Ever since the animated series debuted in the nineties, the original Pokemon anime has remained a staple of the overall Pokemon franchise. Beginning with the first season, titled Pokémon: Indigo League, the series follows the adventures of the aspiring Pokémon Trainer Ash Ketchum and his best friend, the adorable Electric-type Pikachu.
Though many fans are loyal to the series’ first season, the following seasons also have several amazing episodes. In fact, many of the more recent episodes are regarded as some of, if not the very best, of the entire series. Regardless, there are several episodes, new and old, that every Pokémon fan truly must watch for themselves.
“Island of the Giant Pokémon” — Pokemon: Indigo League
The Pokémon Heroes “Speak” for the First Time
As every fan knows, most Pokémon do not communicate via a human language. Aside from special Pokémon such as Mewtwo and Team Rocket’s endlessly sassy Meowth, the majority of Pokémon shown in the series convey their feelings to their human companions via body language, as the audience learns to do while watching the anime. However, in the Pokémon: Indigo League episode “Island of the Giant Pokémon”, Ash’s Pokémon are separated from their Trainer while traveling along the titular island. Then, a unique phenomenon occurs as several scenes focus only on the Pokémon.
While the Pokémon continue to speak in the Pokémon language, subtitles are now shown, allowing the audience to properly understand what they are saying. Ash’s Pokémon later encounter Team Rocket’s Pokémon, and the group decides to stay together despite Meowth’s annoyance. “Island of the Giant Pokémon” remains an entertaining episode not only for its adventure, but for its unique storytelling. The episode also goes on to state that a Pokémon is usually not inherently evil; if they do something wicked, it is because they are following their Trainer’s orders.
“Pikachu’s Goodbye” — Pokemon: Indigo League
Pikachu Meets a Horde of Other Mouse Pokémon
As revealed much later in the series, Pikachu was left without his parents during his days as a Pichu. Because of this, he never grew up alongside other Pikachu, only encountering others of his kind apparently for the first time in the episode “Pikachu’s Goodbye”. By this point in Pokémon: Indigo League, Ash and Pikachu have become great friends, and work much better together as a battling duo. However, after Pikachu meets a horde of other Pikachu and gains their friendship, Ash begins to wonder about their relationship. Would Pikachu truly be happier living with others of his kind than with a human?
Ash later decides to leave Pikachu with the horde, running away in tears before anyone can interject. Once he stops running, Ash turns around to see that Pikachu has followed him with a smile, indicating that he wants to stay with his friend. The two embrace, and are able to continue their journey across Kanto together. One of the more emotional episodes of the series, this storyline truly encapsulates how loyal Pikachu is towards the Trainer he once refused to work alongside with.
“Charizard Chills” — Pokemon: Adventures in the Orange Islands
Ash Nurses the Flame Pokémon Back to Health
Upon evolving into Charmeleon and then Charizard, the once kindhearted Fire-type of Ash’s team suddenly becomes unusually aggressive. Not only would the Flame Pokémon refuse to listen to Ash and often set him on fire, but it would not even acknowledge the other Pokémon it once saw as his friends. As such, Ash would not use Charizard often in battles, as unless Charizard actually wanted to fight, he would simply lounge on the ground instead of battling. During his time in the Orange Islands, Ash chose Charizard to battle against Tad’s powerful Poliwrath, being the strongest Pokémon on his team aside from the just-knocked-out Pikachu.
Unfortunately, Charizard refuses to listen to Ash, and is hit with Poliwrath’s devastating Ice Beam, freezing the Fire/Flying-type save for his tail. Though he thaws out, Charizard becomes very sick and is unable to warm up properly, his tail-flame startlingly smaller than normal. As Ash cares for Charizard, the Flame Pokémon thinks about the time they have spent together since he was a Charmander, and decides to turn over a new leaf. Once Charizard feels better, he proves to Ash that he not only wants to work with him as a team, but that the Fire/Flying-type wants to be friends once more.
“Bye Bye Butterfree” — Pokemon: Indigo League
Ash’s Butterfree Falls in Love With Another Bug/Flying-type
Right after obtaining Pikachu, his starter Pokémon, Ash sets out to actually catch a Pokémon for his team. The very first Pokémon he captures is Caterpie, a common Bug-type Pokémon originally found in the forests of Kanto. From the start of his time with Ash and the others, Caterpie proved to be a kindhearted and loyal Pokémon. Though he was disheartened by Misty’s initial disgust with him due to being a Bug-type, Caterpie becomes good friends with Pikachu, even sharing his dreams of growing stronger with him one starry night.
Like other Bug-type Pokémon, Caterpie evolved very quickly, becoming a Metapod and then a Butterfree in no time. During the species’ mating season, Butterfree met a pink female Butterfree and quickly fell in love. After the brave Bug/Flying-type saved his crush and many others from being captured, Butterfree expressed how it wished to travel with its mate. Though it broke his heart to do so, Ash released Butterfree so that he could be with its true love, the episode showcasing their time together as well alongside bittersweet music.
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“Battling a Thaw in Relations!” — Pokemon: DP Sinnoh League Victors
Ash and Infernape Face off Against Paul for the Last Time
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Prior to joining Ash’s team, Chimchar, a Fire-type starter from the Sinnoh region, traveled with its Trainer Paul. For most of the Sinnoh arc of the original animated series, Paul is shown to be a cold and calculating Trainer, less interested in becoming friends with his Pokémon and more focused on winning battles. Any Pokémon who failed to exceed Paul’s high standards would find themselves released into the wild, an event that sadly happened to Chimchar. The Chimp Pokémon would thus be invited to join Ash’s team, where he was shocked to see how everyone on the team lived happily and supported one another.
Thanks to Ash’s more compassionate method of training, Chimchar would later evolve into Monferno and even Infernape, a powerful Fire/Fighting-type Pokémon. However, Infernape’s greatest challenge occurs at the Lily of the Valley Conference, where he faces off against his former Trainer and his team. At the very end, Infernape powers through his battle against Paul’s immensely strong Electivire, winning the battle. Thus, the rivalry between Paul and Ash is brought to a close, and Infernape’s story shines through with a happy ending for the Pokémon once given up on for his “weakness.”
“Forming a More Perfect Union!” — Pokemon the Series: XYZ
Everyone Comes Together To Defeat Team Flare
In Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, the heroes are introduced to Lysandre, an old friend of Professor Sycamore. Though he initially appears to be a kindhearted philanthropist, it is revealed that he sought out the devastating ultimate weapon to reduce the world’s population; in his mind, doing this would improve the lives of the survivors. In the anime, Lysandre is also studying Mega Evolution, and enlists Alain’s help to aid in the overall research. However, the young Pokémon Trainer is horrified to discover that he is simply a pawn in Lysandre’s game.
Trainers from around the Pokémon world, including Steven Stone and even Team Rocket, race to defeat Lysandre and the rest of Team Flare before they destroy the Kalos region. Meanwhile, Bonnie’s unlikely friend, the Zygarde Core nicknamed Squishy, breaks free from Lysandre’s grasp and, with the help of the other cells, creates Zygarde’s Complete Forme. Under Bonnie’s command, Squishy unleashes a devastating move on Lysandre, seemingly killing him. In the aftermath, Kalos appears to be saved, yet the region is changed forever due to Team Flare’s plans.
“Partners in Time!” — Pokemon Ultimate Journeys: The Series
The Greatest Battle of Ash’s Career
From the time he first set out from Pallet Town on his journey, Ash Ketchum has vowed to one day become a true Pokémon Master. Since then, he has challenged countless Trainers, earned a plethora of Gym Badges, and even become the Champion of Alola. However, Ash’s greatest battle occurs at the end of the Masters Eight Tournament, a challenge featuring Trainers from around the world. Many Champions, such as Steven Stone from the Hoenn region and even Cynthia from the Sinnoh region, arrived to compete in the tournament.
At the very end of the Master’s Eight Tournament, Pikachu was the sole member of Ash’s roster facing down Leon’s final Pokémon, Gigantamax Charizard. The battle was long and undoubtedly explosive; at one point, it seemed as if Leon would win the match. However, Ash and Pikachu never gave up on each other and were able to win the intense battle at the end. Thus, Ash was crowned the winner of the Masters Eight Tournament, the highlight of his career as a Trainer until the day he could truly become a Pokémon Master.
“Pokemon – I Choose You!” — Pokémon: Indigo League
Professor Oak Introduces Ash to Pikachu
After the end of the original anime, many fans looked back at the early episodes, seeing how far Ash and Pikachu had come since their first meeting. Pikachu and Ash met only by chance, as Ash had overslept on the day he was meant to pick out a starter Pokémon from Professor Oak. Had this not occurred, Ash may have traveled with another Pokémon entirely. However, as destiny would have it, Ash’s starter was the independent Pikachu, an Electric-type that was quick to shock his new Trainer.
Ash was upset that Pikachu refused to work alongside him, and tried to capture another Pokémon. Unfortunately, he ended up angering an entire horde of Spearow in the process, which left both Trainer and Pokémon injured. Despite their conflict, Ash shields the injured Pikachu from the horde, inspiring the Electric-type to unleash a powerful Thunderbolt that drives the avian Pokémon away. There, as the clouds cleared and a rainbow formed before their eyes, Ash and Pikachu finally found common ground. This was the start of an unbreakable bond that would act as the original series’ core for many seasons to follow.
Pokémon
- Release Date
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1997 – 2023
- Network
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TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC
- Directors
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Shigeru Omachi, Koji Ogawa, Fumihiro Ueno, Hideki Hiroshima, Maki Kodaira, Makoto Ooga, Ayumi Moriyama, Keitaro Motonaga, Shigeru Ueda, Fumihiro Yoshimura, Minoru Ohara, Yoshitaka Makino, Kiyoshi Egami, Makoto Sokuza, Bjarne Heuser, Naoki Murata, Kenichi Nishida, Tomoe Makino, Masahiko Watanabe, Hiroaki Takagi, Tazumi Mukaiyama, Ryohei Horiuchi, Yoshihiro Oda, Hiromichi Matano
- Writers
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Junki Takegami, Atsuhiro Tomioka, Hideki Sonoda, Yukiyoshi Ôhashi, Yuka Miyata, Takeshi Shudo, Shouji Yonemura, Shinzo Fujita, Michihiro Tsuchiya, Deko Akao, Reiko Yoshida, Aya Matsui, Junichi Fujisaku
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Rica Matsumoto
Satoshi (voice)
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Ikue Otani
Pikachu (voice)
