The 30 best Pokémon episodes, scenes, and jokes from the show and movies

Pokémon isn’t just a franchise, it’s a way of life. For the past three decades, this world of evolving, battling creatures has dominated popular culture. And for many fans, it can all be traced back to Pokémon, the animated series that debuted in 1997 (one year after the first game) and is still airing new episodes today.

There are countless iconic jokes, scenes, and battles from the past three decades. So as part of Polygon’s ongoing celebration of Pokémon’s 30th birthday, we’ve rounded up the 30 most iconic moments from the anime. This list skews heavily towards the earliest episodes (and the groundbreaking first movie), but also features some pivotal moments from more recent seasons.

Check out the entries below, presented in chronological order, and let us know what we missed in the comments. (Episode numbers are based on the official Pokémon website’s listings, which differ slightly from other Poké-resources like Bulbapedia.)

30 Ash gets Pikachu

“Pokémon, I Choose You!” — season 1 episode 1

One thing that always made Ash relatable was his slacker nature. The clearest example of this is in episode 1 when he accidentally sleeps in on the first day of his Pokémon Trainer journey. Ash misses out on the three Kanto starters and ends up with Pikachu, putting him at a disadvantage against Brock, the first Gym Leader. Worse, Pikachu can’t stand Ash and refuses to take orders. But watching their relationship sprout in that first episode is pure magic, leading to a bond (and a Pikachu) stronger than any has the right to be.

29 Ho-Oh’s good omen

“Pokémon, I Choose You!” — season 1 episode 1

The very first episode of Pokémon is full of iconic moments (many of which are mentioned in this list), but the most majestic of them all takes place at the very end. As the episode reaches its conclusion, Ash spots a shining bird Pokémon flying across the sky. It was a good omen, both for our hero and for the franchise he would come to represent.

28 Ash battles Brock

“Showdown in Pewter City” — season 1 episode 5

If you think it's hard to beat Brock with a Charmander in Pokémon: FireRed & LeafGreen, try doing it with a Pikachu like Ash does in the anime. Although his win was a hack, with Pikachu using his electricity to set off the sprinkler system in the Gym and weaken Onix with its Water-type weakness, it was still ingenious. And at this point, audiences weren’t exhausted by all the shenanigans Ash would have to pull to eke out his wins in the future quite yet.

27 Misty’s true identity revealed

“The Water Flowers of Cerulean City” — season 1 episode 7

Ash meets Misty in Pokémon’s very first episode after stealing her bike and immediately destroying it. Thus, a legendary “friendship” was born. However, that friendship was further solidified six episodes later when Misty revealed her true identity as the youngest of four sisters who serve as leader of Cerulean City gym. When her older siblings refuse to battle Ash, Misty steps in, putting up a formidable fight before ultimately accepting defeat to his unrelenting Pikachu and handing over a Cascade Badge.

26 Ash rescues Charmander

“Charmander—The Stray Pokémon” — season 1 episode 11

Early Pokémon took on some rather serious subject matter, from death to abuse, and this was never more perfectly encapsulated than when Ash saved an abandoned Charmander from almost dying in the rain. Charmander’s mean and abusive trainer abandoned him because he perceived the creature as weak, but Ash rushes to save him in a storm. It’s heartwrenching, and makes the arc Ash later has with his bullheaded (but super cool) Charizard even more satisfying.

25 The Squirtle Squad

“Here Comes the Squirtle Squad" — season 1 episode 12

After getting “stuck” with Pikachu, Ash would eventually gather all three of the Kanto starter Pokémon early on in the show. The most entertaining encounter of the bunch is Squirtle, who is part of an unruly gang of troublemaking water Pokémon. At the end of the story, one Squirtle decides to join Ash on his adventure, but getting to hang out with a squad of mischievous Squirtles is the episode’s highlight.

24 The Butterfree trade

"Battle Aboard the Saint Anne" — season 1 episode 15

The episode that taught Pokémon fans about seller’s remorse: In "Battle Aboard the Saint Anne," Ash gleefully trades Butterfree away for another trainer’s feisty Raticate. However, he soon regrets the choice after realizing his personal connection to the first Pokémon he ever caught. Thankfully, the other trainer is willing to trade back, but the lesson learned by Ash still lingers.

23 Pikachu refuses to evolve

"Electric Shock Showdown" — season 1 episode 14

Ash’s Pikachu gets soundly demolished by Lt. Surge’s Raichu early in the series and gets hospitalized as a result. The nurse offers up a Thunder Stone that can easily evolve Pikachu, but Pikachu promptly slaps the stone out of Ash’s hand and goes on a long-winded “Pika-Pika!” rant that leaves Meowth in tears as Team Rocket watches through the nearby window. He vows to fight in the name of all Pikachu and wants to win on his own terms. As we also see from other Pokémon like Ash’s Charmander, Pokémon can undergo radical personality changes upon evolution. In other words, Pikachu doesn’t want to sacrifice himself just in the name of power.

22 Pikachu vs. Raichu

"Electric Shock Showdown" — season 1 episode 14

Pikachu vowed to defend his and Ash’s honor after losing to Raichu the first time, but the rematch that follows is an epic confrontation where Ash actually starts looking like a solid trainer. Rather than have Pikachu try to outmatch Raichu in terms of raw power, he instead emphasizes Pikachu’s speed, having him use Agility to dodge Raichu’s attacks before finishing the job with Quick Attack.

21 Bye-Bye, Butterfree

“Bye-Bye, Butterfree” — Pokémon season 1 episode 23

One of the most emotional early episodes of the series is “Bye Bye Butterfree.” Ash’s butterfly Pokémon takes a liking to a cute pink variant of the species during mating season and solos Team Rocket to impress her. At the episode’s end, Ash offers a tear-filled goodbye complete with a montage of memories as the happy couple begins their flight across the sea. The moment that really sticks is Pikachu screaming goodbye.