Pokemon has been a big chunk of our childhood. Well, at least for those in my age range. Pokemon has always successfully hit the market with a bang. The series, movies, games, merch, and everything else Pokemon related are a sure hit to the masses. Even today, that kind of hype has actually never ended. We mean, who doesn’t like catching ‘em all, right? That said, the very first Pokemon movie, Pokemon: The First Movie, has successfully hit the fan base during the initial grand hype. Just last year, it was given a CGI touch and made it more techy and modern.

This manga is a retelling of a retelling, which in itself I find humorous. The story is the mostly the same as the first Pokemon movie. The changes that were made for the CGI remake are in effect, like the different team that Ash fights at the beginning. Some scenes are given more time, allowing for more depth and context. Other scenes are missing completely, but don't take away from the overall story. there are some great Mewtwo panels. Overall, it was fun to read a classic Pokemon story in a new format. I give this book a 4/5. Don't go into this book expecting anything more than a manga adaptation of Mewtwo's story.

The story of Mewtwo and his battle with finding his place in the universe has been told more than any other story in the Pokémon franchise. Since 1998, the genetically modified Pokémon has made fans across the world search for their own purpose in life and the right ways to find that meaning through his existentialism. From manga to video games, to Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back, to even Detective Pikachu, Mewtwo has been a staple story that has been told in multiple mediums through the decades. Mewtwo makes a return to manga inPokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution, an adaptation of the CGI remake of the 1998 movie which released in 2019. Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution is written by mangaka Machito Gomi who is currently working on the latest run of the Pocket Monsters manga and is being brought to an English market by Viz Media.

For the uninitiated Mewtwo, as described by the Pokémon Red/Blue Pokédex, “was created by a scientist after years of horrific gene splicing and DNA engineering experiments.” His unnatural creation would lead the Pokémon to question his purpose for being made. After being forced into servitude by humans, Mewtwo would lash out against his creators to prove Pokémon superiority. Pokémon‘s titular heroes Ash Ketchum and Pikachu with his friends Misty and Brock are caught in the middle of this vendetta and look to help Mewtwo change. This would ultimately be the plot of Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back in 1998 which would go on to not only be one of the best video game movies of all time but also put Mewtwo on the map as one of the most popular characters in the franchise. While with 2019 CGI remake of this movie wasn’t rated incredibly well, the movie was released simultaneously with a well-received manga adaptation in Japan. The English release of the manga looks to have a better run than its movie counterpart later this month.

The 2019 CGI remake of Pokémon: The First Movie is fairly faithful to the original with a nice coat of CGI paint on it. The story is virtually similar. After breaking free from human control, Mewtwo invites the strongest Pokémon trainers to compete against himself and his cloned Pokémon to prove who is truly the very best, like no one ever was. While the visual changes brought a different feel to the movie, it is difficult to translate CGI to manga in the 2-D medium. For that reason, readers of Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution can expect the same story as its counterpart but art much more in line with the 1998 movie and the current run of the Pocket Monsters manga by Gomi. A more CGI adapted art style may have been jarring to the reader but Gomi’s choice to maintain his own art style provides a connection to the past and the present that works well.

I am not always a huge fan of remakes or reboots, but Pokémon Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution serves as a great bridge for the fandom for old and new fans of the franchise. Pokémon has decades of providing manga that pops off the panels with stories that are engaging. Pokémon Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution is no exception. As there is not much change to the story, the manga is able to capture the magic of the original well. All of the moments that land with viewers of the movie, land just as hard on the pages of the manga. Older fans will appreciate the nostalgia that comes from a treasured story with updated art and panels. For newer fans, they will be able to experience not only the heartfelt moments and action but overall life lessons that stem from Mewtwo’s journey in the same glory.

Overall, the story of Mewtwo and his interaction with our heroes is fairly straightforward and easy to follow. There aren’t any changes that readers who know the story can expect that will throw them for a loop. This manga feels much more geared to help younger fans to experience the same story that their parents or older family experienced when they were kids. In this goal, I think they knock it out of the park. I often found myself reading the dialogue as the voice actors from the 90s while I am sure a younger fan will read the panels in the newer version of Ash. Both are valid and provide a continuing link that speaks to the staying of Pokémon as a franchise.

Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution will be available on August 11, 2020, wherever comics are sold.

My 9 yr old read this book and is ready to give his review because "I"m a bigger Pokemon fan than you are Mom." He said this was a really good book with funny parts and a good adventure. He had an issue with how long the characters were stuck underwater, "how can they hold their breath that long??" Overall, he really enjoyed the story and illustrations.

Pokémon is a popular series amongst many children and young adults, and this manga is a retelling of the latest English movie Pokémon Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution which in itself is a CGI retelling of the first movie from over 20 years ago. Mewtwo is a popular Pokémon having been seen in the latest videogames Pokémon sword and Pokemon Shield, and even Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. This gender less Pokémon is quite mysterious and is always searching for its place in life, due to being a genetic creation from the DNA of Mew who is one of the rarest Pokémon of all time.

This manga was written by Machito Gomi who is also currently doing the manga adaptation of the new anime series in Japan. It was originally seen in Bessatsu Coro Coro Comics Special magazine in Japan. This review copy was provided by NetGalley with the approval of Viz Media. The art in this manga is much better on the eyes than the movie’s art, but there isn’t content that is new for those who have seen the first movie or the CGI movie. If you’re looking for a more pleasing experience on the eyes this is perhaps the best way to experience the story. It’s safe for young children as well. If you love Pokémon, you should consider reading this manga at least once.

This manga does an excellent job of retelling a story for age old Pokémon fans, and telling a new story for new fans. This manga is available at all book retailers or local libraries. Please pick it up and support Machito!

I had fun reading this graphic novel. It took me back to seeing this movie as a teenager, and how epic of a story it told. This graphic novel also brought back some fun memories of playing the games many years ago. Learning the history of this legendary Pokemon was a real surprise, and how they evolved into something much more powerful. As this tale came to a close, Ash and his friends will sadly never remember ever meeting this amazing being. If you are a Pokemon fan then this is a graphic novel you will want to read.

I love a classic pokemon tale and it's so nice that this one follows the original characters and uses original pokemon - especially those that are familiar to children. This story will delight children. It's a real shame that it's not in full colour because that would be beautiful and more engaging. It's also not always easy to follow the panels in the right order to work out the story and read the words in the right order. However, it was a simple engaging story that I enjoyed and it was nice to read something pokemon again.

Thank you to NetGalley, VZ Media, and Machito Gomi for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is an adaptation of the new Netflix original film "Pokemon: Mewtwo Strikes Back--Evolution" which is a remake of "Pokemon: The First Movie." This adaptation squeezes all the events of the film into one volume and is adapted by removing certain scenes and adding some alternate dialogue to make up for the adaptive choices. The action scenes are condensed to a few panels, and if I wasn't the familiar Pokemon fan I am, some of the progression might not have made 100% sense. I enjoyed the artistic ability to show expressions. Some expressions were a bit over the top compared to the show, which added some extra humor, and Mewtwo's emotions were displayed wonderfully.

A great manga for any long-time lover of Pokemon or a way to introduce a young reader to this fantastic world.