In the Pokemon world, Legendary Pokémon often have greater roles in the media than Mythical Pokémon. After all, the many Mythical Pokémon of renown are thought to only be stories, as they are seen even less than Legendary Pokémon. However, these exceptionally rare Pokémon truly do exist.
Many Mythical Pokémon, such as Mew or Manaphy, are known for their cuteness, while Pokémon such as Deoxys and Darkrai are more intimidating. Regardless of their appearance, every Mythical Pokémon is capable of wondrous and sometimes devastating power. Like the Legendary Pokémon of fame, each Pokémon's role in the anime differs, and so does its power.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
10 Manaphy Can Form Connections With Any Pokemon
The Helpfulness of the Ability Heart Swap
Though they are not seen as often anymore in the anime, the Pokémon Rangers used to have major supporting roles, inspired by their work in the spin-off game series. One Pokémon Ranger, Jack Walker, acted as a protagonist in Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, where he rescued a rare Manaphy Egg from the vicious pirate known as the Phantom. Jack's path would cross with Ash and his friends as they traveled throughout the Pokémon world, where they bore witness to the birth of Manaphy. The Seafaring Pokémon, as it hatched in front of May, grew to see the Pokémon Coordinator as its mother.
The baby Manaphy proved to be sweet and adorable, yet was said to be capable of amazing power, giving it the name of the Prince of the Sea. In order to protect it, the heroes journey to the legendary palace Samiya, the true home of the Water-type. During the climax of the film, Manaphy showcases its signature move Heart Swap, which allows it to summon countless Water-type Pokémon in order to defeat the Phantom and his crew. One such Pokémon summoned was Kyogre, the Legendary Pokémon said to be the sea itself.
9 Meloetta Is Frighteningly Powerful in the Anime
The Melody Pokemon and the Forces of Nature
Unova is famous for many things, from its unique cities to the legacy of Team Plasma. However, as the years have gone by, fans hear less and less about the region's Mythical Pokemon. Out of all the Unovan Mythical Pokémon, Meloetta has still been heard of the most, thanks to its role in Project Voltage alongside the legendary Hatsune Miku. Before this grand event, however, Meloetta was a major supporting character in the Pokemon anime.
Like its game counterpart, Meloetta can use its signature move, Relic Song, to transform from a Normal/Psychic-type to a Normal/Fighting-type. However, during Ash's adventures in Unova, he learns that the Melody Pokémon was actually kidnapped by Team Rocket from its home in the forest. As Meloetta's song, alongside the Reveal Glass, could utilize the true forms of the forces of nature, Giovanni captured the Melody Pokémon for his plan. Though the world was nearly destroyed due to the immense misuse of Legendary power, Meloetta was saved in the end, while the forces of nature calmed down.
8 Celebi Can Be a Source of Good or Force of Destruction
The Iron-Masked Marauder Nearly Destroyed the Johto Region
The gentle Celebi has been a fan-favorite among fans for decades, especially due to its role in Generation II. In the movie Pokémon 4Ever, Celebi and its home in the Ilex Forest were expanded upon. At the start of the film, the Pokémon Trainer Sam tries to rescue the Time Travel Pokémon from poachers, only to be sent into the future by mistake. Displaced in time, Sam and Celebi come across Ash and his friends, though they soon meet a violent Team Rocket member called the Iron-Masked Marauder.
The Iron-Masked Marauder possessed several unique Poké Balls known as Dark Balls, which turned any captured Pokémon evil. Though Sam and Ash did the best they could to shield Celebi, the Iron-Masked Marauder captured the usually kind Psychic/Grass-type with a Dark Ball, thus corrupting it and using it as the core of his destructive mecha. Thankfully, the heroes were able to snap Celebi out of its trance, though it would need to be healed by Suicune and the Lake of Life afterward. In the end, Celebi used its powers to send Sam back to his time.
7 Jirachi Can Grant Any Wish
A Former Team Magma Scientist Wanted To Use Jirachi for Evil
With its sweet smile and star-inspired appearance, Jirachi is widely popular among fans even today. According to legend, anyone who writes their wish on one of the notes hanging from Jirachi's head will have their wish granted. However, Jirachi is extremely hard to find, as it is only awake one week for every thousand years. In order to remain safe while in its slumber, the Steel/Psychic-type protects itself with a shell made of crystal.
In Pokémon: Jirachi: Wish Maker, May's younger brother Max becomes best friends with Jirachi after it awakens due to the Millennium Comet. Unfortunately for the Wish Pokémon, the ex-Team Magma member Butler wished to capture Jirachi in order to power a creation that would end up being Meta Groudon, much to Butler's horror. However, Jirachi showcased its strength by opening its third eye, using its signature move, Doom Desire, to destroy the monstrous creation. In the end, Jirachi returned to its state of slumber, now safe in its forest home of Forina.
6 Genesect Was an Attempt To Build the Strongest Pokemon
The Terrifying Reign of the Genesect Army
Many villainous teams in the Pokémon world have worked towards training a Pokémon to become the strongest, or even creating one to do their bidding. Aside from Team Rocket, Team Plasma has also created a tool to be used for their own gain, though this experiment would also have disastrous results. After reviving Genesect, a Mythical Pokémon from over 300 million years ago, Team Plasma enhanced it and upgraded the cannon on its back. Now, depending on what Drive is used, Genesect's signature move, Techno Blast, changes its type.
In the anime, Team Plasma created the Genesect Army, led by a Shiny Pokémon, though they later went rogue. The group later began to wreak havoc across the Unova region, as seen especially in Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened. As it turned out, the Genesect Army, though violent, were simply searching for a place to call home. They would later find a home in the Absentia Natural Park, though not without encountering Mega Mewtwo Y.
5 Deoxys Was Born From Mutated DNA
The Psychic-type Has a Legendary Feud With Rayquaza
At an unknown date, a strand of DNA belonging to a space virus was blasted by a laser beam. What occurred next was the birth of Deoxys, a Psychic-type Mythical Pokémon. Deoxys is an unusual sort, as aside from its Normal Forme, the DNA Pokémon has Attack, Defense and Speed Formes. As it can turn into any Forme it desires, Deoxys is a versatile fighter and a deadly foe if one angers it. This Pokémon is famous for its longstanding feud against Rayquaza, who believes the DNA Pokémon to be a threat to the Earth.
Two Deoxys appeared in Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys, both having fallen to Earth via the same meteorite. However, when they were separated, the Deoxys with a purple crystal in its chest embarked on a journey to find its friend. Unfortunately, the Psychic-type's quest would pit it against Rayquaza all while frightening the people and Pokémon of Hoenn. Thankfully, the situation would later be resolved, though not without Deoxys having to showcase its immense strength against the Sky High Pokémon.
4 Hoopa Unbound Can Summon Any Ally
This Mythical Utilizes the Power of Its Portals
Hoopa, a Psychic/Ghost-type Pokémon first introduced in Generation VI, is famous for its trickery. The Mischief Pokémon, with the use of its yellow loops, can create portals. Using these portals, Hoopa will steal items it likes in order to transport them to an unknown treasure trove, a place only Hoopa knows of. Hoopa can also use these loops to create portals that it and any allies can travel through, as seen in the recent DLC for Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
In its Hoopa Confined form, the Mischief Pokémon is troublesome yet not wicked. However, as shown in Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages, the alternate Hoopa Unbound form is fearsome and destructive due to its past mistreatment. The Psychic/Dark-type, during its attack against the heroes, is able to summon several Legendary Pokémon, including Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre. Meanwhile, Hoopa Confined was still able to summon Legendary Pokémon allies of its own, such as a Shiny Mega Rayquaza.
3 Many Fear the Nightmare-Inducing Powers of Darkrai
The Dark-type Pokémon Recently Got a Mega Evolution
In the Sinnoh region, a compassionate Psychic-type known as Cresselia is famous for its beautiful, crescent-like wings, whose feathers are said to guarantee good dreams. However, the other half of the "lunar duo", Darkrai, is often feared while the Lunar Pokémon is loved. The Pitch Black Pokémon has the power to make people fall asleep and dream, and can even induce nightmares if it so wishes. Though it has not been seen in the anime, Darkrai has also gained a new Mega Evolution, granting it an even more fearsome form.
Darkrai is a true force of nature to battle against, as Pokémon fans who have played either Pokémon Legends game can confirm. The Pitch Black Pokémon's greatest display of power can still be seen in Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai, where its connection to Dialga and Palkia can also be seen. In the anime, it is revealed that though the Dark-type has fearsome powers, it is not a cruel being. In fact, it used its extraordinary abilities to distract the enraged Dialga and Palkia while Ash and Dawn raced to place the legendary Oración disk in the Space-Time Towers.
2 Mew Can Learn Almost Any Move in Existence
The New Species Pokemon’s DNA Was Used To Create Mewtwo
Since the franchise's debut in the late nineties, fans have been endlessly intrigued by Mew, the curious and cute Psychic-type Mythical Pokémon. Mew is a very playful Pokémon, its quest for fun sometimes getting it and other Pokémon into trouble, as seen in Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew. In this film, the titular Mew is revealed to be the guardian of the Tree of Beginning, a legendary place that can be used to soothe troubled hearts. It is also a place linked with tragedy, as it is directly correlated with the fate of the Aura Guardian, Sir Aaron.
Though this was indeed a major role of Mew's, the New Species Pokémon's greatest role was featured in the very first Pokémon movie. As Mewtwo, Mew's enhanced clone, began its reign of terror, the Mythical Pokémon journeyed to Mewtwo's palace. The fun-loving Mew showcased its more serious side when it understood Mewtwo's desire to fight and the anger and pain it hid underneath. In fact, after an intense battle against its clone, it was Mew who helped Mewtwo understand that its creation did not determine its purpose in life.
1 Arceus Is Said To Be the Creator of the Pokemon Universe
Arceus Once Sought To Destroy Humanity in the Anime
Ancient texts speak of Arceus as the Original One, the very being that created the Pokémon universe. As such, Arceus is the closest thing to a deity in the world of Pokémon. Aside from being the creator of the lake guardians and the three Pokémon of myth (including the imprisoned Giratina), Arceus is able to change its type depending on the Plate it holds during battle. This Ability is known as Multitype, and it is a power so sought after that the Aether Foundation of Alola even tried to create a Pokémon that could battle like Arceus.
The Alpha Pokémon debuted in Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life, where it was seemingly betrayed by its friend Damos in the past. In the present day, Arceus has returned to Michina Town and sought to destroy the entire Pokémon world. As the Alpha Pokémon was so powerful and so determined in its goals, Ash and his allies had no choice but to travel back to the past and uncover the truth of Damos' betrayal. In doing so, the heroes were able to prevent Arceu's plan to destroy the world, though they certainly learned that one should never anger the creator of the Pokémon universe.
Pokémon
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 1997 - 2023
- Network
- TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC
Cast
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Rica MatsumotoSatoshi (voice) -
Ikue OtaniPikachu (voice)
