The best way to watch Pokémon movies and series in order is to allow them to flow in natural order, from the first movie made in the franchise, Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back in 1998, until its last so far, Pokémon: Secrets of the Jungle in 2020. The series is also best in the same manner, from Pokémon: The Indigo League which ran from 1997 to 1999, and then Pokémon Horizons: The Series, which began in 2023.
While it is easy to say, the Pokémon franchise is one that is easy to confuse because it is one of the busiest franchises out there, with many movies, over 25 seasons in its series, as well as more than 1200 episodes and specials. As busy as it may seem, the franchise has kept its loyal followers through the years, with many more coming on board. If you have come across any previous movie or episode and you want to follow the franchise, here is a detailed guide on how to go about it.
How to Watch Pokémon In Order
For anyone to fully understand and enjoy the Pokémon franchise, the best order for you to watch both the movie and the series is to start right from the beginning. That is the only way that you will get to be a part of the journey and appreciate the storyline adventures of Ash Ketchum as he tries to win the Pokémon League with Pikachu, to the 26th and current season which has a little girl named Liko, who is on adventure with her team and Pikachu.
The film and the series have a connection in the storyline, which is also why you may need to start from its beginning in 1998 when Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back was released, up until 2019 when the Pokémon Detective Pikachu was released as the latest in the line of the Adventure/Fantasy film.
As stated, the series began with Pokemon: The Indigo League in 1997, even before the first film, and it continues to date. It began in the Kanto region, then it moved to the Orange Islands, then the Johto region, Hoenn region, Sinnoh region, Unova region, Kalos region, and then the Galar region. It was after this that Ash Ketchum exited the series after an incredible 25 seasons, and Liko comes in to continue with the adventure.
Above anything that is said about how to watch Pokémon Movies and Series in Order, you can also start watching from any point, and you may still enjoy it, but there will be many questions that would be left unanswered for you.
List of Pokemon Movies in Order
- Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998)
- Pokémon: The Movie 2000 – The Power of One (1999)
- Pokémon 3: The Movie – Spell of the Unown (2000)
- Pokémon 4Ever: Celebi – Voice of the Forest (2001)
- Pokémon Heroes: Latios and Latias (2002)
- Pokémon: Jirachi – Wish Maker (2003)
- Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys (2004)
- Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (2005)
- Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea (2006)
- Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai (2007)
- Pokémon: Giratina & the Sky Warrior (2008)
- Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life (2009)
- Pokémon – Zoroark: Master of Illusions (2010)
- Pokémon the Movie: Black – Victini and Reshiram, White – Victini and Zekrom (2011)
- Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice (2012)
- Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and The Legend Awakened (2013)
- Pokémon the Movie: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction (2014)
- Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages (2015)
- Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel (2016)
- Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! (2017)
- Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us (2018)
- Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution (2019)
- Detective Pikachu (2019)
- Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle (2020)
List of Pokémon Series in Order
The Pokémon series has a total of 26 series, including the current one, Horizons, which began in April 2023. However, the number of episodes for each of the seasons is not definite as some have different Episodes for the Japanese versions from the English versions.
Whatever the case, here is how you can watch the Pokémon series in the proper order.
1. Pokemon: The Indigo League
The first of the series, which is also known as Pocket Monsters in Japan, where it began, Inigo League, ran from April 1997 to January 1991. The Japanese version has a total of 82 episodes, while the English version has 80 episodes.
2. Pokemon: Adventures in the Orange Islands
The number of episodes in the second season of the Pokémon animated series dropped to 36. It was first aired in January 1999, and the final episode of the second season came in October 1999.
3. Pokémon: The Johto Journeys
This is the third of the original series of Pokémon, and it was aired in Japan as Pocket Monsters: Episode Gold & Silver. The season ran in the United States from October 14, 2000, to August 11, 2001, after it was aired in Japan. It came with 41 episodes.
4. Pokémon: Johto League Champions
The fourth in the Pokemon Original series and also the fourth in the animated series, this is the next season to watch after the first three. It was aired for the first time in August 2000, and it ran to August 2001 in Japan. The series has 52 episodes.
5. Pokémon: Master Quest
Pokémon came as the fifth season of the animated series, although it completed the original series, being the final season. The Master Quest has 65 episodes for the Japanese audience while the English audience have 64. It was first aired in August 2001, and it came to an end in November 2002.
6. Pokémon: Advanced
To start Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire, the first season you are to watch is Pokemon: Advanced. The Series began in November 2002 and continued until August 2003. It had a total of 40 episodes.
7. Pokemon: Advanced Challenge
The seventh season of the entire animated series and the second of Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire, this is the next in the line of the series to watch in proper order. The season went from September 2003, when it launched, to September 2005, and it had a total of 52.
8. Pokemon: Advanced Battle
The next season of the show is Pokémon: Advanced Battle has 53 episodes for the Japanese version and then 52 for the English. The series began in September 2004 and it until September 2005.
9. Pokemon: Battle Frontier
Closing the curtains for the final season of Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire is Pokémon: Battle Frontier, which is the ninth season of the animated series. The season has a total of 47 episodes after first launching in October 2005 and ending in September 2006.
10. Pokemon: Diamond and Pearl
Starting the first and titular season of Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl is Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl, which is also the 10th season of the anime series. This means that if you want to start with Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl, this is the first season you should start with. It aired for the first time in April 2007 and continued until February 2008. While the English version had 51 episodes, the Japanese version has 52.
11. Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl: Battle Dimension
Pokémon: DP Battle Dimension comes as the eleventh in the entire series and the second of the Diamond and Pearl series. The series started in Japan in 2007 and ran until 2008. it has 52 episodes.
12. Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl: Galactic Battles
The next in the chronology of the season you should watch is Pokémon: DP Galactic Battles. The season was first aired in Japan in December 2008, and it continued until December 2009. It Had a total of 53 episodes for the Asian-nation version and 53 for the English version.
13. Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl: Sinnoh League Victors
To end the Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl is the Pokémon: DP Sinnoh League Victors. It is the 13th season of the animated series. It first aired in Japan from January 2010 to February 2011. In all, the season has 34 episodes and an additional 2 specials.
14. Pokémon: Black and White
Starting Pokémon the Series: Black & White is the titular season which also doubles as the fourteenth season of the Japanese animated series. It has 48 episodes and ran from September 2010 to September 2011.
15. Pokémon: Black and White: Rival Destinies
Pokémon: Black & White: Rival Destinies comes as the next season to watch. It began airing in September 2011 and continued until October 2012, with 49 episodes.
16. Pokémon: Black and White: Adventures in Unova and Beyond
This came as the last of the Black & White Pokemon series, although it is the sixteenth series of the animated franchise. You will need to watch a total of 45 episodes and two specials to complete the Pokémon: Black & White: Adventures in Unova and Beyond season which started in October 2012 and continued until September 2013.
17. Pokémon: XY
Pokémon the Series: XY came as the first under the XY series and the seventeenth season of the entire animated series. Hence, if you want to watch the seasons under the XY series, you may have to start with this. The first airing of the show began in Japan in October 2013 and continued until October 2014 with 48 episodes and a special.
18. Pokémon: XY Kalos Quest
Pokémon the Series: XY Kalos Quest is the next season to watch in the chronological order of the Pokémon anime series. it is the eighteenth season of the franchise. The first of its 45 episodes and 3 specials was aired in November 2014, and it continued until October 2015.
19. Pokémon: XYZ
Rounding up Pokémon the Series: XY is Pokémon the Series: XYZ which is the nineteenth season of the series. It ran from October 2015 to October 2016 with 47 episodes and 2 specials for the Japanese version, while the English version has 48 episodes.
20. Pokémon: Sun & Moon
Starting the Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon series is this season which comes as the twentieth in the chronological arrangement. With a total of 43 episodes, the first aired in November 2016, and it continued until September 2017.
21. Pokemon: Sun & Moon Ultra Adventures
The next you may want to watch in the order after going through the first twenty seasons is Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Adventures, which is also in the Sun & Moon series. It ran from October 2017 to October 2018 and has 49 episodes for the Japanese version, while the English version has one less season.
22. Pokémon: Sun & Moon Ultra Legends
Ultra Legions comes as the twenty-second season of the franchise and the final in the Sun & Moon series. It has a total of 54 episodes running from October 2018 to November 2019.
23. Pokémon: Journeys
Opening the door for the first season, you should watch in Pokémon Journeys: The Series is the titular season which is the twenty-third season of the animated series. It first aired as recently as November 2019 and continued until December 2020, when the last episode was aired. The season has 48 episodes.
24. Pokémon: Master Journeys
It is the 24th season of the animated series and the second in the Master’s Journey series. This season began on December 11, 2020, and ended on December 10, 2021, with 41 episodes.
25. Pokémon: Ultimate Journeys
This season ran from December 2021 to March 2023. There are 57 episodes for you to watch in the Japanese version and 54 in the English version, and they have 5 and 4 specials, respectively. It came as the final season in the Journeys series.
26. Pokémon: Horizons (ongoing)
The Pokémon animated series is currently in its 26th season with the Pokémon Horizons: The Series, which first aired on April 14, 2023, and is still running. It is the first in the Pokemon Horizons season.
Where to Watch Pokémon
If you want to watch Pokémon movies and series in order, as recommended, there are various online platforms where you can access them. However, it is important to understand that there is no single platform where you can get hold of all the films and seasons of the animated franchise.
The first place of authority to check is Pokémon TV which is the official platform for the franchise. The good thing about this platform is that it offers free streaming of recent episodes and even others that have since finished. But then, the only seasons available for now are the first two seasons, seasons 20, 21, and 22, as well as seasons 23 and 24.
Netflix is another platform where you can watch Pokémon movies and series. You get to select the movies you want while for the series, you can access the first season as well as seasons 23 to 25. Amazon Prime doesn’t do any better as it also only gives selected movies from Pokémon and then some seasons; from seasons 14 to 16, and then seasons 20 to 22. On the Amazon channel, you can only access several Pokémon movies and a few seasons of the series; seasons 2, 17, and 19.
Other platforms where you can also access some seasons and movies and films of the franchise include Hulu, which only gives seasons 17 to 19 and some selected movies; Tubi, which only makes available seasons 14 to 16; and Freevee, which allows you to access seasons 14 to 16 as well as Seasons 20 to 22. There is also Hoopla which does not offer anything different from the rest. It only allows you to access Seasons 10 and 12 and some selected movies.
The places to watch the series and movies are only temporary, just as the number of seasons and selected movies you are allowed to access. More streaming platforms may be added by Pokémon, and more seasons may be added to the existing list. But before it happens, it is important to note that based on your geographical location, you may access more of the available series on various platforms or less, as the case may be.
