Top 5 best moments of the Pokemon anime

The Pokemon anime has certainly had its share of epic moments. From the moment he first met Pikachu to when he raced through the Alola League, Ash Ketchum has gotten into a countless amount of shenanigans.

Newer fans have fond memories of more recent feats (like his journey through Sinnoh), and older fans still remember the craziness that was the Indigo League. How do these moments stack up against each other?

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Which moments from Pokemon were the most memorable?

5) Ash protects Pikachu

Anyone who has seen the first episode of Pokemon likely remembers how Pikachu flat-out refused to do anything Ash said. However, there was a moment when Ash earned Pikachu’s respect. While Pikachu was refusing to get in a Poke Ball, Ash stood up to a crowd of Spearow to keep them from hurting Pikachu. Touched by this, Pikachu then remembered it had a type advantage and used Thundershock on the Spearow squad.

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4) Ash vs. Gladion

It may have taken him a long time, but Ash finally won a league. It wasn’t easy, though, considering Gladion was in his way. This showcased not only the battle between the two characters that was built up to the entire season but also the battle between Lycanrocs, with Gladion using the Midnight version and Ash using Lycanroc Midday.

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3) Pikachu beats Raichu

It is well known that Ash refuses to evolve Pikachu. Despite the better stats that Raichu has, Ash will never give it the Thunderstone. This match proved that Pikachu didn’t need the evolution.

Lt. Surge’s Raichu was more powerful, but it was evolved too early and didn’t know Pikachu’s speed techniques. Therefore, Pikachu ran circles around Raichu (literally), earning one of the most impressive knockouts in Pokemon history.

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2) Ash vs Gary

Gary has always been Ash’s toughest rival to beat. He speedran getting the badges way before Ash and had a gift for putting Ash down at every moment. Therefore, it was extremely satisfying to see Ash finally beat Gary. Not only that, but he did it using a Charizard against a Blastoise, ignoring the type disadvantage.

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1) Infernape vs Electivire

Many fans think that Paul was Ash’s best rival. Regardless, it led to a great showdown towards the end of the Diamond and Pearl anime. Paul’s Electivire went up against the very Infernape that he abandoned because it was “too weak.” After taking tons of damage, though, Infernape practically went super saiyan when its Blaze ability was activated. What followed was some of the most vibrant and dynamic animation the series has seen.