5 best Charizard episodes from Pokemon anime

Ash's Charizard is supposedly the second most popular Pocket Monster after Pikachu in the Pokemon anime. While his Pikachu never evolves into Raichu in the series, Charmander evolves into Charmeleon and Charizard. He first befriends Charmander in the Lost Pokemon Hitokage, who then evolves into Charmaleon, a Fire-type critter who doesn’t listen to its master, in the Attack of the Prehistoric episode.

Although Ash gets a Charizard, it is stubborn at first. Nevertheless, both become best friends for life at the end of the day. To celebrate their companionship, here are the five best Charizard episodes from the Pokemon anime.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's point of view. The entries are arranged in no particular order.

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Five memorable episodes of Charizard from Pokemon anime

1) Can’t Beat the Heat

Ash and his team as seen in the Pokemon anime. (Image via TPC)

Charizard shines brighter than a shooting star in the Can’t Beat the Heat episode from the Pokemon anime. Ash Ketchum is competing in the Johto League Silver Conference. Gary Oak, his lifelong rival, is his opponent in this championship tournament.

Gary’s set of picks for the fight include Nidoqueen, Magmar, Blastoise, Arcanine, Scizor, and Golem. Meanwhile, Tauros, Heracross, Muk, Bayleef, Snorlax, and Charizard feature in Ash’s team.

Ash finds himself in a seriously disadvantageous position against Gary, where he only has a full HP Charizard. In contrast, Gary has three Pocket Monsters left at his disposal, Blastoise being his ace. Nevertheless, Charizard demonstrates an outstanding performance, making this episode notable in the Pokemon anime.

The creature heats the ground using its Flamethrower. Gary urges Blastoise to use its Hydro Cannon attack to undo the heat, which causes steam to appear. Using this as a distraction, Charizard closes the distance and catches Blastoise by hand.

Charizard then uses its iconic Seismic Toss attack on Blastoise to slam it onto the ground to deal significant damage. With this strategy, Ash managed to win even when the odds were against him.

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2) Charizard Chills

Charizard vs Poliwrath (Image via TPC)

Charizard Chills is another phenomenal episode from the Pokemon anime, as fans get to witness Charizard abandon its ego and accept the self to become powerful. The Fire-type critter has a bad attitude and pretends not to care for Ash.

In this episode, a trainer named Tad challenges Ash to a duel. The former manages to win with his Poliwrath, a Water-type Pokemon from the Alola region. Charizard takes massive damage from Poliwrath’s attack, rendering it unconscious and sick.

Ash and his team take care of Charizard by staying up all night, like they did for Charmander in the past. The love and affection from its friends melt the critter's stubborn heart, leading to it accepting Ash as its trainer. They went on to win against Tad in a rematch.

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3) Charizard's Burning Ambition

Charizard's will of fire. (Image via TPC)

The fire of ambition that burns a heart is not easy to extinguish. Charizard is a proud Pocket Monster in the Pokemon anime, and its heart is on fire. Ash wants the best for his buddies, which is why he decides to take Charizard on a trip to Charicific Valley. The valley is a natural habitat for this type of critter.

The scenario of Charicific Valley surprises Ash Ketchum. He finds his Charizard is not as strong as other Charizards inhabiting the area. He decides to leave his partner in the valley to become stronger through training. Ash sheds tears as he departs, while his buddy blasts a Flamethrower into the sky, as a way to declare its intention of becoming strong.

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4) Johto Photo Finish

Charizard and Blaziken, as seen in the anime. (Image via TPC)

Johto Photo Finish is the last episode of the third season, Johto Journey, from the Pokemon anime. After Ash defeats Gary Oak in the Silver Conference tournament, his next opponent is Harrison, a strong trainer from Hoenn. Harrison has a powerful Fire-type Pokemon up his sleeves, Blaziken.

Ash and Harrison face each other in the quarterfinals, where the battle depends on whose Fire-type monster is robust. Although Charizard gives everything to turn the tides, its opponent emerges as the victor. Regardless, this spectacular battle makes up for Ash losing his win steak.

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5) Enter the Dragonite

Dragonite slamming Charizard. (Image via TPC)

Dragonite is a pseudo-legendary Pokemon whose power is on par with some of the real Legendaries. The Enter the Dragonite episode showcases the skirmishes between Ash and Drake. The two go back and forth, losing critters in a heated battle. But, as the contest progresses, Electabuzz faces Charizard.

Charizard manages to take Electzbuzz down in this episode but loses a ton of health. Drake sends out Dragonite to challenge the Fire-type monster. Both gave their best, however, the pseudo-legendary reigned supreme.