Highlights
- Ash and Pikachu's iconic journey came to an end after 25 seasons and 1,232 episodes of Pokemon.
- New main characters Roy and Liko take over in Pokemon Horizons: The Series, following Ash's departure.
- Throughout Pokemon's history, Ash faces rivals, evolves his team, and rekindles old friendships in various regions.
Ash and Pikachu's journey came to an end earlier after 25 seasons and 1,232 episodes of Pokemon. The anime, which aired for the first time in 1997, became a very significant part of a franchise that boasts many video games, manga, merchandise, and so forth. In fact, Pokemon has today become a major part of Japanese and American popular culture.
Pokemon: Ash Ketchum’s 13 Most Used Types
Ash Ketchum has used a variety of Pokemon in the anime, with teams made up of all different types, but he seems to favor some types over others.
Throughout the many seasons of Pokemon, Ash Ketchum goes on adventures with various companions, and he meets many rivals on his journey to becoming a Pokemon Master and catching them all. Some seasons stand out as exceptional, both as Pokemon anime and as anime series in general.
Updated May 29, 2024 by Ben Painter: Ash Ketchum's time in the Pokemon anime may have come to an end, but that doesn't mean that Pokemon fans aren't without an anime series. The trainer from Pallet Town's 25-year tenure as the face of the anime culminated in his final season, Pokemon: To Be A Pokemon Master. The book may still need to be fully closed on Ash, but now there are new heroes to follow in Pokemon Horizons: The Series.
Roy and Liko have taken the mantle of the main characters. These are the best Pokemon seasons to choose from. This update adds five more of the best Pokemon series, showcasing Ash and the friends he meets along the way.
20 Pokemon Horizons: The Series
Air Date: March 7, 2024
- Key Moment: A brand-new series of Pokemon with completely new characters
In a massive shakeup by the Pokemon Company, Ash Ketchum was not the main character of the anime after 25 years. Roy and Liko have taken over the mantle, but fan-favorite Pokemon such as Pikachu and Charizard are still prominent (although they do not belong to the trainer from Pallet Town).
As this anime is still in its early stages, a large portion of the world has not yet seen what adventures are in store in Pokemon Horizons: The Series; therefore, it cannot be given a much higher ranking than this. It is also up in the air whether this series is set in the same universe as the one Ash and his friends traveled in. Perhaps there will be some signs of this in the future of this series.
19 Pokemon BW Adventures In Unova And Beyond
Air Date: February 2, 2013
- Key Moment: Ash competes in the Unova league and reunites with Charizard, adding him back to his team
In the final series for Ash Ketchum in Unova, it was time for him to compete in the Unova league. However, Ash's team in the Black & White season was not the strongest. There is a long recurring theme in the anime that Ash does not evolve his Pokemon but in this season there are several 'mons that did not maximize their potential.
This culminated in another disappointing league finish for Ash, finishing in the Top 8, a large bump in the road on his journey to becoming a Pokemon Master. A highlight in this series was the return of fan-favorite Charizard, which Ash re-added back to his team. This was after the Unova League. The Fire Dragon could have helped him out a lot in the finals!
18 Pokemon Chronicles
Air Date: May 11, 2005
- Key Moment: Fans catch up with side characters in a spin-off series
The only spin-off series in the Pokemon franchise, instead of following Ash Ketchum on his journeys, focuses on side characters that he meets along the way, and it gives fans an update on how they are doing following their last appearance in the main Pokemon anime.
Pokemon: 10 Rare Moves You've Probably Never Heard Of
There are dozens of iconic Pokemon moves, but for various reasons - though never the fault of the Pokemon themselves - these moves are rarely used.
The series kicked off with a three-part special titled "Legend of Thunder!" which was set in the Johto region and included Jimmy, Marina, and Vincent. The following episodes caught up with Brock, Misty, Professor Oak, and Ritchie, giving fans an interesting glimpse into what they were doing while not traveling or encountering Ash. Since it does not follow the main anime, it cannot be given a much higher ranking, however.
17 Pokemon: Master Quest
Air Date: September 14, 2002
- Key Moment: Ash competes in the SIlver conference, defeats Gary, and ends their rivalry
Pokemon: Master Questhas one of the best theme songs in the anime, but the series did not quite live up to that potential. It does hold a lot of nostalgia for older fans. Again, Ash made the mistake of not evolving his Pokemon, hurting his chances of becoming a league champion. Just like in Unova, in Johto, Ash only finished in the Top 8.
Ash finally had the battle with Gary, which fans had been craving, and defeated him to progress to the next round. After the battle, Ash and his old rival decide to put an end to their squabble and go back to being the friends they were as youngsters. Despite this newfound friend, it was not enough for Ash, who lost in the next round to Harrison, and then departed for the Hoenn region to continue his quest to be a Pokemon Master.
16 Pokemon Master Journeys: The Series
Air Date: June 12, 2020
- Key Moment: Ash meets Goh and both of them join the Cerise Laboratory as research fellows
Master Journeys is one of the most recent series in the Pokemon anime, having run from 2020 to 2021. It follows the adventures of Ash and his friends Goh and Chloe all the way from the Kanto to Galar regions in their quest to gather research for the Cerise Laboratory.
10 Surprisingly Rare And Valuable Pokemon
Players may not have thought about it, but these Pokemon are surprisingly rare to come by in the games, and that makes them valuable catches.
The series ends with two interesting episodes where Dawn and Piplup are taken through a portal to a world where Pokemon no longer exist. This universe also has a surprisingly capable Team Rocket that causes havoc for the gang, providing an exciting end to an overall good season.
15 Pokemon: Adventures In The Orange Islands
Air Date: June 12, 2020
- Key Moment: Ash becomes Orange League Champion
The second series of the Pokemon anime gave fans their first taste of a new land other than Kanto. The Orange Islands isn't actually a place in the games, so there really was a sense of wonder in this second series.
The Orange Islands were a tropical paradise and Ash Ketchum caught some iconic Pokemon here, such as Snorlax and Lapras. It was also the series in which Ash first became a champion, defeating Orange Crew Supreme Gym Leader Drake and earning himself a Winner's Trophy. The Orange Islands had some iconic Pokemon moments, the Crystal Onix and the Pink Pokemon, being some that fans remember fondly.
14 Pokemon: Johto League Champions
Air Date: August 18, 2001
- Key Moment: Ash defeats some Gym Leaders in his quest to the Johto League
The Johto League takes place in the fourth season of Pokemon, which aired over two decades ago – from 2000 to 2001. Apart from the first season of the anime, Season 4 stands above the rest of the early Pokemon series. Johto League Champions features the original trio of heroes, Ash, Brock, and Misty as they travel from the iconic Goldenrod City to Snowtop Mountain.
8 Bland Pokemon That Were Redeemed With A Mega Evolution
The following Pokemon appeared bland at first, but were luckily redeemed down the road with Mega Evolutions.
The Johto region seems to carry a lot of history, and so this season is filled with various Pokemon mysteries that the trio needs to solve. Ash also faces three exciting gym battles, and there are a few classic Team Rocket-in-disguise moments.
13 Pokemon: Advanced Battle
Air Date: September 17, 2005
- Key Moment: Ash competes in the Ever Grande Conference, but again finishes in the top eight
Another great theme song here in Pokemon: Advanced Battle, the final one for Ash in the Hoenn region, and again he does not manage to win it, falling in the last eight to the eventual winner, Tyson.
The series was jam-packed with action; May takes part in the Hoenn Grand Festival, the final of the contests, and Ash battles a Hoenn Elite Four member in Drake. There is a lot to love about this series. It is just a shame that Ash again failed to make a real impact on the final challenge.
12 Pokemon: DP Galactic Battles
Air Date: May 9, 2009
- Key Moment: Ash & Friends battle Team Galactic and their Legendary Pokemon
Taking place in the Sinnoh region, in Galactic Battles, Ash and his friends find themselves fighting against an evil organization that poses a much greater threat than Team Rocket – the mysterious Team Galactic. The highlight of this season, though, is the conclusion of the rivalry between Ash and Paul, which starts in Season 10 with the first Diamond and Pearl series.
The final clash between the two is a full-on 6-on-6 Pokemon battle, which is filled with exciting moments. Although not as good as Season 10, Galactic Battles is an action-packed season of Pokemon.
11 Pokemon: Battle Frontier
Air Date: September 8, 2006
- Key Moment: Ash defeats the Battle Frontier and declines the invitation to become a Frontier Brain
Pokemon: Battle Frontier was the ninth series of the Pokemon anime and even, back in 2006, it offered fans a sense of nostalgia as Ash & friends traveled back to the Kanto region to take part in the newly established Battle Frontier.
8 Kanto Pokemon Who Need Some Attention In Generation 10
Generation 10 of Pokemon really needs to buff and give the spotlight to these Kanto Pokemon that seem to have been completely forgotten.
The series offered some amazing battles, with Frontier Brain Brandon having Legendary Pokemon Regice, Regirock, and Registeel in his party, which at the time, was unheard of in a normal Pokemon series. Ash's Grovyle evolved in Sceptile in this series, who proved to be one of the trainer's strongest Pokemon. This was Ash's last series as part of the Hoenn chapter before he departed to Sinnoh.
10 Pokemon The Series: Sun And Moon
Air Date: December 5, 2016
- Key Moment: Ash arrives in the Alola region and enrolls in the Pokemon School
Sun and Moon, the 20th season, is set on the exotic island of Alola. Many new characters and Pokemon – some with specific Alolan forms – are introduced in this season, and the island setting is refreshing. There are humorous moments caused by the eccentric Professor Samson Oak, as well as the unfolding of a love story between the trendy Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet.
Although the usual antagonists, Team Rocket, are also on the island, the new Team Skull also provides a few fun Pokemon battles between them and the heroes.
9 Pokemon: Black And White
Air Date: February 12, 2011
- Key Moment: Ash travels to the Unova region and meets Iris & Cilan
Black and White is perhaps one of the most exciting Pokemon series, accompanied by a similarly fun video game. Set in the distant Unova region, for the first time, Team Rocket gets a make-over and seems more organized than before, which creates a few challenges for the heroes. This season is also filled with exciting gym battles and many new Pokemon that Ash has not encountered before.
Pokemon: Every Gen 1 Grass-Type Pokemon, Ranked
Grass-type Pokemon are aplenty in Kanto, and we've ranked every single gen one Grass-type that can be found in the OG region!
Season 14 was released in 2010, right after the very successful Diamond and Pearl series, when the Pokemon anime seemed to be at its peak.
8 Pokemon The Series: XY
Air Date: October 19, 2013
- Key Moment: Ash travels to Kalos & meets Serena, Clemont & Bonnie
Following a few seasons of Pokemon: Black and White, Pokemon XY is Season 17 of the anime and takes place in the Kalos region. Ash is accompanied by Clemont, an inventor whose inventions always seem to blow up in his face, his cute sister Bonnie, and Serena, who is on her first-ever Pokemon journey.
Team Rocket is back to their loony selves, and so this season is filled with fun and jokes, while the heroes also uncover another Pokemon mystery.
7 Pokemon DP: Sinnoh League Victors
Air Date: June 5, 2010
- Key Moment: Ash defeats Paul but loses to Tobias and finishes fourth in the Lily of the Valley Conference
Sinnoh League Victors is the last season in the successful Diamond and Pearl Pokemon series. Still accompanied by an old friend, Brock, who is the hopeless romantic from the very first seasons of Pokemon, Ash and Dawn focus on competing in the Sinnoh region.
The 12 Must-Buy Anime Soundtracks On Vinyl For 2024
Looking to expand your anime vinyl collection? Look no further! Here are our top 12 picks to purchase this year.
This season is exciting in the sense that the heroes are no longer distracted by Team Galactic, but can focus on becoming champions. Ash trains to qualify for the Sinnoh league, and Dawn for her final Contest Ribbon.
6 Pokemon The Series: XYZ
Air Date: February 20, 2016
- Key Moment: Ash & Greninja form a battle bond and Greninja becomes Ash-Greninja
Season 19, XYZ, has a lot going on and is, in this sense, even more exciting than Black and White. Still in the Kalos region, Ash and his friends are caught up in a fight with Team Flare to protect the legendary Pokemon Zygarde. They also find themselves in the middle of research on Mega Evolutions, and Ash and Frogadier's relationship becomes stronger as they face many battles.
XYZ also wraps up the heroes' time in the Kalos region, with the legends and mysteries of the region being explained in the final episode of the series.
5 Pokemon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Legends
Air Date: March 23, 2019
- Key Moment: Ash finally becomes a league champion by defeating Gladion in the Alola League
He finally did it, it took him six goes, but Ash was finally a league champion and this was largely due to his stacked team that he developed throughout Alola. Melmetal, a Mythical Pokemon, Naganadel an Ultra Beast, and two fully evolved Pokemon in Incineroar and Lycanroc. The final battle against Gladion was epic, and it showcased how far Ash has come since originally departing from Pallet Town.
Not only that, there were many battles with Ultra Beasts, awesomely animated Z-moves, and a clash between Ash and Professor Kukui and Tapu Koko. The Sun & Moon series was a great one and this final season was Pokemon at its best.
4 Pokemon Ultimate Journeys: The Series
Air Date: October 21, 2022
- Key Moment: Ash defeats Leon in the Masters Eight Tournament to become the new Monarch and World Champion
The penultimate Pokemon series with Ash Ketchum at the helm, Pokemon Ultimate Journeys was filled with immense battles and massive moments for Ash. This season is where the Pokemon Masters Eight Tournament took place, where the best trainers in the franchises battled it out to be crowned the champion.
The Best Pokemon to Use in Gen 5 Playthroughs Explained
The original Gen 5 Pokemon games have a limited pool of critters as a soft reboot of the series, but there are still some must-use team members.
Ash won the whole thing and capped off his journey as the definite best trainer in the world, a fitting end to this journey. Although his tale was not quite finished yet, as there was a final mini-series.
3 Pokemon: To Be A Pokemon Master
Air Date: September 8, 2023
- Key Moment: Ash reunites with old Pokemon & friends to continue his journey to become a Pokemon master
The final series with Ash Ketchum, To Be A Pokemon Master was a beautiful way to end Ash's journey after 25 years. He once again traveled with Brock and Misty, used old Pokemon not seen in his party in decades, and further pushed his goal of becoming a Pokemon Master.
Nostalgia runs deep in this final series as Ash reunites with Butterfree, Lapras, and Pidgeot even adding the latter back to his team as promised over 20 years ago. There was even a reference to his long-theorized father, but sadly still no confirmation of who that is. Perhaps fans will never know.
2 Pokemon: Indigo League
Air Date: September 8, 1998
- Key Moment: Ash Ketchum starts his Pokemon journey
Most Pokemon fans, if not all, are familiar with the Indigo League. This series is the very first in Pokemon history. Many might agree that this season represents a significant moment in anime history, as it set in motion 24 seasons and over two decades of Pokemon series to follow.
The Indigo League is nostalgic, with the first episode introducing the rocky beginnings of a life-long relationship between Ash and Pikachu, as well as the two characters everyone is familiar with, Misty and Brock. It might not be the best Pokemon series ever made, but it is the genesis of the anime.
1 Pokemon: Diamond And Pearl
Air Date: June 4, 2007
- Key Moment: Ash & Brock travel to the Sinnoh region and meet Dawn
To date, Season 10, Pokemon: Diamond and Pearl, has been difficult to top. It seems that Diamond and Pearl manages to maintain what was great about the earlier Pokemon series while introducing enough new characters, Pokemon, and events to keep it exciting and relevant.
Brock, from the first few Pokemon series, joins Ash and his new friend, Dawn, in the Sinnoh region. This season is filled with funny Team Rocket moments, and awkward Brock scenarios, while also introducing the exciting Ribbon Contests and interesting new Pokemon. It feels like the Indigo League, but just a notch better.
