Pokemon is one of the longest-running and most successful cartoon & media franchises in history and, not surprisingly, has a TON of movies to its name! This list of Pokemon movies in order will help both die-hard Poke-maniacs and casual fans piece together more than two decades of amazing stories and characters.
Below, you'll find the films in chronological order of their release date in the United States, along with brief synopses and reviews from real fans.
1. Pokemon: the First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998)
Ash, Misty, Brock, and other powerful Pokémon trainers travel to a mysterious island in order to battle a stop Pokémon trainer, only to discover the genetically engineered Pokémon Mewtwo, created by a scientist for Giovanni of Team Rocket, has set them up and is planning to take over the world with other cloned Pokémon. Buy on Amazon >
Promising reviews:
"This is by far the best children's movie I've ever watched. It has a very clear message of accepting both your own origin, no matter what it is, as well as accepting other people no matter where they are from in a way that emotionally sticks for life. No childhood is complete without this movie." -Christian S.
"This movie is such a classic! I used to watch this as a kid! Now my daughters watch it and love it as well! I highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves Pokemon, anime, or cute characters! Or pretty much anyone really! I don't want to give anything away, so I won't say anything about the movie. But, I will tell you that it is a classic that you should watch at least once!" -Kellytriesall
2. Pokemon: The Movie 2000 - The Power of One (2000)
Ash and friends visit Shamouti Island during a festival honoring the legendary bird Pokemon: Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. An evil Pokemon Collector named Lawrence captures all of the legendary birds in a devious plot to also capture the legendary Pokemon Lugia. Buy on Amazon >
Promising review: "Happy 20th Anniversary of Pokemon to all Pokemon fans that are out there!! I remember watching the Anime for the first time when it aired. This was my first movie that I saw in theaters. I just can't believe that it has been 20 years already. Highly would recommend this movie to all Pokemon fans." -Thomas D.
3. Pokemon 3: the Movie - Spell of the Unknown (2001)
Ash, Misty, and Brock battle to save Ash's mother from Molly, a lonely little girl whose father has disappeared and is being taken care of by the Pokémon Unown. Molly's imagination creates an illusion of the Legendary Pokemon Entei who protects her from the pain of the real world. Buy on Amazon >
Promising review: "Great movie - decent storyline (although the girl Molly is kinda annoying), and premieres the Unown and Entei for the first time I believe! Loved the 3D effects created by the Unown and the soundtrack is pretty cool too; Entei's music is pretty neat...
From the sacrifices that Brock & Misty make for Ash to get his mom back to Charizard returning to save Ash (not to mention Ash & gang joining forces with Team Rocket again) it's a good movie from start to finish. A must have for Original Pokemon fans!" -Noor
4. Pokemon 4Ever: Celebi - Voice of the Forest (2002)
Ash and friends meet Sammy, a mysterious boy from 40 years in the past, and try to save the mythical Pokemon Celebi from being hunted by an evil iron-masked marauder. Buy on Amazon >
Promising reviews:
"Out of the first four movies this one is probably my 2ND favorite with the my favorite being pokemon 2000 with that being said I grew up 1st gen at the absolute very begining! Don't get me wrong they're all amazing and can't go wrong with any of the movies but the animation and vibrant colors used in pokemon 4 ever are just gloriously well done." -John B.
"My daughter loved this movie. We're watching Pokemon together, and started with season 1 and the corresponding movies with each season. This was prob the best movie so far out of the 4 we've watched." -SmellenEllen
5. Pokemon Heroes: Latios and Latias (2003)
Ash, Misty and Brock's visit to the town of Alto Mare is turned upside down when two thieves try to steal the Soul Dew, a magical crystal that holds the essence of the Legendary Pokemon Latios and Latios, which keeps the city safe. Buy on Amazon >
Promising reviews:
"Lots of fun this movie, and the ending is totally different from what we're used to." -Dakota W.
"One of my favourite movies from childhood, Pokemon Heroes has really aged well. It still has all the awesome and exciting moments I remember loving as a kid, and the animation is really enjoyable as well. You can visually see how the animation has changed between the series's/movies, the smoothness and lifelike feel is really brought to life by the inclusion of digital animation, but one of the things that the movie does so well is incorporate that digital style with the traditional hand drawn stuff, so you get a really nice feeling of improved animation but blended with a comforting and familiar style that you see in the tv show.
A great movie for kids too, it has just the right blend of action scenes/moments and dialogue, and with some of the more tense/darker scenes where it looks like the bad guys are going to win, come an equal amount (if not more) of lighthearted/inspiring/comical scenes that keep to the good ol Poke formula. The Pokemon series has come a long way since it first started and the characters have grown quite a lot, so it's also a really good movie for long time fans." -The Great Deku Tree
6. Jirachi — Wish Maker (2004)
Ash and his friends discover the mythical Pokemon Jirachi, who wakes up once every thousand years to grant a wish, and attempt to save Jirachi from an evil Team Magma grunt. Buy on Amazon >
Promising review: "Bought this for my Grandson. He is a Pokemon fan.
When I saw that this was a republished video from the
90's, I hoped he would like it. He was so thrilled." -Barb
7. Destiny Deoxys (2005)
Ash, May, Max, and Brock try to uncover the mystery behind an attack from the extraterrestrial Pokémon Deoxys and the Legendary Pokémon Rayquaza, and a young boy named Tori has something to do with it. Buy on Amazon >
Promising review: "Great film, cool Pokemon - worth the wait and watch. It asks some obvious questions about the Pokemon universe such as: if you lived in a world with them, wouldn't you be scared of the power they wield? and how people can misunderstand the intentions (such as the de-ox-iss falling into Ray-qu-hay-za's territory) of them." -Jaimes M.
8. Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (2006)
Ash and friends help an ancient Pokemon, Lucario, discover the events that led up to his abandonment by a man known as an ancient hero while saving Pikachu, Meowth, and the mythical Pokémon Mew from disaster. Buy on Amazon >
Promising reviews:
"While having a movie based on Lucario is already great, And yet maybe not the best movie ever by all means. So far this is my personal favorite. One of my favorite things about the movie is the music. The intro is even great to watch. The voice acting while good in some places can sometimes get grating and annoying at parts, if you can get past that you should be just fine. The drama is indeed played actually pretty well in this movie. And finally as it takes place in the Pokemon world I absolutely enjoyed it as a kid and still like it today. If you want a great looking movie and enjoy the world around it. pick it up and see for yourself." -Austin D.
"Another addition to the Pokémon series, this is one of my personal favorites. I highly recommend, for families, children, and Pokemon lovers." -Katelyn A.
9. Pokemon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea (2007)
May is trusted with the egg of the mythical Pokemon Manaphy by a Pokemon Ranger. She and Ash, Brock and Max must keep it safe from an evil pirate named Phantom and save Manaphy's beautiful home from destruction. Buy on Amazon >
Promising review: "This film was my favorite, the best film I had seen in ages. I hope my cousins feel the same." -Suzanne C.
10. The Rise of Darkrai (2008)
Ash, Dawn, and Brock must figure out a way to save Alamos Town from the space and time warping powers of the two legendary Pokémon Dialga and Palkia. But, does the nightmare Pokemon Darkrai have something to do with it? Buy on Amazon >
Promising review: "This movie keeps you guessing and features some intense action that's literally out of this world." -Mrs. S. E. Mardle
11. Giratina & the Sky Warrior (2009)
Ash and friends must help the mythical Pokemon Shaymin get back to the Gracidea Flower Garden, while Giratina and Dialga engage in a reality-warping battle and threaten to destroy everything. Buy on Amazon >
Promising reviews:
"One of my nephew favorite movies. Actually I have to admit I enjoy it as well. Kid friendly and some adults too." -Tia R.
"If you're a massive Diamond and Pearl Pokemon fan like myself of the amine, you'll love this film. Plenty of action ... from start to finish. A must for all fans. Highly recommended." -Cainer
12. Arceus and the Jewel of Life (2009)
Ash, Dawn, and Brock travel to Michina Town and discover the legendary Pokémon Arceus who has an age-old grudge with the townspeople. When Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina cannot hold it back, the heroes are sent back in time to try and fix the damage. Buy on Amazon >
Promising reviews:
"Great entertainment and graphics. Well written story! Fun to see The legendaries! My kids loved it, and I must admit I got caught up in the story and watched with them! A good message passes through the movie on the value of honest labor! A great buy!" -Rania G.
"As usual, Pokemon delivers. Great plot, enjoyable music, and all the lovable charm that Pokemon is known for. Best time to watch the film is after season 12 of the show, because the Pokemon that Ash, Dawn, and Brock have and their evolutions match up with the end of the season." -NMNS
13. Zoroark — Master of Illusions ( 2011)
Ash and friends visit Crown City for the Pokémon Baccer World Cup, but discover a Zoroark causing havoc disguised as the legendary Pokémon Entei, Raikou and Suicune. Zoroark's baby, Zorua, asks the heroes for help from the evil Kodai who seeks out Celebi and its time-traveling abilities. Buy on Amazon >
Promising review: "The "illusions" part of the movie is really fun, and there are several of my favorite legendaries in this film as well. There's a pretty clever villain and a nice mix of action and drama. The movie starts off quickly and doesn't waste time getting into the story. Overall I recommend this if you're a fan of Pokemon movies." -A. Golden
14. Black — Victini and Reshiram / White — Victini and Zekrom (2011)
Ash, Iris, and Cilan visit Eindoak Town to participate in a tournament and discover the mythical Pokémon Victini. They must stop Damon, a descendant of Eindoak's ancient People of the Vale, from using the region's legendary Pokémon (Reshiram or Zekrom) to destroy everything. Buy on Amazon >
Promising review: "This was a extremely fantastic film. This is the 14th movie of the Pokemon anime and is the first movie of Pokemon in history that is a two in one. The headline for this movie says "A HERO MUST CHOOSE: THE POWER OF IDEALS...or THE COURAGE OF TRUTH? The film follows ash and his companions, Cilan and Iris travelling through the Unova Region where they enter a battle competition in Eindoak Town, where they meet Victini a mythical Pokemon who becomes there new friend. There are two versions of this story and Ash must earn the help of either Reshiram of Zekrom to rescue Victini and save the town, but which path will he choose, power or courage. To find out, I recommend you purchase this item if you are a Pokemon fan!" -Cainer
15. Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice (2012)
Ash and company help the mythical water and fighting type Pokemon, Keldeo, escape from the legendary Pokemon Kyurem who froze the other Sacred Swordsmen: Cobalion, Terrakion and Virizion. Can the heroes save Keldeo's friends? Buy on Amazon >
Promising review: "Another great Pokemon movie. A little scary for my little ones but they enjoyed the story ... Good addition to any Pokémon fans DVD shelf." -Paws for Louise
16. Genesect and the Legend Awakened (2013)
Ash, Iris, and Cilan come under attack from a group of angry Genesect who have lost their home. The heroes are saved by Mewtwo, who wants to help the Genesect, but also save the city from being destroyed. Buy on Amazon >
Promising review: "Great Pokémon film especially were Mega Mewtwo goes after the Genesect in order to stop them from destroying along with Ash and the gang helping to find a new home for the Genesect." -Simon G.
17. Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction (2014)
Mythical Pokemon Diancie and legendary fairy Pokemon, Xerneas, team up to save Diancie's kingdom, but need help from Ash, Serenea, Clemont and Bonnie when the legendary Pokemon of destruction, Yveltal, is unintentionally awakened and wreaks havoc. Buy on Amazon >
Promising review: "My daughter loves this movie and would watch it all day every day if I would let her." -Heather B.
18. Hoopa and the Clash of Ages (2015)
Ash and friends meet the mythical Pokemon Hoopa, who has the ability to summon things — including people and other Pokemon — through its magic rings. They learn about a brave hero who stopped the rampage of a terrifyingly-powerful Pokemon long ago and is threatening to break loose again! Can Ash help Hoopa overcome the darkness within, or will a dangerous secret erupt into a clash of legendary Pokemon? Buy on Amazon >
Promising reviews:
"I loved how they had so many legendary Pokemon in the movie. The story of Hoopa was interesting and made me want to catch him." -Suzanne C.
"The quality of the movie is excellent and my son can not get enough of the movie. As far as Pokémon movies go this one is an excellent adventure that the kids will be sure to love!" -Amanda
19. Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel (2016)
Ash and his friends meet the mythical Pokémon Volcanion, who hates humans, but needs help from the heroes. Volcanion hopes to rescue the mythical Pokemon Magearna from a corrupt minister who's trying to use Magearna's mysterious power to conquer the kingdom. Can Ash and Volcanion work together to rescue Magearna? Buy on Amazon >
Promising reviews:
"Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel is, in my opinion, the best Pokemon movie to date, with a compelling (though perhaps a little predictable) story, top-notch animation and a great soundtrack ... Seeing Volcanion and Magearna on the big screen was a pleasure, and the interactions between the cast of characters was spot on. On top of everything else, the movie has a decent run time of 90 minutes, while most other Pokemon movies are around the 75 minute mark or less ... Highly recommended for any fans of Pokemon!" -Lewis B.
"Great animation, good action sequences. lowercaseddd aka my 6y/o says 'I recommend people see it with their friends' ... he liked it and you will, too." -Prime 100x annual
20. I Choose You! (2017)
Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town turns 10 years old which means he's now old enough to become a Pokémon Trainer! Unfortunately, Ash sleeps in too late and is forced to take the last Pokemon Professor Oak has left — a persnickety Pikachu. What adventures will Ash and Pikachu experience along their journey? Buy on Amazon >
Promising reviews:
"Wow... This was an incredibly breathtaking movie. It took all of the best scenes from the original animated series and put a modern twist on it with some of the new Pokemon. This is my new favorite Pokemon movie and recommend all Pokemon fans to watch it." -Gage H.
"Changed my life, Never have I ever cried tears of joy and outrage in the same split moment in time." -Justin
21. The Power of Us (2018)
An interesting group of characters gather in Fula City for the annual Wind Festival which celebrates the legendary Pokemon, Lugia, who brings the wind that powers the seaside city. Suddenly, the festival, people and Pokemon within Fula City are in danger and Ash, Pikachu and friends must save the day from certain destruction. Buy on Amazon >
Promising reviews:
"This was one of their best movies ever. I was very impressed with it, and I can be highly critical of some of their movies/series. A great movie for adults and children alike. It was heartwarming and, actually not that cheesy imo. Music and animation was superb. The story did a great job including everyone, not just Ash. The title was very fitting. Character development was excellent." -Matt O.
"Bought this for my nephew who loves Pokemon as much as I do. It's bright, it's fun and Ash actually seems to know what he's doing. We enjoyed it a lot. Long story short, it's Pokemon -- if you like Pokemon, you'll like this too." -David
22. Detective Pikachu (2019)
Ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son, Tim, to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry's former Pokémon partner, wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth Detective Pikachu. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to work together, as Tim is the only human who can talk with Pikachu, they join forces to unravel the tangled mystery. Buy on Amazon >
Promising reviews:
"It's a fresh take on Pokémon movies in a film noir style, but is probably not appropriate for the really young or sensitive kiddos. Thematically, it's much more complex than most Pokémon movies, dealing with issues of intra-familial connections and personal growth. Also, tone of the movie is darker than most Pokémon media, and the ending doesn't wrap itself with a bow and easily determinable moral.
The visuals are gorgeous, though. If you've ever wondered what a Blade Runner would look like in a Pokémon world, here you go. Whether at home, out and about in the city, or in nature, the Pokémon fit in nicely to create a believable AU." -Citris x Paradisi
"We really enjoyed this movie as a family. We also play Pokemon go as a family so this movie is one that everyone enjoyed watching. All the Pokemon are just to adorable." -Shawn
23. Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution (2020)
A scientific experiment leads to the creation of a new Pokemon called Mewtwo, a clone of the mythical Pokemon, Mew. Mewtwo sets out to destroy the world, but Ash and his friends decide to thwart Mewtwo's evil plans. This movie is a CGI animated remake of Pokemon the First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back.