In the minds of children and former children across the globe, perhaps the only thing more iconic thanthe adventures of Ash and Pikachuare thetheme songs that preceded each episode ofPokemon.
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Throughoutthe show’s long history, each Generation has had a slightly different tone and style. Be it through new characters, regions, or animation styles, thePokemonanime is one that has had many different overall presentations throughout the years. ThePokemontheme songis a crucial part of this, it’s a quick and dirty encapsulation of what the show was trying to be at the time. Some are truly iconic, while others are just straight-up bangers, but all of them are fondly remembered by audiences of all ages.
Updated August 01, 2025, by Jerrad Wyche:With the recent announcement of Ash Ketchum’s time as the Pokemon anime’s lead protagonist coming to an end, tons of dedicated and lapsed fans of the show are reminiscing nostalgically. The Pokemon anime has so many episodes and seasons, each ranging in storytelling, subject matter, vibe, and characters. It’s going to be strange for Ash and his Pikachu to no longer be front and center, but in the meantime, it’s nice to look back at all of the catchy and emotionalPokemon theme songsthe show provided, before the next era of the Pokemon anime begins.
13Master Journeys - Journey To Your Heart
The most recent saga of the anime sees Ash traveling across every region inPokemonhistory, encounteringfriends and rivals, new and oldalong the way. This series needs to capture that sense of nostalgia that comes with that while showing a move to the future.
Journey To Your Heartis the theme that comes closest to the style of traditional Japanese theme songs. It’s a bit cheesy but has some rock-out material as well as some emotional highs. The lyrics are fairly generic “friends can do anything together” rhetoric, but the music is so upbeat and funloving that it’s bound to put smiles on faces.
12Master Quest - Believe In Me
This song was the first to really try and rock out like no other theme song had before. Up until this point, most of the songs had relied on a fairly simple beat to carry them, which definitely worked, butBelieve In Meis all about the guitar, creating a track where the melody is even more memorable than the lyrics.
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Master Questwas the final series ofthe Johto saga,and a sharp change in feel for the anime was coming. This was the last series with Misty as a permanent companion for Ash, and the last time many of Ash’s Kanto Pokemon would be by his side. This song captures that feeling of finality for a lot of these aspects as the show prepared to wipe the slate clean for Hoenn.
11Journeys - The Journey Starts Today
The Journey Starts Todayis the song that best represents the vibe ofPokemonin the modern era. It’s a very modern song, the melody is almost entirely synth-based which gives the same feel as modern pop songs. That said, it still holds true to what the series has always been about.
The lyrics have the same “friends stick together” theme, but there’s a lot more creativity in how they’re woven together. Unlike many songs before this one, it doesn’t just outright state the message of friendship, it talks around it with fast-paced and catchy verses. It could be argued it’s a little too inoffensive to truly stand out, but the melody is just too catchy to deny.
10Battle Dimension - We Will Be Heroes
When it comes to the melody ofWe Will Be Heroes, it’s one of the most all-around solid. It starts with a simple background beat that slowly builds with the lyrics. It hits various styles of keyboard before hitting the emotional burst for the chorus. Drums and guitars kick in to keep that emotional high riding all the way to the title screen.
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The lyrics are a little on the nose with the friendship message, but it’s fairly appropriate for the Sinnoh saga. So much of the plots relied on the interpersonal connections between characters, and how they challenged each other. Ash and Dawn were often at odds but worked together and became close friends nonetheless. Ash and Paul were fierce rivals who taught each other the faults of their different perspectives. Those connections shine through in this song.
9The Johto Journeys - Pokemon Johto
After detouring to the Orange Islands, thePokemonanime finally took its first steps into a brand-new region withThe Johto Journeys. Much like the games, this series of anime may very well have been the last for the series (although we all know how that turned out) so it had to do its best to honor the old while embracing the new.
“New” is very much the theme of this song,Pokemon Johto. Almost every line of the chorus has the word “new” in it, hyping up kids everywhere to see all the fresh wonders Johto has to offer. It always makes sure to bring it back, though. “But we still gotta catch ‘em all” is a simple and effective way to remind everyone that it’s still the same show they’ve always loved. Combine all this with arguably the most catchy melody of any theme song, and it’ll stick in the mind for decades.
8XYZ - Stand Tall
XYZis anepic series of the show, with some movie-level plots coming to fruition. Team Flare and Lysandre, who were boring and forgettable in the games became some of the grandest and toughest villains the anime has ever seen. On top of that, it features the Kalos League, one of the best League arcs in the show’s history, with arguably the strongest and most competent version of Ash the show has ever seen.
Stand Tallis a song that parallels this cool and confident version of Ash. “I stand tall ‘cos I know I’m a winner” is the first line, and it makes a statement right out the gate that nothing is going to stop our protagonist this time. It puts the cool factor back into the show, the beat is simple, the guitar comes in at the right places; there’s even an orchestral vibe going on in the background. This is a track that’s ready to kick ass.
7Advanced Challenge - This Dream
The Hoenn saga hit it pretty soft at first. The first Hoenn series’ song is one of the most forgettable, but moving into its second series -Advanced Challenge- the show decided it wanted to rock out, and it went for it.
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This Dreamkicks off with an intense-feeling guitar and lyrics to match, it then slowly builds throughout the pre-chorus to kick into full gear for the chorus for a fast-paced song that doesn’t stop for anything. It’s filled with that strong sense of determination, helped by the lyrics, which balance the friendship rhetoric with all the cool battling and fighting stuff.
6Advanced Battle - Unbeatable
This is the theme song with the strongest sense of fun. There’s nothing complicated about this songUnbeatable, or how it represents the era of the show, it’s just an absolute blast to listen to from start to finish. It’s fast-paced, but not so much as to be intense, and the lyrics mix motivational speech with tough battle talk.
The rock band is the star of the show, mixing in occasional synth to create a memorable melody. The chorus isthe biggest earwormout of any of the theme songs, and that’s not by accident. It’s the kind of song that would get just about anyone pumped up to win a battle and was very cool to sing along to as a kid.
5Sun And Moon - The Challenge Of Life
Pokemonmay not be as massive as Disney, but it’s closer than people would realize, and it understands imitation is the best form of flattery. Some of the most beloved songs in Disney’s history come from Polynesian, Samoan, and other Pacific Islander influences and were featured in films likeMoana, Lilo & Stitch, & The Little Mermaid.
The third and final theme song forPokemon the Series: Sun and MooncalledThe Challenge Of Lifeinfuses those same vibes for the last ~50 episodes. Dani Marcus and The Sad Truth performed the theme song, but it’s really the melody and instrumentals that go a long way in making it feel special.
4Galactic Battles - Battle Cry (Stand Up!)
WhenPokemon the Series: Diamond and Pearloriginally aired in 2007 fans were starting to fall in love with what the fourth generation could bring to the anime. By the time the third season in the region,Diamond and Pearl: Galactic Battles, came along fans were bopping their heads to the theme song known asBattle Cry (Stand Up!).Despite the song’s title being a bit obtuse, the song was captivating and uplifting.
Erin Bowman managed to capture the sense of being a good person and fighting for what’s right in her performance of this song. It felt like a teenage rock anthem and the midway changeup makesBattle Cry (Stand Up!)feel much more epic than it had any right being.
