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The Pokemon anime may have 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:its differences from the games, but one thing remains an equally definitive aspect between both: battles. Most of the Pokemon anime's characters live and breathe to battle one another, whether it's in Gym battles, League Conference battles, or World Coronation Series battles.
Of course, battles don't exist on their own in the anime. They come with stakes that exist outside of official standing. Some battles carry real conflict and emotional weight, making for some of the most exciting moments of the entire series. We'll highlight the best of the best when it came to battles that not only kept fans on the edges of their seats but were narratively important for those involved.
Updated November 27, 2022, by Kyle Laurel: The Masters Eight Tournament gave fans a lot to remember. With Ash completing his path to becoming a World Champion, here's an updated list with a few more recent battles you might recognize!
17 Ash vs. Clem♋ont (Lumiose City Gym) 𒐪
The X&Y anime had quite a few awesome Gym battles (this one won't be the last to make the list), but this one stands out thanks to Clemont being one of Ash's traveling companions. Despite the friendship they had, neither Ash nor Clemont held back as the former fought for the Lumiose City Gym Badge.
It was a close fight throughout, and both showed off their battling styles very well; Clemont was a smart strategist, but not even a bulletproof strategy could break Ash. Goodra would be the battle's MVP for the latter, as it managed to withstand a flurry of hits from Clemont's Luxray before using Bide to blow double the damage back, knocking the latter out to win the match.
16 Ash ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚvs. Lt. Surge (Vermilion City Gym, Second Match)
For how primitive it is compared to its current-day seasons, the Original Series has some pretty memorable Gym battles to its name. While some props should also be given to Ash's fiery battle against Blaine, Ash's rematch against Lt. Surge is arguably the best of that particular crop.
This was Ash's first true victory against a Gym Leader, and the first time Ash's innate determination translated into success. It showed glimpses of the Trainer he would become: one that executed strategies on the fly and worked best with high-agility Pokemon. The same can be said for Pikachu as he beat Lt. Surge's Raichu, establishing his dominance over his evolved form and showing his desire to prove himself as just a Pikachu.
15 ꦚ May vs. Drew (Kanto Grand Festival)
May's rivalry with Drew is arguably the best one that doesn't involve Ash, and it hit a turning point at 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:the Kanto Grand Festival. May was getting better and better as a coordinator and Drew recognized that. But nothing was proven until they bꦚattled under the brigh🅷test lights.
While the battle wasn't as visually stunning as contest battles would become later in the series, it was definitely something to watch for its time. It was a close battle all the way until May edged out the victory with Combusken by pulling off a Sky Uppercut to Drew's Absol at the last second. May wouldn't win the whole Festival, losing to Solidad in the semi-finals, but this battle proved she'd finally arrived as a Coordinator.
14 Ash vs. Brandon (Battle Pyramid, Thi𒀰rd Match) ⛎
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While Ash's first bout against Pyramid King Brandon was a cringe-worthy possession episode, and his second was another disappointment from his Torkoal, his third was both a throwback to the good ol' days and an overall exciting match.
Ash decided to bring back his old trio of Kanto starters (Charizard, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur) for his Battle Frontier swan song. It didn't start off so hot, losing Charizard early after a fumbled Seismic Toss. However, the rest of the team managed to hold their ground — especially Bulbasaur, who managed to do a lot of dirty work. As icing on the cake (pun not entirely intended), Pikachu won the Brave Symbol for Ash by adding the first Legendary to his hitlist: Brandon's Regice.
13 ﷺ Alain vs. Ash (Lumiose Conference)
While this was a more honorable way for Ash to bow out of a League than 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:getting wiped out by Tobias in Sinnoh, Ash's Greninja losing to Alain's Charizard had been a point of contention for a while.
Still, Ash's first appearance in a League Final was an absolute Blast Burn of a bout from start to finish. Even though he ultimately lost, Ash proved he belonged, having been the only Trainer in that tournament to put up a good fight against Alain, who finally found the joy that came with battling someone in his ballpark. Good thing, too, because chances for a potential rematch were dashed by Alain blowing it in the Masters Eight Tournament.
12 Ash vs. Gladion (Manalo Conference) 🌳🐻
The result of this battle was such a monumental moment that it's currently the basis of a real-world holiday, but the whole battle itself was worth remembering as well. While the Alola League Final wasn't the six-on-six battle you see in most League tournaments, it was a culmination of one of the better rivalries in the series, and it was certainly all killer, no filler.
It featured a clash of two Legendary-tier Pokemon in Ash's Melmetal and Gladion's Silvally, an explosive draw between Pikachu and Gladion's Zoroark, and the final battle between 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:two formes of Lycanroc. As many probably know, Ash's Dusk Lycanroc won in the end, finally giving Ash the League trophy that had eluded him for decades.
11 ⛄ Ash vs. Koꦗrrina (Shalour City Gym)
Ash and Korrina have faced off a few times, and while their World Coronation Series rematch was also exciting, their first bout at Korrina's Gym was a sight to behold. This battle was a benchmark in Ash's ongoing history with Lucario, as he witnessed 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:its Mega Evolution at the true extent of its powers.
Pikachu had the tough task of battling against Mega Lucario after it knocked out Ash's Hawlucha and Fletchinder in convincing fashion, but after a close blow-for-blow affair, Pikachu won. Aside from it being one of the more important Gym battles in the whole series, it was also one of the X&Y season's many visual achievements; almost every frame of the battle showcased some stunning animation.
10 Ash vs. Drake (𒁃Orange League)꧂
Fans might not count the Orange League as a real League, or at least as important as, say, the Alola League. But it can't be denied that Ash's final battle there against Supreme Gym Leader Drake was spectacular to watch.
A huge reason for that was 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Drake's ace, Dragonite. It wasn't just any other pseudo-Legendary; it had ten moves in its arsenal and managed to beat three of Ash's other Pokemon. Leave it to Pikachu to finish the job, though, as he stood his ground and managed to beat it with a point-blank Thunder to the head, giving Ash the victory and a spot in the Orange League Hall of Fame. Not bad for his first full six-on-six battle ever.
9 ܫ Ash vs. Maylene (Veilstone City Gym, Third Match)
Fans like to look at this battle as the first one th🍌at truly had high-quality action animation, and rightfully so. The momentum never swung too far in one direction, as both Ash and Veilstone Gym Leader Maylene🎃 did everything they could to stay on their feet. Ash showed particularly good patience when it came to switching out Pokemon as necessary.
In the end, it came down to Maylene's Lucario and Ash's Buizel, and the action was non-stop from that point. The two kept canceling each other's power out, even as the roof literally blew off and Buizel's Speed increased in the rain, and it came down to the final Force Palm and Aqua Jet collision. The fight may have ended in a draw, but Ash certainly earned his Gym Badge.
8 Ash vs. Olympia (Anistar City Gy😼m) 🎐
Arguably the X&Y Gym battle prototype at its best, this bout between Ash and Olympia, the Gym Leader of Anistar City, was absolute visual candy and then some. In arguably the anime's greatest ever double battle, Ash's Frogadier and Talonflame and Olympia's two Meowstic put on a show, taking advantage of the beautiful Gym and pushing the anime's animation capabilities to its absolute limits.
Amidst all the strategic juggling and unbreakable teamwork from both sides, making for an entertaining battle all on its own, the highlight of the match had to be towards the end. Frogadier managed to create a gigantic Water Pulse through paralysis and Meowstic's Psyshock, causing Olympia to literally foreshadow the Ash-Greninja form it would later evolve into.