With nearly 100 billion dollars in revenue, Pokémon is the undisputed king of media franchises. While it all started from video games its been spun off into trading cards, theme parks, and even giant Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons. However, one of its biggest spin-offs is its anime Pokémon: The Series.
There are over a thousand episodes that have been produced since the show premiered in 1997. Most every season followed Ash and his partner Pikachu taking on gym leaders so they can take on the Pokémon League. Along the way, Ash met new friends and fought the evil Team Rocket. While no episode was truly normal, many of them got pretty crazy.
10 A Scare to Remember!
As long as Team Rocket has known Pikachu they've wanted to capture Pikachu. But what if he joined their side? When Pikachu is attacked by a giant robot (operated by Team Rocket) an explosion sends him flying away from Ash and causes the electric mouse to lose his memory.
When Meowth realizes this he's able to convince Pikachu that they've always been best friends. Soon Ash has to fight against his former Pokémon, but luckily Pikachu regains his memory and Ash regains his partner.
9 Malice In Wonderland
When this episode begins Ash and Dawn have been invited to elite competitions in their respective fields. Brock, girl-crazy as ever, is surrounded by a crowd of adoring women. It's everything they've always wanted.
While Ash and Dawn begin to compete, Brock wakes up and realizes everything has been too good to be true. They've all been dreaming. As he tries to get them awake the dream soon starts fighting against them. At the end of the episode, it revealed that it was all because of a prank by the Pokémon Mismagius.
8 The Cave of Mirrors!
Mirror dimensions aren't anything unique in fantasy fiction but it took over 800 episodes for the Pokémon anime to get there.
During his adventures in the Kalos region Ash and his friends Bonnie, Clemont, and Serena visit the Reflection Cave. While admiring the many mirror-like walls a copy of Ash grabs his Pikachu. Ash gives chase and finds himself trapped in a world different from his own where his friends all act the exact opposite of their normal personalities. After helping them find their Pikachu and rescuing his, Ash nearly escapes the Mirror World before being trapped forever.
7 Pulling Out The Pokémon Base Pepper!
In the Pokémon world, all anyone can think or talk about is Pokémon battling. Its the only sport that matters. However, one episode made a big change by spotlighting a sport from our world.
In the seasons based on the Sun and Moon games, the series switched it up by having Ash go to school instead of going on an adventure. In one episode Ash and his classmates learn and play a game of Pokémon Base (which is pretty much just baseball but Pokémon can play too). What follows is an insane Pokémon Base battle that ends with Snorlax, a Pokémon who's best known for his sleeping instead of fighting, running for home plate.
6 The Superhero Secret
Batman. Wonder Woman. Gligarman. All equal figures in the world of superheroes. During Ash's travels in the Johto region, he comes across a strange man claiming to be a superhero based on the Pokémon Gligar. While they don't believe it at first they soon learn an entire town is enamored with the character. He's been protecting the They discover Gligarman's identity pretty easily and learn that he had been lying about his identity to sell toys.
However, he eventually did become Gligarman to protect the town. In a world where even the most simple monster could summon a hurricane, it is hard to see how a human superhero could do any good. But somehow Gligarman makes it work.
5 A UFO For Elygem
In the Pokémon world, it's hard to think something potentially of alien origin would be weird. But everything is relative. While Ash is getting gym badges in the Unova regions he and his friends have a close encounter with what they think is a UFO in the middle of the night. They soon find out its a ruse by a local scientist. He's been attempting to help his Pokémon Elygem back to space.
However, the strangest part of the episode is that the professor has also discovered dark matter that can disable Pokémon's powers. It's a discovery that could change the very fabric of their world, but the professor seems more passionate about UFOs. Which is probably the best for everyone.
4 Where No Togepi Has Gone Before!
Togepi, a Pokémon that still stays in the egg it was born into, seems like a cute and lovable creature. Like all of us though, they have a dark side.
When Team Rocket captured Ash and his companions inside they're new secret base they soon find out they aren't alone. A Togepi appears and soon begins to play tricks on the gang. At first, it seems harmless. However, the Togepi is able to capture all of their Pokémon and it revealed the secret base is a spaceship. The secret base blasts off and everyone is launched into the stratosphere. They barely make it back down but not before they avoid a surprise attack by the legendary Rayquaza.
3 Team Rocket vs. Team Plasma (Part 1 and Part 2)
In the Pokémon seasons based on the Black and White games, there was going to be a two-part episode featuring a battle between Ash's longtime foes Team Rocket and the new Team Plasma. Like one other entry on this list, however, it never ended up airing.
The episode was canceled due to the Tōhoku earthquake, tsunami, and the ensuing Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Team Rocket vs. Team Plasma would have depicted numerous scenes of a city being attacked and destroyed. Since it was too close to what happened in real life the episode was pulled and its events were later retconned in a later episode.
2 Enter The Champion!
Its always been Ash's dream to win a Pokémon League. However, for nearly twenty years he's never been able to do it. It makes sense even if it is sad and frustrating. If a protagonist accomplishes his goal there wouldn't be any more show. Or would there?
At the end of the Sun and Moon season, Ash competes in the Pokémon League like always. It comes down to a fight between Ash and his rival Gladion. When Pikachu is knocked out it comes down to both Ash and Gladion using the canine-esque Lycanroc. It's a close battle with both Pokémon being equally matched. Ash is narrowly able to win the battle by using a counter. He wins the championship and after over a thousand episodes he's finally achieved his dream.
1 Electric Soldier Porygon
If there's an episode of the anime that's the most well-known to even those outside of the Pokémon community it's this one. But it is not for a good reason.
When the computer system that transfers Pokémon between Pokémon Centers messes up Ash, Brock, and Misty go inside the computer to try to solve the problem. However, the virus that's infecting the computer system starts fighting back and that's where the real trouble starts. In our world.
Pikachu hits a missile with a thunderbolt and suddenly the screen flashed blue and red. Kids all over Japan had seizures, blindness, and even lost consciousness. Over 600 children were taken to the hospital but thankfully most of them were able to recover before they arrived.
The anime went on a four-month break and when it returned there were warnings not to sit too close to the television. The episode never aired in America.