Pokémon Guide
Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, by Generation
Legendary Pokémon are the rare, story-defining catches of each game, usually one or two per box art plus a handful of others. Mythicals are even rarer, often locked behind events. Here is the rundown by generation.
Play: Spot the Shiny →Generation I — Kanto
The original legendary birds, the lab-made Mewtwo, and its mythical counterpart Mew.
Generation II — Johto
The legendary beasts, the tower duo, and the time-traveling Celebi.
Generation III — Hoenn
The legendary titans, the Eon duo, the weather trio, and two mythicals.
Generation IV — Sinnoh
The lake guardians, the creation trio, and the Pokémon said to have made the universe.
Generation V — Unova
The swords of justice, the forces of nature, and the Tao dragons.
Generation VI — Kalos
The life-and-death duo, the order Pokémon, and three mythicals.
Generation VII — Alola
The island guardians, the cosmic trio, and two mythicals.
Generation VIII — Galar
The hero wolves, the endless Eternatus, and the crown legendaries.
Generation IX — Paldea
The treasures of ruin, the box legendaries, and the loyal three.
Legendary vs mythical: what's the difference?
Legendary Pokémon are rare in-game catches tied to the main story, like the box-art mascots you battle near the end of the game. They are powerful, usually one of a kind, and obtainable through normal play.
Mythical Pokémon are a step rarer. They are almost always distributed through special events, codes, or tie-in promotions rather than found in the wild, which is why Mew, Celebi, and Arceus felt so legendary to a generation of players who never got one legitimately.
More guides
- Type chartAll 18 types, every strength, resistance, and immunity, with how dual-typing stacks.
- Gym leadersRegion-by-region rosters for every gym leader and Elite Four member, Kanto to Paldea.
- GenerationsAll nine generations: regions, games, new-species counts, and the mechanic each one added.
- StartersEvery Grass, Fire, and Water starter trio, their final forms, and which to pick.
- ShiniesWhat shinies are, the real odds across games, and every method used to hunt them.