Ash vs Liko: Which Pokemon protagonist will reign supreme?

The Pokemon anime's primary protagonist for decades was one Ash Ketchum, who went out on top as the world's greatest trainer by winning the World Coronation Series and becoming its new monarch. Meanwhile, the more recent Horizons series has followed as the next major installment and follows Liko, a fledgling trainer exploring the world and learning more about it and herself.

Who would win in a battle though? In all seriousness, this particular mock battle would likely not be very close, but for a bit of fun, it doesn't hurt to examine the strengths and weaknesses of these two Pokemon protagonists before providing a final verdict.

Note: This article is subjective and based on the author's opinion.

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Predicting a Pokemon battle between Ash Ketchum and Liko

Liko's strengths and weaknesses

Roy, Liko, and Dot in the Horizons series (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Liko's journey only started when Pokemon Horizons began in Spring 2023 in Japan, but she's come a long way. Since then, she's joined the group of adventurers known as the Rising Volt Tacklers, made fantastic friends, and has brought along her three current Pocket Monster companions: Floragato, Hattrem, and the legendary Terastal species Terapagos.

Liko has already overcome more than a few challenges, from regularly battling the insidious villains of the Explorers to undertaking her current Terastal Training course in Pokemon Horizons' current Terastal Debut arc. With her knowledge, she hopes to bring Terapagos to the paradise of Lakua, a strange realm said to be connected to the explorer Lucius and his most faithful Pocket Monster friends.

Our Horizons protagonist has also faced several powerful legendary species including Lucius' Black Rayquaza and Galarian Moltres, and her Sprigatito (now Floragato) never backed down from a fight. Liko and Floragato have had their stumbles and misfortunes, but have grown stronger because of it, and the two are becoming an inseparable pair in battle in particular.

However, Liko has her shortcomings. She can struggle with her confidence and being able to be authoritative, especially in battles. Liko can also crack under pressure, and while her bond with her Pokemon is strong, she has a long way to go to become an established trainer. Fortunately, she knows this, and she's working on improvement in some regard constantly.

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Ash Ketchum's strengths and weaknesses

Ash, his Pocket Monsters, and his friend Goh in the Journeys series (Image via The Pokemon Company)

By the end of the Ultimate Journeys series, Ash Ketchum is the Monarch of the World Coronation Series, a title reserved for the strongest Pokemon trainer in the world. From his humble beginnings in Pallet Town alongside his beloved Pikachu, Ash has experienced anything and everything a trainer could expect to see during his decades-long animated run.

He's faced countless gym and Elite Four challenges, and while he hasn't overcome all of them, Ash and Pikachu took the biggest prize in the world of Pokemon. Along the way, they made countless friends, saved the world what seemed like dozens of times, and faced off against some of the most powerful Pocket Monsters who have ever lived.

As a battler, Ash is confident and immensely capable. He has a huge roster of Pokemon to work with and his Pikachu is well-regarded as a partner capable of doing its absolute best when backed into a corner. Ash seeks out a challenge at every opportunity to show why he's the best, and this attitude carried him to his goal after years of work and adventuring.

While his adventures in the animated series are finished for now, Ash has gone out on the highest note imaginable and made it clear his journey isn't finished. It may only be a matter of time before the trainer who took the world by storm from Pallet Town returns, and it will be a day many fans cherish.

Ash, despite having a ton of upsides, does have his flaws. In particular, he can grow too overconfident of his abilities at times and be taken by surprise. Still, by the end of his animated journey, Ash is well aware of his shortcomings and is likely to work on them substantially.

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Verdict: Ash wins, and it isn't close

Put plainly, Ash is too much for Liko to handle in battle (Image via The Pokemon Company)

It likely won't be a surprise to any fan of the Pocket Monsters anime, but Ash simply outclasses Liko in every way. He possesses years of experience and battle-hardened tactics that Liko is only starting to obtain. Also, Ash's Pocket Monsters are in another league compared to Liko's companions, save for perhaps Terapagos. However, considering how many legendary species Ash and Pikachu have encountered, Terapagos wouldn't likely be much of a threat either.

Even with his drawback of being overconfident, Liko simply doesn't have the skill or experience to take Ash by surprise. She's still a trainer learning the ropes about herself and her partners, and Ash has a treasure trove of knowledge and experience to fall back on that simply puts him in another stratosphere compared to the fledgling Horizons protagonist.