Pokémon
Pokémon
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Pokémon

"Gotta catch 'em all!"

8.0
Yr 1997
Status Ended
Animation Action & Adventure Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Your Verdict
Unrated

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Series Brief

Overview

Join Ash accompanied by his partner Pikachu, as he travels through many regions, meets new friends and faces new challenges on his quest to become a Pokémon Master.

Status

Latest

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 75 /100

Critical and audience reception of the 1997 Pokémon series highlights its status as a massive cultural and commercial phenomenon. The series is widely recognized for translating the tactical, strategic elements of its source material—such as problem-solving and memorization—into an engaging narrative journey for its protagonist, Ash Ketchum.

While the show remains a powerhouse for its appeal to younger audiences, critics and parents often note the prevalence of fantasy violence inherent in the premise of trainers pitting monsters against one another. Despite these concerns, it remains a defining staple of children's programming known for its expansive world and creature variety.

“The Pokémon are kid-appealing, but the series features lots of fantasy violence, and pits the cute, monster-like characters against each other on behalf of their trainers.”

“The television series translated this premise into narrative form through its young hero, Ash, a ten-year-old boy living with his mother in Pallet Town.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Crave Amazon Channel
CA
Netflix
US • CA • UK
Tubi TV
US • CA
Show 6 more
Crave
CA
Disney Plus
US
Netflix Standard with Ads
UK
BBC iPlayer
UK
YouTube TV
US
Pokémon Amazon Channel
UK
Why fans love it

Since 1997, this animated series has chronicled a sprawling quest through varied fantasy regions. The production balances the high stakes of tournament competition with the mechanics of a world built around training powerful creatures. It functions as both a tactical sports drama and a travelogue, where the terrain changes as frequently as the competitors.

Ikue Otani provides the vocal identity for Pikachu, anchoring the core relationship that drives the narrative forward. The series moves away from static storytelling by forcing the protagonists to adapt their strategies to new environments. By focusing on the bond between human adventurers and the world they inhabit, it avoids becoming a simple collection of battles. It maintains a consistent focus on the journey itself rather than just the final victory.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 65
Regulars 5
Longest run 1094 eps
Rica Matsumoto
Rica Matsumoto
as Satoshi (voice)
Ikue Otani
Ikue Otani
as Pikachu (voice)
Mayumi Izuka
Mayumi Izuka
as Kasumi (voice)
330 episodes
Daiki Yamashita
Daiki Yamashita
as Gou (voice)
Kenyu Horiuchi
Kenyu Horiuchi
as Narrator (voice)
Mayuki Makiguchi
Mayuki Makiguchi
as Serena (voice)
143 episodes
Unsho Ishizuka
Unsho Ishizuka
as Narrator / Professor Oak (voice)
957 episodes
KAORI
KAORI
as Haruka (voice)
191 episodes
Show 57 more
Yuko Kobayashi as Shigeru Oak (voice) 222 episodes Mamoru Miyano as Dent (voice) 142 episodes Yuki Kaji as Citron (voice) 97 episodes Mika Kanai as Eureka (voice) 97 episodes Inuko Inuyama as Wanpachi (voice) 1010 episodes Aoi Yuuki as Iris (voice) 94 episodes Megumi Toyoguchi as Hikari (voice) 97 episodes Shin-ichiro Miki as Kojirou (voice) 1091 episodes Satomi Korogi as Togepi (voice) 82 episodes Fumiko Takekuma as Maamame (voice) 146 episodes Reina Ueda as Mao (voice) 146 episodes Hitomi Kikuchi as Suiren (voice) 146 episodes Kaito Ishikawa as Kaki (voice) 146 episodes Megumi Hayashibara as Rabifutto (voice) 1094 episodes Keiichi Nakagawa as Narrator (voice) 49 episodes Jan Nonhof as Meowth (voice) 52 episodes Yuji Ueda as Sonansu (voice) 636 episodes Kei Shindo as Lillie (voice) 151 episodes Tomo Sakurai as Yoshino (voice) 1 episode Chihiro Ueda as Sota (voice) 1 episode Daisuke Ono as Dande (voice) 1 episode Rikako Aikawa as Butterfree (voice) 2 episodes Tatsuki Kobe as Running Commentator 2 (voice) 2 episodes Tatsuhisa Suzuki as Kibana (voice) 1 episode Kana Hanazawa as Mayuld (voice) 2 episodes Marina Inoue as Sonia (voice) 1 episode Yo Kitazawa as Danpei (voice) 1 episode Yuichi Nakamura as Sakuragi (voice) 5 episodes Ryota Iwasaki as Host (voice) 1 episode Sayaka Senbongi as Kikuna / Messon (voice) 4 episodes Kasuga Toshiaki as Kasuking (Voice) 1 episode Kenta Miyake as Running Commentator 1 (voice) 5 episodes Kiyotaka Furushima as Meguroco (voice) 1 episode Rika Adachi as Subame (voice) 1 episode Risa Shimizu as Spear (voice) 2 episodes Yasuhiro Mamiya as Gengar (voice) 2 episodes Kiyomi Asai as Matori (voice) 1 episode Noriaki Kanze as Attendant (voice) 4 episodes Marina Aicholtz as Gou's Smartphone Rotom (voice) 5 episodes Yuuki Shin as Rocket Gang Elite A (voice) 1 episode Kensho Ono as Alain (voice) 3 episodes Masaya Matsukaze as Morty (voice) 1 episode Katsuyuki Konishi as Infernando (voice) 1 episode Masami Toyoshima as Hanako (voice) 1 episode Yuuko Sasamoto as Konatsu (voice) 1 episode Ayako Shiraishi as Joy (voice) 1 episode Tomoko Kotani as Beautiful Girl (voice) 1 episode Kaori Tsuji as Girl Scout A (voice) 1 episode Hiroko Kajimura as Girl Scout B (voice) 1 episode Hisanori Nemoto as Gardie (voice) 1 episode Satoko Kitô as Misa (voice) 1 episode Hiroyuki Tanaka as Bike Gang 1 (voice) 1 episode Wakako Taniguchi as Scout Lady (voice) 1 episode Pal Hazuki as McGee (voice) 1 episode Masami Tachino as Grandma (voice) 1 episode Mari Amako as Beautiful Girl (voice) 1 episode Kōichi Hasebe as Announcer (voice) 1 episode
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Pokémon overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

travel tournament creature based on video game fantasy world adventurer anime adventure cheerful quest
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
April 01, 1997
Status
Ended
Origin
JP
TMDB Votes
2,274