Best Pokemon movie ever | 14–8
- Best Pokemon movies: 21 – 15
- Best Pokemon movies: 14 – 8
- Best Pokemon movies: 7 – 1
14. Pokemon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea
While not the cream of the crop, Pokemon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea deserves credit for doing something different. By focusing on Pokemon Rangers rather than Trainers, we get to see a different side of the world. The film introduces a new character named Jack Walker that is trying to help Manaphy get to an underwater palace called Samiya. However, there’s a number of mercenaries trying to steal the legendary creature and that makes for a fun film, even if it lacks much emotional punch.
13. The Power of Us
The second of the rebooted re-tellings of the early Pokemon chapters, The Power of Us sees Lugia make its bow in a well-paced, breezy outing that really captures the magic of why so many of us fell in love with the series in the first place.
Sure, its B-plot is threaded into the main narrative a little too clumsily, and Ash’s re-design leaves a lot to be desired, but this is your standard rip-roaring fare from a franchise that is revelling in its belated use of the reset button.
It may not quite reach the soaring heights of earlier entries, and is a bit too formulaic on occasion, yet you’ll have lots of fun watching The Power of Us, which is all you can ask for.
12. Lucario and the Mystery of Mew
Few films in the series operate on such a grand scale as Lucario and the Mystery of Mew. Taking place over the span of 1,000 years, it tells the story of a legendary man named Sir Aaron, thwho managed to stop a war in Kanto, and his faithful partner Lucario. It winds up being a fun adventure with an emotional conclusion that dares to do something a little different in the Poke-verse.
11. Zoroark Master of Illusions
The last capital-G Good Pokemon movie, Zoroark Master of Illusions is a perfect jumping-on point for lapsed fans who have wanted to catch ‘em all for a number of years but just haven’t found time to do so.
All of the boxes have been checked here: The nostalgia quota has been fulfilled as Brock’s still around, so his interactions opposite any woman with a pulse is bound to raise a giggle, while the film keeps just enough of its emotional core to really hammer home an emotional ending. There’s also more quirky Pokemon appearances than you can throw a Master Ball at.
In terms of plot, Pokemon movies are at their very best when it keeps things simple with a through-line of protecting those who can’t protect themselves and Zoroark Master of Illusions manages to achieve that in spades. Well worth a watch, even if it just stops short of some of the more illustrious movies in this list.
10. Arceus and the Jewel of Life
Concluding a trilogy is hard enough, let alone a Pokemon trilogy. However, by allowing the story to have space to breathe as well as operating in some much-needed continuity-building on the foundations of the two previous movies, Arceus and the Jewel of Life’s confident conclusion to the Diamond and Pearl Trilogy puts this close to the upper echelons of Pokemon movies.
Arceus, essentially the Pokemon series’ god, has come to judge the world and, through the power of love and friendship, Ash, Pikachu, and pals save the day. Requiem for a Dream, it ain’t, but you’ll be enthralled by some of the stakes on offer here, as well as the potentially world-ending Pokemon battles the movie teases. So much so, that everything after this feels like a drop in the ocean in terms of narrative scale.
9. The Rise of Darkrai
The best film in the Dialga and Palkia trilogy, it features Ash and his friends managing to stop the two legendary Pokemon from destroying the universe. They manage to do so with a surprising friend, the nightmare Pokemon Darkrai. Despite the serious subject matter, the film retains a fun atmosphere and it never feels overly heavy. The Rise of Darkrai climaxes with an eventful final battle and manages to entertain throughout. Sadly, the trilogy peaked far too soon but that doesn’t take away from how good the original film is.
8. Destiny Deoxys
First up, let’s talk about the helix-shaped elephant in the room: Deoxys is an alien. There’s no getting away from it and, for some, the introduction of a cosmic side to Pokemon might have marked the moment back in 2004 where they tapped out of the series. However, the Pokemon’s semi-sci-fi origins help it stand out from its peers, especially as it amounts to more than just a shameless cash-grab it could have been if it wasn’t careful.
Out of the 21 movies, this also includes one of the most hectic, actively engaging battles in the series as Deoxys and Rayquaza duke it out. At the time, it was fresh and frenetic and now, after wave upon wave of similar showdowns, it still rises head and shoulders above the rest – and for that, it should be commended.
