Pokemon: Ash’s 7 Strongest Kanto Pokemon

Ash’s journey as a Pokémon Trainer began in his home region of Kanto, immediately after leaving his hometown of Pallet Town in the very first episode of the anime. He caught his first Pokémon there, and since then, traveling as far as the Galar region, he’s made many Pokémon friends and added some to his team.

I’ve watched Ash collect a lot of incredible Pokémon over the years, like Lucario and Incineroar, but it’s the ones from his Kanto days that really stand out as fan favorites. Some, like Pidgeot and Muk, don’t appear as much now, but they’re still reliable friends he can count on. Others, such as Pikachu and Charizard, are famous for more than just how often they’re shown – they’ve really grown as characters and are incredibly strong Pokémon.

Muk Is Immune To Most Attacks

An Unfortunately Underutilized Powerhouse Pokémon

Grimer is a frequently encountered Poison-type Pokémon from the Kanto region, famous for being entirely composed of sludge. Its origins are debated – some believe it was once ordinary sludge changed by moonlight, while others think it came from polluted ocean water. Whatever the case, Grimer is known to be dangerous, and it becomes even more so when it evolves into Muk. Ash was initially afraid of Muk before he caught one, as it commanded a whole group of Grimer.

It’s strange, but Muk’s personality did a complete 180 after being captured. It went from being a fierce Pokémon to a loving one that enjoyed giving hugs – it would even hug members of Team Rocket like Jessie and James! Muk was also a surprisingly tough Pokémon in battle, as most attacks didn’t affect it. Despite being nearly impossible to defeat, Ash didn’t use Muk very often in his battles.

Pidgeot Is One of Ash’s Most Loyal Pokémon

The Normal/Flying-type Deserved a Better Spotlight

Almost every Pokémon region starts players off with a bird Pokémon on the initial routes, like Starly in Sinnoh and Pikipek in Alola. The very first of these was Pidgey, a Normal/Flying-type Pokémon, introduced in the Kanto region. Pidgey evolves into Pidgeotto, and then into the powerful Pidgeot. It was also the first of these early-route birds to gain a Mega Evolution, a distinction it held until Mega Staraptor appeared in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

Ash didn’t catch Pidgeot as a Pidgey; he first met it when it was a Pidgeotto. This Pokémon quickly became one of Ash’s most reliable and low-maintenance teammates, always happy to help. After evolving into Pidgeot, it briefly left the team to protect a group of young Pidgey, using its speed and power to keep them safe. Later, at the end of the original Pokémon series, Pidgeot rescued Ash and Pikachu from Team Rocket and returned to the team, as the Pidgey it had protected had now grown up.

Snorlax Is Exceptionally Powerful

Snorlax’s Strength and Stamina Allow It To Win Several Battles

Snorlax is a fan-favorite Pokémon for a couple of reasons: it’s adorable, and it fits well on almost any team. It’s naturally tough, with high Attack and Special Defense stats, making it difficult to defeat. Being a Normal-type Pokémon, Snorlax can learn a wide range of moves, like Electric-type Supercell Slam and Ground-type Earthquake. But it’s especially known for its incredibly strong Normal-type move, Hyper Beam, particularly in the game Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

When Ash and his friends visited the Seven Grapefruit Islands, they faced a big problem: a wild Snorlax was eating everything! Stopping it proved incredibly difficult, as the Snorlax was not only strong and powerful, but also a surprisingly good swimmer. Luckily, they ran into Jigglypuff, whose singing gave them an idea – they could put Snorlax to sleep and then catch it. Snorlax ended up joining Ash’s team and became one of his most reliable and powerful Pokémon, able to withstand attacks and use powerful moves like Hyper Beam and Ice Punch.

Bulbasaur Will Always Look After Its Loved Ones

The First of the Three Usual Kanto Starters That Ash Meets

Ash’s first Pokémon encounter wasn’t with Charizard or Squirtle, but with Bulbasaur, who protected the Hidden Village. Bulbasaur was raised by Melanie, the village owner, and had witnessed many Pokémon being mistreated and left behind by their previous Trainers. This made Bulbasaur wary of Trainers and very protective of the Pokémon living in the village. Ironically, Bulbasaur was too good at its job – the Pokémon in the village were happy and safe, so none of them wanted to leave and return to the wild, even after they’d recovered.

Bulbasaur eventually began to trust Ash because of his courage and decided to join his Pokémon team. It quickly became a key fighter, using its vines and smart strategies. Despite being very strong, Bulbasaur, like its close friend Squirtle, never evolved – not even once. Some fans believe this is related to what happened when their friend Charmander evolved twice in a short period of time.

Squirtle Is a Born Leader

The Legendary Boss of the Squirtle Squad

Before becoming part of Ash’s Pokémon team, Squirtle was abandoned by its original Trainer. Along with other deserted Squirtle, it formed the Squirtle Squad, becoming their leader. This group became well-known throughout the Kanto region for causing trouble, even capturing Ash and his friends with the help of Meowth. However, after realizing Team Rocket was using them and witnessing Ash protect their leader, the Squirtle Squad’s boss decided to join Ash and become a valuable member of his team.

Squirtle occasionally resumed leading the Squirtle Squad, but the group became better known for its helpfulness rather than playing tricks. Being with Ash helped Squirtle become stronger and more mature, though it still enjoyed a good prank. Like its close friend Bulbasaur, who was also serious and loyal, Squirtle never evolved. Despite this, it remains one of Ash’s most valuable Pokémon, celebrated for its quickness and strong defense.

Charizard and Ash Once Were Unable To Work Together

The Flame Pokémon Has Since Become One of Ash’s Best Friends

A sad situation unfolded when Ash and his friends discovered a Charmander abandoned near a Pokémon Center. His Trainer had left him because they thought he was too weak, but Charmander faithfully waited for their return. Ash and his friends rushed to help him in the rain, saving him from exhaustion. Once recovered, Charmander decided to join Ash. This Pokémon was known for being loyal and gentle, but after evolving into Charmeleon and then Charizard, his personality unexpectedly became more hostile.

Ash had a lot of trouble with his Charizard, who consistently disobeyed him – often falling asleep mid-battle or attacking without listening. This sudden change worried Ash’s other Pokémon. It wasn’t until Ash carefully nursed Charizard back to health after a freezing incident that Charizard remembered how much Ash cared. From that point on, Charizard became one of Ash’s most well-known and powerful Pokémon. He even rushed to help a friend in danger, battling the Unown’s Entei in the third Pokémon movie, even though he wasn’t training with Ash at the time.

Pikachu Will Always Remain by Ash’s Side

Ash’s Partner Pokémon and an Extraordinary Electric-type

Ash originally wanted one of the traditional Kanto starter Pokémon, but he overslept and missed his chance to choose one from Professor Oak. The only Pokémon left was Pikachu, an Electric-type recently caught in the forest. Pikachu wasn’t used to people and initially didn’t want to train with Ash, so Ash tried to catch another Pokémon. This angered a group of Spearow, who attacked and hurt Pikachu. However, when Ash protected Pikachu from the bird Pokémon, Pikachu began to respect him. After Ash scared the Spearow away with a powerful Thunderbolt, he and Pikachu became close friends.

Wherever Ash goes, Pikachu is always with him. As Ash meets and trains new Pokémon, Pikachu cheers them on and helps them become stronger. Pikachu is famously strong for his kind, able to use incredibly unique Electric-type attacks. He even delivered the winning hit against Leon’s powerful Gigantamax Charizard in a major tournament – a truly impressive feat after years of adventures! While we don’t know where Ash and Pikachu are headed now, you can be sure they’ll continue to support each other along the way.

2026-02-20 17:39