Top 5 legendary Pokemon seen in the anime

Legendary Pokemon are a huge part of the Pokemon. Whether it be the ones that appear on the cover of the video games or any of the hidden Legendary Pokemon that players may encounter in their exploration, Legendary Pokemon have a special place in the hearts of fans across the globe.

This sentimental value translates excellently into the long-running anime series. Most fans are familiar with the various movies made throughout the franchise that typically coincide with the release of various Mythical Pokemon. However, there are episodes of the anime that feature various Legendary Pokemon.

While some Mythical Pokemon have appeared in the anime, Legendary Pokemon appear much more often and in a grander fashion. With all of the anime episodes that have aired alongside all the Legendary Pokemon in the franchise, there are many memorable moments where Legendaries are featured.

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Top 5 legendary Pokemon seen in the anime

5) Zygarde

Zygarde's Complete Form as it appears in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

In the final season of the Kalos chapter of the anime, Pokemon The Series: XYZ, Zygarde was the main focus of the B plot for most of the episodes. After the Pokemon League arc, Zygarde began terrorizing the Kalos region after being persuaded by Team Flare for the duration of the season.

While having the entire region threatened by a giant legendary Pokemon was an interesting concept, many fans thought the arc dragged. With new episodes of the anime airing for English audiences once a week, many fans were not happy having a month and a half, six episodes, of a fight against one Pokemon.

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4) Legendary Golems

Brandon's Regirock, Registeel, and Regice as they appear in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Nothing makes for a more memorable episode than a high-action Legendary Pokemon versus Legendary Pokemon battle. In the episode, A Pyramiding Rage, Brandon of Hoenn's Battle Pyramid returns to the anime to investigate a disturbance at the Snowpoint Temple, which turns out to be an enraged Regigigas.

This episode also marks the return of Hunter J, a recurring antagonist. While under Hunter J's control, Regigigas fights relentlessly against Brandon's team of Legendary Golems before taking complete control over them with Confuse Ray. Of course, good triumphs over evil, but the battle makes for a memorable episode.

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3) Latios

Tobais' Latios as it appears in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The Ash versus Tobias fight will forever go down in history in the hearts of Pokemon fans as the episode of the anime where the main character battled the trainer with an Action Replay.

Tobias' Latios was an absolute menace in battle, taking out Ash's Swellow, Sceptile, and Pikachu after Darkrai fell to Sceptile's Leaf Blade. After fainting at the same time as Ash's Pikachu, Tobias was declared the victor and won the Lily of the Valley Championship.

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2) Suicune

Suicune as it appears in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Two details make an episode of the Pokemon anime memorable: catching a new Pokemon and seeing a Legendary one. Journeys upped the ante by combining these two factors, making for one of the most memorable episodes of any recent anime episode.

Ash and Goh encountered a Suicune in the 53rd episode of Pokemon Journeys. After battling a group of polluting Pokemon Hunters, Goh throws a Poke Ball in an attempt to save Suicune.

After he succeeds in capturing Suicune, Goh stays by its side, watching over it after it refuses to go to a Pokemon Center.

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1) Ho-oh

Ho-oh as it appeared in its debut episode in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

When people bring up Legendary Pokemon in the Pokemon anime, the topic of Ho-oh always comes up. At the end of the first episode, after a flock of Spearow is defeated, Ash and Pikachu wake up and find that a rainbow has appeared in the sky. Ash gets up and spots a shimmering, golden Pokemon flying by.

While it was a mysterious, unknown Pokemon at the time, this Pokemon was later confirmed to be Ho-oh. Though this detail has never been touched on again in the Pokemon anime, it still makes this episode stand out for both old fans of the anime and the new ones.