Mythical Pokémon are extremely rare and special, both in the games and the anime. Among them, Mew stands out as one of the most iconic. The director of the Pokémon anime shared how they captured Mew’s unique traits for its debut in the movie Mewtwo Strikes Back.
In the Pokémon world, Mew is a rare Pokémon with powerful psychic abilities. It is said to be the genetic ancestor of all Pokémon, allowing it to use many different moves. Mew’s DNA was also used to create Mewtwo, the main character of the first Pokémon movie. Despite their close connection, Mew’s role was not fully decided at the beginning of the franchise.
When the anime team worked on Mew’s personality, they aimed to make it very different from Mewtwo.
Director Kunihiko Yuyama Reveals Mew’s Transcendent Nature in 2023 Interview
In a 2023 interview with director Kunihiko Yuyama, Yuyama explained that Mew is meant to be a transcendent creature, beyond human concepts of right and wrong. He compared Mew to natural forces like the ocean or mountains, which can be beautiful but also dangerous. This portrayal contrasts with Mewtwo’s human-like origins.
This fits well with how Mew is shown in the movie. Mew is curious about humans and their activities but is also easily entertained on its own. It doesn’t seem to care much about fighting Mewtwo. When Ash gets turned to stone during their battle, Mew is initially indifferent.
It only shows concern when it sees the other Pokémon mourning Ash. If the Pokémon hadn’t reacted, Mew might have been fine leaving Ash in his predicament to continue fighting.
Mew’s Silence and Indifference Highlight Its Transcendent Nature in Pokémon Lore
Mew’s lack of speech also makes sense in this context. Unlike Mewtwo, who communicates telepathically, Mew doesn’t feel the need to talk to humans. It probably could communicate with Ash and his friends but chose not to. Mew’s indifference to human morality makes it seem uncaring, which contrasts with its cute appearance.
Mew’s status as a Mythical Pokémon suggests it is almost like a god, existing beyond human morality and philosophy. While later Mythical Pokémon take the role of gods more literally, even early on with Mew, Mythical Pokémon were viewed in this raised manner by the creators of the anime. Mew is more than just a Pokémon and perhaps even more than human.
