The first trailer for the 2019 Pokemon anime movie has been revealed!
On Monday, the first trailer for the 2019 anime movie, Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution, was revealed. The trailer didn’t reveal too much. It did give viewers a preview of how the CG may look for the movie and a release date. Though, that was all the movie did.
Typically, the first trailer just shows a minute of footage that may not even be in the movie. It acts more like a test reel to give viewers a preview of what to expect. Usually just something to get Pokemon fans hyped up for the next movie without revealing all of their cards.
You can watch the trailer below. I will then follow up with some thoughts about it.

It is interesting to see the trailer start out with saying how Pokemon the First Movie was a worldwide sensation. What is even more surprising is that the English Pokemon account acknowledge the reveal of the new movie. This is a first for the English Pokemon side to do such a thing. Usually it doesn’t bother to acknowledge anything happening in the anime on the Japanese side. This could lead up to something bigger.
Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution could be a movie that is targeting Western audience more then Japanese ones. After all, this year is going to be the 20th anniversary of Pokemon the First movie. What better way to celebrate a movie that hit it big world wide then celebrate on it’s 20th anniversary? The Japanese Pokemon social media even went as far to call 2019, “The Year of Mewtwo.
NEWS FROM JAPAN:
“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.”
Get ready, Trainers… https://t.co/BT9RoF0WfQ
— Ice-type Pokémon (@Pokemon) December 31, 2018
There is also the fact that this movie will be done in CG. Unfortunately, 2D animation is going out of fashion in Western audiences. If a Pokemon movie was done in CG then perhaps it could draw in bigger crowds in the West. Granted, I am personally a fan of 2D animation and found it charming how the Power of Us was done.
Lastly, this teaser trailer had footage from the American premiere for Pokemon the First Movie and English subtitles. It is clear that this trailer was made to partly target American viewers. They know that there is a percentage of the English fanbase that search out Japanese Pokemon news. From there, it is up to those fans to spread the news like wildfire on social media. They want American viewers to feel a connection to Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution.
It is too soon the make wild speculation about a movie where we only have a minute of footage that may not even be in the movie. What we can talk about is what the intentions of this film. Recently, it was announced that The Power of Us was only the 8th top grossing film in Japan. I am sure that they want to do better while growing the brand over seas. Pokemon doesn’t have to do that but they want the staying power. What better way then mining deeper into the American fanbase?
We have plenty of time to see what Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution is going to be about. After all, we are early in the promotion cycle. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution isn’t the real title of this movie. Things will be clearer for this movie once we receive two important bits of information.

  1. The name and details of the Summer Japanese TCG set
  2. The surprise new guest Pokemon

The Summer Japanese TCG set is always used as a marketing push for the new movie. Burning Shadows featured Ho-oh and Marshadow as the featured Pokemon for the set. Lost Thunder was made up of two Japanese TCG sets that had Lugia as the featured Pokemon for one and Zerora for another. We can go further back where Volcanion and Mega Gardevoir were the star Pokemon for the set that came out a month before the movie that featured them came out. Hoopa was the star for his own movie and guess what. The month before his movie came out saw the release of Ancient Origins where he was the star for that set.
If I was a betting man then I would put money that the Japanese TCG set for June will feature a Tag Team GX card called Mew & Mewtwo GX. This will help promote the new Tag Team GX mechanic that the TCG is currently using. It would also give the TCG the chance to promote the new movie while also making a new Mewtwo card.
There is also the mystery of which new Pokemon will be in the movie. Lets be honest, they always put a new Pokemon in these movies to help make people excited to see the movie. Magearna? Marshadow? Zerora? All were new Pokemon at the time that got put in a movie. We have a new game come out this fall. Want to bet that a new Pokemon from those games will be in the movie? Hopefully it will make sense how it is involved in a story that we know some of it already. After all, the inclusion of Marshadow didn’t work too well in I Choose You.
In conclusion, the new trailer didn’t give us much when it came to the movie itself. What is worth talking about is this subtle push that Japan is doing with the English speaking side of the Pokemon fandom. What will happen? Only time will tell but I do hope Ash and Pikachu looks good in CG.
The post First Trailer for 2019 Anime Movie and Thoughts appeared first on Pokémon Crossroads.


Read more or post a comment.