Gotta watch 'em all: The best Pokémon movies from your childhood are available for free on YouTube for a "limited time"

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The Pokémon Movie Summer Watch Party is coming to YouTube for free

Pokemon image of Pikachu
(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)

Calling all Pokémon fans! Three of the best anime movies ever will soon be available to watch for free online this summer, but the films won’t be sticking around for too long.

Pokémon took to Twitter to announce the news, confirming that the first three Pokémon movies ever made will soon be arriving on the Pokémon TV YouTube channel in what the company is calling ‘Pokémon Movie Summer Watch Party’. The post reads, "Prepare your snacks and watch the magic unfold in these first three Pokémon cinematic classics!" Check out the tweet below.

According to Pokémon’s Instagram, the watch party kicks off on Friday, July 4 at 12pm PT/ 3pm EST (8pm UK time) with Pokémon: The First Movie. The party continues the following week with the sequel Pokémon The Movie 2000, which will hit the YouTube channel on Friday August 1 again at 12pm PT/ 3pm EST (8pm UK time), finishing with the third movie, Pokémon 3: The Movie, on Friday, September 5 at the same time.

Pokémon-loving adults will remember that the now super nostalgic Pokémon movies were released each year, one after another, starting with Pokémon: The Movie in 1998. The first installment sees Ash and his friends go after the evil version of Mewtwo after a scientist clones the original Pokémon.

The sequel Pokémon The Movie 2000 (1999) takes place during the second season of Pokémon: Adventures in the Orange Islands, and follows Ash’s quest to collect three bird Pokémons, before a collector steals them. The threequel, Pokémon 3: The Movie (2000), sees Ash and his friends trek to a mountain town where they encounter the most mysterious Pokémon yet.

Of course, many more movies followed after that, starting with Pokémon 4Ever, Pokémon Heroes, and Pokémon: Jirachi Wish Maker. In fact, there are 21 Pokémon movies in total. However, Pokémon has not said whether or not more movies will land on YouTube for free in the future.

Pokémon’s Summer Watch Party looks to take place over three months, but it is not clear how long the films will stay on YouTube. So you’d better be quick and catch 'em all, or rather, watch 'em all, when you can.

The Pokémon Movie Summer Watch Party starts on July 4. For more, check out our guide on how to watch Pokémon movies and shows in order and our ranking of the best Pokémon games.

Megan Garside
Megan Garside
Junior Social Media Editor, GamesRadar+

I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.

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