A Look Back at Ash’s Kanto Pokemon

April 1st marks the 20th anniversary of first airing of the Pokemon anime. While Ash hasn’t aged during the last 20 years, he’s collected plenty of memorable partners during his many travels through the Pokemon world. Some of those Pokemon have stayed with Ash for years, while others have left their trainer to pursue their own dreams and goals.

ComicBook is going to run through all of Ash’s Pokemon one region at a time. In our first installment, we’re going to look at Ash’s original Pokemon, the ones he met during his journey through the Kanto and Orange Island regions.

Pikachu

First Met: At Professor Oak’s lab.

Notable Accomplishments: Too many Gym Victories to count; is the only one of Ash’s Pokemon to beat two Legendary Pokemon

Currently at: Ash’s side, of course!

Ash’s primary partner and best friend, Pikachu is the only Pokemon to appear in every episode of the Pokemon anime. Pikachu is a surprisingly capable battler, frequently overcoming type and power disadvantages to win impossible battles. Relatively early on in the series, Pikachu beat a Dragonite to help Ash win his only Pokemon League championship. He’s also beaten two Legendary Pokemon, a Regice and Latios, in official battles. 

 

Butterfree

First Met: In Viridian Forest, as a Caterpie

Notable Accomplishments: Was the first Pokemon Ash caught, was also the first Pokemon Ash released

Currently at: Raising a family somewhere in the Kanto region

Butterfree was the first Pokemon Ash caught in the wild, right at the start of the third episode of series. Caterpie quickly evolved into a Metapod and then into a Butterfree in consecutive episodes. Ash usually used Butterfree’s various spore attacks in battle, either to stun an opponent or put it to sleep. Ash eventually let Butterfree go when it fell in love with a pink Butterfree and wanted to raise a family. When Brock explained that Butterfree had a short mating window, Ash let his second Pokemon go to start a family. 

Pidgeot

First Met: In Viridian Forestn as a Pidgeotto

Notable Accomplishments: Blew away a lot of Team Rocket smokescreens, was Ash’s primary flying Pokemon through the Kanto region

Currently at: Hanging around Pallet Town, protecting wild Pidgey from Fearow attacks

Pidgeotto was the first Pokemon Ash caught after a Pokemon battle, as Pikachu weakened the Flying Pokemon prior to catching it. During Ash’s first trip through the Kanto region, Pidgeotto was Ash’s eyes in the sky and was most often used for scouting purposes. While Pidgeotto never won a gym battle, Ash considered Pidgeotto to be one of his most loyal Pokemon.

When Ash returned to Pallet Town after his first Pokemon League loss, he discovered that the Spearow who attacked Ash and Pikachu on his first day had evolved into a Fearow and was now harassing the local flocks of Pidgey. Pidgeotto evolved into a Pidgeot to defeat Fearow, and Ash left it behind to guard Pallet Town from his old foes. While Ash promised to come back for Pidgeot, the loyal bird Pokemon has never appeared again. 

Bulbasaur

First Met: A Hidden Pokemon Village

Notable Accomplishments: Used in the Indigo and Silver League Conferences, helped Ash win the Kanto Battle Frontier

Currently at: Professor Oak’s lab

Ash met Bulbasaur at a Hidden Village between Cerulean City and Vermillion City. The gruff Bulbasaur acted as the village’s protector, rescuing weaker Pokemon from trainers and other threats. After Bulbasaur got to know Ash, he chose to join Ash as he continued his Kanto journeys. Bulbasaur formed a close relationship with Pikachu and Squirtle, the latter of which was considered his best friend. 

Bulbasaur was one of Ash’s core Pokemon through both the Kanto and Johto regions, even after Bulbasaur’s original companions had all left Ash’s side for more training. With the departures of Butterfree and Pidgeot from Ash’s team, Bulbasaur is now Ash’s second oldest Pokemon.

Currently, Bulbasaur acts as an assistant of sorts to Professor Oak, helping to keep the peace between Ash’s various Pokemon and the other Pokemon that live at Oak’s lab. 

Charizard

First Met: On Route 24, as a Charmander

Notable Accomplishments: Beat Koga’s Golbat for the Soul Badge, beat Falkner’s Pidgeot for the Zephyr Badge, beat Clair’s Dragonair for the Rising Badge, beat Gary’s Blastoise to held Ash advance in the Silver Conference, was the first one of Ash’s Pokemon to beat a Legendary Pokemon

Currently at: Professor Oak’s lab

Charizard is probably Ash’s best known Pokemon outside of Pikachu. Not only is Charizard the undeniable powerhouse of Ash’s team, it has also made more cameo appearances and returns than any other Pokemon. Ash met Charizard as a Charmander when his old trainer abandoned it for being too weak. Ash convinced Charmander to join him instead, and Charmander quickly became a reliable and loyal Pokemon in Ash’s rotation. 

After several big victories, Charmander evolved into Charmeleon and seemed to lose its loyalty to Ash. Even after it evolved in Charizard to save Ash from an Aerodactyl, the Pokemon only listened to Ash when fighting against other Fire Pokemon. 

Eventually, Charizard came to trust Ash again in the Orange Island and became Ash’s reliable “ace in the hole.” Even after Ash left Charizard behind in the Charicific Valley for more training, Charizard has returned for most of Ash’s biggest battles. Eventually, Charizard returned to Oak’s lab, where he now current resides. 

Squirtle

First Met: On Route 25

Notable Accomplishments: Participated in the Indigo and Silver Pokemon Leagues, helped Ash win his final Battle Frontier badge 

Currently at: Leading the Squirtle Squad

Ash found his Squirtle when he came across a Pokemon gang known as the Squirtle Squad. Team Rocket tricked the Squirtle Squad into helping them on their eternal quest to capture Pikachu and then betrayed them as soon as Pikachu was in their clutches. In the chaos that followed, Ash saved the leader of the Squirtle Squad from an explosion, which led to the Squirtle Squad reforming AND the leader joining Ash’s team.

Squirtle was one of Ash’s regular fighters and was good friends with both Pikachu and Bulbasaur. Squirtle was particularly useful in the Orange Islands, as many of the contests and battles there were water-themed. 

Squirtle eventually returned to the Squirtle Squad, but still considers himself to be Ash’s Pokemon. Ash has recalled Squirtle several times, typically for some of his biggest battles. 

Kingler

First Met: On Route 25

Notable Accomplishments: Swept through Mandi’s Pokemon to earn Ash a first round victory in the Indigo League, used by Ash in the Whirl Cup water tournament

Currently at: Professor Oak’s lab

Kingler was the first of Ash’s Pokemon to spend most of its time at Professor Oak’s lab. When Ash captured a random Krabby, its PokeBall automatically teleported away as Ash already had six PokeBalls. Ash decided to randomly use Krabby in his opening battle at the Indigo League over Misty and Brock’s protests. While Krabby was quickly overwhelmed, it evolved into Kingler and proceeded to lay waste to all of its opponents. 

Ash hasn’t used Kingler very much, although it does seem happy to see Ash whenever he returns to Pallet Town. 

Muk

First Met: Gringey City

Notable Accomplishments: Beat Jeanette’s Bellsprout to help Ash advance in the Indigo League, helped Ash beat Gary in the Silver Conference League

Currently at: Professor Oak’s Lab

Ash captured Muk when the Pokemon led a coordinated attack on Gringey City’s power plant, but immediately sent it to Professor Oak as its smell permeated its PokeBall. Although Muk made cameo appearances whenever Ash called Professor Oak, he didn’t actually use Muk in battle until he reached the Indigo League. Ash has only used Muk a handful of times, as the Pokemon is geared more towards defense and has very few offensive abilities. Muk’s sole win came in the Indigo League, when it sat on Jeanette’s super-powerful Bellsprout to get Ash a victory. 

Primeape

First Met: Route 7

Notable Accomplishments: Won the G1 Grand Prix

Currently at: Training with a Fighting Pokemon specialist

Ash’s Primeape holds the record for having the least amount of appearances of any Pokemon. Primeape only appears twice: in the episode in which Ash catches him, and then in the episode that Ash leaves Primeape behind for more training. 

Ash caught Primeape after the Pokemon stole its hat as a Mankey and then evolved, turning into a rage filled beast. After running roughshod on Ash’s team, Charmander finally put Primeape down so Ash could catch him. 

A short time later, Ash used Primeape in the G1 Grand Prix fighting tournament. After bonding with Ash and winning the tournament, Ash inexplicably left Primeape behind to train and then never saw it again. Classy, Ash. 

Tauros

First Met: The Safari Zone (as a herd)

Notable Accomplishments: Used in the Orange Island Winner’s Cup, the Johto League, and Battle Frontier

Currently at: Professor Oak’s Lab (as a herd)

Many people forget that Ash had almost 40 Pokemon by the time he reached the Indigo League tournament. That’s because the episode in which Ash caught 30 Tauros was never shown in the US because it featured actual guns, which was seen as inappropriate for children.

So, Ash has a herd of Tauros that hang out at Professor Oak’s lab, some of which he occasionally uses in battle. Ash has called upon his Tauros in several League battles and has actually won a few times with Tauros on his team. It’s impossible to tell if he uses the same Tauros every time, or if he’s just interchangably pulling Tauros from his herd. What we do know is that they always merrily stampede towards him whenever he returns to Professor Oak’s lab. 

Lapras

First Met: On Tangelo Island (in the Orange Islands) 

Notable Accomplishments: Transported Ash, Misty, and Tracey throughout the Orange Islands, never won an official Pokemon battle

Currently at: Somewhere in the ocean, leading a herd of Lapras

When Ash and Misty headed to the Orange Islands, they planned on only staying for a few days. On their way back from running an errand for Professor Oak, their blimp landed on an island where they discovered a lost Lapras. Ash rescued the Lapras and found out about the Orange League at the same time. He quickly decided to compete in the Orange League and reunite Lapras with its herd at the same time. 

Lapras primarily was a mode of transport first, but he did use it in several Orange League competitions. Notably, Lapras took out Drake’s Gengar in the Orange League finals, although it was also knocked out as well. 

Eventually, Ash and Misty found Lapras’s herd and rescued it from Team Rocket. They briefly met up with Lapras in the Johto region and discovered it was now the leader of its herd, having learned superior survival and battling skills from its time with Ash. 

 

Snorlax

First Met: On Route 25

Notable Accomplishments: Won battles against Gary and Harrison in the Silver Conference, won the Sumo Conference, helped Ash in the Battle Frontier, participated in the Lily in the Valley Conference

Currently at: Professor Oak’s lab

Ash picked up a second powerful Pokemon when it caught a Snorlax in the Orange Islands. Ash found the Snorlax swimming between a series of small islands to terrorize a series of grapefruit orchards. Although Snorlax shrugged off every physical attack thrown its way, it was no match for Jigglypuff’s Sing attack. After Snorlax fell asleep, Ash captured it using a powerful Thunder attack from Pikachu.

Although Ash didn’t use Snorlax much in the Orange Islands, it turned into an ace in the hole during his later adventures. Ash used Snorlax to overcome deficits against Clair, Gary, and Harrison in Johto, and later used the powerful Pokemon to singlehandedly win a Frontier Badge. 

Unfortunately, Snorlax’s appetite prevented it from ever becoming part of Ash’s permanent team. Snorlax simply cost too much to feed, so Ash passed it off to Professor Oak after they left the Orange Islands.