Top 10 Iconic Pokemon Moments

WatchMojo

They're the best like no one ever was. Join Ashley as we look over the Pokemon anime's greatest scenes

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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today, we're counting down our picks for the most iconic Pokemon

00:10anime moments.

00:14Number 10, Pikachu vs. Raichu

00:27We'd seen Pikachu take a loss before, but somehow, this defeat at the hands of Lieutenant

00:31Surge's Raichu was just devastating.

00:35It seemed that Ash would have no chance at getting the Gym Badge unless he evolved Pikachu

00:40with a Thunder Stone, something Pikachu just wasn't comfortable with.

00:44But there's a reason why Ash and Pikachu are the heroes of this story.

00:49They have courage and perseverance.

00:58They were able to figure out that, by evolving Raichu too soon, he missed out on some moves

01:04only a Pikachu could learn.

01:06Utilising his agility technique, Pikachu was able to easily take down his seemingly far

01:12stronger foe in their rematch.

01:18Number 9, Cynthia's Flex

01:20Apparently, Paul skipped the day at trainer school where they explained how powerful a

01:25regional champ really is.

01:28On reputation alone, this fight's over before either call their first Pokemon, and nothing

01:34Paul does can change that.

01:43In fact, not even type coverage and his bench of reserved Mons can stop it from becoming

01:48the most one-sided battle in the entire series.

01:52Admittedly, there's some worthwhile gratification in seeing the prideful Paul get wrecked by

01:58just one Pokemon.

02:00The fact it comes in the form of Paul's long-overdue comeuppance just makes it all

02:05the better.

02:06At least he can take solace that it's a miserably quick defeat.

02:12Number 8, Bye Bye Butterfree

02:25As a kid, we all tuned in to the show to watch Ash collect as many Pokemon as he could.

02:30We never expected him to leave some behind though.

02:33Being the first Pokemon Ash caught himself, he had a strong bond with Butterfree, but

02:38during their trip to Saffron City, he had no choice but to say goodbye.

02:43It was the season of love for Butterfree, who just happened to find his perfect partner

02:48in the adorable Pink Butterfree.

02:59When it was time for the two to fly off into the sunset, we're given a series of flashbacks

03:04to all their times together before this parting.

03:07It's an emotional farewell that still makes us tear up to this day.

03:17Number 7, Kalos Finals This isn't the first time Ash proved himself

03:22in a regional league, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

03:26But more than any other tournament, it really felt like he deserved to win this one.

03:38Ash's journey across Kalos pushed him to new heights, both as a person and a trainer.

03:43Just to prove it, he even unlocked a powerful new form called Ash Greninja.

03:57With that on his side, his first crack at the league's grand finals featured some of

04:01the best action the series had seen till then.

04:04Unfortunately, this bout is better remembered for Ash's eventual loss than anything else.

04:10But that doesn't take away from everything he accomplished to even get there.

04:26Number 6, Alolan League Champ After a thousand episodes of continued disappointment,

04:33most fans had accepted the fact that this perennial 10-year-old would never achieve

04:37his goal.

04:39At least, not anytime soon.

04:41So it put the entire internet into a frenzied uproar when Ash finally won a Pokemon League.

04:56It came after a hype but rather understated tournament, though the outcome alone is enough

05:01to make it practically iconic.

05:03Given the tense rivalry between Ash and Gladion, having their final match close with a duel

05:08of Lycanroc forms just feels right.

05:28No matter how he did it, the fact that Ash won at all marked a welcome sign that Pokemon

05:34was officially growing up.

05:37Number 5, Ash Stops Mewtwo Mewtwo was brought into this world as nothing

05:45more than a tool for power.

05:47He came to resent humanity and questioned why Pokemon would live in harmony with them.

05:53He wouldn't find that answer until the climactic moments of his clash with Mew, when Ash valiantly

05:58jumped in between their attacks, sacrificing his own life.

06:11This act of selflessness and the emotion of all the Pokemon around him was a wake-up call

06:16for the feared creature.

06:18The fighting ceased, and Mewtwo gave us what may just be one of the greatest lines in anime

06:25Number 4, Charizard vs. Magmar

06:37It took a little while, but Ash finally got his trademark fire-type to ignite on the battlefield.

06:43Against the fiery Cinnabar gym leader, Blaine, Charizard decided to stop using Rest.

06:48Instead, he spat a flamethrower and flapped those wings all the way to a shiny new gym

06:54badge.

06:55That blazing showdown with Magmar is as hot as it comes, and not just because it's in

06:59an actual volcano.

07:04However, the real novelty of this fight is finally seeing Ash earn Charizard's respect.

07:13Even though it didn't last, this glimpse of what the pair could accomplish summed up

07:18the best parts of Pokemon training with one red-hot duel.

07:34Number 3, Ash Becomes World Champ

07:37For over 25 years, Ash had dreamed of becoming a Pokemon master.

07:42And now, by defeating Leon, he's actually done it.

07:46This is more than just an iconic Pokemon moment.

07:49It's arguably the franchise's most important episode ever.

07:53Not just for its unprecedented effect on the series, but also for its jaw-dropping epic

07:59final fight.

08:06It's got nostalgic callbacks, it's got fantastic animation, and it's got gorgeous music.

08:13But more than that, it succeeds because it's the culmination of everything the show had

08:16been building to since Pikachu's first Thundershock.

08:25There's no denying it now, Ash really is the very best like no one ever was.

08:38Number 2, Rivalry Showdown

08:41From the very start, Ash's priority has always been to become a Pokemon master.

08:46But surely knocking Oak's grandson down a peg or two was definitely high on the to-do

08:51list.

08:52As a result, their fated confrontation at the Silver Conference felt like the culmination

08:57of the entire series to that point.

09:07Fittingly, it has all the emotional heft and intense showdowns to do the climactic

09:13battle justice.

09:14Whether it's Tauros finally getting the spotlight, Snorlax's insane rampage, or Charizard's

09:20iconic seismic toss, it's clear this is Pokemon at its best.

09:30After all, nothing sums up the idea of getting stronger better than finally overcoming an

09:35age-old rival.

10:00Usually oversleeping doesn't turn out this well.

10:04After all, instead of a Charmander, Squirtle or Bulbasaur, his tardiness meant he was left

10:09with a certain electric mouse as his partner.

10:12It wasn't either of their first choice, and it didn't take long before the wrong

10:16kind of sparks started to fly.

10:26But after a few Spearow pecked away at their reservations, the two became the very heart

10:31and soul of the whole franchise.

10:41That shot of the two looking at the now-clear sky as Ho-Oh soars past will forever be ingrained

10:47in our memories.

10:49We knew that we were watching something truly special.

10:57Which Pokemon moment lives in your head forever?

11:00Let us know in those comments below.

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