There are a ton of Pokémon movies, and not all of them are nostalgic classics. They used to drop these at a rate of one or more a year, and at some point, we just lost track. Fortunately, there are a few that are classics, and you can see our picks for the best Pokémon movies below.
Best Pokémon movies as of 2025
Nostalgia is probably the most significant factor in driving our picks for the best Pokémon movies. Most of us have been with the franchise since it got its start, so we’ve got to rep The First Movie. However, there are a few greats throughout the last two decades we have to give credit to as well.
Pokémon: The First Movie (1998)
Released in 1998, Pokémon: The First Movie was the first full-length Pokémon movie, directed by Kunihiko Yuyama. Naysayers might assume this film makes the cut based solely on its status as the first movie, and for nostalgia purposes. But after giving it a rewatch, no, it still holds up.
In Pokémon: The First Movie, a group of scientists creates a genetically engineered Mewtwo, cloned from the DNA of the mythical Mew. Initially designed to be the ultimate Pokémon, Mewtwo realizes he’s being exploited and turns against his creators. But he also wants to prove his superiority, and invites the world’s strongest Pokémon Trainers — including Ash, Misty, and Brock — to his island fortress for a tournament. There, Mewtwo challenges the Trainers by capturing and cloning their Pokémon. This leads to an epic showdown between Pokémon and their more powerful clones. And by epic, we mean really, really sad.
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Pokémon 3: Spell of the Unown (2000)
Easily one of the best Pokémon movies, thanks mainly to its darker themes and much more original plot, Spell of the Unown centers on a character who isn’t Ash, though of course, he’s still around. This time, it’s 10-year-old Molly Hale, whose father goes missing after an archaeological dig where he encounters the Pokémon Unown. You know, the hieroglyph-rolodex-looking Pokémon that always felt like a confusing pull from a trading card pack.
Overcome with grief, Molly accidentally summons the Unown, and they begin granting her wishes. The first thing she gets is a surrogate father in the form of Entei. Things get weirder when Ash’s mom is taken to replace Molly’s missing mother.
This movie stands out because it doesn’t fall back on the usual formula of some evil trainer trying to steal or corrupt Pokémon for a master plan. Instead, at the heart of what’s still a kids’ movie are very real themes about loss, grief, and how we cope when the people we love are gone.
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Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us (2018)
Directed by Tetsuo Yajima, Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us follows Ash and Pikachu as they arrive in Fura City, a once-barren town revitalized long ago when the Legendary Pokémon Lugia granted it the power of the wind. Each year, the city hosts a Wind Festival to celebrate Lugia’s gift and to honor those lost in a fiery tragedy that struck fifty years earlier. This time, however, a mysterious event threatens the city, and panic spreads when the Legendary Pokémon Zeraora appears. Unlike most films in the series, the story shifts focus away from Ash to highlight a diverse cast of townspeople, including a shy girl, a con artist, a retired runner, and a scientist. Alongside Ash and his friends, these strangers set aside their differences and work together to prevent disaster.
Generally speaking, The Power of Us ranks as one of the best Pokémon movies because the storytelling feels a lot more focused than some of the other entries across the Pokémon movie franchise. It does a good job of finding a balance between modern animation techniques and the traditional anime we love.
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Pokémon: Rise of Darkrai (2007)
The Rise of Darkrai takes Ash, Dawn, and Brock to Alamos Town, where they’ve come for a Pokémon contest. But there’s a looming prophecy left by the city’s architect, warning of a coming clash between the Legendary Dialga and Palkia, who control space and time. When strange phenomena begin shaking the city, the townspeople blame Darkrai, a shadowy Pokémon feared for causing nightmares. At first, it seems like Darkrai is the culprit, but Ash and his friends soon realize the Pokémon is actually trying to protect the town.
The Rise of Darkrai is one of the franchise’s first real ventures into horror. Not gothic horror, per se, but definitely the elements that make up horror. There’s tension, mystery, nightmares, darker animation, and an overall sense of dread. As reality begins to warp around them, Darkrai makes a heroic stand.
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Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (2005)
Lucario and the Mystery of Mew takes place in the kingdom of Rota, where Sir Aaron, a legendary Pokémon master, once protected the land with his Aura powers. Believed by some to have betrayed his Pokémon, Sir Aaron sealed Lucario inside his staff, where he remained for centuries. Years later, Ash and his friends arrive in the kingdom for the festival honoring Sir Aaron, where Ash plans to compete in a tournament.
During the tournament, Ash accidentally releases Lucario, setting off a chain of events that complicates the plot. Aside from a pretty satisfying story, the highlight of the film is Lucario — and that one heartbreaking scene when Pikachu absolutely wrecks us. At its heart, the movie is about rebuilding trust and rekindling the bond between Pokémon and humans who have felt betrayed time and time again.
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How we picked the best Pokémon movies
We picked the best Pokémon movies based on originality of plot and writing, animation quality, fan reception, and importance of themes. If you’re looking for even more Pokémon content, check out our guide to the best Pokémon movie watch order.
