Pokémon movie
- This article is about the movies that are part of the Pokémon anime. For movies that exist in the Pokémon world, see Movies in the Pokémon world.
A Pokémon movie is a theatrical film usually released in Japan in July, centering on Pokémon and following, as the main anime series, Ash and his friends. Typically, the movies' animation is done by Team Koitabashi of OLM, and each has at least one hour of footage. Nine of the movies also have a Pikachu short that is shown before the main feature, and all of them have a manga adaptation.
The locations in which the movies take place have been, since Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias, based on real-world locations outside of Japan. Topics explored are typically deeper than those explored in the episodes aired on television, usually featuring Ash and his friends confronting antagonists who wish to use Pokémon for selfish purposes. Nearly every movie involves Legendary Pokémon, and many of them debut a Mythical Pokémon belonging to the ongoing generation of the core series games, with event distributions for certain Pokémon featuring in the movie running concurrently.
To date, there have been 23 theatrical Pokémon movies and three movie-length special episodes. There has also been one live-action movie, Detective Pikachu. Additionally, the miniseries Pokémon Origins is a similar length to a movie when all of the episodes are combined.
List of movies
Original series
Movie | Poster | English title | English release | American distributor | Japanese title | Japanese release | Japanese distributor |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Pokémon: The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back | November 12, 1999 | Warner Bros. | ミュウツーの逆襲 Mewtwo's Counterattack Mewtwo Strikes Back! |
July 18, 1998 | Toho | |
Summary: Ash Ketchum and his friends are tricked into visiting New Island, an island ruled by a mutant Pokémon, Mewtwo. There, they find out about Mewtwo's plans to clone their Pokémon and destroy the world, and a massive battle follows between the clones and the originals—including the "original" counterpart to Mewtwo: Mew. | |||||||
2 | Pokémon the Movie 2000: The Power of One | July 21, 2000 | Warner Bros. | 幻のポケモン ルギア爆誕 Mirage Pokémon: Lugia's Explosive Birth Revelation-Lugia |
July 17, 1999 | Toho | |
Summary: Ash Ketchum and his friends visit Shamouti Island, the centerpoint of culture in the Orange Islands, just in time for their annual festival in honor of the Chosen One spoken of in legends who would save the world when Lugia's song was not enough to quell the fighting Legendary birds. But when the meddling of a self-named "Pokémon Collector" causes the legendary birds to begin fighting, will the Chosen One appear in time to help Lugia? | |||||||
3 | Pokémon 3: The Movie - Spell of the Unown: Entei | April 6, 2001 | Warner Bros. | 結晶塔の帝王 ENTEI Emperor of the Crystal Tower: Entei Lord of the "Unknown" Tower |
July 8, 2000 | Toho | |
Summary: When Spencer Hale, a researcher exploring the mystery of the Unown, disappears on an expedition, his daughter Molly is left alone in their mansion in Greenfield. Using tiles of the Unown sent to her by her father, she brings Unown into the Pokémon world, where their power can make real her dreams. When she wishes for her parents to return, however, she wishes her father as an Entei, and then for him to bring her a mother. When Ash's own mother is kidnapped by Entei to serve as Molly's, Ash and his friends must journey into the mansion that has been warped by the Unown's power and Molly's wishes... but can they get to Molly in time to stop the Unown's power from warping the whole Johto region... or even the world? | |||||||
4 | Pokémon 4Ever - Celebi: The Voice of the Forest | October 11, 2002 | Miramax Films | セレビィ時を超えた遭遇 Celebi: Encounter Beyond Time Celebi: a Timeless Encounter |
July 7, 2001 | Toho | |
Summary: Forty years in the past, a young Trainer finds a Celebi on the run from a Pokémon poacher. Trying to calm it, the boy is accidentally transported to the present day by Celebi, and thought by all in the past to have vanished. He meets Ash and his friends, but before they can get Celebi to take him back to the past, it is captured by a far more dangerous man, Team Rocket operative Iron-Masked Marauder, whose Dark Balls brainwash Celebi into following his every command. | |||||||
5 | Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias | May 16, 2003 | Miramax Films | 水の都の護神 ラティアスとラティオス Guardian Gods of the City of Water: Latias and Latios The Guardians of Altomare |
July 13, 2002 | Toho | |
Summary: In Alto Mare, a legend is told of its guardians, Latios and Latias, who have protected the city for a long time. The Soul Dew, their essence, is kept in Alto Mare to keep the city safe. But when Team Rocket agents Annie and Oakley arrive to attempt to steal the Soul Dew, Ash and his friends must recover it to keep Alto Mare safe at all costs. |
Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire
Movie | Poster | English title | English release | American distributor | Japanese title | Japanese release | Japanese distributor |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 | Pokémon: Jirachi: Wish Maker | June 1, 2004 | Miramax Films | 七夜の願い星 ジラーチ Wishing Star of the Seven Nights: Jirachi Wishing Star of the Seven Nights |
July 19, 2003 | Toho | |
Summary: A mysterious comet that passes by every millennium awakens Jirachi, a Mythical Pokémon. Using its power, Butler, a magician who was formerly a member of Team Magma, attempts to create a Groudon to further the villainous organization's goals. Can Ash and his friends protect Jirachi during the week that it is awake? | |||||||
7 | Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys | January 22, 2005 | Miramax Films | 裂空の訪問者 デオキシス Sky-Splitting Visitor: Deoxys Deoxys the Visitor |
July 17, 2004 | Toho | |
Summary: When a meteor crashes into Earth, a battle begins between Rayquaza and the Deoxys contained inside. With Rayquaza the victor, researchers pick up a portion of the meteor with the intention of studying it. When the Deoxys has finally recovered four years later, it attacks the city where the researchers call home, just in time for Ash and friends to visit. But why is it attacking? What connection does the meteor have with it? | |||||||
8 | Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew | September 19, 2006 | VIZ Media / Warner Bros. | ミュウと波導の勇者 ルカリオ Mew and the Wave Hero: Lucario Mew and the Wave Hero |
July 16, 2005 | Toho | |
Summary: Ash's Pikachu is taken to the Tree of Beginning by a wild Mew. To get Pikachu back, Ash must now team up with a Lucario from many years past, but with Lucario still bitter about the hero who sealed him away, Ash and friends must discover the hero's true intentions. | |||||||
9 | Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea | March 23, 2007 | VIZ Media / Warner Bros. | ポケモンレンジャーと 蒼海の王子 マナフィ Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea: Manaphy The Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea |
July 15, 2006 | Toho | |
Summary: When the Egg of a Mythical Pokémon, Manaphy, with ties to an ancient water-based civilization, falls into the hands of a pirate, a Pokémon Ranger entrusts the Egg to Ash and his friends—specifically May. May must keep the Egg safe until it hatches, and afterward, make sure Manaphy does not fall into the hands of the Phantom, lest Samiya be lost to the seafloor and Manaphy lose its home. |
Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl
Movie | Poster | English title | English release | American distributor | Japanese title | Japanese release | Japanese distributor |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 | Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai | February 24, 2008 | VIZ Media / Warner Bros. | ディアルガVSパルキアVSダークライ Dialga VS Palkia VS Darkrai |
July 14, 2007 | Toho | |
Summary: In Alamos Town, a large shrine to Dialga and Palkia, the Space-Time Towers, sits. But when Dialga and Palkia begin to battle in their dimension, the fight spills over into the Pokémon world, trapping Alamos Town away from the rest of the world. A Darkrai that lives in town tries to help, but is ultimately blamed by the town as the cause of the problem. Can Ash and his friends save Alamos Town before it is destroyed, and prove Darkrai's intentions? | |||||||
11 | Pokémon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior | February 13, 2009 | Universal Studios Home Entertainment (former); VIZ Media / Warner Bros. (current) |
ギラティナと氷空の花束 シェイミ Giratina and the Sky's Bouquet: Shaymin |
July 19, 2008 | Toho | |
Summary: When dark, poisonous clouds begin to appear in the Reverse World, home to Giratina, it takes matters into its own hands and pursues the cause of the clouds: Dialga and Palkia. Finding Dialga, it lures it for revenge, and assumes Shaymin to also be responsible. But this is not the only trouble: a researcher who wishes to make Giratina's power his own is also in pursuit of the Renegade Pokémon. With the balance of the Pokémon world and Reverse World altering due to Dialga and Giratina's own fight, Ash and friends must stop the fighting and get Shaymin to Gracidea to participate in the flower bearing ceremony. | |||||||
12 | Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life | November 20, 2009 | VIZ Media / Warner Bros. | アルセウス 超克の時空へ Arceus: To a Conquering Spacetime |
July 18, 2009 | Toho | |
Summary: Ash and friends have traveled to Michina Town, an ancient area surrounded by many legends—and unsurprisingly, many legendary Pokémon as well. The fighting between Dialga and Giratina begins again, but Sheena, a young woman who guards Michina Town's shrine, stops it and brings peace between Dialga, Giratina and Palkia. The true reason for the fighting between the three legendary Pokémon is revealed when Arceus emerges, seeking revenge for its betrayal by humanity at the hands of Sheena's ancestor Damos. With even Dialga, Palkia and Giratina unable to stand against the Pokémon said to have created all worlds, Ash, his friends and Sheena must embark on a trip back in time in a desperate bid to undo what went wrong and prevent Arceus's rampage from ever taking place. | |||||||
13 | Pokémon—Zoroark: Master of Illusions | February 5, 2011 | VIZ Media / Warner Bros. | 幻影の覇者ゾロアーク Ruler of Illusions: Zoroark |
July 10, 2010 | Toho | |
Summary: Ash and friends arrive in Crown City, where the "Pokémon Baccer World Cup" will be held. However, the city is being destroyed by Raikou, Entei and Suicune, who are all forms of a new and mysterious Pokémon, Zoroark. Zoroark's child, Zorua, asks Ash and his friends for help in saving its mother from the villain who has enslaved it. This draws them into a race against businessman Grings Kodai, who has come to the city in pursuit of Celebi's "Time Ripple" for his own sinister ends, to save Crown City before Kodai's actions lead to its destruction. |
Pokémon the Series: Black & White
Movie | Poster | English title | English release | American distributor | Japanese title | Japanese release | Japanese distributor |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 | Pokémon the Movie: White—Victini and Zekrom | December 3, 2011 | VIZ Media / Warner Bros. | ビクティニと黒き英雄ゼクロム Victini and the Black Hero: Zekrom |
July 16, 2011 | Toho | |
Pokémon the Movie: Black—Victini and Reshiram | December 10, 2011 | VIZ Media / Warner Bros. | ビクティニと白き英雄レシラム Victini and the White Hero: Reshiram |
July 16, 2011 | Toho | ||
Summary: Ash, Iris, and Cilan arrive in Eindoak Town, a village where the descendants of a race known as the People of the Vale live, to participate in a battle tournament. They meet the Victory Pokémon, Victini, and learn of its deep connection to the history of the People of the Vale and their land. However, when Damon, a man aiming to use the castle known as the Sword of the Vale to restore his people's kingdom to its former glory, captures Victini to move his plan forward, he sets in motion a chain of events that threaten to destroy not only Eindoak Town but the entire world. | |||||||
15 | Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. The Sword of Justice | December 8, 2012 | VIZ Media / Warner Bros. | キュレムVS聖剣士ケルディオ Kyurem VS the Sacred Swordsman: Keldeo |
July 14, 2012 | Toho | |
Summary: Keldeo is training to become one of the Sacred Swordsmen, like Cobalion, Terrakion, and Virizion. But when it decides to challenge Kyurem to prove its strength, it ends up badly injured. Later encountering Ash and his friends aboard a train to the city of Roushan, Keldeo drags them into its desperate attempt to escape from the enraged Kyurem and its gang of Cryogonal. As Kyurem's relentless pursuit drives the group from the train into the big city and finally deep into the abandoned mine Kyurem calls home, can they help Keldeo find its inner strength and defeat Kyurem to prove itself a true Sacred Swordsman? | |||||||
16 | Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and The Legend Awakened | October 19, 2013 | VIZ Media / Warner Bros. | 神速のゲノセクト ミュウツー覚醒 Extreme Speed Genesect: Mewtwo Awakens |
July 13, 2013 | Toho | |
Summary: Distressed due to the loss of their homeland, the Genesect Army attacks New Tork City. Coincidentally, Ash and his friends are visiting the city to see the park called Pokémon Hills. When the Genesect begin rampaging in the city, Ash is protected by the sudden appearance of a familiar Pokémon—Mewtwo. Despite sympathizing with the plight of the Genesect, Mewtwo attempts to convince them to leave New Tork City and go somewhere else where artificial Pokémon can belong, only to get into a conflict with the Red Genesect that leads the team. Can Mewtwo overcome the Genesect to save New Tork City or is the city doomed to be destroyed and changed into the nest of a Pokémon left behind by history? |
Pokémon the Series: XY
Movie | Poster | English title | English release | American distributor | Japanese title | Japanese release | Japanese distributor |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
17 | Pokémon the Movie: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction | November 8, 2014 | VIZ Media / Warner Bros. | 破壊の繭とディアンシー The Cocoon of Destruction and Diancie |
July 19, 2014 | Toho | |
Summary: Diamond Domain is a land deep under the Kalos region where many Carbink live. The land is given life by the Heart Diamond, which can only be created by its princess, Diancie. However, Diancie currently does not have the power to create a new Heart Diamond, and the land is threatened due to the aging of the current one. After meeting Ash and his friends, Diancie sets off on an adventure to find Xerneas, but during their travels, the group comes across the cocoon where Yveltal—said to have destroyed all life in Kalos long ago—sleeps. During a conflict with a gang of jewel thieves targeting Diancie, Yveltal awakens, leading to a crisis that threatens to repeat the disaster of ages past. | |||||||
18 | Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages | November 5, 2015 | VIZ Media / Warner Bros. | 光輪の超魔神 フーパ The Archdjinni of the Rings: Hoopa |
July 18, 2015 | Toho | |
Summary: One hundred years ago, Dahara City was threatened with destruction when Hoopa brought a number of legendary Pokémon into the area, but was saved when a mysterious man bound its power with the Prison Bottle. In the present, Ash and his friends arrive in Dahara City and meet Meray, who cares for Hoopa in its peaceful Confined form. Meray's brother, Baraz, obtains the Prison Bottle in hopes of restoring Hoopa's true power, but that power has grown angry over the years and seeks revenge. After escaping from the Prison Bottle, the evil Shadow Hoopa goes on a rampage to erase its weaker self, culminating in both Hoopa summoning groups of legendary Pokémon to fight each other. In order to save Dahara City, Meray, Baraz and Ash's friends must recreate the Prison Bottle and stop Shadow Hoopa, but even if they succeed, an even greater threat may still await. | |||||||
19 | Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel | November 4, 2016 | VIZ Media / Warner Bros. | ボルケニオンと機巧のマギアナ Volcanion and the Mechanical Magearna |
July 16, 2016 | Toho | |
Summary: Ash and his friends encounter Volcanion after a blast of steam from the sky, and Ash becomes bonded to it by an unknown force. Volcanion, who hates humans, is forced to bring Ash along as it heads to the Azoth Kingdom. Volcanion is in pursuit of Magearna, hoping to rescue it from a corrupt minister who has stolen it with the intent of using Magearna's mysterious power to conquer the kingdom of machinery. Ash and Volcanion are forced to work together to rescue Magearna. |
Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
While these movies were released during the time Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon was airing, they are not set during its timeline. Instead, the first two movies are set in an alternate continuity, completely independent of the main series, while the third is a CGI remake of a previous movie.
Movie | Poster | English title | English release | American distributor | Japanese title | Japanese release | Japanese distributor |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
20 | Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! | November 5, 2017 | Fathom Events VIZ Media / Warner Bros. |
キミにきめた! I Choose You! |
July 15, 2017 | Toho | |
Summary: On his tenth birthday, Ash sets off from Pallet Town to become a Pokémon Trainer alongside a Pikachu that disobeys him. The duo encounter Ho-Oh and, after acquiring a Rainbow Wing, pledge to meet it again one day. With his travel companions Sorrel and Verity, and guided by the mysterious Marshadow, Ash travels to Mount Tensei in search of Ho-Oh. However, they encounter a powerful opponent who stands in their way. | |||||||
21 | Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us | November 24, 2018 | Fathom Events VIZ Media / Warner Bros. |
みんなの物語 Everyone's Story |
July 13, 2018 | Toho | |
Summary: A young athlete whose running days might be behind her, a compulsive liar, a shy researcher, a bitter old woman, and a little girl with a big secret—the only thing they have in common is the annual Wind Festival in Fula City. The festival celebrates the Legendary Pokémon Lugia, who brings the wind that powers this seaside city. When a series of threats endangers not just the festival, but all the people and Pokémon of Fula City, it'll take more than just Ash and Pikachu to save the day! Can everyone put aside their differences and work together—or will it all end in destruction? | |||||||
22 | Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution | February 27, 2020 | Netflix VIZ Media / Warner Bros. |
ミュウツーの逆襲 EVOLUTION Mewtwo's Counterattack Evolution Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution |
July 12, 2019 | Toho | |
Summary: Ash Ketchum and his friends are tricked into visiting New Island, an island ruled by a mutant Pokémon, Mewtwo. There, they find out about Mewtwo's plans to clone their Pokémon and destroy the world, and a massive battle follows between the clones and the originals—including the "original" counterpart to Mewtwo: Mew. |
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
Like with the first two Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon movies, the movie released during Pokémon Journeys: The Series is set in the alternate continuity introduced in I Choose You!.
Movie | Poster | English title | English release | American distributor | Japanese title | Japanese release | Japanese distributor |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
23 | Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle | October 8, 2021 | Netflix VIZ Media / Warner Bros. |
ココ Koko |
December 25, 2020 | Toho | |
Summary: Ash and Pikachu encounter Koko, a young man who was raised as a Pokémon by Zarude and thus believes himself to be one. They help him begin to uncover his true identity and past, which leads to the revelation of a plot at the Biotope Company that threatens to destroy Zarude's home in the Forest of Okoya. |
Release
When they open in Japan, they usually gross a large amount of money, typically ranking first for their premiere weekend. In 2008, Giratina and the Sky Warrior drew in a significant crowd despite the fact that it was released in the same weekend as the Studio Ghibli film Ponyo. In the United States, only the first five movies, those associated with the original series, received wide theatrical releases, however, the movies continue to be dubbed, being released directly to home video and, since Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, airing on Cartoon Network within a year of the Japanese premiere. Beginning with the dub of Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel, the movies typically premiere on Disney XD. Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution was the first movie to see its international premiere on a streaming platform with its February 2020 release on Netflix.
The thirteenth movie saw a limited theatrical release in the United States as part of the "Pokémon Black Version and White Version Mall Tour". On December 3 and 4, 2011, White—Victini and Zekrom received a limited commercial release in US theaters, making it the first movie since Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias to receive a commercial theatrical release. All of the Pokémon the Series: Black & White and Pokémon the Series: XY movies have aired in theaters in Australia and New Zealand, with the Pokémon the Series: XY movies premiering there before the United States. I Choose You! also received a limited theatrical run internationally on November 5 and 6, 2017. The Power of Us was given a limited theatrical release starting on November 24, 2018.
Titles
The full titles of Pokémon movies typically begin with some variant of the phrase "Pokémon the Movie".
In English, from the 14th movie onward, all full movie titles begin with "Pokémon the Movie". The first three movies—Pokémon: The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back, Pokémon the Movie 2000: The Power of One, and Pokémon 3: The Movie - Spell of the Unown: Entei—also include some variant of the phrase in their titles.
In Japanese, all movies except those in Pokémon the Series: XY begin with the phrase 「劇場版ポケットモンスター」 (Pocket Monsters: Movie Version). The Pokémon the Series: XY movies instead begin with the phrase 「ポケモン・ザ・ムービー」 (Pokémon the Movie).
Long specials
These special episodes do not appear in theaters in either the original or the dub, but run longer than the half hour that normal episodes fill. Due to this, they are often considered television Pokémon movies, not counting towards the running total.
Cover | English title | English release | Japanese title | Japanese release |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pokémon: Mewtwo Returns | December 5, 2001 | ミュウツー!我ハココニ在リ Mewtwo! I Am Here |
December 30, 2000 | |
Summary: Mewtwo, who has been hiding out in the Johto region since last he was seen, has been located by Giovanni. Now the Rocket Boss wants to recapture the powerful Pokémon to again use him for his own purposes. It was released directly to video in the United States. | ||||
The Legend of Thunder! | June 3, 2006 (Part 1) June 10, 2006 (Parts 2 and 3) |
ポケットモンスタークリスタル・ライコウ 雷の伝説 Pocket Monsters Crystal: Raikou - Legend of Thunder |
December 30, 2001 | |
Summary: In the first anime break from Ash and his friends, three Trainers, Jimmy, Marina, and Vincent must stop the evil Team Rocket duo Attila and Hun from capturing Raikou. It was divided up into three parts to become the first three episodes of Pokémon Chronicles when dubbed. | ||||
Pokémon: The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon | April 29, 2006 | 戦慄のミラージュポケモン The Terrifying Mirage Pokémon |
October 13, 2006 | |
Summary: Ash, May, Max, and Brock meet up with Misty and Professor Oak to investigate Dr. Yung's new Mirage Pokémon system. But when the mysterious Mirage Master appears with a Mirage Mewtwo, Ash is forced to fight him to stop his plans to dominate the world with his Mirage Pokémon. | ||||
Pokémon Origins | November 15, 2013 (File 1) November 18, 2013 (File 2) November 20, 2013 (File 3) November 22, 2013 (File 4) |
ポケットモンスター THE ORIGIN Pocket Monsters: The Origin |
October 2, 2013 | |
Summary: In this television film retelling the story of Pokémon Red and Green, Red becomes a Pokémon Trainer and travels around the Kanto region, battling against Gym Leaders, and the Elite Four. He has a rivalry with Blue and battles against Team Rocket and Giovanni. During his travels, Red discovers a mysterious, never-before-seen Pokémon. Pokémon Origins was divided up into four episodes when dubbed. | ||||
Pokémon: The Arceus Chronicles | September 23, 2022 | ポケットモンスター 神とよばれし アルセウス Pocket Monsters: Arceus, the One Called God |
January 21, 2022 (JNS01-JNS02) January 28, 2022 (JNS03-JNS04) | |
Summary: Ash and Goh travel to Sinnoh at the invitation of Cynthia to attend a festival celebrating the region's ancient past. While there, they reunite with both Cynthia and Dawn. Meanwhile, the members of the resurgent Team Galactic launch a bid to rescue their lost leader, Cyrus, from the dimensional rift he disappeared into in the past. As Team Galactic's actions cause a Heatran to begin violently rampaging, Ash, Goh, Dawn and Cynthia join forces with Brock to thwart the scheme and stop Heatran before it causes a catastrophic disaster that could devastate Mount Coronet and the rest of Sinnoh.
This special was formatted as a single feature-length movie when released outside Japan and Hong Kong. |
Relation to the main series
Generally, Pokémon movies and long specials have little to no impact on the overall plotline of the anime and fans will argue as to whether or not they are considered true canon. Evidence going either way is sparse, with many details, such as the fact that Ash, Dawn, and Brock having met Dialga and Palkia in The Rise of Darkrai, Giratina and the Sky Warrior, and Arceus and the Jewel of Life going unmentioned when the Legendary Pokémon are seen again in The Battle Finale of Legend!. Other details introduced in movies, such as Ash's Aura abilities as well as Dawn's Lunar Wing, have in fact been referenced by the main series.
The three Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon movies are unique exceptions in these regards: I Choose You! is an alternate retelling of Ash's early journey in a continuity completely independent of the main series, with the following movie, The Power of Us, being an original story also set within that continuity. Finally, Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution is the first Pokémon movie to be a remake, being a CGI retelling of Mewtwo Strikes Back.
It is possible that early on, the movies were intended to have no impact on the main anime continuity, as Mewtwo's erasure of everyone's memories at the conclusion of Mewtwo Strikes Back means that the events of the movie don't have much continuing impact on the series. However, as the series has progressed, more references to past movies have been made, with Ash recognizing a Latios immediately in The Semi-Final Frontier!, despite having only seen one previously in Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias, eventually culminating with characters from the aforementioned movie and its setting directly appearing in the main series in Ash and Latios!.
Due to this inconsistency, it will be noted in the movies' individual articles when a reference has been made to them in the main anime. The placement of the movies in the anime timeline will normally be between the episodes aired before and after the date of the movie's Japanese premiere, though often with more recent movies, this placement can vary with regard to events in the main anime.
Pokémon Origins, which is not a movie but rather a miniseries, exists within its own canon separate from the main anime series.
Home video releases
North American home video releases
United Kingdom home video releases
Australian home video releases
Trivia
- Since Generation IV, placeholder data in the list of locations where a Pokémon can be obtained exists for movies.
- In Generation IV, placeholder data exists for every movie between the ninth and the nineteenth, with space reserved for movies from 2006 to 2016.
- In Generation V, placeholder data exists for every movie between the thirteenth and the twenty-third, with space reserved for movies from 2010 to 2020.
- In Generation VI, placeholder data exists for every movie between the sixteenth and the twenty-first, with space reserved for movies from 2013 to 2018.
- In Generation VII, placeholder data exists for every movie between the nineteenth and the twenty-fourth, with space reserved for movies from 2016 to 2021.
- In Generation VIII, placeholder data exists for every movie between the twenty-second and the twenty-seventh, with space reserved for movies from 2019 to 2024.
- Several characters from the movies have been featured as cameos in the games Diamond, Pearl and Platinum. Their names match that of the characters they are based on in the Japanese version; however, the English translators missed those references and named them differently.
- Ace Trainers Felix and Dana from Route 229 have their teams based on those of Butler and Diane from Jirachi: Wish Maker.
- Ace Trainer Jamie from Route 224 is a Trainer who analyzes battles using her laptop. She is based on Rebecca from Destiny Deoxys, and challenges the player with her Metagross.
- Swimmer Katelyn from Route 220 is based on Lizabeth from Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea.
- 2021 is the first year since the release of Mewtwo Strikes Back in which a new movie is not released in Japan. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic delaying the release of Secrets of the Jungle from July until December 2020.
In other languages
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External links
- Official website for Pokémon movies (English)
- Official website for Pokémon movies (Japanese)
- An official webpage for Pokémon movies (Japanese)
- Pokémon movies on Wikipedia
This movie article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |