🎬 Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle (2020)
Part of Pokémon
Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle is the twenty-third animated feature in the long-running Pokémon film series, and it draws its inspiration from the original Pokémon video games created by Satoshi Tajiri and released by Nintendo in 1996. The film is the third and final entry in an alternate continuity timeline that began with Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! and continued with Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us, offering a fresh take on the Pokémon world that exists separately from the main anime series. Released in Japan on Christmas Day 2020 after a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film later debuted globally on Netflix in October 2021.
The story takes clear inspiration from classic jungle adventure tales, most notably Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, reimagining the narrative within the Pokémon universe. The plot follows a young boy named Koko, who was found as an infant by a solitary Mythical Pokémon named Zarude and raised among the Pokémon of the Forest of Okoya. Believing himself to be a Pokémon, Koko's identity is challenged when he encounters Ash Ketchum and Pikachu, leading to a journey of self-discovery that coincides with a threat to his forest home from outside human forces. The film features the Generation VIII Mythical Pokémon Zarude in a prominent role, as well as a shiny Celebi, tying it directly to the concurrent Pokémon Sword and Shield video games.
Visually, Secrets of the Jungle marked a return to the traditional 2D hand-drawn animation style that had defined the Pokémon movies for decades, following the experimental full-CGI remake of Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution. This choice was well-received by fans who appreciated the classic aesthetic. The film also continued the franchise's tradition of cross-promotion with the games, offering players of Pokémon Sword and Shield who pre-ordered tickets a special distribution of a "Dada" form Zarude and a shiny Celebi. As of 2026, this film stands as the most recent theatrical Pokémon anime movie produced, with no further films announced by The Pokémon Company.
Pokémon is a media franchise created by Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori, first released in 1996 by Nintendo and Game Freak. The franchise began as a pair of role-playing video games for the Game Boy, which introduced the concept of creatures called Pokémon that humans, known as Pokémon Trainers, catch and train to battle each other for sport. The games are set in fictional regions inspired by real-world locations, each with unique species of Pokémon, and involve the player collecting badges, thwarting villainous teams, and becoming the Pokémon Champion.
The Pokémon video game series has become one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time, with core installments on every Nintendo handheld console. The games' mechanics, including type matchups, evolution, and trading, have become iconic. The franchise expanded into a global phenomenon encompassing an anime series, trading card game, movies, toys, and more. Its themes of friendship, discovery, and adventure have resonated with audiences worldwide, making Pokémon a cultural touchstone since the late 1990s.
The Pokémon film collection is a long-running series of animated features that extends the adventures of the globally beloved Pokémon anime. Originating alongside the television series in the late 1990s, the films initially served as companion pieces to the ongoing narrative, following Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu as they encountered rare and legendary Pokémon in cinematic, self-contained stories. The early entries, beginning with 'Pokémon: The First Movie' in 1998, captured the peak of the late-90s Pokémon phenomenon and became a staple of the franchise's multimedia expansion, often distributed internationally by Warner Bros. during the anime's original broadcast run.
Over the decades, the collection evolved in tandem with the video game generations, with each film typically showcasing the mythical or legendary Pokémon introduced in the corresponding game release. This structure allowed the movies to function as both standalone adventures and promotional showcases for new creatures, while maintaining a consistent focus on themes of friendship, coexistence between humans and Pokémon, and the wonder of discovery. As the anime's continuity progressed through regions like Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and beyond, the films mirrored these settings and introduced a rotating cast of supporting characters alongside the perennial heroes.
A significant shift occurred in the late 2010s when the film series began to depart from the main anime timeline. Starting with 'Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!' in 2017, the collection embraced a reboot approach, retelling and reimagining Ash's origin story in an alternate continuity. This creative direction continued with subsequent entries, including a CGI remake of the first film, allowing the collection to explore nostalgic narratives while appealing to both new audiences and longtime fans. This period marked a transition from being direct extensions of the TV series to more experimental, standalone cinematic experiences.
The Pokémon film collection stands as a testament to the franchise's enduring cross-media legacy. With over two dozen theatrical releases spanning more than two decades, it has consistently delivered family-friendly adventures that reinforce the core values of the Pokémon world. While individual entries vary in critical reception, the collection as a whole remains a culturally significant component of one of the most successful entertainment properties in history, offering a cinematic entry point for each new generation of trainers.
The Pokémon anime series, which began in 1997, closely followed the journey of Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu through various regions over more than two decades. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the anime, the filmmakers embarked on a new creative direction, establishing an alternate continuity separate from the long-running main series.
This new timeline revisits the origins of Ash's journey but diverges significantly, introducing new companions, different story arcs, and a fresh take on familiar events. It allowed the creators to retell the beginning of the Pokémon adventure for a new generation while offering a nostalgic yet novel experience for longtime fans.
The films in this continuity are characterized by a focus on the core themes of friendship, the bond between humans and Pokémon, and the spirit of adventure, unburdened by the extensive continuity of the main television series. They stand as a thematic trilogy, each exploring different aspects of the Pokémon world and the relationships within it.
