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How to watch Pokémon in order: All the TV series, movies and specials

With Ash Ketchum making way for new Pokémon heroes, this iconic anime franchise is still going strong.

Ash Ketchum in Pokemon with Pikachu on his shoulder and another character in the background

The Pokémon Company

Published: Wednesday, 9 April 2025 at 5:20 pm

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To mark its 25th anniversary in 2024, the Pokémon anime series made a drastic change to its line-up. After finally winning the Pokémon World Championship, the show's long-time hero Ash Ketchum moved on, ushering in a new era with a fresh cast of characters.

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Accompanied by his iconic Pikachu companion, Ash Ketchum is synonymous with the Pokémon brand. But after 25 years it was time to update the franchise, revitalising the anime spin-offs at a time when their stories had started to become rather repetitive.

This set the scene for Pokémon Horizons, the official subtitle of Pokémon's 26th anime season. Premiering in 2023, it introduced a new pair of heroes, Liko and Roy, who partner up with their Pokémon friends Sprigatito and Fuecoco.

As of April 2025, Pokémon Horizons is now in its second season, titled The Search for Laqua. Fans in the UK can stream it on BBC iPlayer, introducing a new generation of young fans to the franchise.

But while Pokémon's creative overseers are figuring out how to deliver fresh stories to new viewers, there's still plenty of classic material to revisit. This anime franchise offers an impressive back catalogue of shows and movies, and if you're interested in checking it out, we're here to help.

Here's our guide on how to watch Pokémon in order.

How to watch Pokémon in release order

Partly thanks to its straightforward and kid-friendly storytelling, Pokémon is relatively easy to follow. You can basically watch the whole TV series in release order. There's some continuity within the narrative, but the main characters obviously don't age in real time.

If you're interested in watching the full Pokémon anime franchise in order, here's how to get started:

How to watch the Pokémon movies in order

Dialga from Pokémon the Movie: The Rise of Darkrai against a blue background

Dialga from Pokémon the Movie: The Rise of Darkrai. The Pokémon Company

Alongside the TV series, the Pokémon franchise also includes several movies - some of which received major international releases, while others are somewhat lesser-known outside of Japan.

These movies aren't essential viewing to understand the plot of the ongoing TV series, but they're fun to watch nonetheless. For the most part they focus on exciting new Pokémon, or they act as a showcase for large-scale adventures starring the franchise's lead characters.

Here's our recommended viewing order for the Pokémon movies:

What order should I watch the Pokémon ONA?

Meowth, the iconic cat Pokémon, wraps up Pikachu.

Meowth and Pikachu. The Pokémon Company

There are also several Pokémon ONA (original net animation), which act as supplementary material to the main TV series. Some are flashbacks exploring different periods of the main characters' lives, while others are just standalone adventures with no connection to the main anime's continuity.

Here's our recommended viewing order for the Pokémon ONA:

This represents the release order for these animated originals, although to be honest, you can watch them without any knowledge of the main series.

What order should I watch the Pokémon specials?

Haxorus screaming as a group of people watch on

Haxorus. The Pokémon Company

Playing a slightly different role from the ONA, the Pokémon franchise includes a sequence of short specials that turn a spotlight on individual types of Pokémon. They're only vaguely connected to the main Pokémon timeline, so you can watch them pretty easily without getting bogged down in canonical detail.

While you can watch these specials in any order you like, here's their chronological release order:

Where can I watch Pokémon?

Somewhat inconveniently, the Pokémon anime franchise is scattered across multiple streaming platforms, making it a little complicated to watch every single strand of the story. You'll probably have to use several different services if you want to catch 'em all.

Here are some platforms where you can watch Pokémon in the UK:

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Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide or Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Authors

Fraser OveringtonFreelance

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