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Pokémon Watch Guide: every series and movie in order
There are 8 Pokémon anime series and 23 anime movies. This guide puts them in watch order, shows which movies came out during each series, and links the Pokémon that star in every film to their Pokédex pages.
Where should I start?
From the very beginning
Start with the Original series, episode 1, from 1997. Watch each movie when the timeline below reaches it.
See the order →The newest story
Start with Horizons episode 1. It follows new leads and needs no earlier series, and it is still airing.
About Horizons →Just the movies
Watch the 23 films in release order. I Choose You! and The Power of Us stand on their own, so they suit newcomers.
See every movie →Pokémon anime in order
Each series follows a region from the games. Episode counts are the Japanese broadcast.
Original series
1997–2002Indigo League to Master Quest
Ash Ketchum leaves Pallet Town with a Pikachu that will not go in its Poké Ball, travelling with Misty and Brock through Kanto, the Orange Islands and Johto.
Movies released during this series
Advanced Generation
2002–2006Advanced to Battle Frontier
Ash starts over in Hoenn with new companions May and Max, Brock back at his side, then returns to Kanto to take on the Battle Frontier.
Movies released during this series
Diamond and Pearl
2006–2010Diamond and Pearl to Sinnoh League Victors
Ash, Dawn and Brock cross Sinnoh, where Team Galactic chase the legends of time and space and Ash meets his toughest rival yet, Paul.
Movies released during this series
Black & White
2010–2013Best Wishes in Japan
A fresh start in Unova, a region full of Pokémon Ash has never seen, travelling with Iris and Cilan.
Movies released during this series
XY
2013–2016XY, Kalos Quest and XYZ
Mega Evolution arrives as Ash travels Kalos with Serena, Clemont and Bonnie, and his Greninja gains a form of its own.
Movies released during this series
Sun & Moon
2016–2019Sun & Moon to Ultra Legends
Ash enrols at the Pokémon School in Alola, a lighter, school-based series that ends with Ash winning the Alola League.
Movies released during this series
Journeys
2019–2023Journeys, Master Journeys and Ultimate Journeys
Ash and Goh travel to every region from a lab in Kanto while Ash climbs the World Coronation Series. Ash's last series as the lead; it includes the 11-episode Aim to Be a Pokémon Master.
Movies released during this series
Horizons
2023–Horizons onward
New leads Liko and Roy take over after Ash's story, joining the Rising Volt Tacklers on an airship. No earlier series is needed.
Every Pokémon movie in order
Tap a film for its story and where it fits, or a Pokémon for its Pokédex page.
Detective Pikachu (2019) is a live-action film outside the anime story, so it is not in this list.
Where to watch Pokémon
No single service has every Pokémon series, and what each one carries depends on your country. Pick yours to see where each series streams, or buy the DVDs and Blu-rays from independent shops.
Stream it
United States
| Series | Streaming in the US |
|---|---|
| Original series | |
| Advanced Generation | |
| Diamond and Pearl | |
| Black & White | |
| XY | |
| Sun & Moon | |
| Journeys | |
| Horizons |
US services as of late 2026. What each service carries changes often and differs by country, so check the service before you sign up.
Australia
| Series | Streaming in Australia |
|---|---|
| Original series | |
| Advanced Generation | |
| Diamond and Pearl | |
| Black & White | |
| XY | |
| Sun & Moon | |
| Journeys | |
| Horizons |
Australian services as of late 2026. What each service carries changes often and differs by country, so check the service before you sign up.
United Kingdom
| Series | Streaming in the UK |
|---|---|
| Original series | |
| Advanced Generation | |
| Diamond and Pearl | |
| Black & White | |
| XY | |
| Sun & Moon | |
| Journeys | |
| Horizons |
UK services as of late 2026. What each service carries changes often and differs by country, so check the service before you sign up.
Live prices
Buy Pokémon on DVD & Blu-ray
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Questions
How many Pokémon movies are there?
There are 23 animated Pokémon movies, from Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998) to Secrets of the Jungle (2020), counting by Japanese release. The live-action Detective Pikachu (2019) is separate from the anime films.
How many Pokémon episodes are there?
1,234 episodes across the seven series with Ash, from 1997 to 2023, plus 154 episodes of Horizons so far, which is still airing. That makes 1,388 in total, counting the Japanese broadcast.
What order should I watch Pokémon in?
Watch the series in release order, from the Original series to Horizons, and watch each movie around the time it came out. The timeline on this page lists the movies released during each series.
How long would it take to watch all of Pokémon?
About 540 hours: 1,388 episodes at roughly 22 minutes each, plus 34 hours of movies.
Where can I watch Pokémon?
Where to watch depends on your country. In the US, the official Pokémon TV channel on YouTube has the first ten seasons free, Tubi has several series free with ads, and Netflix has Horizons, XY and the first 52 episodes. Most series and movies are also on DVD and Blu-ray. The where-to-watch table on this page lists each series for the US, Australia and the UK.
Do I need to watch the Ash series before Horizons?
No. Horizons starts a new story with new leads, so it works as a first series.