Here’s a clean, modern watch order for Pokémon that weaves in the movies so you can binge it without confusion, plus some SEO-friendly structure around how to watch Pokémon in order with movies.

Core idea (quick answer)

To watch Pokémon in order with the movies, follow each main anime series (Indigo League → Johto → Hoenn → Sinnoh → Unova → Kalos → Alola → Journeys → Horizons) and slot each movie right after the episodes it was released alongside, using a chronological guide as reference. The movies are mostly side-stories, but they line up with specific regions and teams, so watching them between the correct seasons keeps characters, Pokémon, and forms consistent.

Simple watch order (by era)

If you want a straightforward path without every exact episode break, this is the easiest how to watch Pokémon in order with movies approach.

Kanto + early movies

  • Pokémon: Indigo League (Season 1 – Ash in Kanto)
  • Movie: Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back (or the CGI remake Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution later as an alternate take)
  • Movie: Pokémon the Movie 2000 – The Power of One
  • Movie: Pokémon 3: The Movie – Spell of the Unown

Johto era

  • Pokémon: Adventures in the Orange Islands (short in-between arc)
  • Pokémon: The Johto Journeys
  • Pokémon: Johto League Champions
  • Pokémon: Master Quest
  • Slot in the Johto movies during this period:
    • Pokémon 4Ever: Celebi – Voice of the Forest
    • Pokémon Heroes: Latias and Latios

Hoenn era

  • Pokémon: Advanced
  • Pokémon: Advanced Challenge
  • Pokémon: Advanced Battle
  • Movies to watch in this stretch:
    • Jirachi: Wish Maker
    • Destiny Deoxys
    • Lucario and the Mystery of Mew
    • Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea

Sinnoh era

  • Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl
  • Pokémon: DP Battle Dimension
  • Pokémon: DP Galactic Battles
  • Pokémon: DP Sinnoh League Victors
  • Movies here build a loose arc:
    • The Rise of Darkrai
    • Giratina and the Sky Warrior
    • Arceus and the Jewel of Life
    • Zoroark: Master of Illusions

Unova era

  • Pokémon: Black & White
  • Pokémon: BW Rival Destinies
  • Pokémon: BW Adventures in Unova (and Beyond)
  • Movies:
    • White: Victini and Zekrom / Black: Victini and Reshiram (two versions of the same core story)
    • Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice
    • Genesect and the Legend Awakened

Kalos era

  • Pokémon: XY
  • Pokémon: XY Kalos Quest
  • Pokémon: XYZ
  • Movies:
    • Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction
    • Hoopa and the Clash of Ages
    • Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel

Alola era

  • Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
  • Sun & Moon: Ultra Adventures
  • Sun & Moon: Ultra Legends
  • Movie timeline “reset”:
    • Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! (alternate retelling of Ash’s beginning)
    • The Power of Us
    • Secrets of the Jungle

These three movies form their own “I Choose You” continuity and aren’t tightly tied to the main Ash timeline, so you can watch them after you’re familiar with Kanto or later as bonus stories.

Journeys + Horizons era

  • Pokémon Journeys
  • Pokémon Master Journeys
  • Pokémon Ultimate Journeys (Ash’s final stretch)
  • Pokémon Horizons (new protagonists Liko & Roy; currently ongoing with multiple seasons through 2026)

Recent series have fewer traditional theatrical movies; specials and mini- series often fill that role instead.

Chronological purist route (with movie placement)

If you want the “true” how to watch Pokémon in order with movies experience, including exact movie slots, use a detailed chronological list as your anchor.

Most detailed guides follow this pattern:

  • Watch a block of episodes from a region.
  • Insert the movie that matches Ash’s party and region.
  • Continue the season until the next movie cue.

For example, one popular structure places:

  • Pokémon 3: The Movie after early-mid Johto episodes, before some key gym battles.
  • Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel between late XY & XYZ episodes so the team and Mega evolutions line up.

Fans also maintain spreadsheets that mix:

  • Main episodes
  • Side specials (Chronicles, Mega Evolution, Legends of Thunder, etc.)
  • All 23+ movies in timeline order.

Using one of these spreadsheets or online lists is the best way to avoid re- checking every single placement by hand while still staying chronological.

Release order vs. chronological order

Here’s how those two strategies compare for how to watch Pokémon in order with movies.

[5] [2][5] [2] [2][5] [2][5] [2][5] [2][7] [2][7]
Approach How it works Pros Cons Best for
Release order Watch each season and movie in the order they came out.Simplest; matches how fans originally experienced it; minimal checking.Some movie events will feel slightly disconnected from the exact episode you’re on.Newcomers who just want to enjoy the story without a spreadsheet.
Chronological order Insert each movie between specific episode ranges so it fits the ongoing plot.Best continuity; characters, teams, and regional arcs line up cleanly.Requires a detailed guide; more effort to follow.Completionists and long-term fans doing a full rewatch.

Extra tips and FAQs

  • Do you have to watch every movie?
    • No. Almost all Pokémon movies are side stories; skipping some won’t break the anime’s main plot.
* Many fans just prioritize the early films (Mewtwo, Lugia, Entei, Celebi, Latias/Latios) and the Sinnoh quartet.
  • Are the “I Choose You” films canon?
    • They run in a separate continuity from Ash’s original TV adventures, reimagining his start and creating a different long-term route.
* You can treat them as “what if?” movies and watch after a bit of Kanto to fully get the callbacks.
  • Best modern starting point in 2026?
    • For nostalgia and classic vibes, start at Indigo League + the first two or three movies.
* For something current, Pokémon Horizons gives you a fresh cast without needing decades of backlog.

TL;DR:
If you want low-effort: watch each region’s seasons in release order and drop the matching region movies somewhere around the middle of each run. If you want perfection: follow a chronological spreadsheet that lists every episode, special, and movie, and just tick them off as you go.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.