Despite being for children, Pokémon has tackled many adult themes, such as depression, war, PTSD, and, most notably, death. That’s right, even in the colorful world of Pokémon, the grim reaper still reigns supreme, giving us some of the most tragic deaths in anime. Here are the five deaths that made us weep into our pillows at night.
The Entire Cast — Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew
During the movie’s climax, a series of blobs absorb the main cast. They cause the cast to disintegrate and, in the process, pass away. This is already hard enough to watch without the writers adding another emotional punch to the blow.
Out of sheer desperation, Ash, Brock, and May release their Pokémon and urge them to escape. But the loyal Pokémon refuse to obey their trainers. They would rather die alongside them than to abandon them. As expected, Ash’s best buddy Pikachu also chooses to remain by his side. He grabs Ash’s hand and tries to pull him out of the blob, but it’s no use.
Ash disappears, and Pikachu, like all of us, stares at the space where Ash stood in disbelief — and cries. The heartbreaking scene happens so suddenly that it overwhelms both children and adults. It’s no wonder that everyone was brought back to life by the end of the scene.
Ash Ketchum — Pokémon: The First Movie –Mewtwo Strikes Back
Surprisingly, Ash Ketchum’s famous death at the climax of the first Pokémon movie doesn’t rank highly for casual Pokémon viewers. This sentiment is a testament to how mercilessly the anime pulls at our heartstrings. The anime has gotten more mature with age, tackling increasingly darker themes.
During the scene, the (initial) antagonist Mewtwo and (initial) anti-hero Mew launch two powerful attacks at each other. Ash, who doesn’t want the two Pokémon to fight, throws himself in the middle of the attack. He successfully stops the two from harming each other but ends up in a petrified state as a result.Pikachu, unwilling to accept Ash’s fate, repeatedly tries to shock life back into him until he runs out of juice.
Despite his efforts, Ash doesn’t respond, and it looks as if Pikachu has lost him forever. Tears fall from his eyes and those of the Pokémon surrounding them. Ash’s death was unnecessary and helped the two opposing sides realize the impact their feud had on innocent bystanders. Ash just wanted to save everyone but was killed in the process. Eventually, the tears of the Pokémon magically revive Ash and convince Mewtwo to change his ways.
Ash Ketchum — Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You
It’s no secret that the movies are more emotional than the show, and the latest movie is no exception. After Ash and Pikachu’s battle with the mythical Pokémon Marshadow and his antagonistic trainer Cross, the latter places an artifact stolen from Ash onto a mythical stone. This act enrages the Pokémon world and creates a dark shroud. As a result, the wild Pokémon around Ash turn on him.
Ash selflessly protects Pikachu from the other Pokémon, but is injured in the process. In Ash’s concussed state, he gains the ability to communicate with Pikachu. He asks Pikachu why he won’t get into his Pokéball to protect himself. Pikachu replies, “It’s because … because I always want to be with you.” As if we weren’t already choked up by Pikachu’s declaration, the movie takes it a step further.
The wild Pokémon fire off an explosive attack, forcing Ash to scoop up Pikachu to protect him. Once the smoke clears, all we see are Pikachu and Ash’s hat. As Ash begins to fade away, Pikachu tries to place Ash’s hat on his head, but Ash disappears, and the hat hits the ground instead. Watching Pikachu sob into that hat while simultaneously releasing a massive electrical charge is painful. This beautifully written scene will make you hug your loved ones a little bit tighter.
Luxray — Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You
Before Ash’s death later in the movie, the supporting character Sorrel explains his tragic backstory. One that involves the death of someone close to him. When Sorrel was a child, he formed a close bond with his family’s pet Pokémon Luxray. One day, as Sorrel was playing in the snow, he got lost couldn’t find his way home. Luxray, able to sense that his master was in danger, left in search of him.
By the time Luxray found Sorrel, he’d already begun to fall victim to the freezing temperatures. Knowing that his master was near death, Luxray cuddled up with Sorrel. His actions saved his master from the cold. However, when Sorrel awakens, he finds Luxray frozen in the snow.
The scream he lets out is gut-wrenching, one borne from all the time they’d spent together. Anyone that’s lost a beloved family pet, especially as a child, will struggle to hold back the tears during this haunting scene. The lasting effects on Sorrel, as well as the audience, are proof that tragedy and heartbreak can happen anywhere, at any time.
Stoutland — Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon (Season 20, Episode 21)
Hands down, Stoutland’s death is the most tragic one in the entire series. It recently came about as a part of the show’s new stance to teach children adult themes in the most appropriate way possible. The old Pokémon Stoutland spent his time looking after his housemate, a young Pokémon called Litten. Though Stoutland was weak, he decided to teach Litten the move Fire Fang. In return, Litten found food for its master.
Sadly, Stoutland’s condition deteriorated as Season 20 progressed. One day, Litten wakes up from a terrible nightmare where Stoutland dies. Unfortunately, this nightmare becomes a reality when Litten realizes that Stoutland has disappeared, meaning that he died.
His death hurts even more when you realize that leaves on a nearby tree fall off as Stoutland’s health declines. When the last leaf falls, we know that he’s passed on. After everything that Stoutland’s done for Litten, he’s gone in an instant. Ash and friends appear to help Litten. As they help Litten grieve, a Stoutland-shaped cloud appears near a rainbow. The wonderful scene clearly drew inspiration from The Lion King.
If you want to experience this scene as originally intended, do yourself a favor and watch the Japanese sub instead of the English dub. The sub plays a heartfelt piano solo throughout that highlights the severity of Stoutland’s death better than the upbeat music used in the dub.
