Pokémon Chronicles

Pokémon Chronicles, partly known in Japan as Pocket Monsters Side Stories, is a spin-off series of the Pokémon anime, revolving around characters other than Ash Ketchum.

Pokémon Chronicles (2002-2004) is a Japanese anime spin-off series for TV Tokyo, a single-season run of sixteen 22-minute episodes built around the Pokémon franchise's wider cast rather than its hero Ash Ketchum. Featuring Yuji Ueda, Miyako Ito, Mayumi Izuka, Yuko Kobayashi, Tomokazu Seki and Kenji Nojima among its credited cast, the show follows new companions and their partner creatures as they cross a bright, fantastical world of towns, wild habitats and creature battles. Each episode works as a self-contained side adventure, so a viewer can dip in at any point, with the emphasis on friendship, rivalry and the bond between people and their monsters. The tone stays cheerful, playful and gentle, with brisk pacing and colorful hand-drawn animation shaped for young audiences. Fans of Pokémon, Digimon Adventure and Dragon Ball Z will find the same kid-friendly monster battle energy and the warmth of an ensemble of companions. Because it is a spin-off from a video game franchise, it reads as a lighter companion piece to the main anime rather than a standalone saga.

Audience reception is mixed, with viewers rating the single season moderately well as a side-story spin-off of the Pokémon anime.

• Pokémonshared kid-friendly monster battle adventure, anime style, episodic side quests
• Digimon Adventureshared creature companionship and monster battle format in a children's anime
• Dragon Ball Zshared shonen-adjacent battle energy and cheerful ensemble adventure

Release Date

2002-12-03

Episode runtime

22 min

Rating

7.1 / 10 (194)

What is Pokémon Chronicles about?

A single-season Japanese anime spin-off of the Pokémon franchise that follows characters other than Ash Ketchum through sixteen cheerful creature adventures.

What is Pokémon Chronicles like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Pokémon Chronicles as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is Pokémon Chronicles violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Pokémon Chronicles.

What did critics think of Pokémon Chronicles?

Audience reception is mixed, with viewers rating the single season moderately well as a side-story spin-off of the Pokémon anime.

Which shows are like Pokémon Chronicles?

Shows with a similar feel include Pokémon, Digimon Adventure, and Dragon Ball Z.

How long is Pokémon Chronicles?

Pokémon Chronicles: 1 season, 16 episodes.

Is Pokémon Chronicles still running?

No, Pokémon Chronicles has ended.