- today
From fiery battles to emotional farewells, these unforgettable moments redefined what it means to evolve in the "Pokémon" anime. Get ready for scenes full of growth, teamwork, and heartwarming transformations. Favorites like Charizard, Lucario, and Greninja make their mark, alongside surprising debuts such as Sirfetch’d and Goodra. Which evolution tugged at your heartstrings or left you cheering the loudest? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're revisiting some of the most dazzling scenes from the
00:14anime where a Pokemon unlocked its full potential.
00:23Number 30 Rapidash's Trailblazing Entrance
00:26When its trainer injures her arm, Ponyta must rely on Ash to ride with it in the Big P Pokemon race.
00:41They had a rough start, but Ponyta learned to trust Ash, and they saddled up for the main
00:46event.
00:47Unfortunately, Team Rocket's meddling hinders their chances of winning.
00:52After sending the Three Stooges flying, Ash and Ponyta sprint to the finish line, and
00:57in a blinding light, Ponyta gallops to victory as a majestic Rapidash.
01:11The scene is nothing short of inspiring, from Ponyta trusting a stranger to race with it,
01:21to its dazzling burning finish as it evolves into a racing champion, leaving old cheetahs
01:26in the dust.
01:27Number 29 Florigato stands against Rayquaza.
01:40When she enrolled in the Indigo Academy, Liko was given a feisty Sprigatito as her starter
01:45Pokemon.
01:46The grass kitten's independent attitude meant that she didn't warm up to Liko at first,
01:51but Liko eventually won her over, and Sprigatito became a loyal member of the team, if a little
01:58possessive at times.
02:00This bond comes to a head when the two confront a shiny Rayquaza.
02:04Despite staring down the barrels of a literal legend, Sprigatito is determined to hold her
02:09ground, which kickstarts her evolution into Florigato.
02:14While not strong enough to defeat Rayquaza, she did manage to land a hit on the titanic beast,
02:25and that alone is worth celebrating both Florigato and Liko's progress.
02:33Number 28 Bonsly grows up.
02:39Even before deciding to become a doctor, Brock knew a thing or two about taking care of Pokemon.
02:45He even formed a father and son bond with little Bonsly.
02:49Being an infant, it was extremely sensitive and needy, craving Brock's attention almost
02:54constantly.
03:01However, by the time they arrived in Sinnoh, Bonsly showed signs that he was finally growing
03:07up.
03:08This newfound maturity came to a head when Bonsly freed himself from a cage and grew into
03:13a Pseudowoodoo.
03:26No longer a needy crybaby, Pseudowoodoo is a loyal and upbeat Pokemon, always eager to
03:32help the surrogate father who looked after him for so long.
03:36He even gives Brock a cheerful salute whenever it leaves its Pokeball.
03:42Number 27 Cinderquill evolves 10 seasons later.
03:46Fans joke about how Ash barely evolves his starter Pokemon, but when it happens, we take notice.
03:53For example, his Cinderquill he caught all the way back in Johto.
03:56It had trouble getting its flame started during a battle, but it stood by his side whenever
04:01he needed it.
04:12It spent over 500 episodes as the sleepy Fire Mouse.
04:16Ash considered evolving it earlier, but didn't want to force it.
04:20However, in Season 13, Cinderquill is backed into a corner by Team Rocket, only to finally
04:26evolve into Quilava and send the crooks flying.
04:29Ash did the right thing by waiting for it to evolve on its own, and now Quilava is an energized
04:41powerhouse.
04:42The story of Serena's Sylveon is actually pretty inspirational.
04:56We first meet her as a tiny Eevee with a love for dancing.
05:03Unfortunately, she was also extremely shy and too timid to try and take the stage, and yet,
05:13Serena welcomed her onto her team with open arms.
05:17Offering comfort and encouragement whenever she could, slowly but surely, Serena helped
05:22her timid partner out of her shell, and their unbreakable friendship allowed little Eevee
05:28to unleash her full potential as a beautiful, graceful Sylveon.
05:42While she still has her doubts from time to time, Sylveon is much more confident than when
05:47we first met her, and ready to join her trainer on the stage like the star she is.
05:53Number 25 – Politoed's Surprise Entrance
05:56When Ash and Tracy fell ill, Misty searched for a cure and found a friendly little Poliwag.
06:03It helped her find the medicine and later became a part of her team.
06:06It later evolved into Poliwurl and became a powerhouse on Misty's team, but its confidence
06:19waned after some heated battles.
06:22Misty considered evolving it into Poliwrath, but Poliwurl found a King's Rock and held onto
06:28it while it was in its Pokeball.
06:30When it returned, a big surprise was waiting for Misty.
06:34Instead of her Poliwurl, she now had a Politoed.
06:45A stark contrast to Poliwurl, this green frog would rather clap and cheer from the sidelines
06:51than battle.
06:52But its cheerful demeanor is too infectious.
06:58Number 24 – Pikachu's Voluntary Evolution
07:01Don't get too excited, it's not the one you're thinking of.
07:10Go – Nash's travelling companion during journeys caught a female Pikachu, a friendly
07:16peacemaker who will offer berries to anyone in need whether they want it or not.
07:21The same day, they discover a thunder stone and nearly gave us a heart attack thinking
07:26Ash's Pikachu finally evolved.
07:29Later, when her friends are captured by Team Rockets, Go's Pikachu willingly evolves herself
07:34into Raichu, giving her the strength to set her brethren free.
07:39It's heartwarming to see a Pokemon willingly change themselves to save their fellow kind.
07:52And at least we can say a main character actually owns a Raichu, just not the one we were expecting.
07:58Number 23 – Pidgeotto Takes Charge
08:05Near the very start of his Pokemon career, Ash managed to capture a Pidgeotto in the Viridian
08:12Forest.
08:16While not the most developed, Pidgeotto was a loyal member of Ash's crew, serving as his
08:26eyes in the sky or aerial defense when needed.
08:29Its bravery enabled it to evolve into a large Pidgeot at the start of the next season, where
08:35it protected a flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto from an aggressive Fearow and its gang.
08:48Ash released Pidgeot so it could protect its flock, promising to come back for it some day.
08:54Our eyes watered when Pidgeot finally returned in the Journey's finale, instantly reminding
08:59us how it was one of Ash's most dependable Pokemon.
09:10Number 22 – Kumbuskin kicks into gear
09:14At the start of her journey, May was given Torchic as her starter Pokemon.
09:22Unfortunately, May's inexperience was reflected in the fire chicken as it struggled to focus
09:28during battle. Over time, both Trainer and Pokemon helped each other grow and develop,
09:34and Torchic became a bruiser when it evolved into Kumbuskin.
09:46Eventually, Kumbuskin rose to the challenge as Blaziken and demonstrated its newfound might
09:52by effortlessly taking out Team Rocket with a devastating Blaze Kick.
09:58May and Torchic were made for each other, starting out with no experience and gradually gaining some
10:08along the way. Its final evolution into Blaziken perfectly reflected May's growth as a trainer
10:14and coordinator.
10:16Number 21 – Ekans and Koffing grow for their trainers
10:20Even though they're incompetent crooks, no one can say that Team Rocket doesn't care for their Pokemon.
10:26Koffing – Jesse's Ekans and James' Koffing were devoted to their respective trainers.
10:31Koffing – Koffing – But getting defeated by Ash's Pikachu almost every week started to get annoying
10:36after awhile. Jesse and James considered evolving the two but were hesitant out of fear that they
10:50wouldn't be the same Pokemon they loved. However, the choice wasn't theirs to make, as Ekans and Koffing
10:57evolved right there into Arbark and Weezing. Outside of their power levels, not much had changed post-evolution.
11:09Arbark and Weezing still remained loyal to their trainers and, unfortunately, still got their butts
11:15kicked regularly.
11:21Number 20 – Gyarados's High Seas Retribution
11:25With a swift kick to the rear, James' hasty purchase went from Floundering Fish Sticks to Oceanic Titan.
11:32Don't want to be your master!
11:34Don't want to be your master!
11:36While any trainer worth their stuff could have told him that Magikarp's useless base form paves
11:42the way to the much improved Gyarados, he had to learn the hard way. Ash and the others were there to
11:48watch it too. Although, all it did was nearly push them to the bottom of the sea. Despite its ferocity,
11:58there's something oh so memorable about watching Magikarp evolve right in the nick of time to show
12:04James who's who. If only so, the Team Rocket grunt never makes that mistake again.
12:09Number 19 – Hariyama flexes on the competition
12:15No one said earning a gym badge was supposed to be easy, but this just feels unfair.
12:20Brawly's Makuhita delivered enough arm thrusts to nearly clean up Ash's whole team on its own.
12:29Then, things went from bad to worse, when all the experience helped it grow into a bonafide
12:35punching maniac, also known as Hariyama.
12:45Trico tried to stand its ground, but all it did was prolong the inevitable. Brawly's Hariyama
12:51finished the match and Ash's poor grass type without breaking a sweat.
12:55Even though Ash claimed the knuckle badge in their rematch, Hariyama's devastating debut isn't easy to
13:05forget.
13:12Number 18 – Crocodile grounds the enemy
13:15Determined or not, Ash's Crocorock had a major hurdle to overcome if it wanted to come out on
13:20top of Iris' Dragonite. It wasn't fully evolved. However, after raising it from a little sandile,
13:27there wasn't anything left stopping Ash and his Unovan Ace from going all the way to Crocodile.
13:37Now, final form against final form, the battle blazed so bright, it's a wonder Ash didn't steal his
13:44Pokémon shades for himself. Dragonite's wings didn't make it easy, but Crocodile put its new power to
13:50work with a match-winning, super-effective Stone Edge. The rubble left a clear message – don't mess
14:01with a Pokémon in sunglasses.
14:06Number 17 – Butterfree breaks the mold
14:09It just feels right that Ash's very first capture, like ever, was also his first to reach its final
14:15stage. Of course, we're talking about Butterfree. The Bug-type started out as a puny Caterpie,
14:25but through a few ups and downs, Ash learned how to nurture a Pokémon from pet to friend to partner.
14:32As exciting as it is to see Butterfree quite literally spread its wings, the moment only lands
14:38because Ash had to first own up to his past mistakes. This evolution is as much for him as it is for his
14:50Pokémon, as Beedrill never stood a chance against a Bond like that.
15:00Number 16 – Goodra's Gooey Welcome
15:03In contrast to most of Ash's other companions,
15:06Goomy had a major role to serve before it ever joined the team.
15:12It wanted to protect its native wetlands. From there, Ash's diligent support helped
15:17it break through into Sliggoo. But it was the Pokémon's own memories of its habitat
15:22that gave it the final push too. Do we even need to say it?
15:25Ash's Kalos team was absolutely stacked, but there's no way to discuss the arc without
15:30mentioning a certain emotional dragon type. By framing this evolution as part of Sliggoo's
15:39own personal journey, Goodra's unveiling is just as empowering as all his future victories combined.
15:45Asher's Gligar spent most of its Sinnoh days sticking out its tongue and having a good time. That doesn't mean it couldn't get serious though, and after a royal butt-whooping by Glyscor, it was determined to level up.
16:00There was just the nagging issue of battle.
16:05It was just the nagging issue of its crippling fear of battle. Thankfully, it overcame its worries,
16:09grabbed a Razor Fang, and showed everyone what a real Glyscor can do.
16:13It's damn cool, but it doesn't lose the playfulness that made Glygar a fan-favorite.
16:18It was just the nagging issue of its crippling fear of battle.
16:23Thankfully, it overcame its worries, grabbed a Razor Fang, and showed everyone what a real Glyscor can do.
16:38It's damn cool, but it doesn't lose the playfulness that made Glygar a fan-favorite.
16:43Plus, Glyscor gets the rare distinction of being Ash's only Pokémon to evolve via an item.
16:50No matter how you look at it, this moment rocks.
16:59Sirfetch'd raises its leak.
17:01Leave it to Ash to catch a Pokémon just as it gets a shiny new evolution.
17:06Farfetch'd had been around since the very first generation, but it was mostly ignored by both Ash
17:11and the wider anime until its Galar variants came along.
17:15When it finally evolved into Sirfetch'd, it made up for lost time and then some.
17:24Really, its whole storyline felt like a long-winded build-up to this one moment
17:29where it could finally joust with Gallade.
17:36It's a fight unlike anything we'd seen before, and single-handedly justified every single minute
17:41Ash spent training the Flying-type. If that's not the hallmark of a fantastic evolution scene,
17:47nothing is.
17:5613. Caterpie's Cocoon
17:58Remember how we said Butterfree was Ash's first Pokémon to reach its final stage?
18:02Well, it lost the title of first-ever evolution to its prior form.
18:06And although Metapod's Harden Attack won't be winning Ash any gym badges,
18:11the momentous impact of this turn of events is too great to pass up.
18:21Caterpie's glowing transformation is a firm validation of everything Ash is striving for.
18:31After all, with enough grinding, any trainer can catch them all, but only the elite few can raise
18:37the ones they already have. Toss out the Pokedex, Metapod's glorious appearance is what it really
18:43means to be the very best like no one ever was.
18:5112. Noivern makes some noise
18:54Friendship is the catalyst for a lot of Pokémon evolutions, but in this case,
18:59Noibat didn't go full power just for Ash. No, he was also up against a freaking Zapdos,
19:05and about to watch Horlucha plummet to an early grave. Things were looking dire,
19:11but then Noivern decided to make his grand entrance.
19:21Not only did he save his ally, but he even fended off the legendary bird with a jaw-dropping boom burst.
19:27If you can make a rampaging Zapdos respect your power, you know you've raised your Pokémon right,
19:38so take it from us. When in doubt, find a friend like Noivern.
19:42And you're the best too, Noivern.
19:4411. Igniting Talonflame Another day,
19:53another Kalos flying type evolving against a Kanto legendary bird. Man, there must be something in
19:59the water over there. Or maybe it's in their fire, considering Fletchinder totally brings the heat
20:04against Moltres. So much so that it rises like a Phoenix into the almighty Talonflame.
20:1012. And the other Pokemon also picks up the move Brave Bird, and uses it to show Moltres it's not
20:20the only fire flying type in town anymore. 12. Even though Ash and Talonflame can't quite clinch
20:30the win, this smouldering battle is a welcome reminder that nothing burns hotter than a flame-filled
20:36evolution scene, especially one with a legendary.
20:3912. Talonflame, are you alright?
20:4113. Flank!
20:4313. Lichenrock Howls What Ash's Rockruff lacked in size,
20:48it made up for with its temper. Luckily, it channeled that rage into something constructive,
20:53befriending Tapu Lele. Then, after a few rocky spas, Rockruff earned some of the legendary's power,
21:00and finally grew out of its first stage. Instead of mirroring Ash's growth,
21:11the episode smartly frames this evolution as the culmination of Rockruff's own journey.
21:17Sure, this wouldn't be the last time Ash's Rock-type lost control,
21:20but seeing Rockruff's efforts manifest in a slick new transformation is still a step in the right
21:26direction. Plus, it doesn't hurt that it comes in the shape of the effortlessly cool Dusk form.
21:38That epic howl to the sky is very well deserved.
21:479. Cinderace shoots and scores There's always something special about a starter's
21:52final evolution, and Goh's is no different. It couldn't have come at a better time either.
22:02It's innitess is waking up, Goh's losing ground against Milotic, and his raboot only wants to fight
22:09with its ineffective ember attack. But after Goh learns to embrace his partner's unorthodox style,
22:15the newly minted Cinderace completely tears up the turf. Type advantages be damned.
22:20No, no way. That final striking pyro ball is as good an endpoint for their journey as you could
22:28ask for. In fact, if this were any other match, we'd say Cinderace deserves a red card. But something
22:35tells us there's no ref in all of Galar who could doubt this pair anymore.
22:39Hey Ash, here we come!
22:418. Kingler Unleashed Ash's Krabby spent most of Kanto warming a spot on the bench.
22:49So when it finally got a chance to shine in the Indigo League, it didn't sink, it swam.
22:54Crabby, dive in and heart it!
23:00As a matter of fact, it swam all the way to its next form, Kingler. Then with a Hyper Beam,
23:06a Crab Hammer, and a few stomps, Ash's novice partner 3-0'd Mandy out of the entire tournament.
23:12Victory goes to the team of Ash and Kingler!
23:16Ironically, this victory is so unforgettable that it almost makes you forget this is Kingler's first
23:22ever fight. If this is what it's capable of without any real experience, then Kingler is no
23:28mere Benchwarmer. It's a total star player.
23:30We actually did it, Kingler!
23:33King, King, King, King, King.
23:35You were... unbelievable!
23:37Co-key, co-key.
23:397. Septile Blooms
23:41S-S-S-E-S-A-P-T-I-L-E-L-E-L-E-L-E!
23:44Alright!
23:45Awesome! Grovile's evolved into Sceptile!
23:48This evolution works for all the wrong reasons.
23:51On paper, Grovile's star-crossed love affair with a meganium
23:55is a great motivator for its ascendance into Sceptile.
23:59The only thing is, Sceptile doesn't get the girl,
24:02and it doesn't get a power boost either.
24:04Instead, Grovile's evolution isn't able to use any of its old moves.
24:11Having Sceptile learn, grow, and adapt to its new form
24:15added a weight to this evolution that we'd never gotten before.
24:19And yet, it's precisely because of that struggle
24:21that Sceptile's debut is so gratifying.
24:24Yes, Sceptile completely falls on its face,
24:27but it's all in service of a much greater character.
24:30Their end result even makes this embarrassing showcase feel worthwhile.
24:34There are all sorts of different ways a Pokémon evolves.
24:38And when you find yourself in a bind,
24:41you learn from it and grow like Sceptile's doing.
24:43Number 6, Infernape blazes to life.
24:47From an abandoned chimchar to a moody Monferno,
24:51this Sinnoh firetype developed one of the greatest storylines
24:54of any of Ash's partners.
24:56But the best part is that it didn't stop there.
25:03When Monferno's blaze ability sets it off on yet another fiery rampage,
25:08Ash becomes the first trainer capable of quelling its flames.
25:11After everything Monferno went through,
25:14there's just nothing better than seeing it finally evolve into the proud Infernape.
25:23Whoa, it's Infernape!
25:24Especially since it christens the new form by sending Team Rocket flying off again.
25:29This moment works because it understands that neither Infernape or Ash got here alone.
25:34They did it as partners.
25:37Monferno controlled blaze.
25:39And it turned it into a new power.
25:41Number 5, Togetic spreads its wings.
25:45It doesn't matter whether it came out hard-boiled, scrambled, or sunny-side up.
25:49The fact of the matter is that Togepi finally spread its wings.
25:53Literally.
25:55Togetic!
25:55It had some help from a colony of Togepi.
26:03But really, this moment is more about Misty's efforts as a trainer.
26:08After all, she spent most of her time in the series holding Togepi close to her chest.
26:13So seeing it finally take flight feels like the visualization of everything Misty brought to the show.
26:19Togetic, leave the rest to me, okay?
26:21It's a shame Misty and Togetic part ways at the end of the episode.
26:29But at least they ended things on one hell of a high note.
26:32Togetic, I love you.
26:35Number 4, Incineroar's Knockout.
26:38Most of the time, last-minute evolutions turn exciting moments into extraordinary ones.
26:43That still happens here, just not in the way most expected.
26:46Rest assured, the showdown between Ash's Tohrakat and Kukri's Incineroar is still incredible.
26:56And given the match-up, it's only natural that it ends with Ash's partner evolving into Incineroar itself.
27:07The only issue is that, by the time Tohrakat shapes up, it's already been KO'd.
27:12Amazing! With its victory, Tohrakat evolved!
27:16Incineroar, that's awesome! Let's keep going!
27:20Even though this marked a disappointing end to Tohrakat's fight,
27:24this scene strikes the perfect balance of hilarious and heartfelt.
27:29If anything, it gets props for delivering one of the most unexpected evolutions in the whole series.
27:34And that's saying something.
27:35What a shocking turn of events!
27:38After winning against Professor Kukri's Incineroar and evolving,
27:42Ash's Incineroar is out too!
27:45Number 3, Greninja Awakens.
27:48One of Ash's best partners ever, deserved an equally iconic debut.
27:53Thankfully, the show delivered, and then some.
27:55Against a group of rogue shinobi,
28:10Ash's Frogadier decides to show them what a real water shuriken looks like.
28:14But Greninja's slick entrance isn't even the most epic part.
28:18The twist of this episode is that it's two evolutions for the price of one.
28:22Just as soon as Greninja appears, he and Ash awaken to their battle-bond form.
28:27Well, we're gonna be stronger!
28:30Let's go!
28:35As the first time anything like this ever happened in Pokemon,
28:39the hype is impossible to resist.
28:41After a debut like this, it's really no surprise Greninja
28:44became the de facto scene-stealer of the Kalos Ark.
28:47What did Greninja just do?
28:49Number 2, Lucario bulks up.
28:53Ash has caught plenty of Pokemon in his day,
28:55but none of them compared to the one he actually raised.
28:58He nurtured Riolu from an egg, to a baby,
29:01to a trusted member of his team.
29:06Are you...
29:08In return, Riolu leapt into battle to protect its trainer from Chairman Rose.
29:13Along the way, it also happened to unlock a jaw-dropping evolution into Lucario.
29:18Wow, looks like Riolu evolved into Lucario!
29:21The aura Pokemon wraps things up with plenty of style,
29:25but the fight's not the point of this scene.
29:27The real heart of it all is the culmination of Ash and Riolu's bond.
29:31Seeing their relationship reach such an epic climax
29:34is easily representative of Pokemon at its very best.
29:39You did it, Lucario!
29:41Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
29:44and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
29:48You have the option to be notified for occasional videos, or all of them.
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29:55and switch on notifications.
29:56Number 1. Charizard Takes Flight
30:00Whoa, Charizard! Amazing!
30:03It evolved into Charizard!
30:05Charmeleon's final evolution is rightfully a big deal.
30:09Just not for Ash.
30:11See, the fire-type was in the middle of a rebellious heartstreak.
30:15And instead of growing out of it,
30:17Charizard was more disobedient than ever before.
30:20I was right!
30:22Looks like the only reason Charizard evolved was to battle Aerodactyl.
30:26In the whole franchise,
30:27this might be the only one of Ash's partners to evolve
30:30without him doing anything.
30:32And yet, it's because Charmeleon grows on its own
30:35that it makes this moment feel so monumental.
30:38It chose to evolve,
30:39just like it chose to save Ash from becoming a splat on the ground.
30:43In doing so,
30:44this one scene emphasized everything that Ash and Charizard
30:48would eventually become.
30:49And you just can't get any better than that.
30:52Jigglypuff and Charizard really saved the day!
30:54What's a Pokemon you desperately wanted to evolve in the anime?
30:58Let us know in those comments below!
31:0032 down, that's it for now!
31:02Tune in tomorrow, we'll rap at you some more!
31:04There's 150, so watch Monday through Friday!
31:07You'll catch them all!
31:09Catch them, catch them, gotta catch them all!
31:11Gotta catch them all!
31:12Pokemon!
31:13Pokemon!
31:13You
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