Pokémon is the highest-grossing media franchise of all time, with a gross of $77 billion. Thanks to video games, trading cards, and the popular animated series the franchise has endured for almost 30 years. After all these years, it can still draw in new fans. The Pokémon anime is one of the foundational parts of the series' success as fans have followed Ash Ketchum and his trusty Pikachu travel to become a Pokémon master.
After 25 years, Ash's story has finally come to an end as the final episode of the original Pokémon anime aired in Japan on March 24, 2023. The series will continue with a new anime, Pokémon Horizons: The Series, but the conclusion of Ash and Pikachu's journey truly marks the end of an era. For those curious about when the final episodes will air in North America or those just wanting to revisit the franchise, here is a breakdown of where you can watch the Pokémon series.
Pokémon TV
Pokémon is such a massive franchise with so many spin-off series and films it actually has its own dedicated streaming platform. The Pokémon TV app features a variety of episodes with the entire catalog of Seasons 1 through 5, as well as 20 through 24, which are some of the most recent seasons of the series.
The app is constantly rotating episodes and is the best source for the series. It is also the most economic source as it is available for free. It can be downloaded on the Nintendo Switch and mobile devices like iPhones and Androids or televisions like Roku, Kindle Fire, and Apple TV.
Pokémon on Netflix
Netflix is arguably the most popular streaming service around, and the one most people likely have access to, although that might change with their new password-sharing rules. Netflix and Pokémon have had a strong history together, as the service is home to the first season Indigo League and the most recent Seasons 23 through 25 titled Journeys. Season 25, titled Ultimate Journey, recently aired a new set of episodes on February 24, 2023. The final episodes of Ash's adventure are set to air sometime in 2023.
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Netflix features the miniseries Pokémon: The Arcus Chronicles, which is part of the Journey's storyline for that completionist. Netflix also has Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back — Evolution, a CGI remake of Pokémon: The First Movie. Pokémon fans certainly should invest in Netflix, as a live-action series is set to premiere on the streaming service.
Other Streaming Services
Pokémon has been running for so long, and with so many different subseries in the main story, that it has been split up among different streamers. Both Prime Video and Freevee have Seasons 14 through 16, which are subtitled Black and White, as well as Seasons 20 to 22 which are Sun & Moon. Seasons 17 through 19, known as Pokémon XY, are on Hulu. Hoopla has Diamond and Pearl, which is Seasons 10 through 12. Various seasons are also available for purchase through Amazon, iTunes, and Google Play.
What About the Middle Pokémon Seasons?
One will notice that there appears to be a major gap in seasons available to watch. The first few seasons of the series which encompass from the Indigo League to the end of Master Quest when Ash's companions Brock and Misty leave are easily accessible. Then there is a jump from Season 5 to Season 14, with the rare exception of Seasons 10 through 12 being available on Hoopla. Seasons 6 through 13 are all available for purchase on various platforms but are not as easily accessible as other seasons.
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There is no specific reason why these middle seasons are not as readily available as the others. The biggest factor might be these seasons aired when the Pokémon franchise was at its lowest in popularity. Seasons 1 through 5 were Pokémon during what many consider the Golden Age, while Seasons 14 onward coincided with a resurgence in the franchise thanks to games like Pokémon Black and Pokémon White.
The Benefits of Watching All the Episodes of Pokémon
The Pokémon anime ran for 1,234 episodes which makes for a lot of television to catch up on, so anybody wanting a good long binge certainly cannot go wrong with Pokémon. One factor for wanting to go back and watch Pokémon for anyone who stopped watching is to revisit the franchise that brought them such joy in their youth.
Watching this series is akin to returning to a simpler time; catching up on old episodes can be similar to seeing old friends. One can also catch up with where they left off, to see how far Ash and Pikachu might have gone in their journey. It can be enjoyed as both a nostalgic cartoon property but also a chance to make new memories with friends, loved ones, or even one's own kids.
Ash Ketchum's story has gone on for years, and while the audience who has watched him has grown up, he has stayed that same 10-year-old boy who wanted to be a Pokémon master. For years, audiences saw episodes of Pokémon end with "To Be Continued..." and that was also a promise to the viewer. They could always come back and continue Pokémon. Even with Ash's story completed, the world of Pokémon will always be there for viewers to return to and new audiences to discover. Thanks to streaming, it is now easier than ever.
