's Watching You!'', which featured a shy Mewtwo interestedly watching other Pokémon play. In the manga series ''
Pokémon Adventures is a Japanese manga series based on the ''Pokémon'' media franchise created by video game designer Satoshi Tajiri and managed by The Pokémon Company. Tajiri once stated that the series is closest to how he imagined the universe of ''Pokém ...
'', Team Rocket created Mewtwo, but some of its DNA is placed inside the Gym leader Blaine. Because of the DNA that they share, the two are unable to be separated for very long without becoming ill. Later, another Pokémon, Entei, is able to break the bond between the two by removing the DNA in Blaine's arm, at which point Mewtwo leaves. It eventually helps the main character of the series, Red, fight against Team Rocket leader Giovanni and his Deoxys. In 1998, Toshihiro Ono was asked to write a story detailing Mewtwo's origin to coincide with the release of ''Pokémon: The First Movie''. The 52-page comic, presented in the form of a flashback, was replaced midway by "The Birth of Mewtwo" animated short, resulting in little connection between Ono's work and the film. Regardless, it saw print as a side story for '' Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu'' in the July 1998 issue of ''
CoroCoro Comic is a Japanese monthly manga magazine published by Shogakukan, established on May 15, 1977. Its main target is elementary school-aged boys, younger than the readers of shōnen manga, shōnen manga. Several of its properties, like ''Doraemon'' and ...
''. In it, Mewtwo's creator Dr. Fuji takes on the role of a coach for the fully developed Pokémon, while his employers, Team Rocket, test its abilities. Learning of a plan to mass-produce it as a weapon, Fuji approaches Mewtwo and tells it to destroy the lab and Fuji himself. Mewtwo refuses, stating it cannot harm the doctor, who it regards as its father. Once captured by Team Rocket, Fuji tells Mewtwo that he is honored by the statement, and is then killed. Angered by his death, Mewtwo destroys the lab and escapes. In the present, Mewtwo cries in its sleep as it dreams of the events.


Reception

In the games, Mewtwo is consistently noted as being one of the strongest opponents, and has been described in ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue'' as being "the best Pokémon in the game", as well as "one of the rarest — and hardest to catch". Because of the character's multiple strengths and few weaknesses, it changes how players approach playing against each other, causing players to either develop strategies solely to defeat an opposing Mewtwo, or to prohibit its use when battling other players. ''IGN''s staff bemoaned its exclusion from ''
Super Smash Bros. Brawl ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' is a 2008 crossover fighting video game developed by Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The third installment in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, it was announced at a pre-E3 2005 press conferenc ...
''. A poll by ''
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' on whether the character was missed by others in ''Brawl'' shared a similar sentiment, though they also described it as one of ''Super Smash Bros. Melee''s weakest characters. Professional ''Super Smash Bros.'' player
Jason "Mew2King" Zimmerman Jason Sheldon Zimmerman (born February 5, 1989), known by his gamertag Mew2King, commonly shortened to M2K, is an American professional '' Super Smash Bros.'' player from Cinnaminson, New Jersey. He has won more than 70 tournaments during his ...
takes his handle from Mewtwo, although he uses other characters in competition. Authors Tracey West and Katherine Noll called Mewtwo the fifth best Legendary Pokémon and the sixth best Pokémon overall. Jeremy Parish of ''
Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two to ...
'' ranked 73 fighters from ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...
'' "from garbage to glorious", listing Mewtwo as 40th and criticized. Kevin Slackie of '' Paste'' listed Mewtwo as one of the best Pokemon, and further stated Mewtwo has managed to stay relevant for over 20 years without the same exposure as
Pikachu is a fictional species in the ''Pokémon'' media franchise. Designed by Atsuko Nishida and Ken Sugimori, Pikachu first appeared in the 1996 Japanese video games ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Green'' created by Game Freak and Nintendo, which w ...
, which itself is a testament to its amazing staying power as one of the most powerful Pokémon. Gavin Jasper of ''
Den of Geek ''Den of Geek'' is a US and UK-based website covering entertainment with a focus on pop culture. The website also issues a bi-annual magazine. History ''Den of Geek'' was founded in 2007 by Simon Brew in London. In 2012, DoG Tech LLC licensed ...
'' ranked Mewtwo as 35th of ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' characters, and calling Mewtwo as a Akuma of Pokémon. Mewtwo was ranked second in ''
Complex Complex commonly refers to: * Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe ** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
''s "The 50 Best Pokemon Up to Pokemon Crystal", with Elijah Watson saying "that Mewtwo actually exists somewhere on this planet, maybe it'll see its position on our list and spare us." ''IGN'' readers voted Mewtwo as the second-best pocket monster, receiving 86% of win percentage. Dale Bishir of ''
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' described Mewtwo as the most important Pokémon that impacted the franchise's history, and further stated that his prominence is seen all over the franchise, with him having two mega evolutions, his major role in the '' Detective Pikachu'', being a playable character in '' Super Smash Bros.'', and even having two animated movies about him. Steven Bogos of '' The Escapist'' listed Mewtwo as fourth of their favorite Pokémon, describing it as undoubtedly the most powerful Pokémon of the original games. The book ''Pikachu's Global Adventure: The Rise and Fall of Pokémon'' noted Mewtwo as popular with older male children who tend to be drawn to "tough or scary" characters; Mew in contrast was described as a polar opposite, a character popular with young girls who tend to be drawn to "cute" characters. Others books, such as ''Media and the Make-believe Worlds of Children'', have noted a similar comparison, citing Mewtwo as "more aggressive-looking" compared to Mew and emphasizing the importance of the contrast for children. The book ''Gaming Cultures and Place in Asia-Pacific'' compares Sugimori's design of Mewtwo to that of Japanese
tokusatsu is a Japanese term for live action film or television drama that makes heavy use of practical special effects. ''Tokusatsu'' entertainment mainly refers to science fiction, war, fantasy, or horror media featuring such technology but is som ...
films, namely monster films like the 1954 ''
Godzilla is a fictional monster, or '' kaiju'', originating from a series of Japanese films. The character first appeared in the 1954 film '' Godzilla'' and became a worldwide pop culture icon, appearing in various media, including 32 films prod ...
'' in creating "monstrous yet familiar silhouettes from the past renewed agency in the form of eyes and expressions which cut through the viewer". In reception to extended media for the ''Pokémon'' franchise, Mewtwo has been likened to
Frankenstein's monster Frankenstein's monster or Frankenstein's creature, often referred to as simply "Frankenstein", is a fictional character who first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus''. Shelley's title thus compares ...
as a being born from artificial means and discontent with the fact. Theology Secretary for the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...
Anne Richards described Mewtwo as representing a "parable about the pointlessness of force", and praised the character for displaying the
Christian value Christian values historically refers to values derived from the teachings of Jesus Christ. The term has various applications and meanings, and specific definitions can vary widely between denominations, geographical locations and different schools ...
of redemption. Other reactions have been mixed. While it has been cited as a "complex and compelling villain" by some critics, its goal of world domination was received as a trait shared by "…every ''anime'' villain…", and likened to a
James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
villain by '' Daily Record''. However, ''
Animerica ''Animerica'' was a monthly magazine published by Viz Media VIZ Media LLC is an American manga publisher, anime distributor and entertainment company headquartered in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ ...
'' praised Mewtwo as a character with "philosophical depth" as well as for serving as "an adversary of almost infinite power and genuine malice" that the anime series had been lacking. Ken Hollings of ''
Sight & Sound ''Sight and Sound'' (also spelled ''Sight & Sound'') is a British monthly film magazine published by the British Film Institute (BFI). It conducts the well-known, once-a-decade ''Sight and Sound'' Poll of the Greatest Films of All Time, ongoing ...
'' described Mewtwo as "brooding, articulate and vengeful where the other Pokémon remain bright blobs of wordless energy", and "Like a troubled elder brother, Mewtwo represents an older order of experience." '' Anime Classics Zettai!: 100 Must-See Japanese Animation Masterpieces'' praised the character as the best villain of the ''Pokémon'' film series, and one of ''Mewtwo Strikes Back''s strongest elements. The ''Los Angeles Times'' cited its behavior as a point of humor in relation to its appearance as a "decidedly feline character." Mewtwo's image is utilized for merchandise related to the ''Pokémon'' franchise, which includes toys, children's toothbrushes, and a playing piece for a ''Pokémon''-themed version of ''
Monopoly A monopoly (from Greek el, μόνος, mónos, single, alone, label=none and el, πωλεῖν, pōleîn, to sell, label=none), as described by Irving Fisher, is a market with the "absence of competition", creating a situation where a speci ...
''. Several
action figure An action figure is a poseable character model figure made most commonly of plastic, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, military, video game or television program; fictional or historical. These figures are usually mark ...
s have been made, such as a posable figure by
Hasbro Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational conglomerate holding company incorporated and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hasbro owns the trademarks and products of K ...
in 2006 that included accessories to recreate its "Hyper Beam" and "Light Screen" attacks, and a six-inch-tall "talking" figurine by
Jakks Pacific Jakks Pacific, Inc. is an American company that designs and markets toys and consumer products, with a range of products that feature numerous children's toy licenses. The company is named after its founder, Jack Friedman, who had previously fo ...
as part of a series to commemorate the anime's ''
Battle Frontier A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
''
story arc A story arc (also narrative arc) is the chronological construction of plot in a novel or story. It can also mean an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, board games, vid ...
. Items marketed for adults featuring Mewtwo have also been sold and distributed by Nintendo, such as T-shirts. The island nation of
Niue Niue (, ; niu, Niuē) is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, northeast of New Zealand. Niue's land area is about and its population, predominantly Polynesian, was about 1,600 in 2016. Niue is located in a triangle between Tong ...
released a one-dollar coin featuring the character as part of a commemorative promotion for the ''Pokémon'' franchise, with Mewtwo on one side and the nation's coat of arms on the other. Mewtwo also appears on the port side of
All Nippon Airways , also known as ANA (''Ē-enu-ē'') or is an airline in Japan. Its headquarters are located in Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area of Minato ward of Tokyo. It operates services to both domestic and international destinations and had m ...
's Pocket Monsters Boeing 747 jumbo jet, alongside Mew.


Notes


References


External links


Mewtwo on Pokemon.com
{{Good article Clone characters in video games Fictional psychics Genetically engineered characters in video games Nintendo antagonists Nintendo protagonists Pokémon species Super Smash Bros. fighters Telepath characters in video games Video game bosses Video game characters introduced in 1996 Video game characters who can teleport