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Mew
Pokémon series character
National Pokédex Mewtwo – Mew (#151) – Chikorita
First game	Pokémon Red and Blue

Mew (ミュウ, Myū) is one of the fictional species of Pokémon creatures from Nintendo's and Game Freak's multi-billion-dollar Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. It is considered a legendary Pokémon in the Pokémon video games and anime.

Mew was programmed into Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow by creator Satoshi Tajiri as a secret character. Mew cannot be obtained in the games except from a glitch in Red, Blue, and Yellow, use of the GameShark or Action Replay, or Nintendo promotional events.

Mew's first film appearance was in Pokémon: The First Movie as a main character alongside Mewtwo. The movie reveals that a fossilized Mew hair, found in the Amazon River by a team of scientists, was used to create Mewtwo, a genetically-enhanced Mew clone. Mew later appeared in Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew as a main character alongside Lucario; the backstory of the film revolves around Mew's mysterious history and how it came to be so powerful.

Design and characteristics

Unlike other characters in the Pokémon franchise, Mew was not initially conceived by Ken Sugimori, but by Game Freak programmer Shigeki Morimoto. Morimoto programmed Mew into the game secretly, just prior to its release in Japan, intending it to be a Pokémon Game Freak staff members would know about and be able to obtain. However, in the spring of 1996 Game Freak president Satoshi Tajiri used the Japanese manga journal Korokoro Comic as an experimental exhibition of Mew and distributed the first cards for the game as free giveaways, which surprised many at Game Freak, including Morimoto. Due to the success of the experiment on April 15, 1996, Game Freak announced a contest to publicly release Mew to 151 winners. Tajiri described using Mew to create hype abound an "invisible character" within the game and to keep interest alive in the title and create rumors and myths about the game passed around by word of mouth, which resulted in increased sales for the game.

Like Mewtwo, Mew is a Psychic-type Pokémon with high stats. It appears as a pink, feline-esque Pokémon with large feet, blue eyes, and a long tail. Its skin is covered with a layer of short, fine hair. Its DNA combines the genetic composition of all existing Pokémon species; many scientists believe it to be the single ancestor of all other Pokémon. It is a legendary Pokémon from the first generation, along with Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and Mewtwo. Mew's number in the National Pokédex is 151, the last of the first-generation Pokémon, with 150 being Mewtwo and 152 being Chikorita. Journal entries found in the Pokémon Mansion on Cinnabar Island state that Mew was discovered deep in the jungles of Guyana, South America, on July 5 (the year is not specified), and named on July 10, and that it "gave birth" to Mewtwo on February 6. The name mew is an onomatopoeia of a cat's cry, like meow.

In the video games, it is possible for Mew to learn any move that can be taught. Other than Ditto, it is the only Pokémon that can transform into other Pokémon using the "Transform" technique. In the anime, it is capable of flight, teleportation, shapeshifting, summoning giant pink bubbles of psychic energy (which serve various purposes such as closing itself in for protection, acting as a cushion, or simply for Mew's amusement of bouncing on), and rendering itself invisible.

Appearances

In the video games

Other than using a GameShark or Action Replay (this may damage the save file it is used on), Mew cannot be obtained within the Pokémon video games except via Nintendo promotional events and a glitch in Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow. The glitch involves exploiting programmed events, such as walking into the view of a trainer, then using a Pokémon's "Fly" or "Teleport" technique to escape the area before the trainer notices the player. This changes some of the number values in the game's memory—similarly to how MissingNo. is found—and starts a battle with a wild level 7 Mew. The glitch was discovered in 2003. Discovery is often attributed to a GameFAQs user named "The Sythe", but he denied discovering the glitch himself.

In the anime

Mew's first major appearance in the Pokémon anime was in Pokémon: The First Movie where it served as one of the main characters. It was believed to be long-extinct and "the legendary and rare 'most powerful Pokémon ever.'" After years of research, a scientist uses a recombination of Mew's DNA to create Mewtwo, a genetically enhanced clone of Mew who becomes the film's main antagonist. The backstory of Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew revolves around Mew's mysterious history and how it came to be so powerful. In the movie, a Pokémon "family tree" is shown; the first Pokémon on it is Mew, and the last is Ho-Oh.

Cultural impact

Promotion and merchandising

Mew's presence as a "secret" Pokémon contributed to the success of the franchise. At Nintendo promotional events soon after the release of Pokémon Red and Blue, players could have Mew downloaded to their games. Mew is also one of the Pokémon featured in the 1998 painting on the All Nippon Airways Boeing 747-400. In September 2006, in celebration of the release of Lucario and the Mystery of Mew and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team, players with a copy of Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, or LeafGreen could go to a Toys "R" Us store to download Mew for free. Included in the DVD of Lucario and the Mystery of Mew was a promotional Mew trading card.

Critical reception

Due to its balanced statistics and ability to learn any move that comes from a TM or HM, Mew is regarded as one of the best Pokémon in Red, Blue, and Yellow. Studies on the impact of fictional characters on children, such as those in Pikachu's Global Adventure: The Rise and Fall of Pokémon, have noted Mew as popular with younger female children who tend to be drawn to "cute" characters; Mewtwo in comparison was described as a polar opposite, popular with older male children who tend to be drawn to "tough or scary" characters. The book Media and the Make-believe Worlds of Children: When Harry Potter Meets Pokémon in Disneyland noted a similar comparison, describing Mew as "child-like and gentle, combining characteristics of power and cuteness" and emphasizing the importance of the contrast for children between it and Mewtwo, and its role as a source of appeal for the character.

The revealing and distribution of Mew through organized events has been noted as a major reason for the series' success in Japan, with the Japanese contest receiving over 78,000 entries. However, Computer and Video Games magazine criticized the exclusivity of Mew to Nintendo events as one of the worst aspects of Pokémon, noting that through the use of cheat devices such as the Pro Action Replay to access Mew, they were rendered obsolete.

References

1. "Pokémon Franchise Approaches 150 Million Games Sold". PR Newswire. Retrieved July 27, 2008.
2. ^ "『ポケットモンスター』ˈˈスタッフインタビュー" (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved June 6, 2009.
3. ^ "Pokémania: Secrets Behind the International Phenomenon" (PDF). Columbia Business School. February 7, 2000. Retrieved May 21, 2009.
4. ^ "ˈˈˈポケモン年ˈ" (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved June 6, 2009.
5. "The Ultimate Game Freak". Time Asia. November 22, 1999. Retrieved June 7, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
6. ^ Chua-Eoan, Howard; Larimer, Tim (November 22, 1999). "TIMEasia.com - Cover: Poké Mania - Page 2 - 11/22/99". Time Asia. Retrieved May 21, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
7. ^ "#151 Mew". IGN. Retrieved June 16, 2009.
8. Game Freak. Pokémon Yellow. Pokédex: When viewed through a microscope, this POKéMON's short, fine, delicate hair can be seen.
9. ^ Game Freak. Pokémon Emerald. Pokédex: A MEW is said to possess the genes of all POKéMON. It is capable of making itself invisible at will, so it entirely avoids notice even if it approaches people.
10. Game Freak. Pokémon Pearl. Pokédex: Because it can use all kinds of moves, many scientists believe MEW to be the ancestor of Pokémon.
11. ^ Klein, Andy (December 2, 1999). "Hokeymon". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved June 8, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
12. HAL Laboratory. Super Smash Bros. Melee. Mewtwo trophy: Although Mewtwo was bio-engineerd [sic] from a fossil of the legendary Pokémon Mew, its size and character are far different than its ancestor.
13. HAL Laboratory. Super Smash Bros. Melee. Articuno trophy: Clouds gather, the barometer plunges, and fresh snow falls from the frigid air when this legendary Pokémon takes wing.
14. HAL Laboratory. Super Smash Bros. Melee. Zapdos trophy: It's said that you can hear this legendary Pokémon coming, as its wings make a very distinctive popping sound as it flies.
15. HAL Laboratory. Super Smash Bros. Melee. Moltres trophy: As tradition has it, the onset of spring heralds the return of this legendary Pokémon from its southern home.
16. ^ Sora Ltd. Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Mewtwo trophy: This legendary Pokémon was based on a recombination of Mew's DNA, created by a scientist after years of research.
17. "#150 Mewtwo". IGN. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
18. Game Freak. Pokémon FireRed. Diary: July 5. Guyana, South America. A new POKéMON was discovered deep in the jungle.
19. Game Freak. Pokémon FireRed. Diary: July 10. We christened the newly discovered POKéMON, MEW.
20. Game Freak. Pokémon FireRed. Diary: Feb. 6. MEW gave birth. We named the newborn MEWTWO.
21. Game Freak. Pokémon FireRed. Pokédex: A POKéMON of South America that was thought to have been extinct. It is very intelligent and learns any move.
22. Pocket Monsters Mewtwo no Gyakushū (in Japanese). Japan: Toho/Nintendo. {{cite AV media}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); |format= requires |url= (help); Unknown parameter |date2= ignored (help)
23. ^ DeVries, Jack (November 24, 2008). "IGN: Pokemon Report: OMG Hacks". IGN. Retrieved June 7, 2009.
24. ^ Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew. VIZ Media. {{cite AV media}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); |format= requires |url= (help); Unknown parameter |date2= ignored (help)
25. ^ "VIZ Media Announces New Pokemon Products for 2006 Holiday Season". PressZoom. October 12, 2006. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
26. "ANA's Pokemon Jet Home Page - Design". ANA. Retrieved May 21, 2009.
27. "Mew Distribution Sept. 30". Nintendo Power (208): p. 97. October 2006. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); |pages= has extra text (help)
28. Loe, Casey (1999). Pokémon Perfect Guide Includes Red-Yellow-Blue. Versus Books. p. 124. ISBN 1-930-20615-1.
29. Tobin, Joseph Jay (2004). Pikachu's Global Adventure: The Rise and Fall of Pokémon. Duke University Press. pp. 180, 283. ISBN 0-822-33287-6.
30. Götz, Maya (2005). Media and the Make-believe Worlds of Children: When Harry Potter Meets Pokémon in Disneyland. Routledge. p. 105. ISBN 0-805-85191-7. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
31. NGamer Staff (July 25, 2007). "Nintendo Feature: Best and Worst of Pokémon". Computer and Video Games. Retrieved June 9, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

See also

• MissingNo.

External links

• Mew's entry at Bulbapedia

• Fictional felines
• Fictional life forms
• Fictional shapeshifters
• Pokémon anime characters
• Programming bugs
• Video game glitches