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Pokemon: The First Movie

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 5, age appropriate for kids over 6; suggested age 5.
  • Is it any good?

    1.0
  • Common Sense says

    Excruciating to endure.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 5–6

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Diverse characters, but sexist treatment of girls
  • Violence & scariness:

    A lot of G-rated battles, child appears dead
  • Sexy stuff:

    None
  • Language:

    None
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    None
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Pokemon: The First Movie

Parents need to know that every generation of children has some hideously annoying cartoon series to provide parents with much agonizing and many, many buying opportunities. The characters usually undergo some transformation or make use of a secret to attain power. This theme is endlessly interesting to kids who can feel overwhelmed by a world built on a scale that is often too large for them.

Read our full review by Nell Minow

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the movie's theme of cooperation, and come up with some examples of why it can be better to work as a team instead of alone, or in competition with one another.

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. I rate this title iffy for age 7 and give it 2.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    Might shock some kids

    The seen where the main character, Ash, lives up to his name is a little disturbing. Some kids who see Ash as a role model might feel traumatic. I know what it feels like because I experienced it when I was 6. I wouldn't let it go for a whole year. Anyway, the plot's dumb, so just don't watch it.

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Oklahoma
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    What's hideously annoying?

    Pokemon is a Plural and Singular noun. Where in this did anyone use sexist treatment of girls? The child didn't appear dead he WAS dead, then the Pokemon used their magic healing tears,(I don't get it either) and he came back to life. Why is consumerism not an issue here when it is everywhere else in the Pokemon series? If I ever find the guy that wrote this thing I'll really give him something excruciating to endure. A five-hunded word essay on why Pokemon rocks, that he has to write, with a pencil, not a keyboard.

  3. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 4.0

    Not bad at all

    Okay, I saw this in theaters when I was about 5. Maybe the adult who wrote this review doesn’t understand, but I'm in high school and people who aren’t even really serious gamers or anime/manga geeks still like Pokémon. For my generation, it’s retro. Not a fad. I know people who still like this movie. It had a pretty good plot, nice visuals for the 90’s, and introduced American Pokémon fans to Mew and Mewtwo. Pretty good job for “some hideously annoying cartoon series”. It teaches a message of accepting people who are different. (Mewtwo didn’t like Mew cuz it was born, not made.) But by the end everybody sees the error of their ways and gets along. And on top of that, Pokémon is not a cartoon. It’s an anime. Jeez. There IS a difference.

  4. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Virginia
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 1.0

    =*( I didn't like it.

    This movie sucked! It was boring and it gave me bad vibes. And I'm a pokemon fan!

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 4.0

    Not bad for Pokemon.

    This is possibly the only worthwhile Pokemon film. Good plot, nice battles, and Mewtwo is cool!

  6. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    Parents, back off! Pokemon has a eartfelt message, YOU should listen to!

    I'd like to start off by saying that i, myself, am a 12 year old boy. One that happens to be a HUGE fan of Pokemon. To start, i've read your Parent reviews for tis feature, and i persnally see them as completely untasteful. Is the fact that animals fight so horrible that you must enforce lies upon your children? I bet, if you were to turn on Animal Planet, you'd see some sort of documentary with, guess what, lions killing gazells, wolves hunting rabbits, ect. How good of a parent are you if you have to lie to your kids t have a sense of security among yourself. It's not like kids don't think, "Hey, maybe that Tiger I saw as the Zoo yesterdy killed a wild deer for food.". Pokemon only fight each other becase they want to grow strong. You may have heard the old saying "You cn only truly aprreciate one through battle"? I'm not sure which, but there was an episode of Pokemon in which two pokemon characters fought and fought, and then when Ash and Co. meet up with the two, they realize they only have a rivalry to make each other better people. Sure, there are bad people in Pokemon (Team Galactic, Team Rocket, ect.) But there is always a message of truth in Pokemon, how many times has team rocket gotten punished for commiting wrongs such as stealing Pokemon? There have even been episodes in which Tam Rocket has tried to be good, and had much more success in doing that then being bad. So all i ask of you Parents out there is that the next time to review a show, watch not with your eyes, but with your soul. Sincerely, Shiny_Pinsir

  7. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Connecticut
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 2.0

    THE MOVIE WAS GOOD BUT DIDNT HAVE A VERY GOOD STORY LINE. COMPARED TO THE OTHER POKEMON MOVIES THIS IS THE WORST.

  8. I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    I thought i was in heaven when suddenly i realized im still alive

    "Pokemon is a story of the clash of the forces of good and evil where the fate of the world rests upon the hands on one trainer, Ash Ketchum, and his faithful friend, Pikachu. Together they will embark on a journey that will change their lives forever." THIS IS A LIFE CHANGING MOVIE!!!

  9. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 4.0

    Pokemon

    Never trust CSM wit their ratings! When it says: "child dead" it no meen that! It only when Ash turns into stone (sad) and the Pokemon cry and ASh is alive again! Happy Ending! Yay! Anyway, quite a funny movie with Team Rocket making mistakes and with Mew saying: "Mew.." (cute!) and one thing, Togepi didn't get cloned! (Watch the movie)

  10. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Michigan
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 3.0

    G?

    how is this G there is too much violence and mild flirting so PG is a good rating and i think kids 5 and up should see this but causion your littler kids might get a little scared by all the fighting between the pokemon and the people.

  11. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Mississippi
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    A appropriate movie for kids!

    Pokemon is child friendly series of games, movies, and anime and of all the movies this had to be my favorite! Pokemon: The First Movie is an amazing movie, plus it was very cool.

  12. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Iowa
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    The Best Pokemon movie ever...

    This is an awesome movie. I do not agree with CSM about it being bad for 5+.

  13. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Kentucky
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    cool

    fight that bitch

  14. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Oregon
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 4.0

    This is one of the only examples of a tc show turning into a good movie...

    If only heroes wasn't so bad... But back to the review the movie has alot of cartoon mishchef violince but thats bout it... Commericailism is obvious. Thats about all to note...

  15. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Oklahoma
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 2.0

  16. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 1.0

  17. Adult Reviewer
    Anonymous
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

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