Top 10 Best Pokemon League Battles From The Anime

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Pokemon League Battles.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the poke-brawls that took place within a regional tournament. We're not counting the Masters Eight Tournament as a Pokemon League here, since that's a tournament for already crowned conference winners, it'll be strictly Indigo through to Manalo league. Naturally, spoilers ahead!

Which do you think was Ash’s strongest league team? Who should he use next time? Sound off in the comments below!

Indigo League

There will always be a special place in our hearts for Ash’s first go-around at his dream of becoming a Pokemon Master, even if this one ended in a bitter defeat. Team Rocket’s hijinks leave the hopeful trainer and his team unprepared for their match against Ritchie, resulting in a Top 8 qualifier that’s downright painful to watch. It’s devastating to see Ash’s exhausted partners fall to Ritchie’s battle-ready team, especially since it leaves him with no other option than to gamble on his disobedient Charizard. We can’t help but wonder how far he could’ve gotten had he faced Ritchie at full strength, or at least with a properly trained final mon.

Lily of the Valley Conference

This may be one of the more lopsided battles in Ash’s league history, but at least it’s still plenty entertaining. Tobias making it to the semi-finals with just a single Pokemon is enough to make even a Champion quiver in their boots, but Ash put up an admirable fight by utilizing an inspired team of fresh additions mixed with older fan-favorites. Impressively, he was the only trainer in the entire conference to defeat Tobias’ Darkrai. Not that it did him much good, since his second Pokemon was an equally daunting Latios. Seriously, the League really should have a rule against using legendaries, though Ash can take solace that he held his own regardless.

Silver Conference

There were more than just fiery displays of strength in this quarter-final match. Hailing from Hoenn, Harrison’s Kecleon and Blaziken excellently showcased the new region’s eclectic design influences. It also added an exciting unpredictability to the brawl, since we had no idea what kind of tricky techniques the new pocket monsters would bring. But despite the matchup inexperience, Ash's ability to adapt kept the Hoenn trainer on his toes to the very end. It’s hard to be too disappointed about the outcome when Ash and Charizard left everything on the field, including one of the best beam struggles the series has ever seen.

Indigo League

The unevolved Bellsprout is far from the most imposing grass-type in Kanto, but we can’t deny this one’s got serious dance moves. After Ash’s Bulbasaur makes quick work of the rest of her team, Jeannette’s ace looks a bit underwhelming. That is, until you see it effortlessly dodge every attack thrown at it, even from the speedy Pikachu. It’s one of the most inventive demonstrations of Pokemon physicality, especially since it makes great use of the underappreciated Muk as a foil for Bellsprout’s limber movement. By the time the match ends with the sludge Pokemon literally smothering its opponent, we can’t help but acknowledge that this was truly a fight like none other.

Ever Grande Conference

As soon as the flashy opening gambit begins, we know we’re in for a good time. Ash’s insistence to use only his Hoenn team for this quarter-final match meant he had to develop some interesting strategies to circumvent Tyson’s ironclad defense. Thankfully, Ash’s ingenuity and clever tactics meant even the almighty Metagross fell to a combined assault from Swellow, Grovyle, and Pikachu. But despite this being one of his most strategic outings, in the final standoff with the cowboy-themed Meowth, Ash’s starter couldn’t quite send this one blasting off again. But hey, if Ash and Pikachu need a pick-me-up after this loss, we know a Meowth that won’t put up as much of a fight.

Lumiose Conference

It may seem hard to believe, but this was Ash’s first crack at the finals of a regional league. The team he assembled across Kalos is certainly one of his most impressive, but it’s how he used them to their fullest extent that proves why he deserved his high placing. From slick hand-to-hand combat to weather-altering schemes, you can feel how hard the ambitious Pallet Town trainer worked to reach this point. The last matchup of Mega Charizard versus Ash-Greninja is as hype as you’d expect from the finals of a league. It’s flashy, cunning, and just plain epic - what more could you want from a Pokemon match?

Manalo Conference

Few battle’s in Pokemon’s history will ever top this historic victory, which sees Ash finally achieve his lifelong dream. For only a three-on-three fight, there’s plenty of tense interactions, but even the tricky Zoroark can’t stop Ash when he’s at the top of his game. The poetic final confrontation where his Lycanroc defeats Gladion’s is not just an excellent full-circle ending for Ash and his partner, but also a fitting conclusion to a goal a thousand episodes in the making. There was sheer euphoria among Pokefans when they saw this enduring trainer finally take home the gold after twenty years.

Lily of the Valley Conference

This rival’s intimidating team and cruel demeanor made him an adversary the likes of which we hadn’t seen since Gary Oak. His dynamic with our hero culminated in an extraordinary match in the semi-finals of the Sinnoh League, where Ash used the same team he’d lost with in their previous clash at Lake Verity. Spread across three episodes, this is a drag-out, whiteknuckled brawl that builds to an unforgettable, emotionally charged climax. By defeating Paul with the fully-evolved Chimchar he’d initially dismissed as too weak, the series underscores Ash’s biggest strength of being able to pull out the very best in his partners, like no one ever has.

Lumiose Conference

They’ll be teaching this match in Trainer Schools for years to come. Sawyer’s analytical strategies juxtapose Ash’s instinctual approach to battling, leading to an engaging string of mind-games and one-ups. Amidst some of the best-animated showdowns the series has ever seen, it’s also plain refreshing to see Ash’s rival portrayed as the underdog for once. It adds a unique lens to their character interactions that help buoy the high-stakes action and dizzying tactics. While in the end Ash’s experience nets him the win, Sawyer can hold his head high knowing it took Ash four tries to make it as far in a league as he did.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Ash vs. Trip. Vertress Conference
It Was Long Overdue to See Ash & Pikachu Finally Best Trip’s Unovan Starter

Ash vs. Morrison, Ever Grande Conference
Morrison’s Apprehension to Fight a Friend Makes This a Uniquely Heartwarming Match

Ash vs. Guzma, Manalo League
Amidst the Cool Action, This Evil-Team Leader Gets a Surprisingly Affecting Character Arc

Silver Conference

Oak’s Grandson was always one step ahead of our hero, and made sure Ash knew it, too, which is exactly why their confrontation in the Silver Conference feels like the payoff of the entire series to that point. They both bring out all the stops, resulting in some of the most engaging back-and-forth battling we’ve ever seen. It ends the only way that feels right, with Kanto starter vs. Kanto starter. But even though Ash’s Charizard is at a major type disadvantage, he secures the win with a seismic toss that puts Blastoise’s Hydro Pump to shame. As the capping off of a rivalry that had been boiling since the very first episode, even Ash’s championship win doesn’t feel quite this monumental.