The official website for the Pokémon anime movies announced this week that entertainer (and well-known Pokémon fan) Shoko Nakagawa is joining enka singer Sachiko Kobayashi in singing the "Kaze to Issho ni" (With the Wind) song as the ending theme for Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution ( Mewtwo no Gyakushū Evolution ) , the 22nd film in the Pokémon franchise . The new film is a 3D CG remake of Pocket Monsters: Mewtwo no Gyakushū , the 1998 film known in English as Pokemon: The First Movie .

The duet is a cover of Kobayashi's theme song for the original 1998 film. Seiji Kameda is arranging the new version, which will ship on a single on July 10. In addition, Sony Music is accepting applications for the " Pokémon Kids 2019" ensemble. The winners will record the song with Kobayashi and Nakagawa (also known as "Shokotan") in mid-May.

The main cast of the anime series, along with the Team Rocket cast, return for the film. Masachika Ichimura is also reprising his role as Mewtwo from the original Pokemon: The First Movie . The late voice actor Unshō Ishizuka provided narration for the new film.

The film will open in Japan on July 12. The film's title is a reference to Pokemon: The First Movie , which opened in Japan in 1998 with the Japanese title Pocket Monster : Mewtwo no Gyakushū . Kunihiko Yuyama is returning from other franchise installments to direct the film alongside Motonori Sakakibara ( Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within , Rudolf the Black Cat ). Takeshi Shudō ( Pokemon: The First Movie ) is credited as the scriptwriter, though he passed away in 2010.

The previous film, Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us , premiered in theaters in Japan on July 13 and opened at #2 at the Japanese box office. The film had a release through Fathom Events in the United States on November 24, November 26, November 28, and December 1. The U.S. run earned US$789,170.