Pokemon is an anime about Ash Ketchum catching Pokemon and battling gym leaders and in the Pokemon Leagues to become a Pokemon Master. Often he has to fight off Team Rocket, a trio of Pokemon thieves out to steal his Pikachu. However, unlike most animes, Pokemon is not about fighting villains to the death. The closest thing to fighting is Pokemon battles, which are never to the death. As such, deaths are rare in Pokemon, and many of them are resurrected.
First Generation
- Spearow - The entire flock of Spearow was trying to kill Ash as revenge for him throwing a rock at their leader (which, notably, didn't join in the chase, and later reappears as a Fearow near the beginning of Season 2), and for Pikachu attacking the lead Spearow. Pikachu jumped in front of Ash, was powered up by a bolt of lightning, and unleashed a devastating Thunderbolt that destroyed Misty's bike and engulfed the Spearow. Afterward, the Spearow cannot be seen, indicating that they may have been killed. This is debatable, though, as it has never been confirmed, plus a flock of Spearow are seen in the same episode when the lead Spearow returns as Fearow. This may be a different flock or the same.
- Ash Ketchum - When Ash was trying to capture a Ghost Pokemon at the Tower of Terror to defeat Sabrina, the three Ghost Pokemon, Gastly, Gengar, and Haunter sank into the ground. Ash dove down to catch them but smashed into the floor, causing the chandelier to fall onto him and Pikachu. The Ghost Pokemon took out their souls to play with them as ghosts, and later returned them to their bodies.
- Pikachu - When Ash dove onto the floor while aiming for Haunter, Gastly, and Gengar, it caused the chandelier to fall and electrocute them. The ghost Pokemon took out their souls so that they were ghosts, and later returned them so they lived again.
- Dr. Fuji - Mewtwo used his psychic powers to blow up the lab, killing him and all the scientists.
- Ash Ketchum - Jumped between Mewtwo and Mew's energy waves that threatened to destroy everything, and was turned to stone. Was restored to life by the Pokemon's tears, original and clone alike.
- Lawrence III - Trapped on Lightning Island when Moltres and Zapdos shot down his ship and Lugia later destroyed it; Quite possibly died of starvation, despite making plans for the future. Debatable
- Entei - Sacrificed himself to defeat the Unown and restore everything to normal, and was destroyed as he was created by the Unown
- Lawnmower - When a lawnmower was hit by Larvitar with a rock, it suddenly came to life and chased the Pokemon with circular saws and chainsaws. Eventually all the Pokemon (namely Pikachu, Togepi, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Psyduck, Sunflora, Sandshrew, Donphan, Bulbasaur, Oddish, Granbull, and Larvitar, ) except Kecleon and Bayleef make a path for the lawnmower with the logs (at one point it broke free due to Psyduck tripping, but Bayleef jumps in and throws it back onto the path with Vine Whip), until it crashed into the shed. After banging around inside, it finally came out, and fell apart.
- Latios - Used up his power and sacrificed himself to save the city from destruction caused by the orb being destroyed by Annie and Oakley. This is first official demise in the television.
Advanced Generation
- Evil Groudon - Destroyed by Jirachi with its power
- Jessie - Eaten by an antibody blob inside the Tree of Beginning. Was later revived by Mew. (It is also possible, though, that the blobs merely trapped them, so every blob one could count as debatable, however the word "eliminate" was used)
- James - Eaten by a blob inside the Tree of Beginning. Was later revived by Mew.
- Brock - Eaten by a blob inside the Tree of Beginning. Was later revived by Mew.
- Max - Eaten by a blob inside the Tree of Beginning. Was later revived by Mew.
- May - Eaten by a blob inside the Tree of Beginning. Was later revived by Mew.
- Kidd Summers - Eaten by a blob inside the Tree of Beginning. Was later revived by Mew.
- Ash Ketchum - Eaten by a blob inside the Tree of Beginning. Was later revived by Mew.
- Lucario - Sacrificed himself to save the Tree of Beginning, which was dying as a result of Mew using a vast amount of power and restoring its victims back to life. His master, Aaron, sacrificed himself the same way many years before the movie.
- Mirage Mewtwo - Weakened by the Mirage Mew, and destroyed by Pikachu using a Volt Tackle.
- Mirage Mew - Sacrificed itself to help destroy the Mirage Mewtwo and the mirage system.
- Dr. Yung - Ran into the fire caused from his lab being destroyed by his mirage system's destruction. He seemed unfazed from his defeat and claimed he would continue to work on his Mirage system. Debatable, as Officer Jenny never found his body (at least not by the time the area is last seen onscreen).
Diamond and Pearl
- Darkrai - Sacrificed himself to protect the town during the battle with Dialga and Palkia. Was later revived.
- Hunter J - Mesprit and Uxie took out her ship's engines with Future Sight, causing it to crash into the whirlpool of Lake Valor, flood, and explode. (Though not entirely confirmed she hasn't been seen since)
- Cyrus - Entered a portal leading to a dimension he controlled Dialga and Palkia to create, and was destroyed along with it by Dialga and Palkia when they were released from his control and went on a rampage.
Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction
- Argus and Millis Steel, and their Aegislash and Chesnaught -turned to stone (along with their airship) by Yveltal's Oblivion Wing, later revived by Xerneas's Geomancy (Chesnaught was the first to die, the rest came afterward).
- Team Rocket trio (Jessie, James and Meowth) - turned to stone by Yveltal's Oblivion Wing, later revived by Xerneas's Geomancy.
- Merilyn, her Delphox and Yanmega - turned to stone by Yveltal's Oblivion Wing, later revived by Xerneas's Geomancy (her pokemon were killed first, Merilyn fallowed with Riot).
- Riot and his Greninja - turned to stone by Yveltal's Oblivion Wing, later revived by Xerneas's Geomancy (Greninja died first, Riot came later along with Merilyn).
- Carbink servants Merrick, Bort and Allotrope - turned to stone by Yveltal's Oblivion Wing in an attempt to protect Diancie, were later revived by Xerneas's Geomancy.
- Ash's Pikachu - slightly hit on the tail by Yveltal's Oblivion Wing and only began petrifying after Yveltal's wrath was calmed, later revived by Xerneas's Geomancy.