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Pokémon animation (Pokémon anime in Japan and Asia) is a term that refers collectively to all animated works in the Pokémon series. These can serve as narrative works in and of themselves, or act as promotional material for other aspects of the brand. Most Pokémon animation adapts the events and world of the mainline series or spin-off games, with varying degrees of creative freedom. However, some works are independent of this theming, and can explore their own original concepts.

Mainline anime series[]

Main article: Pokémon the Series

The Pokémon animated series, titled as Pokémon the Series, is a Japanese anime television series, that began broadcasting in Japan on TV Tokyo on April 1, 1997, and in North America on September 7, 1998. The anime initially featured Ash Ketchum and Pikachu for the first seven series and later, Liko and Roy in the eighth. The anime was initially dubbed by 4Kids Entertainment for the first eight seasons and movies and later, TPCi since the ninth season and movie.

The anime is largely credited for allowing anime to become more popular and familiar around the world, especially in the United States, where many Pokémon films are among the highest-grossing anime films. It is also the most successful video game adaptation of all time, airing for over 25 years.

Movies[]

From 1998 to 2020, an animated feature-length work that served as a tie-in to the mainline anime was released in theaters annually, most often focusing on a Legendary or Mythical Pokémon. These films were initially a large success worldwide, with all 23 films having received wide releases in Japan, the first three movies receiving wide releases internationally, and later films occasionally receiving limited releases outside of Japan.

A live action film based on Detective Pikachu was released in 2019.

These special films, which run longer than the normal half-hour and are not usually separated into more than one episode in either the original or the dub, are often considered TV Pokémon movies, not counting towards the running total. They never appear in theaters, but are instead broadcast on the same networks that the regular anime is broadcast for their premieres. Though they may air around the same time as other episodes of the anime, usually in the anime's normal timeslot, they are not assigned episode numbers. There are also five short films, even a fan-made movie directed by Kial Natale and produced by Dylan Innes and Lee Majdoub was released in 2010.

Miscellaneous animated media[]

Miniseries[]

Variety and live-action shows[]

Stage[]

Radio programs[]

Other productions[]

Gallery[]

  Main article: Pokémon animation/gallery

See also[]

External links[]