{"id":18898,"date":"2026-02-28T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/umang.pk\/2026\/02\/28\/10-anime-to-watch-if-you-love-pokemon-that-arent-the-pokemon-show\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T20:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T20:00:00","slug":"10-anime-to-watch-if-you-love-pokemon-that-arent-the-pokemon-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/umang.pk\/en_us\/2026\/02\/28\/10-anime-to-watch-if-you-love-pokemon-that-arent-the-pokemon-show\/","title":{"rendered":"10 anime to watch if you love Pok\u00e9mon (that aren’t the Pok\u00e9mon show)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Pok\u00e9mon was officially born three decades ago, on February 27, 1996, with the release of Pok\u00e9mon Red and Green<\/em>but many fans would not discover the franchise until its television debut a year later in Japan (and two years later in the United States). With the release of the Pok\u00e9mon anime, we all fell in love with Pikachu and his adorable antics. The world would never be the same again.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

<\/p>\n

Today, Pok\u00e9mon is a sprawling multimedia empire that includes countless video games, animated titles, collectible card games, and highly coveted merchandise. But for many, the nostalgic appeal of Pok\u00e9mon is always tied to pokemon the series<\/em>which aired over 1,300 episodes between 1997 and 2023. There is a timeless element to the television series that also seems to belong to a simpler era.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The first season of Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> The anime, titled \u201cPok\u00e9mon: Indigo League,\u201d introduced Ash Ketchum (Satoshi in Japanese), an energetic boy from Pallet Town who receives Pikachu from the eccentric (and kind) Professor Oak. What begins as a humble attempt to compete in the Kanto League turns into an epic adventure with trusted friends who commit to Ash’s mantra of "gotta catch them all.” These arcs aren’t repeats of the games either, as we’re immersed in the nitty-gritty of bonding with these pocket monsters and unleashing them during battles. No matter how much time Ash spends in a floating timeline, we’re inclined to hope that such a beautiful journey never ends.<\/p>\n

The enduring popularity of pokemon the series<\/em> inspired countless clones, companions and lookalikes. Some stick to the premise of capturing and raising pocket monsters, while others heavily incorporate the show’s collectible card game elements to branch out into different battle mechanics. With this spectrum in mind, here are 10 anime worth watching if you love Pok\u00e9mon.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 1 <\/span>
\n <\/p>\n

Digimon Adventure
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n

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\"A\n <\/picture>Image: Toei Animation<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

The beloved Digimon franchise didn’t start in 1999 Digimon Adventure<\/em>but with WiZ and Bandai’s virtual mascot, The Digital Monster. This toy was not unlike a battle Tamagotchi, and became popular enough to sell 24 million units worldwide in 2005. The original Digimon Adventure<\/em> It may have been created to boost sales at the time, but it’s an impressive introduction to the vibrant world of franchising. The anime begins with seven Odaiba children (who later discover that they are "DigiDestined”, or the chosen ones) being transported to the Digital World, where digital monsters called Digimon can evolve and deploy for combat. Obviously, this is similar to the concept of Pok\u00e9mon trainers working together to evolve creatures for tournaments, but the Digimon Adventure <\/em>The saga changes things in sequels like the six-part one. Digimon adventure tri<\/em>. While the 1999 series upholds a simplistic ethos of good versus evil, it’s fascinating to see DigiDestined fight alongside characters like Gomamon or Agumon throughout the arcs.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 2 <\/span>
\n <\/p>\n

beyblade
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n

\n
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\"A\n <\/picture>Image: asylum<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Beyblade, another Japanese toy line that became a multimedia franchise, feels close to Pok\u00e9mon despite operating with different combat mechanics. These spinning top toys are based on traditional Japanese spinning tops called beigoma, which are thrown on a flat surface with long ropes (Beigoma Academy in Beyblade explosion<\/em> is a direct reference). Takao Aoki beyblade <\/em>The manga was adapted into a popular anime of the same name by Madhouse in 2001, introducing millions of children to Tyson Granger (Takao Kinomiya in Japanese) and his exciting adventures. After Tyson defeats a local gang leader in a Beybattle, the involvement of Kai Hiwatari, the leader of the Blade Sharks, leads to a tense rivalry between the two. Once Tyson discovers his Bit-Beast, Dragoon, he sets out to win the Japanese Regional Qualifying Tournament, making friends with teammates like Ray Kon and Max Tate along the way. While beyblade <\/em>It is not perfect by any means, its fantastic extremes are accompanied by a touch of endearing charm.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 3 <\/span>
\n <\/p>\n

Yu-Gi-Oh!
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n

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\"Yami\n <\/picture>Image: Toei Animation<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Kazuki Takahashi Yu-Gi-Oh!<\/em> The manga begins with Yugi Mutou inheriting his grandfather’s ancient Egyptian Millennium Puzzle, which he is able to solve after dedicating eight years to the effort. This leads Yugi to become host to an alter ego\/spirit of the game named Yami Yugi (who is the reincarnation of the pharaoh, Atem), who directs the narrative towards the card game Duel Monsters. Today, Yu-Gi-Oh!<\/em> is a huge franchise, but the 1988 Toei Animation series boosted its well-deserved popularity by taking a darker tone than later titles like Yu-Gi-Oh! GX<\/em>. The art style is also significantly different from the series’ signature aesthetic, with vivid, saturated characters contrasting with muted backgrounds. This early adaptation, called Yu-Gi-Oh! season 0,<\/em> follows a villain-of-the-week format to keep things interesting enough, while indulging in slice-of-life elements through the bonds forged by our protagonist.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 4 <\/span>
\n <\/p>\n

dinosaur king
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n

\n
\n
\"A\n <\/picture>Image: Dawn<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

In 2005, Sega released a card-based arcade game called dinosaur king<\/em>which shared game mechanics with its popular collectible card arcade title, Mushiking: the king of the beetles<\/em>. A TCG followed shortly after, along with the anime series of the same name produced by Sunrise. He dinosaur king<\/em> The anime builds on the central premise of Pok\u00e9mon in a fun way, but it’s somewhat niche (and overlooked) compared to successful Pok\u00e9mon clones like Digimon. In this story, Max Taylor, son of a paleontologist, goes on an adventure with his friends Rex and Zoe after witnessing a meteorite fall from the sky. After finding elemental stones and a card depicting a Triceratops, Max accidentally activates the dinosaur (named Chomp) by rubbing the card against the stones. This leads to conflicts with various villains and the story takes a predictable turn over two seasons. A pretty mediocre entry that’s pretty fun if you like the idea of \u200b\u200bsummoning dinosaurs into battle.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 5 <\/span>
\n <\/p>\n

Bakugan Battle Fighters
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n

\n
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\"Three\n <\/picture>Image: TMS Entertainment<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Bakugan Battle Fighters<\/em> was a joint venture between Sega Toys and Spin Master, and the anime contextualizes the toys and products released for international markets. Bakugan<\/em>Dan’s first season focuses on Dan, who catches a card that falls from the sky and invents a competitive ranked game called Battle Brawlers with his friends. Gradually, the children become aware of the alternate world of Vestroia, which is under attack by Doom Beings such as Naga (a rogue Bakugan) and Marduk (a human fighter). As with most stories with a fantastic premise, Bakugan Battle Fighters<\/em> stretches the limits of suspension of disbelief and even introduces plot points devoid of real-world logic (for example, Dan and fellow Brawler Shun Kazami claim to have invented the Bakugan rules, but seem perpetually unaware of the basics, and even misidentify some of the monsters they summon). The over-the-top nature of the show could have something to do with the need to cash in on the Pok\u00e9mon craze without having a story to back it up. That said, the second season, New Vestroia<\/em>It is much more simplified and intricate.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 6 <\/span>
\n <\/p>\n

shadow star
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n

\n
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\"A\n <\/picture>Image: Planet<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Perhaps the most underrated lookalike Pok\u00e9mon, shadow star<\/em> elevates its monster-breeding roots with great thematic complexity. The 13-episode anime based on Mohiro Kitoh’s manga aired in 2003 and features Shiina Tamao, who teams up with a starfish-shaped shadow dragon named Hoshimaru. Their interactions initially take on a dreamy, relaxed tone, but shadow star<\/em> takes a pretty dark turn when Shiina realizes that other star dragons don’t mean as well as Hoshimaru. This sudden outbreak of violence goes hand in hand with the trauma experienced by impressionable children, whom cold-hearted adults fail to protect. There is a direct link between the emotional states of humans and their shadow dragons, giving them shadow star <\/em>a psychologically dense inclination. This beautiful and haunting title is on the dark side of things, as its licensed DVD box set (English dub) has been out of print since 2009.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 7 <\/span>
\n <\/p>\n

Battle Doll: Angelic Cloak
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n

\n
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\"A\n <\/picture>Image: Bones<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Clamp angelic cloak<\/em> The manga does not come with any toys or merchandise, but has a unique genre-blending premise. After moving to Tokyo, seventh-grader Misaki Suzuhara becomes familiar with a competitive game called Angelic Layer, in which players wield custom-designed dolls known as Angels to battle their opponents. This highly televised sports sensation piques Misaki’s interest, after which he creates an angel named Hikaru and gradually becomes familiar with the rules of the game. The concept of a predominantly female cast participating in a shonen-coded battle sports tournament was rare in 1999, even when the anime produced by Bones, Battle Doll: Angelical Laye<\/em>r, aired in 2001. The near-future background aesthetic is also surprisingly grounded, favoring an extravagant battle royale like Angelic Layer and its incorporation of theatrical martial arts.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 8 <\/span>
\n <\/p>\n

Yokai Clock
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\n <\/h2>\n

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\"A\n <\/picture>Image: OLM<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Yokai Clock<\/em> began as a series of console role-playing games in 2013, the popularity of which launched an associated toy line from Bandai (Japan) and Hasbro (Americas and Europe). He Yokai Clock<\/em> The anime, which aired in 2014, took advantage of the strong narrative foundation that children could befriend and summon yo-kai, or spirits. If you have played any of the Yokai Clock<\/em> In the games, the spectacular world-building and pleasingly strange monster design stand out from the start. The interactivity between humans and yo-kai is the most fun aspect of these game narratives, an aspect that is lost in the anime. However, in 2014 Yokai Clock <\/em>is completely charming due to its comedic tone, where Nate, an overachieving 11-year-old, indulges in all sorts of wacky antics involving troublesome yo-kai. This one is aimed at kids, but that shouldn’t stop anyone from diving into such a whimsical world.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 9 <\/span>
\n <\/p>\n

Zach Bell!
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n

\n
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\"A\n <\/picture>Image: Toei Animation<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Toei Animation adapted Makoto Raiku’s award-winning film Zach Bell!<\/em> manga in 2003, but its merits remain overlooked to this day. The anime’s interpretation of the manga is extremely over-the-top and is enthusiastic enough to keep you completely hooked with its stylistic exuberance. The themes of overcoming adversity and forging identity seem par for the course here, but Zach Bell!<\/em> adds a good measure of graphic violence to revitalize its outdated inspirations. In the anime, the titular Zatch is found unconscious inside a forest by Professor Takamine, who sends Zatch to live with his son Kiyo in the city of Mochinoki. Zatch and Kiyo team up to participate in a knockout tournament held for the Mamodo, a species of mystical creatures that live in a parallel world. The duo forges alliances with various Mamodo, such as Kanchom\u00e9, introducing the old power escalation used remarkably well in this context.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n 10 <\/span>
\n <\/p>\n

Monster Rancher
\n <\/span>
\n <\/h2>\n

\n
\n
\"The\n <\/picture>Image: TMS Entertainment<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Tecmo (now Koei Tecmo) Monster Rancher<\/em> The games are very comparable to Pok\u00e9mon, as they work on the same principle of raising virtual pets to fight in tournaments. The goal is to keep these monsters healthy while also influencing their morale, which directly impacts their playstyle and performance during battle. He Monster Rancher<\/em> Games, and by extension anime, carry a hint of nostalgia. It’s the kind of franchise that you thoroughly enjoyed as a kid but inevitably outgrew as you get older. Even so, the Monster Rancher <\/em>The anime makes effective use of the isekai trope, where monster enthusiast Genki Sakura is transported to a world of monsters after inserting a video game disc into her console. After meeting Holly and her monster friend Suezo, Genki ends up summoning the duck-like monster, Mocchi. The subsequent whirlwind of monster attacks, power-ups, and new friendships makes Monster Rancher<\/em> Completely entertaining.<\/p>\n\n

If you purchase something through a Polygon link, Valnet Inc. may earn a commission. <\/em>See our ethics statement<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Soruce: polygon.com<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pok\u00e9mon was officially born three decades ago, on February 27, 1996, with the release of Pok\u00e9mon Red and Greenbut many fans would not discover the franchise until its television debut a year later in Japan (and two years later in the United States). With the release of the Pok\u00e9mon anime, we all fell in love […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[48357,49192,49190,49191,11171,12704,49193],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18898","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-anime","category-beyblade","category-digimon","category-digimon-adventure","category-nintendo","category-pokemon","category-yu-gi-oh"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/umang.pk\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18898","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/umang.pk\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/umang.pk\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umang.pk\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umang.pk\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18898"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/umang.pk\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18898\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/umang.pk\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18898"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umang.pk\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18898"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umang.pk\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18898"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}