Pokemon Movies in Order: Complete Watch Guide (2026 Edition)

Looking for the correct Pokemon movies in order? Good news first: unlike most long-running franchises, release order and chronological order are basically the same thing here. Almost every film is a standalone adventure starring Ash and Pikachu, so watching them by release date won’t leave you lost or spoiled. The one wrinkle is a trio of movies set in an alternate continuity, which we’ll flag clearly below. Created by Satoshi Tajiri and built into one of the highest-grossing media franchises in history, the Pokemon film series has been packing theaters since 1998 and remains a cultural touchstone for two generations of fans. Here’s your full breakdown, starting with the quick-answer table.

Also Read: Naruto Movies in Order

Quick Answer: Pokemon Movies in Order

Callout: If you just want the “real” Ash saga, watch 1–19 in order, treat 20–21 and 23 as optional side stories, and slot Detective Pikachu in whenever — it doesn’t touch the main story at all.

Pokemon Movies in Order: The Complete Watch Guide

1. Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998)

A genetically engineered Pokémon named Mewtwo, created from the DNA of the Mythical Mew, decides humanity and Pokémon alike are beneath it. Ash and friends get caught in the crossfire on Mewtwo’s private island. The film famously grossed over $170 million worldwide off a modest budget, making it one of the most profitable anime films ever released in the West. It set the template every sequel would follow: introduce a powerful Legendary or Mythical Pokémon, build a moral dilemma around its power, then resolve it through empathy rather than battle.

2. Pokémon the Movie 2000 (1999)

Ash is recruited to help save three giant birds — Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres — whose imbalance threatens to destroy the world, while a rogue collector chases the Legendary Pokémon Lugia. It leaned harder into world-ending stakes than the first film and introduced the “Chosen One” prophecy trope the series would revisit for years. The soundtrack also produced a minor pop hit in the U.S. Ash’s growing sense of responsibility here carries directly into the tone of the next film.

3. Pokémon 3: The Movie – Spell of the Unown (2000)

A young girl accidentally traps her father — and later Ash’s mother — inside an alternate dimension using the power of the ancient Unown and the Legendary Entei. It’s a quieter, more emotional entry than its predecessors, focused on grief and isolation rather than global stakes. This was the last film to use the original English dub cast for several key roles before later recasting. Its softer tone gave way to darker material in the very next outing.

4. Pokémon 4Ever (2001)

Ash travels back in time and encounters a wounded Celebi being hunted by a mysterious Pokémon hunter, forcing him to protect the forest guardian across two eras. It’s one of the more narratively ambitious entries, weaving a time-travel structure into a fairly compact runtime. This is also the film that introduced fan-favorite Pokémon Celebi to the anime before it appeared in games. From here, the series shifts toward romantic subplot-adjacent stories with Latios and Latias.

5. Pokémon Heroes (2002)

Twin Legendary Pokémon Latios and Latias protect the water-locked city of Alto Mare from two thieves hunting an ancient superweapon. It’s frequently cited by longtime fans as one of the emotionally strongest entries in the whole run, thanks to its bittersweet ending. Alto Mare itself was modeled visually on real Italian canal cities. The next film pivots to a lighter, wish-granting Pokémon for a change of pace.

6. Pokémon: Jirachi, Wish Maker (2003)

A traveling circus performer manipulates the wish-granting Mythical Pokémon Jirachi, which only wakes once every thousand years, for his own dark purposes. This entry doubles as a soft reboot of the traveling companion dynamic, introducing May and Max as regular fixtures. It also marked a noticeably brighter, more colorful art direction shift. The Hoenn-region focus here continues straight into the following film.

7. Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys (2004)

A city under martial law after an alien Pokémon crash-landing becomes the backdrop for a battle between Deoxys and the Legendary dragon Rayquaza. It’s one of the more action-forward films, built around a boy’s grief over his brother’s Pokémon-battling accident. Deoxys’ multiple forms here later became a mechanic reflected in the actual games. The story threads into the next film’s focus on Mew and Lucario’s mysterious past.

8. Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (2005)

Ash and friends help a time-displaced Lucario uncover the truth about a betrayal a thousand years in the past, guided by the playful Mythical Pokémon Mew. Widely considered one of the best-written entries, it deals with themes of loyalty and misplaced trust more maturely than most films around it. Lucario went on to become one of the franchise’s most enduring mascots outside the anime. The story’s emotional weight carries a similar tone into the following aquatic adventure.

9. Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea (2006)

Ash and company must protect Manaphy, the Prince of the Sea, from a pirate seeking to steal its power and control the ancient Sea Temple. This film tied in directly with the Pokémon Ranger spin-off game line, one of the few movies built around cross-promoting a specific game release. It also gave Pokémon Ranger character Jackie Walker a rare anime appearance. The tie-in strategy would return a few years later with Darkrai.

10. Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai (2007)

A misunderstood Darkrai is blamed for nightmares plaguing a town, while Ash gets caught between it and the battling Legendary Pokémon Dialga and Palkia. Often ranked among fans’ top picks, it balances a genuinely eerie villain reveal with a heartfelt ending. This was also part of the film series’ tie-in push for the newly released Diamond and Pearl games. Its Sinnoh-region setting continues directly in the next two films.

11. Pokémon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior (2008)

Ash helps guardian Pokémon Shaymin navigate a dangerous alternate dimension ruled by the vengeful Giratina. It’s a darker, more atmospheric film that leaned into horror-adjacent visuals for a family movie. Shaymin’s dual Land and Sky Forme became a notable gameplay gimmick shortly after. The Sinnoh trilogy wraps up with the region’s third legendary the following year.

12. Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life (2009)

Ash accidentally sets off a chain of events that angers Arceus, the god-like Pokémon said to have created the Pokémon universe, forcing a desperate mission to make things right. As the finale to the Sinnoh-focused trilogy, it aimed for maximum stakes befitting Arceus’s mythic status. It also marked the tenth anniversary tie-in year for the film franchise. The next film shifts to a completely new visual antagonist in Zoroark.

13. Pokémon — Zoroark: Master of Illusions (2010)

A mysterious Zoroark uses its illusion powers to disrupt a city-wide festival while protecting its child, Zorua, from those who’d exploit its abilities. This was the first film to headline two brand-new Pokémon (Zoroark and Zorua) revealed to the public via the movie itself rather than the games first. It’s also a fan-favorite for its stylish, noir-tinged visual design. The series then splits its next legendary story across two simultaneous releases.

14. Pokémon the Movie: White – Victini and Zekrom / Black – Victini and Reshiram (2011)

Released as two versions of the same story, this film follows Ash helping a kingdom while the wish-granting Victini partners with either Reshiram or Zekrom depending on which cut you watch. It was a marketing experiment mirroring the paired Black and White game releases, and most viewers only need to watch one version. The dual-release gimmick wasn’t repeated afterward. The story returns to a single unified film going forward.

15. Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice (2012)

The Legendary Sword of Justice trio faces off against a rampaging Kyurem while trying to protect a young Keldeo who’s determined to prove himself. It’s a fast-paced, battle-heavy entry that leans into found-family themes among the Musketeer Pokémon. This film also completed the “Unova saga” tie-in run started two years earlier. From here the series jumps into bug-type territory for a change of scenery.

16. Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened (2013)

A swarm of genetically enhanced Genesect seek revenge against humanity, with only Mewtwo standing between them and catastrophe. This is the first film to bring Mewtwo back as a major character since the original 1998 movie, delighting longtime fans. Its city-leveling action sequences were noticeably more elaborate than prior entries. The story pivots toward gentler, fairy-type territory next.

17. Pokémon the Movie: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction (2014)

Ash helps the newly introduced Mythical Pokémon Diancie search for a way to save its kingdom, while battling thieves after the same power. It leaned on the newly released Mega Evolution mechanic from the games, giving several Pokémon flashy on-screen transformations. Diancie’s diamond-based design made it an instant merchandising hit. The Kalos-region focus continues for two more consecutive films.

18. Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages (2015)

The mischievous Mythical Pokémon Hoopa can open portals anywhere in the world, until its power spirals out of control and threatens catastrophe. This entry brought back a stacked roster of past Legendary Pokémon via Hoopa’s portal gimmick, a fan-service move that hadn’t been attempted at this scale before. It closes out the Kalos trilogy on a high note. The final Kalos film follows almost immediately after.

19. Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel (2016)

Ash partners with the volatile Mythical Pokémon Volcanion to stop a scientist’s scheme involving a mechanical Magearna. This was the last entry in what fans consider the “classic” run before the series took a hard creative turn. It also marked one of the final films with the traditional cel-inspired animation look before a visual refresh. The next film breaks format entirely with an origin-story retelling.

20. Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! (2017)

A 20th-anniversary retelling of Ash and Pikachu’s very first meeting, reimagined with new events and a new take on their bond. This film opens an alternate continuity that runs parallel to, rather than inside, the mainline anime timeline — it’s the point where “release order” and “canon order” genuinely diverge. It was a deliberate nostalgia play timed to the franchise’s 20th birthday. The story continues directly into the next film’s sequel-style follow-up.

21. Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us (2018)

Set in the same alternate continuity as I Choose You!, Ash and a handful of local trainers must work together during a festival threatened by an out-of-control Legendary Pokémon. It’s a smaller, more character-driven ensemble piece than most entries, focused on ordinary trainers rather than world-ending stakes. This is generally considered the last film in that particular alt-continuity thread before the series paused it. Meanwhile, the main-continuity story got its own reboot the following year.

22. Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution (2019)

A full CG remake of the original 1998 film, retelling Mewtwo’s creation and rebellion with modern animation and some restructured story beats. It functions as a genuine remake of Film 1 rather than a new chapter, so it can be watched in place of the original if you’d rather see it in current animation. The project was helmed by Studio Colorido rather than the franchise’s usual animation house. The very next film returns to the alternate continuity one more time.

23. Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle (2020/2021)

A boy raised by Pokémon in a hidden jungle must decide whether to trust the outside world after Ash and friends stumble into his territory. Originally slated for 2020, its theatrical release was delayed to 2021 due to the pandemic, making it the most recently released Pokémon anime film as of 2026. It rounds out the alt-continuity trilogy that began with I Choose You! There’s been no theatrical anime film since, as the franchise shifted focus to the Pokémon Horizons TV series instead.

Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019, live-action)

A hard-boiled, talking Pikachu (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) teams up with a young man to solve his missing father’s disappearance in a fully realized live-action Pokémon city. It’s the franchise’s only live-action theatrical film to date and a genuine box-office hit, pulling in over $433 million worldwide. It exists completely outside the anime continuity, so nothing here connects to Ash’s story. A sequel has been in on-again, off-again development for years without a confirmed release date.

Do You Need to Watch I Choose You! Before Secrets of the Jungle?

Yes. While each film has a mostly standalone plot, I Choose You!, The Power of Us, and Secrets of the Jungle share a continuity separate from the numbered main series, and watching them in that order preserves the recurring characters and world-building better than jumping around.

Minimum viable watch order (if you’re short on time):

• Pokémon: The First Movie (1998) — the franchise’s foundational story
• Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai (2007) — widely considered a series high point
• Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (2005) — top-tier writing and emotion
• Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! (2017) — start of the alt-continuity, works as a soft reboot
• Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019) — completely separate, watch anytime

How Many Pokemon Movies Are There?

There are 23 animated Pokémon anime films released between 1998 and 2021, plus one live-action film, Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019), that sits entirely outside the anime continuity.

All Pokemon Movies in Order by Release Date

1. Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back — November 12, 1998 (Japan)

2. Pokémon the Movie 2000 — July 17, 1999 (Japan)

3. Pokémon 3: The Movie – Spell of the Unown — July 8, 2000 (Japan)

4. Pokémon 4Ever — July 7, 2001 (Japan)

5. Pokémon Heroes — July 13, 2002 (Japan)

6. Pokémon: Jirachi, Wish Maker — July 19, 2003 (Japan)

7. Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys — July 17, 2004 (Japan)

8. Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew — July 16, 2005 (Japan)

9. Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea — July 15, 2006 (Japan)

10. Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai — July 14, 2007 (Japan)

11. Pokémon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior — July 19, 2008 (Japan)

12. Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life — July 18, 2009 (Japan)

13. Pokémon — Zoroark: Master of Illusions — July 10, 2010 (Japan)

14. Pokémon the Movie: White – Victini and Zekrom / Black – Victini and Reshiram — July 16, 2011 (Japan)

15. Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice — July 14, 2012 (Japan)

16. Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened — July 13, 2013 (Japan)

17. Pokémon the Movie: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction — July 19, 2014 (Japan)

18. Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages — July 18, 2015 (Japan)

19. Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel — July 16, 2016 (Japan)

20. Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! — July 15, 2017 (Japan)

21. Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us — July 13, 2018 (Japan)

22. Pokémon Detective Pikachu (live-action) — May 10, 2019 (US)

23. Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution — July 12, 2019 (Japan)

24. Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle — December 25, 2020 (Japan) / October 8, 2021 (US)

What’s Next for the Franchise?

The anime hasn’t released a new theatrical film since Secrets of the Jungle, and the franchise’s focus since 2023 has shifted to Pokémon Horizons: The Series, the first anime to move away from Ash Ketchum entirely in favor of new protagonists Liko and Roy. Voice cast members have said they’d welcome a Horizons movie, but nothing has been officially greenlit as of this writing.

On the live-action side, a sequel to Detective Pikachu has technically been “in development” since 2021, with Jonathan Krisel attached to direct at one point, but the project has been repeatedly delayed and remains without a confirmed release date or cast lineup. Treat any specific date you see online for either project as speculation until The Pokémon Company or Legendary Pictures makes it official.

FAQ

Does it matter what order I watch Pokemon movies in? Not much — the numbered main series (Films 1–19) can be watched in release order without confusion, since each is a standalone story. The only real branch point is the I Choose You! trilogy, which forms its own mini-continuity.

What is the best Pokemon movie to start with? Pokémon: The First Movie is the obvious starting point for tradition’s sake, but if you want the strongest standalone story, Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai or Lucario and the Mystery of Mew are widely considered series highlights.

Is Detective Pikachu connected to the anime movies? No. Detective Pikachu is a separate live-action universe with its own characters and rules, so you can watch it whenever without needing any anime context.

How many Pokemon movies are there in total as of 2026? There are 23 animated Pokémon films plus the 2019 live-action Detective Pikachu, for 24 total theatrical releases, with no new anime film confirmed since 2021.

For  More: Wikipedia.org

---

Thanks for Visit!