Are the movies canon?

[The Holy Cat]

We know that several Pokémon movies are canon, but which ones are canon?

A few years pass since YouTuber Luminose Trainer Zac's Pokémon movie YouTube video has been made and they might be new changes especially since Arceus appeared in several episodes of Pokémon Journeys. Even the Mewtwo from Mewtwo Strike Back appeared and Ash still recognizes it especially since Mewtwo allowed Ash and his friends to keep their memories at the end of the 2000 special Mewtwo Returns.

 

[jungle_penguins]

Essentially, if it feels like it belongs to the main anime, it's in continuity/the movie is canon to the anime. The only exceptions are Movies 20, 21, and 23, which are their own alternate continuity (maybe, because they're more disconnected to each other than the movies to the main anime, but that's a whole other topic on its own, personally I think they're a loose trilogy).

Movie 1's remake (22) might as well be its own thing too, or retcons the first one, doesn't matter too much.

There's really no reason why the movies all the way up to 2016-2017 aren't in continuity. The whole basis is the movies are more dramatic, but that hasn't stopped anything within the show itself. The movies are just more dramatic.

 

[Nicolas721]

Zac's video is very accurate and detailed, I don't think there's much that has changed.

• Ash & co acted a bit surprised after hearing about Arceus but not to the point of not recognizing it.
• The only legendaries & mythicals from Gens 5,6 & 7 that appeared were Virizion (which Ash didn't met), Melmetal and Magearna (which are the same individuals from SM).
• References to M01 were very brief and undetailed so you can still choose whether M1 or M22 are canon.
• Ash recognized Latias, so I guess M05 has higher chances of being canon.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

I see no reason to discount pre-SM movies from canon, and there is even some references to them within the anime itself. So, I count them as canon.

 

[Hidden Mew]

Aside from the Victini movies, simply due to the fact that there are two versions of the same movie, I don't see why any of the movies prior to I Choose You couldn't be considered canon. Only a few of them have direct references in the anime, but the movies themselves don't contract anything about the anime even if they aren't being referenced or if the characters don't immediately recognize a Legendary Pokemon they've met before. Starting from I Choose You, the movies are in their own continuity.

 

[jungle_penguins]

In terms of recent proof, Movie 15 has been alluded to on and off for a while in MPM. Kyurem being referenced is one of them.

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

Aside from the Victini movies, simply due to the fact that there are two versions of the same movie, I don't see why any of the movies prior to I Choose You couldn't be considered canon.

Oh yeah, I forgot about them. Also, they can't be canon because during the N arc Satoshi claims to never met Reshiram before, only Zekrom from the first episode.

 

[Emmy]

I suppose I should ask the elephant in the room and say “does a movie being ‘canon’ really matter in any way?”

I’m not memeing here, it is a legit question.

 

[jungle_penguins]

I suppose I should ask the elephant in the room and say “does a movie being ‘canon’ really matter in any way?”

I’m not memeing here, it is a legit question.

Canon in the pop culture landscape is really just shorthand for "is this story worthless or no?" and there's a lot of issues in regards to that thinking. It doesn't matter beyond if it fits in a certain continuity.

 

[Turbo]

All pre-alternate universe movies are canon, (Gen 1-6)
the alternate universe ones (I choose you, the Mewtwo remake, Power of us, Secrets of the jungle) are not canon with the ones except Mewtwo being in the same timeline

It's questionable which of the Zekrom/Reshiram movies are the “canon” one but doesn't seem to matter

I suppose I should ask the elephant in the room and say “does a movie being ‘canon’ really matter in any way?”

I’m not memeing here, it is a legit question.

In some ways yes, in other ways no.
It's not like they learn new moves or evolve or get a new badge/ribbon/key in the movies so in that aspect they don't matter

Some things they connect with the show like in AG Drew is from the city in the Deoxys movie, which doesn't matter but it's worldbuilding and canonizes that city

I forget which one but in one of the XY movies the Mega Absol Trainer Astrid battles Ash in the movie, battles Alain in his specials, and we see her in the Kalos league and little stuff like that

Ash’s Aura is also first touched on in the movies which reoccurs in the series

Plus the Pokemon knowledge stuff like Ash knowing Mewtwo, currently what's going on with Latias, and just general knowledge that implies they learned them in the movie first

In some cases they're good like I imo the Jirachi movie is crucial for Max’s character, the Celebi adds some depth to Oak’s character etc

Personally for me they're simply better “filler” episodes as they may not have plot progression but they generally look better, have better stories, and etc than most of the “filler” episodes

I would rather watch the five OS movies instead of all of the “filler” episodes in OS as in some ways it's a better viewing experience and that also applied for AG and DP for me

Like to me it seems the only movies that you would “need” to watch are Movies 1, 5, & 8
As 1 is actually decently connected with the show, 5 has the current Latias stuff they seem to be connecting, and 8 has the Lucario Aura stuff that makes JN and that one arc in DP have some more value

 

[marshiyanmisuta]

It's questionable which of the Zekrom/Reshiram movies are the “canon” one but doesn't seem to matter

Neither one can be canon because the show made it clear he never met Reshiram before of "Episode N" and that contradicts the both movies.