Is it worth to watch the anime(and movies) from the very beginning?

[ii kanji]

Health warning: if you start trying to work out how the movies fit into that continuity, you will go mad.

 

[Ochiru]

Health warning: if you start trying to work out how the movies fit into that continuity, you will go mad.

This is so true. I don't even know where to fit the first movie into the series.
I also decided to "skip" the "explicitly for kids" feature films like Pikachu's Vacation. It's too much for me to handle.

 

[Neo Blaze]

I posted a list in another thread somewhere, explaining where every movie could fit between the episodes. If only I could find it back... But in all honesty, it's not that hard to figure out if you put a bit of time in it. Generally I'd say they fit in between the episodes that aired at the time the movie aired, with some exceptions, but then they just fit in a couple of episodes later.

And yeah you can skip the Pikachu shorts. Only 4 or 5 of them have Ash and his companions in them and then only in speaking cameos.

 

[SinnohEevee]

I also think the canonical status of the Pikachu shorts is doubtful.

 

[Ochiru]

Thanks for the heads up, guys. Currently, I'm at Episode 79 and upon checking it's already season 2, I did not even realize that.

 

[Hidden Mew]

I never thought that fitting in most of the movies within the anime's continuity was that hard. Aside from the Victini movie, I Choose You and the upcoming movie, the movies are canon to the anime series. They don't really heavily contradict the anime to the point where they couldn't be set within the anime's continuity at least. I never quite understood the whole debate over whether or not the movies are canon, especially when the anime has made references to some of the movies in the past.

As for the Pikachu Shorts, I think that the first few could fit given that there's at least some reason as to why Pikachu and the other Pokemon are separated from Ash and his friends. I don't know about the rest of the shorts due to how they just have the Pokemon on adventures meeting new Pokemon without any explanation as to where Ash and his friends are.

 

[NeoMiniTails]

Every once in awhile, the series will throw you a bone (like DP) references old and current movies many times.

I don't think its all that hard to figure out where the movie takes place. I've always figured the movie is set after the previous episode and before the episode after.

The first movie referenced a scene where Gary goes against Giovanni, and the moment is also canon to the anime story.

Then again, I don't think too deeply about where in the story the movies belong. I just know that most of the movies are canon to the official anime story.

 

[Cresselia92]

Movies could be considered like very long fillers, most of the times.

Just like you could grab a filler and slap anywhere in a certain period of the timeline of the current saga, you could slap a movie in certain periods of the timelines of their respective sagas, while looking at the different factors that could determine more or less when they happened (for example, current Pokémon of the gang).

 

[EscLucy]

I never thought that fitting in most of the movies within the anime's continuity was that hard. Aside from the Victini movie, I Choose You and the upcoming movie, the movies are canon to the anime series. They don't really heavily contradict the anime to the point where they couldn't be set within the anime's continuity at least. I never quite understood the whole debate over whether or not the movies are canon, especially when the anime has made references to some of the movies in the past.

As for the Pikachu Shorts, I think that the first few could fit given that there's at least some reason as to why Pikachu and the other Pokemon are separated from Ash and his friends. I don't know about the rest of the shorts due to how they just have the Pokemon on adventures meeting new Pokemon without any explanation as to where Ash and his friends are.

Agreed. It isn't hard to place them - it's just that because they are long and have a lot of information it's sometimes hard to place them. Most movies are definitely canon though.

Movies could be considered like very long fillers, most of the times.

Just like you could grab a filler and slap anywhere in a certain period of the timeline of the current saga, you could slap a movie in certain periods of the timelines of their respective sagas, while looking at the different factors that could determine more or less when they happened (for example, current Pokémon of the gang).

Agreed. The best way of describing them.

 

[Natu? Natu!]

I'm currently rewatching the anime - Ash is about to get his final XY gym badge - and I think it is quite enjoyable. Of course, as others have said, it is quite possible to start with any series as all pokémon apart from Pikachu will be new, and since Brock left, the travel partners will be new for each region as well. I like how the episodes are (often) self-contained stories (unlike for example Naruto where several consecutive episodes may be about essentially the same thing, like one battle, or Naruto trying to learn one specific technique). I don't care that much about most movies, though. Some are good, but many seem to be based on a general formula (legendary pokémon wakes up after having slept for centuries and is attacked by evil humans or by other legendary pokémon, starting an epic battle that threatens the very existence of the universe, until Ash comes in and befriends the legendary pokémon and everything goes back to normal, and then there is some sort of festival and that's it).

 

[EscLucy]

I'm currently rewatching the anime - Ash is about to get his final XY gym badge - and I think it is quite enjoyable. Of course, as others have said, it is quite possible to start with any series as all pokémon apart from Pikachu will be new, and since Brock left, the travel partners will be new for each region as well. I like how the episodes are (often) self-contained stories (unlike for example Naruto where several consecutive episodes may be about essentially the same thing, like one battle, or Naruto trying to learn one specific technique). I don't care that much about most movies, though. Some are good, but many seem to be based on a general formula (legendary pokémon wakes up after having slept for centuries and is attacked by evil humans or by other legendary pokémon, starting an epic battle that threatens the very existence of the universe, until Ash comes in and befriends the legendary pokémon and everything goes back to normal, and then there is some sort of festival and that's it).

I think it is a sin to start watching the anime from any episode except S01E01. Yes, that is true but I also like the two-part episodes from time to time. It gives the anime a certain flavour. Yes, the movies can get dry but I did enjoy I Choose You. Sometimes with Volcanion and Victini for example, I switched off after 30-45 mins. I think having a festival in each film is something that they also do. I enjoy them - it plays the extended theme tune and there are often battles.

 

[SinnohEevee]

Bulbapedia has a timeline of the Pokémon anime but doesn't list the movies:

Timeline of events in the anime - Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia

@Hidden Mew M14 is canon, but only one version of it (and we don't know which one).

Also, some movies break established rules like with respect to Mega Evolution.

 

[Neo Blaze]

The thing with M14, besides the two versions thing, is that Ash is completely oblivious to who or what Reshiram is in Episode N. Like he never met it, even though he meets it in both versions of the film. But I suppose that has happened before. The rest of the movies are definitely canon though. M01 and M16 have direct connections to the main anime, and the other films are sometimes loosely mentioned. The events of M02 for example were mentioned during the Lugia Whirl Islands arc. And in one episode of DP, Dawn still had the Lunar Wing she bought in M10.

 

[Hidden Mew]

@Hidden Mew M14 is canon, but only one version of it (and we don't know which one).

I suppose that's possible and I've heard that argument for the movie before, but I don't know if that really works for me. Since we don't know which one of the versions of the movie would be canon, I don't think that makes it any easier to fit in within the anime's continuity. It just seems easier to me to just consider it non-canon due to the two version gimmick.

The thing with M14, besides the two versions thing, is that Ash is completely oblivious to who or what Reshiram is in Episode N. Like he never met it, even though he meets it in both versions of the film. But I suppose that has happened before. The rest of the movies are definitely canon though. M01 and M16 have direct connections to the main anime, and the other films are sometimes loosely mentioned. The events of M02 for example were mentioned during the Lugia Whirl Islands arc. And in one episode of DP, Dawn still had the Lunar Wing she bought in M10.

Ash does tend to react the same with other Legendary Pokemon he sees in the show after seeing them in the movies. That's one reason why people consider all of the movies non-canon, despite the references and direct connections for some of the other movies you mentioned.

 

[NeoMiniTails]

To be fair, Ash is pretty forgetful. In OS, he pokedexed every Pokemon, even after having met it once.

 

[Cresselia92]

To be fair, Ash is pretty forgetful. In OS, he pokedexed every Pokemon, even after having met it once.

Truth to be told, Ash seemed to be even more forgetful in BW, where he dexed Pokémon he already had (Buizel and Corphish).

However, he does that for the audience’s sake, so that’s somewhat excusable.

 

[NeoMiniTails]

Truth to be told, Ash seemed to be even more forgetful in BW, where he dexed Pokémon he already had (Buizel and Corphish).

However, he does that for the audience’s sake, so that’s somewhat excusable.

He's just so thoughtful, always thinking about the audience. Lol

 

[Silktree]

I'd imagine that watching all the content out there would be quite the draining experience, even if you spread it out. But I'm a casual anime fan at best, with little interest in battles.

Here are the episodes that I like to rewatch: Most of the first 22 episodes of Kanto, Snow Way Out, Pikachu's Goodbye, Go West Young Meowth, Charizard Chills, The Little Big Horn, The Chikorita Rescue, Ignorance is Blissey,
Charizard's Burning Ambitions, Hour of the Houndour, Just Waiting On a Friend, Address Unown, Gotta Catch Ya Later!

Movies: 1 (plus the prologue and Mewtwo Returns), 2, 3 and 8

 

[Almonds]

I've once tried, but I gave up during the OS - not even getting halfway through Johto. However, truth be told, by that time I had already finished rewatching the entire 90's Sailor Moon anime (200 episodes in total, not including movies or OVAs) so I could enjoy comparing it to the then newly announced Sailor Moon Crystal. As I could only watch it during my free time, it took around 2 to 3 months to complete the marathon. I wasn't really up to watching another lengthy series back then. Though, frankly, it wasn't an entire waste of time rewatching some of the OS episodes because I did get to see some of the banned ones that weren't allowed to air in my country back in the 90s.

I don't know if it would be worth watching every single episode including fillers. My suggestion is to look up the list of plot-related, relatively important episodes through bulbapedia (such as gym battles, rival battles, evolutions, new captures, etc). And maybe some of the then-banned episodes if you are interested. Even though the pokemon anime overall is entertaining, some of the episodes are indeed downright bad.

 

[Shadao]

I've seen the anime when I was a child when the Season 1 first aired, but just some bits and pieces. Also, I've seen the very first movie, Pikachu's vacation and Mewtwo Strikes Back. Since then, I haven't seen any of the succeeding episodes and titles. I've played the games until Black and White era. Now I want you guys' opinion if it's worth it to start over and watch everything from the beginning, including the movies in a chronological order or is it not worth the effort?

I say watch the first episode at the very least.

Or you can watch the episodes with a commentary by Suede.