Earlier this year on February 27, widely known as “Pokémon Day” to many fans, Netflix released Pokémon Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution, a CGI remake of Kunihiko Yuyama’s original film which debuted in 1999.
Having already released in Japan and South Korea, this marked the first time the film was made available worldwide. Just like the original, which has taken on the moniker Pokémon: The First Movie, the film follows the story of Ash, Pikachu, Misty, and Brock, as they’re invited to battle the self-proclaimed “best trainer in the world”. The group soon finds themselves face-to-face with a new legendary Pokémon, Mewtwo, along with its army of cloned Pokémon.
Acting as a direct remake, Pokémon Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution was still able to capture the attention of many devoted fans 20 years later for its play on nostalgia and charm, in addition to earning new fans from the younger generation.
For the true fans out there, below are 10 hilarious Pokémon Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution logic memes to enjoy.
When Will You Learn, Ash?
Considering Ash is the main character of the Pokémon franchise, he doesn’t always make the smartest of choices, and never ceases to amaze fans with his stupidity. In the final moments leading up to an all-out brawl between Mew and Mewtwo, Ash decides to take action by attempting to Mega Punch the legendary Pokémon himself.
This of course doesn’t go to plan, as Ash’s punch is quickly deflected by Mewtwo’s barrier. Instead of simply stopping, Ash goes in for round two, but is thwarted away by Mewtwo’s psychic powers, leaving everyone watching at home wondering, “what on Earth were you thinking, Ash?”
Take Me Back
Many crazed Pokémon fans were disappointed to discover that a new CGI version of Pokémon Mewtwo Strikes Back was in the works. For the most part, audiences loved the vintage look of the film’s 1999 iteration over the updated offering, which this meme found on subreddit r/pokemon accurately depicts.
Additionally, the new formatting for Pokémon Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution didn’t sit well with many of the fans, who felt like the latest edition added nothing new to the story. Considering the movie was almost entirely a shot-for-shot remake of the original, it still managed to keep itself afloat on the power of nostalgia.
This also references the fact that fans have aged between the two films, while the movie remains, albeit with CGI graphics, basically the same.
Is This A Simulation?
Once again poking fun at the fact that Pokémon Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution looks like bad Claymation, this meme created by @fandompariah from the Simpson’s “Treehouse of Horror VI” episode—wherein the short story titled “Homer3"—Homer stumbles across a gateway to the third dimension whilst hiding during a visit from his two sisters-in-law.
Just like seeing Homer as a 3D character, many Pokémon lovers felt that the film’s jump from 2D to 3D was unoriginal and lacked any new magic from its predecessor. The look of confusion on Homer’s face was probably felt by many viewers across the globe after watching Pokémon Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution.
I Name Thee Mew II
Fans already know this, but for those who don’t, Mewtwo was created by scientists who found DNA samples from a Mew; a small, pink, Psychic-type mystical Pokémon. After years of engineering experiments and gene splicing, the powerful legendary Mewtwo was birthed in a secret laboratory. However, the Pokémon’s name isn’t all that original.
This meme found on 9Gag playfully imagines how the lead scientist uses this naming system in his real life, when his imaginary son, Maxtwo, calls him during working hours. For all the work it took to create Mewtwo, you would think the same effort would have gone on into naming it.
Shut Up And Take My Money
Any true Pokémon fan can relate to this meme found on liveabout.com. No matter what, remake or not, fans will be splurging out money to get their latest dose of Pokémon, and this year’s Pokémon Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution offering is no different.
Yes, the film is pretty much identical to the original shot-for-shot, but that has not stopped audiences from renewing their Netflix subscriptions only to see the same Pokémon battles with a 3D Claymation upgrade. Just throw the word Pokémon on anything, and the fans will coming running like clockwork.
Back To Basics
Along with being the world’s most powerful Pokémon, Mewtwo is also supposedly known for its brilliant mind. During Mewtwo's revenge against the humans, and after creating its own Pokémon clone army, the Pokémon battles Ash and two other trainers to display its ultimate strength.
However, during the film’s ultimate showdown, Mewtwo decides to demonstrate the strength of its clones against their original copies, instead of using a stronger type advantage, such as water vs. fire. This battle technique has become second nature to Pokémon fans that grew up playing the original Game Boy games, and Quickmeme’s creation accurately touches upon this fact.
Mewtwo Is An OG Hipster
Playing on the popular hipster memes—the ones bragging about doing something before it became cool—this one found on Sizzle points out the fact that Mewtwo uses a move in the film that had not yet been seen before by Pokémon fans anywhere.
The ghost-type Shadow Ball move was only introduced later on in the Generation 2 Gold and Silver versions of the Game Boy Color games, which means Mewtwo used this attack before it fell into the mainstream, and thus showcasing its true “hipster” form.
Moreover, even though Mew has the ability to learn any single Pokémon move, Mewtwo was apparently able to learn a move before it was even made available to the wider consumer public.
Can’t Clone A Maid
This one created by @Megamean09 is right on the money. Although Mewtwo’s range of endless abilities includes being able to clone various Pokémon for its army, Mewtwo needed to kidnap Nurse Joy in the film to help carry out its evil plan.
Audiences found this particularly hilarious, considering the world’s most powerful Pokémon should probably be able to create its own maid, or at least use a Mr. Mime or Chansey for example, instead of resorting to a good-old human kidnapping. Additionally, Mewtwo was capable of creating its own army in a matter of minutes, which means it should’ve been a simple enough task to complete.
Mewtwo’s Power Contradicted
Once again being known as the world’s most powerful Pokémon, which is also a sentiment that is constantly stated in Pokémon Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution, this meme via Sizzle hilariously pokes fun at the fact that Mewtwo can easily be held hostage in a cave with only a single person blocking the entrance.
Along with alluding to Mewtwo’s strength, this meme is also a reference to the original Red and Blue versions of the Game Boy games, where the player can only enter Cerulean Cave after obtaining all eight gym badges and defeating the Elite Four.
There Are Six Other Gens, You Know?
Despite the initial skepticism, some fans were over the moon when the Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution trailer first aired. For years the world has suffered season after movie after videogame of newly-released characters, often receiving criticism from the Pokémon fan base. The beauty of the Game Boy games was that each pocket monster was memorable, and catching 150 (151 counting Mew) was a very achievable target.
With there currently being over 800 Pokémon to date, oldskool fanatics have found themselves taking to the original games, or remakes such as FireRed on Game Boy Advance, HeartGold on Nintendo DS, or Let’s Go Pikachu! for Nintendo Switch, for the trip down memory lane, which is exaggerated via this meme found on 9Gag.