10 Best Pokémon Movies, Ranked

Summary Destiny Deoxys showcases an epic clash between legendary Pokémon.

The Power of Us offers a new continuity accessible to both old and new fans.

Mewtwo Strikes Back remains a top favorite with mature themes and complex characters.

The Pokémon franchise put out a movie almost every year for 20 years straight, going back to 1998, meaning there have been quite a lot of Pokémon movies over the years. With so many movies, though, how can one pick which ones to watch?

The quality of Pokémon movies has been a rather mixed bag, to say the least, but there are still some incredible movies in there that just about any anime fan will be able to enjoy. Of course, that just makes it all the more important to sift out the best movies from those that are a little lackluster. While critics are often very negative towards Pokémon movies, they're often missing crucial context (if not the entire point of the film) due to the critic's lack of familiarity with Pokémon in general. Here are 10 of the best Pokémon movies released to date, ranked with a baseline knowledge of Pokémon in mind.

10 Destiny Deoxys Features An Epic Clash of Legendaries

Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys (2005)

Destiny Deoxys was the 7th Pokémon film to be released, and revolves around the Pokémon Deoxys, who arrives from space only to be defeated by Rayquaza, forcing it into a recovery mode. However, this was only temporary, and soon Deoxys begins laying waste to the surrounding area. Just why is Deoxys so set on destruction, and can anything be done to stop it?

Destiny Deoxys features two beloved (and rare) Pokémon, pitting them against one another for the entertainment of the audience. The movie emphasizes that even something scary and powerful like Deoxys can have understandable motivations, making it not so alien after all. This movie is mostly known for its battle scenes between Rayquaza and Deoxys, but also featured the first appearance of a fourth generation Pokémon in the form of Munchlax.

9 Pokémon 4Ever Dives Into Professor Oak's Past

Pokémon 4Ever: Celebi: the Voice of the Forest (2002)

Pokémon 4Ever is, as the title suggests, the fourth film to be released, and centers on the mythical Celebi, a creature with the power to travel through time. When an evil poacher sets his sights on capturing Celebi in the past, Celebi travels through time to the present day, bringing along a kid named Sammy. As Ash and friends attempt to help Sammy return to his own time, they find a new poacher, this one working for Team Rocket, has locked onto Celebi, and he just might have the tools needed to finish the job this time.

The movie is very interesting for established Pokémon fans, as it dives into the backstory of Professor Oak, a figure who isn't explored much in the anime proper. It manages to make use of time travel without falling into the kind of convoluted plot holes that time travel usually creates. Pokémon 4Ever also does a good job showcasing Celebi and its powers, making one understand why it has such a mythical reputation.

8 The Power of Us Calls Back to a Classic

Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us (2018)

The Power of Us is the 21st Pokémon movie, and one set in a different continuity from most of the others, belonging to the "I Choose You!" film continuity. The movie stars the Pokémon Lugia and Zeraora, with the former acting as something of a callback to the second movie, known as The Power of One. A festival celebrating Lugia is going on in Fula City as Ash arrives, but trouble is already brewing in the celebratory city thanks to Team Rocket.

Due to being set in the new continuity, The Power of Us is far more accessible than most Pokémon movies for those who aren't already fans of the franchise. The plot is easy enough to understand, and the movie has a surprisingly strong cast of supporting characters, considering Ash has no recurring companions to rely upon here.

7 The Rise of Darkrai Spooks Audiences

Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai (2008)

The 10th Pokémon movie, The Rise of Darkrai, is a bit unusual among Pokémon movies in that it takes more of a horror bent. When a small town is suddenly separated from the rest of the world, the locals blame the recently arrived Pokémon, Darkrai, for the situation. However, is this actually Darkrai's fault, or is there something else going on? Ash and friends must reach the bottom of this mystery, or the town may be lost forever.

This movie is actually the first part of a trilogy focusing on Sinnoh's Legendary Pokémon, followed up by Giratina and the Sky Warrior and Arceus and the Jewel of Life. It has some pretty crazy visuals relating to the battle between the master of time, Dialga, and the master of Space, Palkia, and Darkrai is used in an interesting way that goes counter to its menacing appearance.

Related Every Pokémon Movie In Order (And The Best Way To Watch Them) There are many animated Pokémon movies which have been released over the franchise's 25 year run. Here's the proper order to watch them.

6 Jirachi: Wishmaker Grants a Young Boy's Wish

Pokémon: Jirachi: Wishmaker (2003)

Jirachi: Wishmaker is the sixth Pokémon movie to be released, and includes Ash's Hoenn-era companions. The film revolves around the arrival of a comet that appears every 1,000 years, and with it, the awakening of Jirachi, a Pokémon capable of granting almost any wish. However, that kind of power doesn't go unnoticed, and a former member of Team Magma aims to seize Jirachi's power in order to achieve their dream. Creating a horrible monster with Jirachi's power, can Ash and friends stop this before the countryside is destroyed?

Jirachi: Wishmaker features some excellent character moments for May's little brother, Max, as he bonds with Jirachi over the course of their adventure. The movie is also known for its climactic battle against the monstrous "Meta" Groudon, which is one of the most dangerous threats seen in a Pokémon movie.

5 I Choose You! Retells Ash's Origins

Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! (2017)

I Choose You! is the 20th Pokémon film, and marks the beginning of a new film-exclusive continuity which carried on into the next two movies as well. It retells the story of how Ash and Pikachu got their start, adapting many iconic moments from the original anime series and reanimating them beautifully. Things do go a little differently, though, in that Ash finds a Rainbow Wing after seeing Ho-Oh, which sets him on course for a dramatic showdown with the powerful Pokémon.

I Choose You! was intended as a celebration of the series' long history, explaining why it chooses to revisit the origins of the series. For those who watched Pokémon as a kid in the early 2000s, the movie will be a nostalgia-fueled trip back in time, as many familiar moments are remixed and redone. As an origin story, it's also very accessible to new fans, and makes for an excellent entry point into the franchise.

4 Spell of the Unown Entranced Audiences

Pokémon 3: The Movie - Spell of the Unown: Entei (2000)

Spell of the Unown is the third Pokémon movie. When a scientist goes missing, his daughter Molly, now left alone, comforts herself by playing with artifacts that her father left behind, and in so doing accidentally summons the Unown. The Unown grant the young girl's every wish, first giving her a father in the form of Entei, and then a mother by kidnapping Ash's mom, who had a connection to the missing scientist. With something as personal as his mother's life on the line, Ash must put a stop to the Unown and their illusory Entei.

With Ash's mother brought in, this movie is a lot more personal for Ash than most of the other ones are. Molly is an extremely sympathetic character, causing trouble without really intending to. There's no real "bad guy" here, which also sets it apart from the other films. Also of note is Charizard's dramatic return, as the film features one of Ash's Charizard's greatest battles.

3 Lucario and the Mystery of Mew Reveals the Pokémon World's Past

Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (2005)

The 8th Pokémon film, Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, tells an epic story spanning across time. In the distant past, a hero known as Sir Aaron and his Lucario once stopped a great war, but Sir Aaron seemingly betrayed his Lucario, sealing it away for hundreds of years until Ash accidentally releases it from its confinement. When Pikachu is abducted by a Mew living nearby in the mysterious and powerful Tree of Beginning, Ash and Lucario must work together to get to the bottom of it, even if Lucario is still resentful of his former trainer's behavior.

The Lucario featured in this movie is arguably responsible for the overwhelming popularity of Lucario as a Pokémon. Lucario is a great character with a solid character arc. The movie also provides a brief glimpse of a medieval world full of Pokémon, showing a battle between armies using Pokémon, in a first for the franchise.

2 Pokémon Heroes Gave Ash a Touch of Romance

Pokémon Heroes: Latios and Latias (2002)

Pokémon Heroes is the fifth Pokémon film, centering on the city of Alto Mare, which is host to a Pokémon race that's drawn in Ash, Misty, and Brock. The city is protected by two guardian Pokémon, Latios and Latias, as well as an ancient weapon which is powered by the essence of the twin Pokémon. Ash makes quick friends with Latias, but Latios is far less trustful of humans. When two villains try to gain control of the ancient weapon, Ash must put a stop to their crimes before the entire city is destroyed.

The last movie of the original series era, Pokémon Heroes is a good, solid film with plenty of action and some interesting characterization for its Legendary Pokémon. It also has some memorable side characters in the form of Bianca, who even got to briefly reappear in one of the anime's final episodes.

1 Mewtwo Strikes Back is Still Pokémon's Best Movie

Pokémon the First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998)

While nostalgia may certainly be a factor, the first Pokémon movie still stands as one of the best films they've ever made. Ash receives a mysterious letter, summoning him to a place called New Island where the greatest trainers will allegedly meet. Setting out for the island in a dangerous storm, Ash and friends soon arrive and find they've been tricked by Mewtwo, a genetically engineered Pokémon, who intends to clone their Pokémon and use his clone army to take over the world.

The film deals with some surprisingly mature topics, such as what it means to be alive. Mewtwo is a complex character, both sympathetic and dangerous at the same time. While the climax of the movie is a bit cheesy, it's well done enough that the scene still works, and it's become an iconic moment in Pokémon lore. For these reasons, the first Pokémon movie stands out as one of the franchise's best, even to this day.