Anime 
Movies Mewtwo Returns Mewtwo Returns
| Poster |
 Mewtwo Returns |
| Japanese Title |
| Mewtwo! I am Here! |
| Movie Pictures |
 Yes |
| Release Date |
December 30, 2000  December 5, 2001  |
| Events |
| Ash and Mewtwo team up to help stop Giovanni from creating an army of bio-engineered Pokemon. |
| Character Appearances |
| Ash Ketchum, Misty, Brock, Jessie, James, Giovanni, Luna Carson, Domino |
| Pokemon Appearances |
| Pikachu (Ash's), Meowth (Team Rocket), Persian (Giovanni's), Mewtwo |
| Mistakes |
 In the dub, Ash says "this time we'll both be able to remember"; this makes no sense since how could he remember getting his mind erased? |
| Notes |
| This movie was originally aired as a TV special in Japan with commercials, so the dubbers had to make sure the money flowed well since it was released straight to DVD in North America.
Domino's agent name 009 is like James Bond's agent name 007.
Giovanni probably told Domino about Mewtwo; his memory about Mewtwo wasn't wiped out like Ash and friends, so he remembers.
This movie marks the first time the good guys meet Giovanni, but for no reason at all, they seem to already know him! |
| Music Edits |
| All the music is replaced with music from Mewtwo Strikes Back minus the pop music. |
| Dialogue Edits |
| In the dub, Mewtwo recaps the events of the previous movie, while in Japan the narrator does it.
Apparently mentioned death is a no-no; in the dub, Mewtwo says that he would sooner leave this world than serve Giovanni, while in Japan he says he would rather die. |
| Video Edits |
| The third Japanese opening, OK!, was cut, which appeared after the recap of Mewtwo Strikes Back.
The title screen for the dub looks a lot better than in Japan since it's animated.
The ending theme in Japan, which was Ash running with clips from the special, is replaced with the usual credits running on a black screen in the dub. |
| Cut Scenes |
| Total Time Cut: 29 sec A 23 second scene of the narrator asking what will happen next right before the commercial, after Giovanni crushes his glass, is cut.
6 seconds are cut when Team Rocket says, "looks like Team Rocket's never blasting off again!" |
Mewtwo explains what happened in the first movie for anyone who missed it. He says that he didn't like being used and betrayed by Giovanni. The clones then go off to find somewhere peaceful to live away from the world.
Back in the present, Giovanni is looking for Mewtwo and spots it using satellite photo. Mewtwo is on an isolated island in the middle of the lake. Mewtwo looks at the beauty that is around him, but being an outcast of the world saddens him. He says that him and the clones must remain far away from man and the world.
Meanwhile our heroes continue traveling through Johto when they arrive at Purity Canyon. Brock says that they can go over it by bus, but says that he was intending to cook something for them, so they can't make the bus. They continue on, but Ash spots the bus and decides to take a mad dash down the hill and try to catch it. Brock and Misty follow him, but then it starts to rain and Brock makes some awful pun to do with a frying pan. Team Rocket, like usual, is spying on the twerps and plotting their next plan. Meowth reads the guidebook and finds out that because of the unique geologist formations in the atmospheric conditions, severe and unpredictable weather is common. Meowth continues and says that they should try and avoid the area, but Jessie just laughs and doesn't believe it. A second later the wind starts to blow and sends them blasting off again.
At the bottom of the hill, the bus driver decides that since the bus is full, she is going to leave early. Our heroes are still rushing, but Brock trips causing a chain reaction, resulting in a pile of people at the bottom of the hill. They find out from a girl with green hair (Luna) that they just missed the bus. Brock like usual falls in love with the pretty girl and gets dragged off by the ear. Back at the bus, a giant wind gust lifts the bus off the ground and sends it out of control, but Mewtwo puts it down safely leaving the bus driver and passengers puzzled. Mewtwo explains to the clones that he did it because he doesn't want anyone to discover them and disrupt the peace. One of the clones suggests that maybe he did it because he cared about them, but Mewtwo shoots it down and says that he could never feel compassion for a human.
Team Rocket is then shown stuck up high on a pole and they make a joke and say that they are out on a limb. Inside the lodge, Luna brings our heroes some hot drinks. The girl says that the only way over the mountain is by bus and reminds them that it only comes once a month. Ash says that they can't wait a whole month, so she suggests that they take a boat down Purity River at the base of the canyon. At the back of the cabin, she gives them a sample of water from Purity River. Brock and Misty think that it tastes amazing, while Ash doesn't think it's anything special. Brock and Misty get angry at him and they give some water to Togepi and Pikachu who also love it, making Ash the outcast. The brats finally get started going down the river by canoe and Misty remarks how nice it is, but Brock says that Bug Pokemon like clean water. They see a tree with a flock of glowing Ledyba in it, but Misty doesn't mind. Misty remarks that she is starting to like bugs just as she is surrounded by a bunch of bugs, including some Kakuna and Beedrill. Misty freaks out and paddles as fast as possible back to the lodge.
Back at the lodge, Brock suggests that their best bet is going over Mount Kana. Luna tells them that it's the highest mountain in Johto and it has a lake called Clarity Lake at the top. She says that only Pokemon live on top, no humans at all. They see a flock of Butterfree fly up above who are going to lay their eggs.
Meanwhile Mewtwo is doing its usual meditation and is pondering about if clones belong in the world among normal creatures. He asks himself if normal Pokemon can see the moon, why can't they see the earth as they do.
At the cabin, our heroes are suddenly interrupted with some knocking on the door. Luna goes and answers it to find a man and a girl with blond hair. The man introduces himself as Colin Kalix and Luna says that she knows him and explains that he is a famous researcher and professor of medicine. Colin says that he is in need of a place to spend the night. Colin says that he knows Luna Carson and has read a dozen of her research papers on Pokemon. Luna says that she is really at the canyon for observing Pokemon in their natural habitat. Domino, the blond hair girl says that she works for the Pokemon Institute and is a totally cool fan of Luna. Brock falls in love with her and gets pulled away like usual. Colin explains that he came to study the unique water of Purity River. He explains that the river has some rare minerals in it, thus making it have a magnificent effect on humans and Pokemon alike. Luna is scared though and says that if people find out about the water, they could ruin it. Team Rocket then interrupts everyone and they get off their usual time wasting motto. Domino comments to herself, that she doesn't remember them. Team Rocket then grabs Pikachu with their Pika-proof wire and they take the Meowth balloon to try and get away. Ash remarks that he has popped the balloon many times, but then he finds out that Team Rocket has added rockets to it. Luna warns them that there are dangerous air currents, but the bad guys don't listen like usual. The weather then starts to change and they get blown around. Everyone decides to follow Team Rocket, so they start to go up the mountain.
Suddenly Team Rocket's balloon starts to fall, but then it gets blown towards our heroes. The rope somehow gets hooked onto the basket of the balloon and they get carried off too. Wind then stops blowing, and they realize that they are close to a gigantic lake and island. Domino without anyone noticing uses a heat sensitive satellite to spot Mewtwo. Mewtwo is watching the gang from a distance and recognizes Ash and asks himself if meeting Ash again is an accident or something more. Giovanni continues onward in his helicopter to the island to try and capture the prized Pokemon. He then spots some bio-prints similar to Mewtwo's so he is certain that it is there. Domino then suddenly climbs all the way up to the basket over everyone and reveals herself as agent 009 and tells the Team Rocket combat unit to proceed to coordinates. Our heroes see the yellow combat units, who have covered the skyline. Everyone then uses the distraction to climb into the basket to safety. Domino reveals herself as part of Team Rocket and says she is known as "the Black Tulip". Then she throws a black tulip at the balloon, popping it and she escapes by hang glider and goes to the helicopter to meet Giovanni, leaving Ash and company to fall out of the sky.
Back on the ground, Team Rocket is trapped and finds out that Pikachu is on the loose. They see it on the ground and then it starts to shock them sending them falling to the ground. It then abruptly stops because it sees its clone. The clone Pikachu says that they shouldn't have came there and tells them to leave. The clone tries to attack Pikachu, but Mewtwo stops it, insisting that fighting is senseless because there is nothing to gain because the two Pikachu are the same. Mewtwo is annoyed because he sees that humans (Jessie and James) have discovered the island. The Pokemon then say that it is war, but Pikachu says that there is no reason to fight. Mewtwo says that the clones are shadows, reflections to the world. The Meowth clone then appears and complains that it isn't fair that they have to live as shadows. The clone Pikachu says that they are misfits and don't belong and Jessie says that she knows the feeling of feeling left out. Mewtwo then states that they will remain in peace and hesitates and says that only if they can.
Giovanni on the other hands decides to start the invasion and the capture of the clones and Mewtwo at sunrise. Meanwhile, Ash, Misty, Brock, Luna, and Colin finally get out of the water and Ash is determined to get back Pikachu. The only problem is that they are far away from the island, so Ash uses Chikorita and Bulbasaur to build a canoe. Back on the island, Mewtwo says that they will leave if the humans won't leave them in peace. Clone Pikachu tells him that they will be captured if they don't fight back. Jessie and James end up getting put in a small cell because they are human, which doesn't make them happy, but Meowth is free because "he can talk human-talk". Meowth reminds them that when they get the mess cleaned up, he will catch Pikachu and finally get a Team Rocket uniform. The Pokemon then proceed to cross the lake as Mewtwo wonders what is more important, freedom or safety.
Ash and friends at the same time finally arrive at the island and start to run up the stairs. At the top they find a spring with purity off the chart. They deduce that it must be the source of Purity River. Suddenly some small Nidoqueen and Rhyhorn start to drink out of the spring. They spot the parents who are watching from a peak above. They decide to continue on to try and find Pikachu.
The clones along with Pikachu and Meowth are confronted by Giovanni's helicopter, which then starts to fire some sort of stun laser at them. After they are stunned, Pokeballs are thrown and they are captured. Pikachu decides to fight back and helps save its clone as does Meowth, but they end up getting cornered. Mewtwo then comes to the rescue and frees all the Pokemon out of the Pokeballs. Mewtwo then demands that Giovanni leaves, but Giovanni counters that by saying that they will take battle to stage 2.
Ash and company continue on their search for Pikachu, but they get cornered by Pikachu and get caught. Domino then proceeds to catch the Nidoqueen and Rhyhorn saying that they can use them in experiments and as bait for Mewtwo. The plan works and Mewtwo goes over to the island along with the clones to meet Giovanni again. Giovanni says that if Mewtwo doesn't give up, the clones will be used in experiments. Mewtwo finally says that he must submit after Domino hurts one of the Pokemon and he goes into the light. He tells Giovanni that he maybe able to control his mind, but not his will. Mewtwo starts his fight against the machines as Giovanni says that the island is perfect for his lab and he starts to make world domination plans. Ash along with everyone else gets taken and put into the cell for safekeeping. Team Rocket then proceeds to commence construction of the base. Giovanni says that he is worried that Mewtwo will destroy his body if he doesn't stop resisting.
Jessie and James on the other hand are polishing the floor and aren't happy at all. The Bug-Pokemon suddenly arrive and start to put all the Team Rocket agents to sleep and the lab starts to get destroyed. During all the commotion, the cage is broken setting our heroes free. Luna and Colin decide to see if the spring is ok while Ash and company goes to find Mewtwo. Domino tries to get away, but she slips and ends up in a bucket thanks to the slippery floor that Jessie and James polished. Luna and Colin are happy to find out that the water hasn't been contaminated. Ash, Misty, and Brock find Mewtwo who is still fighting the machines. Ash tries to help and everyone joins in and hits the machine. They knock it over, but it won't stop and Mewtwo uses the rest of his power to stop it. Mewtwo says that he maybe free, but he has destroyed himself. Giovanni then appears and says that he owns Mewtwo. Our heroes send out their Pokemon to help protect the Pokemon and keep Giovanni away. Jessie, James, and Meowth decide to hide since they don't want the boss to see them. Ash helps Mewtwo to the spring and against the judgments of Luna and Colin, throws Mewtwo in the water. Mewtwo then is magically revived and realizes that the world is his rightful place too. Giovanni comes to destroy the spring, but Mewtwo uses his power to defend it and moves it beneath the ground.
Mewtwo says that he must make everyone forget that this ever happened, but the Pokemon say that they deserve to know about themselves. Mewtwo agrees with them and only clears the minds of those who seek to destroy it (Giovanni and the Team Rocket agents). Giovanni suddenly doesn't know where he is or why he is there and decides to leave. Mewtwo thanks everyone and says that he will remember them. The clones then proceed to fly away as do the twerps and Team Rocket (by hot air balloons).
Back at the bottom of Purity Canyon, the bus arrives, but Colin says he is going to stay and it is quite obvious that Luna and Colin have fallen in love. Our heroes then continue on their journey as Mewtwo roams free, but only by the moonlight.