After 24 years of catching Pokemon, battling gym leaders, and saving the world, Ash is still 10, but he's come a long way since the Indigo League. In 2019 Ash finally won a championship title, beating the Alola League and facing Kukui in one of the most nail-biting battles of the series. Fans were stunned to see their favorite yellow mouse defeat the legendary Pokemon Tapu Koko.
Now, at Rank 184 in the World Coronation Series, Ash is shaping up to be one of the greatest Trainers in the anime world and is close to achieving his goal of becoming a Pokemon Master. That doesn't mean he's invincible, though: He's faced some formidable foes and he hasn't always come out on top.
Updated May 17, 2022 by Jason Collins: Ash has beaten countless foes in the Pokemon anime, but the iconic protagonist is hardly undefeatable. In fact, for the longest time, it seemed like Ash was destined to stumble before reaching his final goal of becoming a champion. There are plenty of Pokemon trainers better than Ash Ketchum; conversely, the latter has grown so much throughout the decades that he can defeat many strong opponents without breaking much of a sweat. This article has been updated to highlight a few more examples of both sides.
14 Can Beat Ash: Cynthia
Although Cynthia and Ash haven’t faced each other, it's easy to predict the outcome of such an event. Cynthia is, without a doubt, one of the strongest Pokemon trainers of all time, perhaps only inferior to Leon. Cynthia can likely owe her success to her admiration of Pokemon. Cynthia’s Garchomp is pretty unbeatable for one thing, having taken out so many Trainers.
Sadly, it is unlikely that Ash will face Cynthia anytime soon as he would first have to beat Alain and Leon. Nonetheless, Cynthia is keeping an eye on Ash’s progress in case their paths should cross on the battlefield. If ever the time comes for Ash and Cynthia to go head-to-head, fans will definitely be over the moon.
13 Can't Beat Ash: Paul
Yes, Paul is definitely a worthy contender on this list, but when it comes to training methods, Ash reigns superior. Paul is known for being abusive and harsh on his Pokemon, even releasing those who do not live up to his standard, one of which was a Chimchar who landed on Ash’s team. The Chimchar evolved into an Infernape and consequently defeated Paul's Electivire.
However, some good came from Paul’s defeat. Before this, Paul had always ridiculed Ash for his training style, often throwing insults, too. Yet, when Ash showed his worth by turning the Chimchar into a powerful opponent, Paul gained a newfound respect for his rival. Sometimes, earning the respect of an opponent is the true reward.
12 Can Beat Ash: Tyson
When Tyson saved Ash from a flock of Murkrow, the pair became close friends. After that, Tyson would frequently come to Ash’s aid. With each of these rescues, Tyson’s Meowth won many victories and even had to be restrained from attacking further in the first round of the Ever Grande Conference.
Ash and Tyson faced each other in Choose It or Lose It! and At the End of the Fray! with Pikachu against Meowth. The stakes were high, and the battle was long, but Meowth rose to the occasion and came out victorious. Despite this well-earned victory, Tyson displayed outstanding sportsmanship by congratulating Ash on the match. Tyson continued to the finals and even won the Hoenn League Conference.
11 Can't Beat Ash: Diantha
Not only is Diantha a strong trainer, but she is also an actress. She is the Champion of the Kalos region with the Ralts, Kirlia, and Gardevoir on her team; Diantha’s Gardevoir faced Ash’s Greninja in Pokemon XYZ. She had an impressive start, with her Gardevoir hardly taking a hit. Throughout the match, Diantha maintains a calm demeanor, even when Ash’s Greninja hit her Pokemon.
This battle was a nail-biter; Diantha’s Gardevoir seemed to be dodging all the shots that the Greninja took. However, Ash took the victory against Diantha in this epic battle with his Greninja knocking her Mega-Gardevoir out of the match. Despite her defeat, Diantha put up a hard fight, making her a worthy opponent of Ash.
10 Can Beat Ash: Tobias
When Ash faced the Sinnoh League, he overcame his season-long rival Paul and used his Infernape to prove that any Pokemon could be powerful. Unfortunately, his progress was cut short when he battled Tobias. The most notable thing about Tobias was his team, as he used powerhouse Pokemon of the Legendary and Mythical varieties. He also managed to make it to the semi-finals without losing a single member of his team.
Despite defeating two of Tobias's Pokemon (which was more than anyone else in the League achieved), Ash lost and he would still lose today. Tobias is a mysterious figure. No-one knows what the rest of his team looks like, so it's possible he brought an entire team of mighty Legendary Pokemon. If Ash struggled against two of them, a full team of six would be near impossible.
9 Can't Beat Ash: Ritchie
Ritchie is the Shadow to Ash's Sonic, the Wario to his Mario, he's Ash 2.0. Or at least he was. When Ritchie was first introduced he was more of a secondary rival, behind the infamous Gary Oak. Although he didn't win the Pokemon League, Ritchie managed to do what Gary couldn't and beat his rival, proving himself to be far more than an Ash 'clone.'
Unfortunately, Ritchie hasn't been seen since Pokemon: Chronicles, but it's unlikely he would manage to beat Ash a second time. Ash has become a much better Trainer since the original series. In addition, the only reason he lost their first battle was because his Charizard started misbehaving and decided to take a nap, something that wouldn't happen a second time.
8 Can Beat Ash: Lance
Many long time Pokemon fans are familiar with the name Lance. His appearances in the anime may not be as prevalent as in the games, but when he's onscreen, Lance is a sight to behold. Most recently, the Dragon Trainer faced Galar's Champion Leon in a 1v1, narrowly losing to Leon's Gigantamax Charizard, the latest powerful form of this much-loved Fire-type.
Despite losing, Lance proved that he's well deserving of his number two spot. Ash, at Rank 184, is still nowhere near his level and has already lost to lower ranked opponents like Bea, the Fighting-type Gym Leader of Galar. Ash and Lance's inevitable battle might be close, but Lance has far more experience and wields the powerful pseudo-legendary Dragonite, giving him the advantage.
7 Can't Beat Ash: Misty
As one of Ash's original companions, Misty has seen many regions and caught plenty of Pokemon. The two Trainers have battled multiple times over the series, and in Pokemon: Sun & Moon, Misty reunited with Ash and challenged him to a battle.
Despite the awesome power of her Mega Gyarados, Ash managed to defeat the powered-up Pokemon, winning him the match. Misty's biggest weakness is one she shares with every other Gym Leader. Her fascination with Water-type Pokemon (the most common typing in the series) means that she rarely uses other types, making her vulnerable to Ash's signature Pokemon, Pikachu.
6 Can Beat Ash: Leon
Leon, as the current Monarch of the World Coronation Series, is unquestionably one of the greatest Trainers in the Pokemon World. Leon represents Ash's biggest obstacle in the current series and, if Ash manages to beat Leon, he'll be one step closer to becoming a Pokemon Master.
There's no doubt that the series will end in a climatic battle between the two Trainers, but Ash is currently no match for Leon. Leon has proven time and time again to be virtually undefeatable. There's a reason he's held on to the title of Monarch for so long.
5 Can't Beat Ash: Gary Oak
Many fans consider Gary to be Ash's greatest rival (Pokemon Sword & Shield actually made players become him, in a way). His smug attitude is made far worse by the fact that he's actually a powerful Trainer. Throughout the original series, Gary was always one step ahead of Ash: He had more badges, more Pokemon, more admirers. That was until the Indigo League, where the two Trainers came face to face for their final battle.
The odds were stacked in Gary's favor as his Blastoise battled Ash's Charizard, but the underdog won. Since then, Gary decided to give up being a Trainer and become a Pokemon Professor instead. If Gary ever decided to challenge Ash to a rematch he would probably be a bit rusty and, because Ash has never stopped battling, he would emerge the victor.
4 Can Beat Ash: Giovanni
The menacing leader of Team Rocket isn't actually seen much in the anime. He's usually glowering at his lackeys from a large TV screen rather than battling. Fans do, however, get hints throughout the series of Giovanni's power. Not only is he the leader of Team Rocket but he's also the Gym Leader of Viridian City, beating the likes of Gary in Pokemon: The First Movie.
Ash and Giovanni have only come face to face a handful of times. In Pokemon: Black & White, Giovanni easily beat Ash's signature Pokemon Pikachu with his Persian. The rest of Giovanni's team is unknown, but given that he once held the title of Gym Leader, and considering the many stolen Pokemon acquired by Team Rocket, it's probably a powerful one indeed.
3 Can't Beat Ash: Brock
One of the most iconic scenes of the original series was Ash saving Brock's Onix from his Gym's sprinkler system. It was a very unorthodox way to earn his first badge, but Ash made a lifelong friend as he started his journey across Kanto. Whilst Ash didn't technically beat Brock, it did count as a victory. If the two fought again, it would probably end the same way.
The fan-favorite and somewhat enigmatic Brock also tends to stick to one type of Pokemon: the hardy Rock type, with its myriad of weaknesses. He's still focused on becoming a Pokemon Doctor, which means his battle experience is on the decline. It was impressive to see Brock return in Pokemon: Sun & Moon, and his Mega Steelix was an incredible sight, but Ash has proved multiple times that opposing Mega Evolutions don't slow him down.
2 Can Beat Ash: Alain
Alain was the main protagonist of the Mega Evolution specials before Pokemon: XY. He proved to be a powerful Trainer, battling Gym leaders, Legendary Pokemon, and even the ex-champion Stephen Stone.
Fans were surprised to see Alain in the main series, where he took on the role of rival. It was even more surprising to see him beat Ash in the finals of the Kalos League. Alain's choice of Pokemon, with his powerful Mega Charizard, lightning fast Weavile, and gutsy Bisharp, gives him the edge over Ash. If he keeps training, he will continue to be one step ahead.
1 Can't Beat Ash: Jessie And James
No matter how many times they try, the Team Rocket trio will never be able to defeat Ash. Jessie, James, and Meowth have been a thorn in Ash's side since the very start of the series. Even at the height of their nefariousness, though, they have only been able to beat Ash in a fair fight once.
That's one victory for Team Rocket and countless triumphs for Ash Ketchum. Despite being more serious characters in the past, they're back to being comic relief, and that's what stops them from being a genuine threat now.