The 10 Most Powerful Mythical Pokemon in the Anime, Ranked

In the world of Pokémon, Legendary Pokémon generally receive more attention than Mythical Pokémon. Mythical Pokémon are considered even rarer and are often believed to be just legends. However, despite their elusive nature, these incredibly rare Pokémon are actually real.

Mythical Pokémon come in all sorts of forms – some, like Mew and Manaphy, are adorable, while others, such as Deoxys and Darkrai, are quite scary. But no matter what they look like, all Mythical Pokémon possess incredible, and sometimes dangerous, powers. Just like Legendary Pokémon, each one has a unique role and level of strength in the animated series.

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10. Manaphy Can Form Connections With Any Pokemon

The Helpfulness of the Ability Heart Swap

Pokémon Rangers used to be important characters in the anime, based on their roles in the spin-off video games. One Ranger, Jack Walker, starred in the movie Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, where he saved a precious Manaphy Egg from a pirate called the Phantom. Jack later met Ash and his friends while they were traveling, and they all witnessed Manaphy hatching. The newly hatched Pokémon quickly bonded with May, seeing her as its mother.

The baby Pokémon, Manaphy, was incredibly cute and lovable, but also possessed a hidden, immense power, earning it the title ‘Prince of the Sea.’ To keep Manaphy safe, a group of heroes traveled to Samiya, the ancient home of all Water-type Pokémon. During the movie’s final battle, Manaphy used its special move, Heart Swap, to call upon a huge number of Water-type Pokémon to fight against the Phantom and his team. Among those summoned was Kyogre, a legendary Pokémon believed to be the ocean itself.

9. Meloetta Is Frighteningly Powerful in the Anime

The Melody Pokemon and the Forces of Nature

The Unova region is well-known for its distinct cities and the story of Team Plasma. Over time, though, people have talked less and less about the region’s Mythical Pokémon. Of all the Unovan Mythical Pokémon, Meloetta remains the most remembered, largely due to its involvement in Project Voltage with the popular Hatsune Miku. Before that, Meloetta played an important supporting role in the Pokémon animated series.

Similar to the video game, Meloetta can change its type – from Normal/Psychic to Normal/Fighting – by using its special move, Relic Song. During Ash’s journey through the Unova region, it’s revealed that Meloetta was actually taken from its forest home by Team Rocket. Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket, captured Meloetta because its song, combined with a special item called the Reveal Glass, could unlock the full power of powerful Legendary Pokémon. Though this led to a near-disaster with immense power being misused, Meloetta was ultimately rescued, and the Legendary Pokémon calmed down.

8. Celebi Can Be a Source of Good or Force of Destruction

The Iron-Masked Marauder Nearly Destroyed the Johto Region

Image via OLM

Celebi has been a popular Pokémon since its introduction in Generation II, and it played a central role in the movie Pokémon 4Ever. The film tells the story of a young Trainer named Sam who tries to save Celebi from hunters, but accidentally travels forward in time. Lost in the future, Sam and Celebi meet Ash and his friends, but their journey is complicated by a dangerous Team Rocket member known as the Iron-Masked Marauder.

You won’t believe the trouble we had with this villain, the Iron-Masked Marauder! He had these special Poké Balls called Dark Balls that could actually corrupt Pokémon, turning them evil. We tried so hard to protect Celebi, but he managed to catch it with one of those Dark Balls, and it was awful – Celebi, usually so sweet, became all twisted and angry. The Marauder used the corrupted Celebi to power this huge, destructive robot! Thankfully, we were able to break through and free Celebi from his control, but it was badly affected and needed some serious healing from Suicune at the Lake of Life. In the end, Celebi was able to use its time-travel powers to send Sam back to his own time, which was a huge relief!

7. Jirachi Can Grant Any Wish

A Former Team Magma Scientist Wanted To Use Jirachi for Evil

Jirachi is a beloved Pokémon known for its cheerful look and starry design. Stories say that if you write a wish on one of the tags hanging from its head, it will come true. But seeing Jirachi is incredibly rare – it only wakes up for seven days every thousand years! While asleep, this Steel and Psychic-type Pokémon protects itself with a hard, crystal shell.

In the Pokémon movie Jirachi: Wish Maker, Max, May’s little brother, quickly befriends Jirachi when it wakes up after being roused by a special comet. However, a former member of Team Magma named Butler tries to capture Jirachi to power a dangerous creation – Meta Groudon – which horrifies him. Jirachi proves its power by using its special attack, Doom Desire, to destroy the creation. Finally, Jirachi goes back to sleep, safe and sound in its forest home of Forina.

6. Genesect Was an Attempt To Build the Strongest Pokemon

The Terrifying Reign of the Genesect Army

Throughout the Pokémon universe, many villainous groups have tried to train or create the most powerful Pokémon to carry out their plans. Besides Team Rocket, Team Plasma also conducted experiments for their own benefit, but these experiments led to trouble. They successfully revived Genesect, a Pokémon from over 300 million years ago, and then modified it, upgrading the cannon on its back. This upgrade allows Genesect’s special attack, Techno Blast, to change types depending on the Drive it’s using.

In the anime series, Team Plasma built an army of Genesect, initially led by a rare, Shiny Pokémon, but they eventually broke free from Team Plasma’s control. This group then caused widespread destruction throughout the Unova region, as depicted in the movie Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened. However, it was revealed that the Genesect Army wasn’t malicious – they were simply looking for a place to live. They eventually found a home in the Absentia Natural Park, but not before a confrontation with Mega Mewtwo Y.

5. Deoxys Was Born From Mutated DNA

The Psychic-type Has a Legendary Feud With Rayquaza

Deoxys, a rare Psychic-type Pokémon, came into being when a laser struck a piece of DNA from a space virus. What makes Deoxys unique is its ability to change into different forms – Normal, Attack, Defense, and Speed – allowing it to adapt to any battle. It’s a powerful and dangerous opponent, especially if provoked. Deoxys is well-known for its ongoing rivalry with Rayquaza, who sees it as a potential danger to the planet.

In the movie Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys, two Deoxys arrived on Earth inside a meteorite. After they split up, the Deoxys with the purple crystal went looking for its companion. This search led to a battle with Rayquaza and caused fear among the people and Pokémon of the Hoenn region. Eventually, the problem was solved, but not before Deoxys demonstrated its incredible power against Rayquaza.

4. Hoopa Unbound Can Summon Any Ally

This Mythical Utilizes the Power of Its Portals

Hoopa is a Pokémon known for its playful tricks and was first seen in the sixth generation of Pokémon games. This Psychic and Ghost-type Pokémon uses its six yellow rings to make portals. It uses these portals to steal things it likes and hide them in a secret treasure hoard only it knows about. Hoopa can also open portals for itself and its friends to travel through, as demonstrated in the new downloadable content for Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

I’m a huge Hoopa fan, and it’s really interesting how different its two forms are! When Hoopa is Confined, it’s a bit of a troublemaker, but definitely not evil. But then you see Hoopa Unbound in the movie, and wow, it’s seriously powerful and destructive – and it’s heartbreaking to learn that’s because of how it was treated in the past. During the battle, Unbound can actually summon Legendary Pokémon – even Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre! It wasn’t a one-way street though, because Confined Hoopa managed to call on some powerful allies too, like a super cool Shiny Mega Rayquaza. It really shows the contrast between the two sides of this amazing Pokémon.

3. Many Fear the Nightmare-Inducing Powers of Darkrai

The Dark-type Pokémon Recently Got a Mega Evolution

In the Sinnoh region, Cresselia is a kind Psychic-type Pokémon known for its lovely, crescent-shaped wings, which are believed to bring pleasant dreams. Unlike the well-loved Cresselia, Darkrai, its counterpart, is often feared. This Pitch-Black Pokémon can both lull people to sleep and influence their dreams, even causing nightmares. While it hasn’t appeared in the animated series, Darkrai has recently gained a powerful Mega Evolution, making it even more intimidating.

Darkrai is a powerful Pokémon to battle, as players of the Pokémon Legends games will know. Its most impressive abilities are showcased in Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai, which also explores its relationship with Dialga and Palkia. The anime reveals that despite its frightening powers, Darkrai isn’t inherently malicious. It actually used its abilities to divert the attention of the furious Dialga and Palkia, giving Ash and Dawn time to install the 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

Ever since it first appeared in the late 1990s, Mew – the adorable and mysterious Psychic-type Pokémon – has captivated fans. Mew is known for being playful, and its desire for fun sometimes leads to trouble for itself and others, as shown in the movie Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew. In the film, Mew is revealed to be the protector of the Tree of Beginning, a legendary location said to bring peace to those who are troubled. However, the Tree is also connected to a tragic past, specifically the story of Sir Aaron, a former Aura Guardian.

While Mew played an important part in the Pokémon world, it truly shined in the first Pokémon movie. When Mewtwo, a powerful clone of Mew, started causing trouble, Mew went to Mewtwo’s fortress. Usually playful, Mew showed a more thoughtful side, recognizing the sadness and anger behind Mewtwo’s desire to fight. After a fierce battle, Mew helped Mewtwo realize that how it was created didn’t have to define its life.

1. Arceus Is Said To Be the Creator of the Pokemon Universe

Arceus Once Sought To Destroy Humanity in the Anime

In Pokémon lore, Arceus is considered the very first being, the creator of the entire Pokémon world. Because of this, Arceus is essentially a god within the Pokémon universe. Beyond creating beings like the lake guardians and legendary Pokémon such as Giratina, Arceus has the unique ability to change its type during battle by holding different Plates. This ability, called Multitype, is incredibly powerful, so much so that the Aether Foundation in Alola attempted to artificially create a Pokémon with similar capabilities.

I was completely hooked by the story of the Alpha Pokémon! It all started with this incredible backstory in Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life – it turns out this powerful Pokémon was seriously wronged by its old friend, Damos. Then, fast forward to the present, and it’s back with a plan to wipe out the entire Pokémon world! Ash and his friends had to do some serious detective work, traveling back in time to figure out what really happened with Damos. It was a wild ride, and they ultimately managed to stop Arceus’s plan, but honestly, the biggest takeaway is: you do not want to upset the Pokémon universe’s creator!

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2026-02-03 17:38