IN Pokemon In anime, Pokémon battles tend to play out very differently than in video games. Trainers issue several commands at the same time, order their Pokemon to dodge and even counter attacks with other attacks - all this is impossible under the rules of the games.
But what would happen if anime trainers had to play by the rules of competitive Pokémon battles? To succeed in the competitive arena, coaches need a strategic mind and a deep understanding of team dynamics, coverage moves, and match types. They also need a well-formed team of Pokémon that are ready for anything the enemy can throw at them. Using these measurements, you can evaluate the skills of the trainer and the Pokémon he has and see how well they can perform in competitive battles.
10
Alain's strategies are a bit simple
First appearance: Pokémon Mega Evolution Special I.
Alain is a trainer who, like Ash, has a strong bond with one of his Pokémon in particular - in his case, Charizard. As such, many of Alain's strategies are based around Charizard, which he considers to be his best Pokémon. This may make Alain more predictable than most other trainers at his level, but his performance at the Lumiose Conference proves that when Alain does use a full team, he can truly be competitive. Alain will probably do better in a competitive Pokémon environment, where he's less likely to be surprised by unconventional strategies.
However, Alain's team has some glaring weaknesses; Between Tyranitar, Sneasel and Bisharp, Alain's team has three Pokemon that are half as weak as Fighting-type Pokemon. While this issue can be worked around, overall this will be a very poor composition for a competitive team.
9
Ash Ketchum had a surprisingly decent team
First appearance: Pokemon Indigo League"Pokemon, I choose you!"
Ash, as the king of unconventional strategies that would be impossible in games, may seem like an odd choice, but his Trips the team was actually surprisingly well put together for competitive battles. It has a good mix of types, and only Sirfetch'd is redundant. Mega Lucario and Dracovish are extremely strong team members that could find a home on a competitive team, and Dragonite isn't far behind. Pikachu would be the most unconventional choice for a competitive team, but even he could be made to work with items.
Of course, Ash has proven that his understanding of type matches is quite varied, and this is an essential skill for any coach preparing for competition. Ash's Pokemon could also use better move sets, as it often has extra moves and lacks coverage options (Dragonite knows three Dragon-type moves, for example).
8
Professor Kukei has a diverse team and knows how to use them.
First appearance: Pokemon Sun and Moon"Alola - to new adventures!"
Professor Kukui is a Pokémon professor who studies moves and thus has a masterful understanding of how Pokémon attack and the importance of a diverse set of moves.. Kukui's team includes Lucario, Braviary, Incineroar, Venusaur, Empoleon, and in his battle with Ash, Tapu Koko. This does give him a nice spread of types in his team, and most of them have decent moves, if not amazing ones. Kukui's battle strategies are quite smart and he has a good understanding of matches.
Team Kukui mostly suffers from the fact that its members are fairly average Pokémon that don't stand out in terms of their strength (with the exception of Tapu Koko). The game's counterpart, Kukui, is one of the toughest trainers in Alola, serving as the region's reserve champion, just like in the anime.
7
Conway used real competitive strategies
First Appearance: Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, "Tag! We are...!
Conway is a trainer from Sinnoh whose strategies are taken straight from competitive battles.. Conway used the Trick Room move in his battle with Ash, changing the Pokemon's speed in battle and allowing his Twilight to act faster. Conway also used Shuckle, increasing its defense to the point that Ash needed three Pokémon to defeat it. Conway's full team consists of Slocking, Aggron, Shuckle, Dusk, Heracross, and Lickilicky, making for a nice mix of types.
All of Conway's Pokémon had pretty good lighting moves, at least from what was shown. He was certainly one of the smartest opponents Ash had ever had, but if his plans went astray, he often had to struggle to adapt to changing battle conditions.
6
Sawyer took notes to plan his strategy.
First appearance: Pokemon XY“Fighting with elegance and a big smile!”
Sawyer is another of Ash's rivals whose behavior makes him a good choice for competitive battles. Sawyer is constantly taking notes on the battles he observes, planning what strategies he can use to counter the ones he sees coming to fruition.. Sawyer's team consists of Sceptile (which can mega evolve), Salamence, Slurpuff, Aegislash, Clawitzer and Slaking. Mega Sceptile, Salamence, and Aegislash are all good choices, and Aegislash in particular gave Ash problems he couldn't handle in a competitive battle.
Sawyer is good at match types, and his Pokémon are generally good at covering attacks. Sawyer would certainly excel in the competitive scene due to his thoughtfulness and strategic mind, and most of his problems in the anime were the result of unpredictable actions, such as Ash blocking his Aegislash's shapeshifting, which is not possible in the games.
5
Raihan's strategies are common in competitive environments.
First appearance: Pokemon Journeys“We can stand it!”
Raihan is Leon's main rival and a gym leader who specializes in dragons. However, Raihan is best known for his preference for weather-based tactics, using moves and abilities that alter the weather to make it unfavorable to his opponent.. Weather strategies are quite common in competitive battles and can really change the outcome of a battle. However, only three Pokémon are known in his team: Duraludon, Goodra and Flygon.
Since all three are Dragon types, he has some significant weaknesses to deal with, and his weather can only partially cover them up. His Pokemon have decent attacks and Raihan definitely has a good understanding of match types. Given access to more Pokémon, Raihan will likely become a fairly competitive player.
4
Leon was invincible for a reason
First appearance: Pokemon Journeys"Flash of the Titans!"
Leon is the undefeated champion of the Galar region and the current world champion in the anime. As befits such a figure, Leon is very knowledgeable about almost every aspect of battle, which is reflected in his choice of Pokémon.. Leon's team includes Dragapult, Rillaboom, Cinderace, Inteleon, Mister Rhyme and, of course, Charizard. At least three of them are capable of Gigantamaxing, giving them access to powerful moves. All of his Pokémon have excellent coverage moves, and some have perfect abilities, such as Cinderace's Libero ability.
Leon's team does have some type redundancy, although Cinderace's abilities help her fill a different niche than Charizard. Leon is likely to thrive in a competitive environment, and he is the type of coach who is likely to adapt his team to the new rules under which he operates.
3
Diantha's tactics are hard to fight
First appearance: Pokemon XY"The Bonds of Evolution!"
Diantha is the champion of the Kalos region and placed 5th in the Masters' Eight tournament, making her one of the strongest trainers in the anime world. Her strategies are tailored to the Pokémon she currently uses, which can make her a difficult opponent in battle. She has a penchant for using defensive techniques such as Light Screen, which is common in competition but rare in anime.. Diantha's team includes (Mega) Gardevoir, Aurorus, Goodra, Gurgeist, Hawlucha and Tyrantrum.
Like most Pokémon of her level, her Pokémon have a variety of types, and while some of them have very few known moves, the ones that are known still have some coverage. Her careful strategies and keen understanding of her opponents have made her quite dangerous in competitive battles.
2
Cynthia's strategies dominate the opposition
First appearance: Pokemon Diamond and Pearl"Training from the top down!"
Cynthia is the champion of the Sinnoh region and finished second in the eight masters, making her the second strongest trainer after Leon. Cynthia is adept at typecasting and cover moves, and her Pokémon are exceptionally well trained.. Cynthia's team includes Spiritomb, Roserade, Togekiss, Gastrodon, Garchomp, and Milotic. This gives her an effective combination of types, and while some of her Pokémon have dual weaknesses, Cynthia has counters ready to deal with anyone who tries to exploit those weaknesses.
Cynthia's in-game counterpart is known to be one of the toughest trainers in the games she appears in, and in the anime she also lives up to her reputation. Her bold strategies intimidate opponents, knocking them out of the game unless their will is ironclad.
1
Paul is the most competitive trainer in anime.
First appearance: Pokemon Diamond and Pearl“Two degrees of separation!”
Paul is Ash's main rival from Diamond and Pearl era, a trainer known for his brutal treatment of his Pokémon, treating them as if they were mere tools. Paul was known to catch many Pokémon of the same type and keep only the strongest ones, and never caught anything without a clear plan on how to use it. Paul's team changed constantly throughout the series, but against Ash at the conference he used Aggron, Gastrodon, Drapion, Ninjask, Froslass and Electivire.. The team has a great mix of types and uses tactics like poison spikes that are common in competitive play.
Paul's fights were some of the most strategically complex in anime, and he used things like Pokemon abilities that are often not mentioned. While Paul's behavior in the series seemed cruel, it is actually in line with how competitive players often play, especially when it comes to catching large numbers of Pokémon and keeping only the strongest ones. These traits made Paul something of a villain in the series, but they also ensured that he would become the main villain of the series. Pokemon anime trainer most qualified for competitive fighting.