📺 Pokémon Generations (2016)
Part of Pokémon
Pokémon Generations is a 2016 Japanese original net animation (ONA) series produced by OLM and released on YouTube by The Pokémon Company. Unlike the main Pokémon anime series, which follows Ash Ketchum, Generations is a collection of short stories directly inspired by the events of the core Pokémon video games from Generations I through VI. Each episode adapts a key moment or side story from the games, such as the defeat of Team Rocket, the discovery of Mewtwo, or the adventures of lesser-known trainers and characters.
The series consists of 18 episodes, each running between 3 and 5 minutes, and was originally released in English on YouTube from September to December 2016, with a Japanese version following later. The animation style and tone are more mature and cinematic than the main anime, aiming to capture the atmosphere of the games rather than the lighthearted adventure of the TV series. Pokémon Generations is part of the broader Pokémon franchise, which began with the 1996 video games and has since expanded into anime, films, trading card games, and countless other media. It stands as a unique homage to the game series, offering fans a fresh perspective on familiar stories without being tied to the continuity of the anime.
Pokémon is a Japanese media franchise that began as a pair of role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy in 1996. The games were created by Satoshi Tajiri, with character design by Ken Sugimori, and introduced a world where humans coexist with creatures called Pokémon, which can be captured, trained, and battled. The core gameplay loop—exploring regions, catching wild Pokémon, and challenging Gym Leaders to become a Pokémon Champion—became the foundation of a multi-billion dollar franchise.
The original Pokémon games, Pokémon Red and Green (released in Japan as Pocket Monsters), were a sleeper hit that sparked a global phenomenon. The series expanded through multiple generations, each introducing new Pokémon, regions, and mechanics. By 2025, the video game series has sold over 500 million units worldwide, making it one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time. The games' emphasis on collection, strategy, and social interaction (through trading and battling) has had a lasting impact on gaming culture and inspired numerous spin-offs, anime, films, and merchandise.
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.
