Top 10 Pokemon Fights That Are Surprisingly Violent

Even for a leader of Team Skull, Guzma’s performance in the Alola Pokemon League is just plain cruel. Lana’s no pushover by any means, but her Primarina couldn’t even utter a single note before Golisopod’s Throat Chop put it on an extended vocal rest. Primarina squeezes away… only to get plucked back up by its tail and assaulted by a wave of Poison Jabs. At a certain point, all Lana can do is tell her Pokemon to run. Primarina doesn’t get very far, but the fact Lana was that scared in a formal League match speaks volumes. There’s no Z-move in all of Pokemon that could’ve stopped this match from being an absolute beatdown.

Another League Match, another Pokemon battle that turns into a full on horror film. Here, Ash is squaring off against his slimy Unovan rival, Trip. So, naturally, he uses Pikachu. The issue is Trip uses his starter, too, and Serperior doesn’t understand mercy. Poor Pikachu is caught in a Wrap so intense, his head nearly pops clean off. Thunderbolts don’t work. Cries for help don’t work. Ash simply has to watch his oldest partner suffocate right before his eyes. Thankfully, the Pallet Town Prodigy brings it back with a thrifty strategy involving Iron Tail and Electro Ball. But, there’s no forgetting Ash and Pikachu’s journey almost ended right then and there.

Ultra Beasts have nothing on Bewear. Taking the concept of overprotective Momma Bear’s to new, upper-cutting heights, the fluffy Pokemon steps right into the ring to defend Team Rocket. Pheromosa takes the first hit on the chin. But, not even its superior speed could protect it from Bewear’s final, skyward punch. It’s a dazzling display of viciousness that you don’t often see in Pokemon, let alone against a freaking Ultra Beast. Bewear runs off before finishing the job, but either way, the message is loud and clear. Unless you like being on the wrong end of a knockout, do not, under any circumstances, poke the bear.

Brace yourselves; there’s no Flamethrowers, Ice Beams, or Thunderbolts to be found here. In the finals of the Clubsplosion tournament, it’s down to two Fighting types, and they prefer to duke it out with their fists alone. What follows is a one-on-one so brutal, it’ll make you silently wonder, this is still Pokemon, right? You know, The family-friendly anime trying to appeal to kids? This match could’ve fooled us; the moves here are straight out of an MMA fight. Even worse, neither side is willing to tap, leading to an ever-increasing back-and-forth that just never lets up. By the time Throh finally faints, it almost comes as a relief.

Longtime Pokefans know the fight between Ash and Ritchie well. Charizard comes out and refuses to listen to its trainer, giving Ritchie an automatic win. However, Ash’s Charizard isn’t quite as peaceful in this other version. Here, Ash and Ritchie’s rivalry really heats up more than we could ever imagine. Although, if you don’t want to see Pokemon bleed, you’re better off just skipping this chapter altogether. Yeah, “The Electric Tale of Pikachu” manga really goes there. This version of events makes sure you know that the Indigo League is a fight to the finish in every sense of the phrase.

No one expected the semifinals of the Masters Eight to be easy. Especially considering Ash is up against Cynthia’s legendary ace, Garchomp. Still, even with the necessary context, this climactic duel is just something else. It’s clear Lucario and Garchomp are at their absolute limit. But, does that stop them from beating the ever-loving snot out of each other? Of course not! The two punch each other silly with a series of downright wince-inducing blows. They punch and punch, and when they’re done with that, they start over. Every headshot and counter is a nail-biter guaranteed to keep your blood pumping until the very end.

There’s no mirage here; this 10th anniversary special actually kills off a Mew. When the conniving Dr. Yung creates a mirage version of Mewtwo, it shows off its power by attacking its counterpart with a twin-fisted Solarbeam. Mew doesn’t faint or flee or get recalled into a Pokeball. It literally dissolves into data. It may have just been a mirage clone, but seeing a fully conscious Mew let out a death cry is still something we’ll never forget. On the bright side, its remaining data played a pivotal role in shutting down Mewtwo for good. It’s the only silver lining keeping this special from being a complete downer.

Even the craziest of Pokemon matches keep it between, well, the Pokemon. Not Korrina’s Mega Lucario, though. Overwhelmed with its new power, it disobeyed its trainer, and nearly flattened Pikachu into a pancake. Ash, of course, steps in to call off the match. But, Mega Lucario isn’t satisfied, and tries to send him and Pikachu all the way to Lavender Town’s Pokemon Tower. It’s one thing to see a Pokemon get a bit bloodthirsty in the ring, and another to have it nearly end a trainer’s life. It’s a good thing another Lucario was there to put an end to things, or else… Well, you get the idea.

Back when Pokemon was still about catching them all, Mewtwo appeared and shook things up with a squad of super-powered variants. Then, as if seeing Charizard, Venusaur, and Blastoise systematically lose to their clones wasn't bad enough, Mewtwo had a whole army of copycats waiting in the wings. And, just like the others, these guys didn’t come to play around. The ensuing fight is genuinely difficult to sit through. You’ve got Psyduck in a slap–fest, Gyarados going for the jugular, Ninetails snarling, and so many more. Say what you will about his methods, but Mewtwo ensured Pokemon’s first movie was memorable, and that’s putting it lightly.

You may be thinking, at their adorable base stage, how bad could a spar between a Charmander and Squirtle really be? Well, “Pokemon Origins” took that skepticism as a challenge, and delivered an eye-opening display of pocket monster carnage. And in its first episode, no less! Charmander’s just having a good time, but Blue’s Squirtle is there to win. It sprays the fire type down, lunges on top of its prey, and then bites until Red has no choice but to forfeit the whole match. You can’t even blame him. Charmander’s cries are so haunting, it’s a surprise he ever wanted out of his Pokeball again. Moral of the story; don’t underestimate Blue.

What’s the craziest Pokemon fight you’ve ever seen? Let us know in the comments below!