One of the longest-running anime franchises, Pokémon has been a huge part of pop culture since the late 90s, with games, anime series, movies, and merchandise everywhere. But no one has embodied the Pokémon journey quite like Ash Ketchum, the 10-year-old trainer who has been chasing greatness since 1997. With Pikachu as his ride-or-die and that iconic red cap, Ash has inspired countless fans with his loyalty, optimism, and never-give-up attitude.
Every time Ash travels to a new region, he builds a new team to take on the local Gym Leaders. Throughout his journey, he has put together some amazing teams, showing how far he has come from that clueless kid who once threw rocks at a Spearow to eventually becoming the world champion. Now, let’s take a walk down memory lane and look back at his 10 best teams, with all their wins and losses along the way.
10. Johto League Team (Pikachu, Cyndaquil, Heracross, Bayleef, Totodile, and Noctowl)
Ash’s Johto team was a mix of old favorites and new catches, taking him all the way to the Top 8 in the Johto League’s Silver Conference. It was also the region where he finally beat Gary in their long-awaited rematch. With Pikachu, Heracross, Bayleef, Cyndaquil, Totodile, and Noctowl, Ash showed just how much he had grown since his early Kanto days.
That said, the Johto squad was not the strongest overall, and due to their underwhelming performance, Ash had to rely on his Kanto Pokémon like Charizard and Snorlax. Most of his Johto team did not evolve or get enough battle time to really shine. Thankfully, the Sinnoh League made up for that later. While it wasn’t his most powerful lineup, this team showed Ash’s growth as a trainer who trusted his Pokémon and led with heart.
9. Unova Team (Pikachu, Boldore, Krookodile, Leavanny, Oshawott, Pignite, Palpitoad, Snivy, Unfezant)
Ash’s Unova journey was honestly a step back from his previous success in Sinnoh. His final league team of Pikachu, Oshawott, Snivy, Pignite, Boldore, and Unfezant struggled against Cameron, an inexperienced trainer who made the rookie mistake of bringing only five Pokémon to a 6v6 match. Despite this disadvantage, Cameron still managed to defeat Ash.
The Unova region showed a clear regression for Ash compared to his impressive Sinnoh run. With partially-evolved Pokémon like Palpitoad and Boldore, the potential of his team never fully materialised, and it was particularly disappointing that all three regional starters, Oshawott, Snivy, and Pignite, failed to evolve. Finishing in the Top 8 would be remarkable for most trainers, but for Ash, who had recently competed in the Sinnoh semifinals, this felt like one of the low points in his journey.
8. Hoenn Heroes (Pikachu, Swellow, Sceptile, Corphish, Torkoal, Glalie)
Ash started his Hoenn journey with just Pikachu by his side, but quickly turned it into one of his most dynamic teams. This squad of Pikachu, fully-evolved Swellow, fully-evolved Sceptile, Corphish, Torkoal, and fully-evolved Glalie is best remembered for that wild “Thunder Armor” move. In this moment, Pikachu hops on Swellow’s back and fires a Thunder attack so powerful it zaps Zeus’s butt, causing him to retaliate with a lightning bolt that Pikachu and Swellow absorb and go full Super Saiyan, creating a golden protective shield that boosts their speed and power.
Each team member brought something unique to the table: Sceptile’s speed, Corphish’s fighting spirit, Torkoal’s defense, Glalie’s ice moves, and Swellow’s aerial skills. The Hoenn League tested Ash’s growth, especially in his battle against Morrison, who hesitated to fight at first due to their friendship but eventually snapped out of it, leading to a heated match that Ash won. While the team ultimately lost to Tyson’s Meowth, they laid the foundation for the Battle Frontier success later on, where several members returned stronger than ever, making them one of Ash’s most underrated lineups.
7. Orange League Champion Team (Pikachu, Charizard, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Lapras, Snorlax)
The Orange League gave Ash his first real taste of championship success with a solid team of fan favorites like Pikachu, Charizard, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Lapras, and Snorlax. After the loss in Kanto, winning the Orange League motivated Ash to keep growing as a trainer. This was also when Charizard finally started listening to Ash, and his Seismic Toss against Drake’s Dragonite remains one of the most iconic moments in the anime.
The Orange Islands had a different vibe than traditional regions, with challenges that pushed Ash to think creatively, from target practice with Squirtle to racing with Bulbasaur. The final match against Drake was Ash’s first full six-on-six battle, and watching Pikachu take down Dragonite made fans believe anything was possible. While this team gave Ash his first big win, it still was not his most powerful lineup compared to his later squads.
6. Original Kanto Team (Pikachu, Kingler, Muk, Primeape, Charizard, Tauros)
Ash’s original Kanto team will always hold a special place in Pokémon history. Besides his starter Pikachu, Ash built a squad with Butterfree (evolved from Caterpie), Pidgeot (evolved from Pidgeotto), Bulbasaur, Charizard (evolved from Charmander), and Squirtle. Most of these Pokémon came to Ash through rescue or random encounters rather than battles.
What made this team stand out was not just their fighting skills, but their unique personalities and growth. Charizard went from an abandoned Charmander to a rebellious powerhouse, Bulbasaur stayed loyal while refusing to evolve, and Butterfree had an emotional goodbye; each Pokémon had its own story, and Ash respected them for it. While they did not bring home the Indigo League championship and lost to Ritchie in the Top 16, this team defined Ash’s training style. Plus, if Charizard had been less rebellious, they might have gone much further, and Ash could have potentially beaten anyone, except maybe Gary.
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5. Battle Frontier Team (Pikachu, Charizard, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Sceptile, Swellow)
The Battle Frontier run brought back a sense of nostalgia as Ash assembled his dream team of Pikachu, Charizard, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Sceptile, and Swellow – basically the Avengers of his Pokémon career. Charizard’s return from the Charicific Valley showed just how far Ash’s problem child had come, now an absolute beast that even gave Articuno a run for its money. Sceptile emerged as the MVP, evolving mid-battle and taking down a Darkrai, while Squirtle and Bulbasaur reminded everyone that evolution isn’t always the key to power.
The Battle Frontier challenges pushed Ash to think outside the box, especially during his battle against Brandon. Pikachu’s win over Regice, using Thunderbolt to overcome a massive type disadvantage, is one of his finest moments. Additionally, the fact that Scott offered Ash his own position of Frontier Brain afterwards speaks volumes about just how impressive this team’s run really was.
4. Ash’s Sinnoh Strikers (Pikachu, Infernape, Torterra, Staraptor, Gliscor, Gible)
Ash’s Sinnoh team marked a turning point in his training style, with most of his Pokémon reaching their final evolutions. Alongside Pikachu, he rolled with fully-evolved Infernape, Torterra, Staraptor, Gible (Ash’s first Dragon-type), and Gliscor, making it all the way to Sinnoh League semifinals. This team gave us one of the most emotional journeys with Infernape, who went from Paul’s abandoned Chimchar to an absolute beast winning battles with its Blaze ability.
Paul, Ash’s main rival, was cold and extremely tough on his Pokémon. Their rivalry pushed Ash to step up his game, but Paul’s win at Lake Acuity showed just how far Ash still had to go. Ash was crushed after that loss, but bounced back with determination, and when they met again at the Sinnoh League, Infernape’s victory over Paul’s Electivire became one of the most satisfying wins in Pokémon history.
3. Kalos League Team (Pikachu, Greninja, Talonflame, Hawlucha, Goodra, Noivern)
The Kalos squad was Ash at his tactical best, finally creating his most complete team ever with every single Pokémon fully evolved. With Pikachu, Greninja, Talonflame, Hawlucha, Goodra, and Noivern, Ash had a nearly perfect mix of speed, power, and type coverage that could handle almost anything thrown their way. For the first time, he had not just one, but two Dragon-types, proving just how far he had come as a trainer, even though he was still somehow only 10 years old.
What truly set this team apart was the Ash-Greninja bond, a transformation that had fans losing their minds when it first appeared. Each team member had their own fighting style that complemented the others perfectly, from Hawlucha’s wrestling moves to Talonflame’s speed to Goodra’s defense. After years of disappointment, this team finally took Ash to a league final, and even though they fell short against Alain’s Mega Charizard X, it felt like the closest he had ever come to becoming a champion, until he finally did.
2. Alola League Champion Team (Pikachu, Lycanroc, Melmetal, Rowlet, Incineroar, Naganadel)
After twenty long years of trying, Ash’s Alola team finally brought home his first official League Championship trophy. This squad included Pikachu, a fully-evolved rare Dusk-form Lycanroc, the mythical Melmetal, an unevolved Rowlet, a fully-evolved Incineroar, and the Ultra Beast Naganadel. Even though Rowlet stayed in its first form, Ash brought out its full potential, turning it even stronger than its evolved form.
During the Alola journey, Ash learned alongside his Pokémon in a school setting instead of just directing them. His team mastered Z-Moves, with Pikachu’s 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt being one of the most unforgettable attacks ever seen in the anime. After winning the championship battle against Gladion in a Lycanroc vs. Lycanroc showdown, they followed it up by going toe-to-toe against Professor Kukui’s surprise team, proving this team wasn’t just lucky; they were champions.
1. Ash’s Journeys Team (Pikachu, Gengar, Dragonite, Dracovish, Sirfetch’d, and Lucario)
Ash’s Journeys team was easily his strongest yet, packed with fully evolved Pokémon from different regions. His team included his loyal Pikachu, Lucario, Gengar, Dragonite, Dracovish, and Sirfetch’d. This diverse team represented Pokémon from Generations 1, 4, and 8, showing how Ash learned from his past experiences to build a squad all about balance, experience, and strength.
With this incredible team, Ash achieved what once felt impossible – taking down even the undefeated Leon in the Masters’ Eight Tournament. His win officially proved that Ash had finally become a true Pokémon Master after decades of training. And now, with all his past Pokémon cheering him on from Professor Oak’s lab, his Journeys team stands as the ultimate proof that Ash’s truly earned his title.
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