Surprising Revelation: 10 Pokémon That Shockingly Made their Anime Debut Prior to the Games!

When a new generation of Pokémon is about to be released, it is customary for a few highly anticipated species to be introduced beforehand for marketing purposes. Typically, these new Pokémon are unveiled in the anime, although they may also be featured in spinoff games or other media. This strategy aims to generate excitement among devoted fans and even attract viewers who may not typically watch the Pokémon anime. The debut of a never-before-seen Pokémon is an effective way to accomplish this.

In some instances, these new Pokémon play a prominent role in an episode or movie, and may even become recurring characters throughout multiple episodes. Other times, their appearance is more subtle, serving as a tease that the Pokémon world is filled with unexpected surprises. The rankings on this list are primarily based on the significance of their debut, taking into account not only their screen time, but also the impact they have on fans.

10 Zoroark

9 Wynaut

Zoroark made its first appearance in the 13th movie titled Zoroark: Master of Illusions. This movie stood out as one of the only two Pokémon movies not featuring a Legendary or Mythical Pokémon in the title, leading to some confusion upon its initial announcement. Within the film, Zoroark is controlled by a villain who exploits its powers to wreak havoc in the city. In a desperate attempt to save its parent, Zoroark's baby Zorua seeks assistance from Ash and his companions. Together, they strive to thwart the antagonist's evil plans. Notably, Zoroark's movie premiered just two months prior to the release of Black and White, making it the only Pokémon from the fifth generation to debut in the anime before appearing in the games.

Wynaut made its debut in the anime episode "Fangs for Nothing," where it mischievously caused trouble for Team Rocket. Interestingly, Team Rocket never actually laid eyes on Wynaut, making it a Pokémon that was only revealed to the audience, not the characters. Similar to Jigglypuff in the early days of the anime, Wynaut would continue to appear in subsequent episodes as a recurring troublemaker. It was first introduced in Japan approximately five months before the release of Ruby and Sapphire, likely due to its connection to Team Rocket's Wobbuffet, which is Wynaut's evolved form. Together, their names form a call-and-response in Japanese, making Wynaut's debut all the more entertaining!

8 Munchlax

Munchlax, a baby Pokémon, made its debut in the episode "Berry, Berry Interesting" where it was caught by May. Baby Pokémon like Munchlax and Wynaut are often chosen to appear early in the anime due to their cuteness and marketability. Munchlax developed an affinity for May after tasting her Pokéblocks, despite others disliking them. During May's attempt to catch it, Munchlax devoured the Poké Ball, but surprisingly, it still qualified as a successful capture. Notably, Munchlax's anime appearance preceded the release of Diamond and Pearl in Japan by a substantial 18 months. It continued to be a regular member of May's team, appearing in various subsequent episodes. Although Munchlax briefly appeared in Destiny Deoxys, May's Munchlax holds significantly more significance overall.

7 Lucario

Unlike Zoroark, Lucario is another Pokémon that starred in a Pokémon movie without having the Legendary or Mythical status. In the film "Lucario and the Mystery of Mew," a previously sealed Lucario must collaborate with Ash to retrieve Pikachu, who was snatched by Mew. Additionally, this movie also introduced three other Sinnoh Pokémon, namely Bonsly, Mime Jr., and Weavile, who played smaller roles. It is worth noting that all of these Pokémon are either in their baby or evolved forms from previous regions. However, Lucario's prominence in the film garnered significant popularity for the character post-release.

6 Lugia

Lugia made its first appearance in the Pokémon anime in Pokémon the Movie 2000, before its games were even released. It starred alongside Slowking, another Pokémon from the Johto region, which was also introduced in the anime. Interestingly, Lugia's design was primarily influenced by Takeshi Shudo, the head writer of the early Pokémon anime, rather than the game developers at Game Freak. This special collaboration with the movie production team gave Lugia a unique appearance tailored specifically for the film. Surprisingly, leaked information from the beta versions of Pokémon Gold & Silver suggests that despite being a legendary Pokémon featured on the game cover, Lugia was one of the last Pokémon to be added to the game. It was almost exclusively known in the anime before it made its debut in the games. Its introduction in the anime happened only four months prior to the release of the games in Japan, making it a very late addition indeed.

5 Blaziken

Blaziken, a rare starter Pokémon, made an early debut in the episode "Pop Goes the Sneasel!" It was showcased under the ownership of trainer Harrison during the Silver Conference tournament. Despite the type advantage held by Ash's Charizard, Blaziken proved to be a formidable opponent and emerged victorious, dashing Ash's hopes of becoming the Johto champion. This appearance, occurring just two months prior to the release of Ruby and Sapphire in Japan, likely influenced the choice of starter Pokémon for many enthusiastic young fans.

4 Marill

3 Kecleon

Marill made an early appearance in the anime as one of the second-generation Pokémon. Its debut was in the episode called "The Crystal Onix." Notably, Marill belonged to Tracey, a significant character during the Orange Islands arc. As a result, Marill had several appearances throughout the storyline. Tracey relied on its sensitive ears to track Pokémon for his sketches, and Marill's diving abilities came in handy for exploring watery areas. Additionally, Marill sparked schoolyard debates, with many children believing it to be the long-rumored "Pikablu" that had finally been confirmed. It is worth mentioning that Marill appeared approximately six months before the release of Gold and Silver.

Kecleon made its debut in the anime as the first Hoenn Pokémon. This occurred in the episode "The Kecleon Caper," where not one, but two Kecleon appeared: a green one and a purple one. Despite the misconception, the purple Kecleon is not its shiny form, but rather a unique form that has yet to be available in the mainline Pokémon games (although it does exist in the Mystery Dungeon spinoffs). As a result, it remains the only Pokémon on the list that is still awaiting its game debut, at least in one form. This early bird appearance took place approximately 16 months before the release of Ruby and Sapphire in Japan, marking its significance.

2 Togepi

The Togepi that would eventually belong to Misty made its first appearance in the episode "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon" as an egg, which happened 43 episodes into the series. Ash, Brock, and Misty all vied for the chance to have Togepi, but despite Ash winning the competition, Togepi developed an unbreakable bond with Misty. It later hatched four episodes later, becoming the first Johto Pokémon to play a significant role in the anime. Misty cherished Togepi for a long time, and it gained almost as much popularity as Pikachu for a period. Togepi's introduction as an egg occurred approximately 18 months prior to the release of Gold and Silver in Japan, making it one of the earliest Pokémon to appear, alongside Munchlax. Nevertheless, there is indeed one Pokémon that appeared even earlier...

1 Ho-Oh

In the concluding scene of the inaugural episode of the Pokémon series, Ash and Pikachu catch sight of a peculiar unidentified Pokémon—a magnificent golden bird soaring above a vibrant rainbow. This fleeting appearance of Ho-Oh provides a tantalizing glimpse into the extraordinary enigmas that await in the Pokémon universe. Although the sighting is brief, serving as little more than a cameo, it served as our first introduction to a Pokémon beyond the original 151 showcased in the Red and Blue games. It is noteworthy that, despite Ho-Oh's appearance in this episode being slightly less vivid compared to its ultimate form, its overall design remarkably resembles that which was later officially unveiled. The initial episode of the Pokémon anime was broadcasted in Japan on April 1, 1997, while the release of the Gold and Silver Pokémon games was still more than two years away on November 21, 1999—thus making Ho-Oh's debut significantly earlier in comparison!

Several more Pokémon actually made their first appearance in the anime, but these cases stand out the most. Whether they were Legendaries, babies, or just regular Pokémon, their early introduction in the anime generated excitement by showcasing their abilities in optimal situations. Although the trend of early anime debuts has faded, there's a chance that the new Pokémon anime might revive this tradition.