Why Pokemon Fans Are Celebrating Mewtwo Today

For more than two decades, Mewtwo has been one of the most beloved characters in the Pokemon franchise. Debuting in Pokemon Red and Green in 1996, Mewtwo was one of the last Pokemon players encountered in the game. Mewtwo’s design, backstory, and overall strength made him one of the most endearing Pokemon, and if you’ve spent any time on social media today, you might have noticed fans celebrating the character. If you’re not sure why, it’s because February 6th is Mewtwo’s canonical birthday, as established in the original Pokemon games on Game Boy.

In the first Pokemon generation games (Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow), it’s established that Mewtwo is a clone of the mythical Pokemon known as Mew. Players first learn Mewtwo’s origin on Cinnabar Island. Cinnabar is the location of Blaine’s Pokemon Gym, but it’s also home to the Pokemon Mansion. In this location, players discover several journal entries, which tell of the discovery of Mew in the jungles of South America. The journals recount how scientists were able to clone Mewtwo from Mew, with the new Pokemon being born on February 6th. The journals conclude cryptically, and the state of the Mansion offers a hint of Mewtwo’s escape.

Since then, Mewtwo’s story has been retold in various media, including Pokemon: The First Movie, and even through the Mewtwo Immersive Card in Pokemon TCG Pocket. Mewtwo’s tragic backstory and his struggle to deal with his status as a clone have made the character a fan favorite. In fact, one of Mewtwo’s lines from the animated movie remains closely associated with the character, and a fan favorite among the Pokemon community: “I see now that the circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are.”

Since the days of Pokemon Red and Green, the Pokedex has increased to feature more than 1,000 Pokemon. In that time, some Pokemon have inevitably become less popular, as fans have discovered and embraced new favorites. In many regards, the Pokemon that are seen across merchandise and media are a lot different than they were in the early days. Despite the massive number of ‘mon, Mewtwo remains not only a staple of the series, but still incredibly popular.

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As the Pokemon franchise approaches its 29th anniversary, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Mewtwo. The character maintains a level of popularity nearly as high as Pikachu and Charizard. It’s possible Mewtwo could have a decent size role to play this year, as The Pokemon Company’s big release for 2025 is Pokemon Legends: Z-A. The game will put a big focus on Mega Evolution, and Mewtwo has two Mega Evolved forms: Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y. It’s likely we’ll see both return in the new game, but we’ll have to wait and see what gets revealed.

Are you a fan of Mewtwo? Did you play the original generation of Pokemon games? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!