Photos of Mewtwo from the Mewtwo strikes back art manga for my good friend @oogaboogaspookyman enjoy your man's also references fr fr I am staring lmao hell yea, spoilers for the manga
The cover art for proper credit and I think he looks good and fine in color
The tantrum boy in his tantrum tube!
Wet Boy is absolutely stances up goated in the sauce
Tantrum bubble time
Whoever drew this I salute you it's the even more complicated fit the fuck
Skipped a bit as this was just a grab some Mewtwo for tapes thing I love how absolutely stances he is here, that wigglytuff has seen a wigglynuff
Boy is SHOOK, baffled bamboozled absolutely cafuckles and cafuffled.
Uh oh angry boy time in low and high definition
Mewtwo seeing all the art of him that exists online like-
Omen gyras was kinda just a place holder for the actual concept and now it's been completed
I now present Gyras in Mach Z form (Mach as in a jet flying at Mach 6 etc)
Gyras has organs in his forearms and calves that are identical to zekrom and reshiram's tail engines, allowing him to take in energy of any type and bolster his speed
If this was a pokemon ability it would be called Mach boost or something
Gyras uses his spe stat in place of his atk stat in damage calculation, spe increases by one stage at the end of each turn. Physical recoil base moves don't deal recoil damage and have a 1.3x boost
i FUCKING HATE the remade mewtwo strikes back. the cgi looks like cheap plastic and its literally the SAME movie i had as a kid just made WORSE. hand drawn animation 7/10 times is better than cgi. and thats coming from someone who LOVES guardians of gahoole.
Wait whats your opinion on Pokemon the First Movie and its remake Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution
LOVE the first movie, hate the remake lol. I know people get on it for being a little basic or whatever but idc, it's a really fun time and it's what got me so attached to the mew duo. i think it's by far the most charming pokemon movie because despite what ppl say considering the "entitlement" from the "the first movie" title, it really feels like they put in a lot of effort to make this movie feel like a huge deal. the cinematography (mewtwo in the lab and when its directing the storm) are genuinely really cool and the battles are stunning. it all comes together really well and you also see this in the show itself since they were hyping it up, which isn't something the show ever really tried doing again. It makes the movie feel big and important. Mewtwo's conflict is great and Mew itself is adorable and AUGH it's a great movie and idc what people say.
I despise that remake though. At first I just kinda didn't care for it, but as time goes on I'm actually more insulted at its existence. Instead of a new movie we gotta do nostalgia bait with a movie that's trying to be a remake but bastardizes the presentation so much. I actually can't believe people were making twitter comparisons on "how far technology has come" by comparing the shot for shot remakes, the new film looks hideous when it copies the original directly thanks to the awful character models that don't match the realistic backgrounds, and when it tries to do its own thing, it completely fails to understand what made the original scenes so impactful.
The scenes I mentioned with Mewtwo directing the storm and destroying the lab are such good examples. I can't really find isolated clips unfortunately so bear with me. In the original lab scene, there's a sense of claustrophobia. The scientists stand over Mewtwo in the shot, their faces in darkness as they explain Mewtwo's supposed purpose. In fact, its all dark, its hard to make out the surroundings all the way. There are tubes and lab equipment everywhere surrounding Mewtwo. We get a ton of close up shots where Mewtwo is cramped in the shot- it's kinda basic but it's effective- Mewtwo has just been born but it's essentially a prisoner and it's suffocated by the expectations and purpose forced onto it by Dr. Fuji and his team. When Mewtwo then breaks out, the shot has zoomed out, but he's still surrounded by smoke and such when Giovanni arrives- he's still trapped. Like, there's a point to it all. There's intent in these shots.
In the remake tho we can't have poor lighting because how will we show off our REALISTIC BACKGROUNDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111!!!1! so they removed all the clutter and the lab is all bright so we can see the (ugly) human models bc ohhhhhhhhh technology has come soooo far we swear. so now the claustrophobia so integral to the original scene is gone. I guess you could say the bright light is disorienting for mewtwo??? but it completely fails to match the tone of the original.
There's no reason to watch the new one imo. It's just an inferior version to the original movie to the point it honestly feels insulting to me. It's such a blatant cash grab and idk how ppl dont see that.
You know this scene in the credits of Spell of the Unown (M03)? In case you don't know, that woman is Molly Hale's mother. According to Takeshi Shudo (OG head writer), he asked for a copy of the final draft of the script, and it turned out the explanation was she was in the hospital for the entire movie. Shudo was not happy.
This was a very personal story to him, written with aspects of his own life in mind (Molly's Japanese name is Me, after Shudo's own daughter, and her mother was intended to be dead like his own). But as production went on, he was in no condition (he even landed in the hospital himself!) and eventually no mood to continue writing, so he asked fellow series writer and father Hideki Sonoda to take his stead. For most of the movie, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. This scene, however, became a major sticking point for Shudo as well as numerous fans for betraying the original intentions behind the story and Molly's character.
...But what if I told you that the dub fixed EVERYTHING about it?
On the DVD commentary for Mewtwo Strikes Back (M01), Michael Haigney (English writer/director) and Norman J. Grossfeld (English writer/producer) talk a bit how certain lines were added in an effort to explain things they felt didn't make sense in the original Japanese version. For example, the Tears of Life (pictured above) is set up as an old legend in the dub, while it goes unexplained in the Japanese version and both versions of MSB Evolution (M22).
In a similar vein (as explained on M03's own commentary), the dub implies that, rather than being dead, Mrs. Hale was also researching the Unown before being captured by them. While it was likely written with the short term in mind, this explanation not only fixes her sudden appearance in the ED, but also adds to the story in two major ways.
1: Molly having both of her parents be absentee Pokemon researchers taken away by the Unown allows the dub to maintain her initial loneliness and rationale without her mother dead and thus the ED contradicting the story. While it's further removed from the "dead mother" idea, it resolves the logical failing Sonoda introduced: "If Molly's mom was in the hospital the whole time, why didn't she visit her? Why have Entei kidnap Ash's mom?"
2: By having the explanation for Mrs. Hale's absence be that she was taken by the Unown much like Spencer would be in the movie's inciting incident, it adds a personal layer to why he's so feverishly researching them; not only to document their existence, but so he can find a way to bring his wife back, not unlike Dr. Fuji perfecting cloning to revive his daughter in M01's extended prologue, The Birth of Mewtwo.
Implying that Mrs. Hale went through a similar experience also makes it easy to infer that the Unown returned her to Molly as well. (Side note: This scene was originally part of the ED as well, but was moved up to take place right after Greenfield turns back to normal; another smart decision on the dub's part.)
Rewriting the story is frowned upon among the anime community, as it's often perceived as compromising the original vision and integrity. But Spell of the Unown already had it happen when Sonoda wrote the most controversial scene of the movie, a moment so opposed to Shudo's intent that he quit the series entirely not long after. This scene (and therefore, the entire story) was fixed because 4Kids were allowed to make the changes they did. They made a great movie even better, they held true to the themes and character, and they didn't even have to re-kill Mrs. Hale to do it.
According to sources Masachika Ichimura was hired because of his performance in the phantom of the opera musical, does that mean that maybe they saw some similar vibe in both the phantom and mewtwo’s characters?
Hi Anon! Thanks for writing in! Sorry for the delay, I had to do some research on this one.
Yes, absolutely! Theater actor Masachika Ichimura was asked to be Mewtwo’s seiyuu in part due to his role in the first Japanese production of The Phantom of the Opera. He'd reprise his role as Mewtwo in Mewtwo Returns and the remake Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution, as well as the role as the Phantom in the sequel Love Never Dies. The characters are very similar and the Mewtwo Strikes Back crew comments on it quite a bit!
So quick history. (Skip this paragraph if uninterested!) You have to understand that when Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical version of Phantom debuted in 1986, it became a worldwide sensation. As of this writing, it remains the longest running show in Broadway history. It was awarded the Tony for best musical in 1988. That same year, Phantom played to sold out houses at the Nissei Theater in Tokyo. It was playing up to 10 shows a week. It was a lavish affair; Webber and his crew made sure the Japanese production was as accurate to its London and New York counterparts as possible. Phantom was a cultural event for many in the late 80’s.
As you noted, Mewtwo and Erik, the Phantom, are very similar characters. Both are reclusive misanthropes, mysterious and intelligent. Both are rejected from society due to biological reasons outside their control. Both are excellent inventors and architects, exiling themselves to elaborate lairs of their own making. Both feel deeply. Both think blowing shit up is a valid way to solve their problems. 🤷
MSB’s screenwriter Takeshi Shudo notes the similarities in his blog. “[The Phantom’s] talented yet dark and distorted character may indeed be of the same quality as Mewtwo in 'Mewtwo Strikes Back.'”
MSB director Yuyama Kunihiko notes the similarities as well. “Mr. Ichimura, who [voices] Mewtwo, he’s a well-known musical star in Japan. He’s famous for playing characters like the Phantom from The Phantom of the Opera. Dark and complicated characters.”
It was Ichimura’s casting that ultimately propelled Shudo to write the prologue for Mewtwo Strikes Back, including Mewtwo’s dark history and his preponderance for asking “Who am I? What am I?”
On reading the finished script, Masachika Ichimura himself remarked, “It’s just like the Opera House.”
So yes! There's absolutely Phantom vibes in Mewtwo’s character. The character was similar enough to influence the director’s choice of Ichimura as his voice actor, and Ichimura’s hiring inspired the screenwriter to add more Phantom-ness to Mewtwo’s character as he wrote. It all influenced each other. Pretty neat!
Sources under the cut.
CopyCat. “Mewtwo Strikes Back LaserDisc Director Interview.” <www.rigelatin.net/copycat/saga/firstmovie/laserdisc-director-interview>
Rainbow Road. “Pokémon - Mewtwo Strikes Back - Rare 1998 Japanese Director Interview.” YouTube, 5 Oct. 2018.
Rockwell, John. “Review/Music; How “the Phantom” Plays in Tokyo.” The New York Times, 9 June 1988, <nytimes.com/1988/06/09/theater/review-music-how-the-phantom-plays-in-tokyo>
Shudo, Takeshi. “The 168th “Mewtwo Strikes Back” Mr. Masachika Ichimura.” Scenario E-daba Creation Techniques: Anyone Can Be a Screenwriter, 17 Dec. 2008, <style.fm/as/05_column/shudo168>.
Shudo, Takeshi. “The 169th “Pokemon” Where Am I? Who Am I?” Scenario E-daba Creation Techniques: Anyone Can Be a Screenwriter, 24 Dec. 2008,<style.fm/as/05_column/shudo169>
oh yeah, i never covered it on my blog. It's kinda small but the new anime revealed a new... form, new pokemon? unclear so far. Essentially this seems to be Liko's Ho-Oh- and for us, a peak at what will eventually come to the Scarlet and Violet DLC
So obviously this thing bears a striking resemblance to Terapagos. Not to mention it has a very... disk shaped body, hint hint. Tbh I do not really watch the anime much and I'm waiting to see how people think of the new series before I give it a shot, so I do not know the context of how this thing appeared. However, Liko does carry a pendant around her neck that's most likely connected.
Now this thing is probably just another Terapagos form. That being said, we can't 100% confirm anything. But you know what this reminds me of?
The last anime reveal we got of a special form of a legendary was Zygarde's Cell, Core, 20%, and 100% forms in the XY anime- of course they weren't added until Sun and Moon- most likely leftovers from canceled Kalos follow ups. The difference here is that Terapagos is heavily tied into the unfinished Area Zero story line and will be relevant in the DLC.
Its not really a lot- in fact a new form or evolution is somewhat given with these types of things. DLC at this point is basically "third" or "enhanced game" territory that gives the special Pokemon associated with them special new forms or evolutions, sometimes both. Look at Kubfu/Urshifu and Calyrex and his horses.
But this does set another important precedent: The anime will now reveal things again.
Again, Zygarde was the last time this happened with a legendary, and I guess for mythicals (which have been wonky territory for a while lately and for a while now basically only exist as movie souvenirs) the last time we had a new out of gen Pokemon revealed was Magearna. Before that, we would get reveals like Mega Mewtwo Y in the Genesect movie or Noivern from Black and White's ending run. Before that, Zorua and Zoroark in the DP Celebi movie. Long before that, we got a lot with Munchlax, Mime Jr, and Bonsly being revealed in the Advanced anime and Lucario and Manaphy in their movies. Latios and Latias in the last Johto movie, Duskull and Wailmer in some shorts, Keckleon in the anime, and then allll the way back in Gen 1 we got Marill and Togepi in the anime, Lugia in the movie, and of course, Ho-Oh in the very first episode.
Since gen 6? No special reveals until now. Not a Galar Pokemon in Alola- I guess we technically got the Paldean starters and Legendaries in post credit scenes in the Journeys anime, but by that point the games had already revealed those and were out, so it doesn't really count.
IMO I miss little drips of new things in the anime and movies and I hope this is a sign of fun things to come like it.
Pokemon Card of the Day #2596: Dark Dragonair (Team Rocket)
Not too many evolving Stage 1 Pokemon have had a serious role in the game. One exception that did a very obvious useful think was Dark Dragonair, a Pokemon that was built to get other Evolved Pokemon. This could snowball rather quickly, and while there was certainly competition with both Pokemon Trader (especially backed by Good Manners) and to an extent, The Boss’s Way, Dark Dragonair could turn a single one of those searches into multiple Pokemon over time, giving some extra value if a deck that needed that much set-up ended up being good.
The stats were a mix of good and bad. 60 HP was a little low for a Stage 1, which was unsurprising for a Dark Pokemon as those always had low HP. The Psychic Resistance was nice, being most important right when Dark Dragonair was released due to the popularity of Mewtwo, but also having Rocket-On use with both Dark Gengar and Espeon being good. Dark Dragonair didn’t really want to be Active, though, and with the Retreat Cost being 2 you’d want to have a good way to switch it out if it was targeted by Gust of Wind (unless, of course, you were playing it alongside Dark Vileplume, which changed a lot).
Evolutionary Light was a very cool Pokemon Power for the right deck. Once during your turn, you could search your deck for an Evolution card to put into your hand. This could start on the path to getting multiple Evolution lines up and running starting on turn 2, which was good for decks that really needed to get a lot of those in play. Being on an Evolved Pokemon did limit the usefulness of the Pokemon Power to some extent, as trying to build with everything needed was hard to do. It was most likely to get use in Rocket-On where the game had a lot of Stage 2 Pokemon or in Prop 15/3 where there were limited Trainers and therefore more of a deck could be used for Pokemon.
Tail Strike wasn’t that impressive, mostly due to the luck involved. 20 damage was low for 3 Colorless Energy, though the coin flip, if heads, could add 20. This averaged out to the same as Scyther’s Slash but on a less accessible Pokemon and with more variance.
Dark Dragonair had a very defined purpose, and if you needed a way to get a ton of Evolutions in play over time it was there for that. Actually building with it was a giant pair due to its Stage 1 status meaning you’d usually use several deck slots. The best place to try it out was in decks where you wanted to block Trainers with Dark Vileplume and set up something else (think Donphan or Dark Alakazam to pivot out to Baby Pokemon), where you wouldn’t be using Pokemon Trader or The Boss’s Way after the early turns but could still want to find some more Pokemon once Dark Vileplume was up. Other decks would likely be able to make things work without, so Dark Dragonair wasn’t that common. It was never going to be dead weight in any deck that could use its traits, though, meaning that it was worth using if you had spare deck space.
My Neighbor Totoro
Castle in the Sky
Ponyo
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Howl’s Moving Castle
The Secret World of Arrietty
Kiki’s Delivery Service
The Cat Returns
Porco Rosso
Spirited Away
Pom Poko
Whisper of the Heart
Princess Mononoke
My Neighbors the Yamadas
Tales from Earthsea
Grave of the Fireflies
From Up On Poppy Hill
The Wind Rises
When Marnie Was There
Only Yesterday
Ocean Waves
Earwig and the Witch
Pokemon:
Pokemon The First Movie
Pokemon The Movie 2000
Pokemon 3 The Movie
Pokemon 4Ever
Pokemon Heroes
Pokemon: Jirachi: Wishmaker
Pokemon: Destiny Deoxys
Pokemon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew
Pokemon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea
Pokemon: The Rise of Darkrai
Pokemon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior
Pokemon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life
Pokemon: Zoroark: Master of Illusions
Pokemon the Movie: White-Victini and Zekrom
Pokemon the Movie: Black-Victini and Reshiram
Pokemon: Kyurem VS. The Sword of Justice
Pokemon: Genesect and the Legend Awakened
Pokemon: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction
Pokemon: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages
Pokemon: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel
Pokemon the Movie: I Choose You
Pokemon the Movie: The Power of Us
Pokemon: Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution
Pokemon: Secrets of the Jungle
Case Closed:
The Time Bombed Skyscraper
The Thirteenth Target
The Last Wizard of the Century
Captured In Her Eyes
Countdown to Heaven
Phantom of Baker Street
The Crimson Love Letter
Zero the Enforcer
Episode "One": The Great Detective Turned Small
Other:
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Summer Wars
Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie
Yu-Gi-Oh! 3D Bonds Beyond Time
Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions
Digimon The Movie
Card Captor Sakura The Movie
Card Captor Sakura The Movie 2: The Sealed Card
Revolutionary Girl Utena The Movie
Night on the Galactic Railroad
Spring and Chaos
Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva
Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro
Paprika
Memories
Tokyo Godfathers
Patema Inverted
Steamboy
Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror
Perfect Blue
Wolf Children
A Letter to Momo
Princess Arete
Akira
Millenium Actress
The Boy and the Beast
Little Witch Academia: The Enchanted Parade
Tekkonkinkreet
Ghost in the Shell (1995)
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
5 Centimeters Per Second
The Garden of Words
Appleseed (1988)
Appleseed (2004)
Appleseed Ex Machina
Appleseed Alpha
Miss Hokusai
Your Name
Cowboy Bebop The Movie
In This Corner of the World
The Sky Crawlers
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: Solid State Society
Mary and the Witch's Flower
The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya
Steins;Gate the Movie - Load Region of Deja Vu
Robot Carnival
Napping Princess
Flavors of Youth
Eden of the East: King of Eden
Eden of the East: Paradise Lost
Legend of the Millennium Dragon
Martian Successor Nadesico: Prince of Darkness
First Squad
Children Who Chase Lost Voices
Mirai
Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters
Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle
Godzilla: The Planet Eater
Fireworks
No Game No Life 0
Short Peace
A Silent Voice
Like The Clouds, Like the Wind
Jungle Emperor Leo
A Wind Named Amnesia
The Fantastic Adventures of Unico
Unico in the Island of Magic
Fuse: Memoirs of the Hunter Girl
Mai Mai Miracle
Ni No Kuni
The End of Evangelion
Strait Jacket
Evangelion 1.01 You Are (Not) Alone
Evangelion 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance
Evangelion 3.33 You Can (Not) Redo
Evangelion 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time
Modest Heroes
Okko's Inn
A Whisker Away
Tiger and Bunny The Rising
Children of the Sea
Little Norse Prince
Redline
Weathering With You
Origin Spirits of the Past
Genius Party
Genius Party Beyond
Promare
The Life of Budori Gusuko
Ride Your Wave
The Night is Short, Walk On Girl
Welcome to the Space Show
Project A-Ko
Project A-Ko 2: Plot of the Daitokuji Financial Group
Project A-Ko 3: Cinderella Rhapsody
Project A-Ko 4: Final
Birthday Wonderland
Blood: The Last Vampire
Venus Wars
Maquia - When the Promised Flower Blooms
Re: Cyborg 009
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop
Penguin Highway
Golgo 13: The Professional
Golgo 13: Queen Bee
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Rebellion
Lupin III The First
Escaflowne The Movie
Stand By Me, Doraemon
Stand By Me, Doraemon 2
Expelled From Paradise
Child of Kamiari Month
Bubble
Dirty Pair Affair On Nolandia
Dirty Pair Project Eden
Dirty Pair Flight 005 Conspiracy
Trigun Badlands Rumble
Urusei Yatsura Beautiful Dreamer
The Place Promised In Our Early Days
Belle
K-ON! The Movie
A Tree of Palme
Drifting Home
The Princess and the Pilot
Fruits Basket Prelude
Hells
Black Butler: Book of the Atlantic
Black Jack the Movie
Josee, the Tiger, and the Fish
Short Movies:
Little Witch Academia
Kakurenbo - Hide and Seek
Voices of a Distance Star
Movies I want to watch:
The House of the Lost on the Cape
Goodbye, Don Glees!
Giovanni's Island