The 15 Most Iconic 'Pokémon' Villains Across The Anime, Video Games, and More

• Medium: Anime

• Appears in: Pokémon the series: Diamond and Pearl

Hunter J is a Team Rocket member so cold and villainous that it’s a travesty that she never appeared in a Pokémon game. She’s a ruthless hunter who is willing to hunt down any Pokémon for the right price. 

• Medium: Movies, video games

• Appears in: Pokémon: Jirachi, Wish Maker, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Pokémon Platinum Version, Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew

Butler is only a villain for a portion of Pokémon: Jirach, Wish Maker, but while he is, he’s actually one of the more successful villains in the entire franchise… in a roundabout way. He sets out to create the legendary Pokémon Groudon but creates a version that absorbs his love interest.

• Medium: Anime, manga, video games

• Appears in: Pokémon the series: Black and White, Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, Pokémon Sun and Moon, Pokémon Adventures

Colress is a scientist who puts what he deems as progress above morality. He designs a device that allows him to control Pokémon and ‘awaken’ their inner potential, essentially turning them into slaves. A villain who feels their actions are justified and serve a greater purpose is always solid.

• Medium: Anime

• Appears in: Pokémon the series: Diamond and Pearl, Pokémon the series: Black and White, Pokémon Journeys: The Series

The biggest point of contention with Paul and Ash is that Paul sees Pokémon as a vessel for his own power and greatness, releasing them if he feels he can’t use them. This makes him heartless in this world and a great villain.

• Medium: Anime, manga, video games

• Appears in: Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Pokémon Emerald, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Pokémon Masters EX, Pokémon Adventures

Archie and Maxie are a pair of villains who want to expand the land or sea to keep Pokémon in mind, not realising this would be detrimental for a whole bunch of other reasons. 

• Medium: Anime, video games

• Appears in: Pokémon: Advanced Battle, Pokémon Sun and Moon, Pokémon the series: Sun and Moon, Pokémon Journeys: The Series

Lusamine is a loving mother… or at least she was, before she fused with Nihilego, which turned her against her own child. She has a good arc in the anime series, but in the games is where she really gets to shine as a villain.

• Medium: Movies

• Appears in: Pokémon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior

Zero’s goal is to take over the Reverse World by taking control of Giratina and he essentially succeeds until Shaymin has something to say about it.

• Medium: Movies

• Appears in: Pokémon Heroes

Oakley is one of the more memorable, crueller villains throughout all of the movies, which is impressive, considering the great cast. Oakley assumes control of Latios and is even able to cause its death before anyone intervenes.

• Medium: Anime, manga, video games

• Appears in: Pokémon X and Y, Pokémon the series: XY and XYZ, Pokémon Masters, Pokémon Adventures

You’ll struggle to find stakes higher than those when Lysandrew as trying to achieve his nefarious plans. After getting sick of people depending on him, his goal becomes to capture Zygarde and use it to wipe out humanity and restart the planet.

• Medium: Anime, movies, video games

• Appears in: Pokémon: The First Movie, Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened, Pokémon Detective Pikachu, Pokémon the series: The Beginning, Pokémon: Mewtwo Returns, Pokémon Journeys: The Series, Pokkén Tournament etc.

After Mew’s DNA was manipulated by scientists for a long time, Mewtwo was born and aimed to take revenge on those that created him. Famously, he also turned Ash into stone before he was revived by the tears of Pokémon.

• Medium: Anime, video games

• Appears in: Pokémon: Black and White, Pokémon: Black 2 and White 2, Pokémon the series: Black and White

The leader of Team Plasma, Ghetsis is your classic villain in the sense that he’s diabolical beyond belief. He manipulates his own son for his idea of the greater good and his overall goal of ruling Unova.

• Medium: Anime, manga, video games

• Appears in: Pokémon: Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Pokémon the series: Sun and Moon – Ultra Adventures, Pokémon Adventures

Having a Pokémon truly be a standout villain on its own, not being used by an evil person, was a tricky feat but the creators knocked it out of the park with Necrozma, the Blinding One. In the games where Necrozma is the central protagonist, it’s one of the more memorable and difficult boss battles in the franchise’s history.

• Medium: Anime, manga, video games

• Appears in: Pokémon Adventures, Pokémon the series: XY, Pokémon X and Y

Speaking of Pokémon being self-acting villains, Malamar is another incredible example. Malamar has psychic abilities and uses them to hypnotise both people and Pokémon on a quest to build an army. 

• Medium: Anime, manga, video games, 

• Appears in: Pokémon Adventures, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Pokémon Platinum, Pokémon Masters, Pokémon the series: Diamond and Pearl

Cyrus is the billionaire, genius leader of Team Galactic whose goal was to create a new dimension by capturing Pokémon who represent time and space. He essentially succeeds at this before eventually being stopped and sent to the Distorted World as a punishment, hilariously getting what he wanted in a roundabout way anyway.

• Medium: Anime, manga, video games

• Appears in: Pokémon Yellow, Pokémon Gold and Silver, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Pokémon the series: The Beginning, Pokémon Adventures etc.

Finally, Giovanni, who was essentially the franchise’s first antagonist, is still considered by many to be the best, most iconic villain out there. He tasks his agents with stealing rare Pokémon so that he can further his evil empire and his impact on the larger world even beyond himself is grand.