Gotta Catch Em All: Reddit Chooses The Best Pokemon Movies

The Pokémon franchise is huge. It started with the games but gained a lot of popularity overseas after the release of the animated series. The story, following the adventures of a young Pokemon trainer Ash Ketchum and his friends on his journey to becoming a Pokémon Master for 25 seasons, was the first anime experience for some of us.

But it's not only TV animation that was released: there are also 23 theatrical movies and three movie-length specials. And people on Reddit decided to choose the best ones.

A lot of anime lovers view Pokemon through the lens of nostalgia, so a few people named the first movies that they interacted with as the best ones. Coincidentally, these movies are also the first to be released: Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back and Pokémon the Movie 2000: The Power of One.

Both of these films are centered around a darker vibe, showing Pokémon as mysterious and not fully explored creatures, deeply tied with mystery and unexplained phenomena. These two films, released in 1998 and 1999 respectively, feature overpowered Pokémon as their main characters: Mewtwo in the first one and Lugia in the second one.

The things that make these movies stand out is a gritty, dangerous, and serious premise that differs drastically from the much more upbeat TV show. The music is epic, the animation is top-notch, and the tone ties it to realism.

Some users said that one of their favorite movies was Pokémon: Lucario And The Mystery Of Mew. They chose it because it featured one of the most popular Pokémon at the time and showed cohesive and interesting character development both for Ash and Lucario — probably one of the best in Pokémon movies. From the aesthetic point of view, the smart usage of CG gives it a very epic, cinematic feel.

Some people prefer a bit of creepiness as they state Pokémon 3: The Movie – Spell of the Unown: Entei as their favorite. The story of mysterious Unowns capable of creating mind-blowing and nearly reality-altering illusions is pretty uncomfortable and dark, raising a lot of philosophical questions about the general worldbuilding of Pokémon and touching upon more mature themes that the franchise doesn't explore often.

Because of that, it's not the best pick for those who are just getting into Pokémon movies, but those who have been interacting with the franchise for quite some time and have some grasp on the lore can truly enjoy this one.

One of the movies that focuses more on humans and not on Pokémon is Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias. It features the signature trio of Ash, Brock, and Misty, and has some moments with Team Rocket.

While Latios and Latias are beloved Legendary Pokémon, it mostly works as a character study for those who interact with Pokémon and their growth is what carries this movie with a pretty simple plot.

Another movie that steps a little bit away from epicness and focuses more on human interactions is Pokémon: Jirachi – Wish Maker. Its main saving grace is how adorably creepy Jirachi, the Legendary Pokémon that awakes for a week every millenia, is. There are some huge-scale battles here, sure, but that's not the main point.

One of the most recent movies, Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle, is also mentioned quite often as it reimagines the Tarzan story in the unique lore of Pokémon. Its lead character is Koko, a boy who was raised by Zarude, and their bond is wholesome. It propelled Zarude's popularity among Pokémon lovers, and the movie also benefited a lot from the modern approach to animation.

Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai is one of the most intense films in the franchise with a lot of suspense, and that's what makes it alluring. The same can be said about the direct sequels, Pokémon: Giratina & The Sky Warrior and Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life. They all centered around misunderstanding, greed for power, and revenge.

These three movies which were released in July for three consecutive years, raise the bar of epicness for the Pokémon franchise, entering the blockbuster territory with the scale of the events depicted in them. These battles are earth-shattering; the Pokémon in them are the ones who can shift the balance and create the worlds; there's even some time travel included!

Before this trio, however, there was Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys, one of the first attempts at blockbusterizing Pokémon by dipping into apocalyptic themes. It's about the clash of two Legendaries, Deoxys and Rayquaza, and while it wasn't met with much critical acclaim, those who were following whatever was happening with the franchise still like this movie for its attempt at upping the scale.

But right after that one, there was Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, one of the most lighthearted and frivolous full-length movies in the franchise that is loved and hated for its tone. It has a bit of One Piece vibes as it's focused on Ash and company going up against a pirate in their quest to assist Pokémon Ranger Jackie who needs to deliver Manaphy to their home, but also serves as a growth arc for May.

Source: Reddit