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

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:

• Season 1: Indigo League
• Season 2: Adventures on the Orange Islands
• Season 3: The Johto Journeys
• Season 4: Johto League Champions
• Season 5: Master Quest
• Season 6: Advanced
• Season 7: Advanced Challenge
• Season 8: Advanced Battle
• Season 9: Battle Frontier
• Season 10: Diamond and Pearl
• Season 11: Diamond and Pearl: Battle Dimension
• Season 12: Diamond and Pearl: Galactic Battles
• Season 13: Diamond and Pearl: Sinnoh League Victors
• Season 14: Black & White
• Season 15: Black & White: Rival Destinies
• Season 16: Black & White: Adventures in Unova
  • Part I: Black & White: Adventures in Unova
  • Part II: Black & White: Adventures in Unova and Beyond
• Season 17: XY
• Season 18: XY: Kalos Quest
• Season 19: XYZ
• Season 20: Sun & Moon
• Season 21: Sun & Moon – Ultra Adventures
• Season 22: Sun & Moon – Ultra Legends
• Season 23: Pokémon Journeys: The Series
• Season 24: Pokémon Master Journeys: The Series
• Season 25: Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series
• Season 26: Pokémon Horizons: The Series
• Season 27: Pokémon Horizons – The Search for Laqua (AKA Pokemon Horizons season 2)

How to watch the Pokémon movies in order

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:

• Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!
• Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back
• Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution
• Pokémon the Movie 2000
• Pokémon 3 the Movie: Spell of the Unown
• Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us
• Pokémon 4Ever: Celebi – Voice of the Forest
• Pokémon Heroes
• Pokémon: Jirachi – Wish Maker
• Pokémon the Movie: Destiny Deoxys
• Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew
• Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea
• Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai
• Pokémon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior
• Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life
• Pokémon: Zoroark: Master of Illusions
• Pokémon the Movie: White – Victini and Zekrom
• Pokémon the Movie: Black-Victini and Reshiram
• Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice
• Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened
• Pokémon the Movie: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction
• Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages
• Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel
• Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle

What order should I watch the Pokémon ONA?

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:

• Pokémon Generation
• Pokémon: Twilight Wings
• Pokémon Legends
• Pokémon: The Hallowed God, Arceus/ Pokémon: Arceus Chronicles
• Pokémon: Hisuian Snow
• Pokémon Concierge

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?

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:

• Pikachu Shorts (1998 – 2015)
• Mewtwo Returns
• Pokémon Chronicles
• Pokémon Sunday
• Pokémon: The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon
• Pokémon Origins
• XY Specials
• Pokémon: Arceus Chronicles
• Detective Pikachu

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:

• BBC iPlayer
• Hulu
• Netflix
• Prime Video
• YouTube
• Sky Kids

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.