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In 1996, Pokémon Red and Green were released in Japan and would spawn one of the world’s largest media franchises. This was thanks to their simple but fun mechanics based around capturing unique monsters to make an RPG team. Within a few years, a trading card game and an anime were made, which helped to expand the fan base.
In 1998, Pokémon: The First Movie became the franchise’s first theatrical release based on the anime and the adventures of Ash Ketchum. Since then the number of films has increased to twenty-three. While most are enjoyable films with stellar animation, especially to fans of the franchise, some fall short of the mark.
10) ‘Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages’
One thousand years ago, the mythical Pokémon, Hoopa, who can open portals, had its dark power sealed away to prevent it from rampaging. In the present, Ash is pulled through one of Hoopa’s portals and befriends it. However, the bottle containing Hoopa’s power is opened, which manifests as a shade fueled by anger and hate.
Thanks to Hoopa’s powers, the action scenes in this film get creative and include many legendary Pokémon from previous movies. This gives the movie a kaiju theme, where the spectacle comes from seeing giant monsters fight each other. Of course, if you’re not into that, the film’s story and characters offer little else to enjoy.
9) ‘Pokémon 3 the Movie: Spell of the Unown’
A scientist researching the mysterious Unown falls into their world, leaving his young daughter, Molly, alone. While playing with some of her father’s artifacts, she summons the Unown to her house, and they create a fantasy world to fulfill her every desire. When she wishes for a family, an Entei created by the Unown kidnaps Ash’s mother, so Ash and friends must try to rescue her and pull Molly out of her fantasy.
While not strong enough to win non-Pokémon fans, this film is praised for having a more substantial story than those before it. Molly’s dream world is a fascinating look into the psyche of a traumatized child desperate for her family back and changes throughout the movie to reflect her mental state. The fight scenes are some of the best in any Pokémon movie, thanks to memorable visuals and stellar animation.
8) ‘Pokémon the Movie: White – Victini and Zekrom’
While attending a tournament, Ash and his friends encounter Victini, a mythical Pokémon said to grand victory. Unfortunately, things get ruined when a man named Damon arrives with a legendary dragon, hoping to restore the ancient Kingdom of the Vale with Victini’s powers. To stop him, Ash will need to find the second legendary dragon and convince it to fight with him.
This film has some good ideas, such as translating the battle of truth and ideals from the Black and White games and the villain’s quest to restore his shattered people. The backstory of the ancient clash between the dragons stands thanks to its epic tone. Unfortunately, the film has to squeeze Ash into the plot, which again features him befriending a cute legendary in a new town we’ll never see again.
7) ‘Pokémon: Jirachi – Wish Maker’
Ash and his friends arrive at a festival celebrating a comet that passes by only once every thousand years. Ash’s friend, Max, takes part in a magician’s act, where he awakens Jirachi, a Pokémon said to be able to grant wishes. This was all according to the magician’s plan, who is really an evil scientist trying to harness Jirachi’s power.
This is one of the first Pokémon movies not to have Ash as the main character, instead focusing on the friendship between Max and Jirachi. Unfortunately, this relies on your liking of Max’s character: if you don’t, you’ll find this film tedious. The film also has a strange theme about wishes that ultimately amounts to making your own wish come true, but the journey to that destination feels half-baked.
6) ‘Pokémon 4Ever: Celebi – Voice of the Forest’
While walking through the forest, a boy named Sam finds the legendary Pokémon, Celebi, being chased by a hunter. As he tries to protect Celebi, it uses its time-travel powers to transport itself and Sam to the future, where Ash and his friends meet them. As they try to make sense of the situation, a new hunter arrives to capture Celebi.
The early 2000s CGI is overused in this movie, resulting in some models that have not aged well and stand out against the hand-drawn backgrounds and characters. The villain is also rather weak, lacking motivation or a memorable personality compared to those before. Then there is the time-travel mechanic, which is either forgotten about when it could help or used in confusing ways to ensure the film has a happy ending.
5) ‘Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution’
This CGI remake of the original film retells the origins of Mewtwo, cloned from the Pokémon progenitor Mew to be the most powerful of them all. After being used by humans, Mewtwo decides to strike back and invites many Pokémon trainers to his private island, including Ash and friends. There, he creates clones of their Pokémon to prove his superiority.
Since the film is a shot-for-shot remake, its main selling point is its animation. The design of the Pokémon is gorgeous, and the backgrounds have incredible detail, but the humans all look like plastic dolls come to life. Beyond that, it relies too much on nostalgia without adding anything new, so you’re better off just watching the original film.
4) ‘Pokémon the Movie: Black – Victini and Reshiram’
Perhaps the most divisive thing about Pokémon is that each generation is released in sets of two, with game-exclusive Pokémon in each version. While the intention is to encourage trading with your friends, it’s been criticized for placing artificial barriers in the game that encourages people to buy multiple versions. Fortunately, it didn’t leak into other branches of the franchise until movie fourteen.
The plot of Victini and Reshriam is identical to Victini and Zekrom, with the differences mostly involving background Pokémon and which dragons the villain and Ash get. Zekrom seems to have a stronger reception due to the themes the dragons represent: Ash is an idealistic character, so it makes sense he would get the dragon of ideals. Otherwise, the only reason to see one version over the other is if re-watching to see the differences.
3) ‘Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice’
Keldeo aspires to join the Swords of Justice, a trio of Pokémon who defend the weak like knights of old. To prove that he is worthy, he challenges the ice dragon, Kyurem, but runs away when his horn is broken. Enraged at this cowardice, Kyurem freezes the Swords in ice and pursues Keldeo, who has been found by Ash and friends.
While Kyurem makes for an intimidating antagonist, the film isn’t able to capitalize on him due to its excessive exposition. Nurse Joy delivers exposition about the Swords of Justice when healing Keldeo, and then Ash asks the exact same thing when Keldeo is stronger. It’s also another conflict where the solution is the power of friendship, which has been done in better films within this franchise.
2) ‘Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened’
Ash and the gang arrive at the Pokémon Hills, a sanctuary for Pokémon in the middle of a city. Unfortunately, the sanctuary comes under attack by five Genesect, ancient Pokémon who have been resurrected. To stop them before they destroy the city, Ash and his friends team up with a Mewtwo unrelated to the original that has the power of Mega Evolution.
Legend Awakened’s biggest problem is that it doesn’t offer anything new. Its plot is a rehash of the first movie, with the Genesect’s quest to find a home similar to Mewtwo trying to understand his place in the world. The new Mewtwo takes on the role of Mew, trying to guide them in finding peace, which rings hollow since we don’t know the journey this Mewtwo went through to get to this stage.
1) ‘Pokémon the Movie: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction’
The Heart Diamond that powers an underground kingdom of Carbink called the Diamond Domain is failing. To create a new one, princess Diancie travels to the surface world to find Xerneas, a Pokémon with life-giving powers. However, she becomes distracted by the sights and sounds around her, which brings her into contact with Ash and awakens Yveltal, an ancient being of destruction.
This might be the most boring Pokémon movie to date. Dialogue comes out slow, and there is plenty of filler because of Diance’s curiosity. The film’s climax is one of the most disappointing, where the conflict ends with Yveltal flying away after a staring contest with Xerneas.
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