in the Pokemon Anime, Pokemon battles tend to play out very differently than their video game counterparts. Trainers issue multiple commands at a time, order their Pokemon to dodge, and even deflect attacks with other attacks, all things that are impossible in the games’ rules.
But what would happen if anime trainers had to play by the rules of competitive Pokemon battling? To succeed in the competitive arena, trainers need a strategic mind and a thorough understanding of team dynamics, coverage moves and type match-ups. They also need a well-built team of Pokemon that are ready for anything an opponent can throw at them. Through these measurements, it is possible to look at the skills of a trainer and the Pokemon they possess and see how well they can perform in competitive battling.
10
Alain’s strategies are somewhat simple
First appearance: Pokemon Mega Evolution Special I
Alain is a trainer who, like Ash, has a strong bond with one of his Pokemon in particular – in his case, Charizard. As such, many of Alain’s strategies are themed around Charizard, which he treats as his mouse Pokemon. This might make Alain a bit easier to predict than most other trainers at his level, but his performance in the Lumiose Conference proves that when Alain uses a full team, he can really be competitive. Alain would probably be better off under competitive Pokemon rules, where he’s less likely to be surprised by unconventional strategies.
Alain’s team has some glaring weaknesses, though; Between Tyranitar, Sneasel, and Bisharp, Alain has three Pokémon on his team that are double-weak to Fighting-type Pokémon. While not impossible to work around, this would generally be a very bad sentence for a competitive team.
9
Ash Ketchum had a surprisingly decent team
First appearance: Pokemon Indigo League“Pokemon, I pick you!”
Ash, as the king of unconventional strategies that would be impossible in the games, may seem like an odd choice, but Be Journeys The team was surprisingly well composed for competitive battling. It has a good mix of typings, with only Sirfetch’d being redundant. Mega Lucario and Dracovish are both extremely strong team members that would have a home on a competitive team, and Dragonite is no slouch either. Pikachu would be the most unconventional choice for a competitive team, but even that could be made to work with things.
Of course, Ash has proven his understanding of type match-ups is highly variable, and this is a critical skill for any competitive trainer. Ash’s Pokémon could also use better movesets, as he often has redundant moves and lacks coverage options (for example, Dragonite knows three Dragon-type moves).
8
Professor Kukui has a diverse team and knows how to use them
First appearance: Pokemon Sun and Moon“Alola to New Adventure!”
Professor Kukui is a Pokemon professor who studies moves, and thus has a masterful understanding of how Pokemon attack and the importance of a diverse moveset.. Kukui’s team includes Lucario, Braviary, Incineroar, Venusaur, Empoleon, and in his battle with Ash, Tapu Koko. This gives him a good spread of types on his team, and most of them have decent, if not amazing, coverage moves. Kukui’s battle strategies are fairly smart, and he understands match-ups well.
Kukui’s team mostly suffers from its members being fairly average Pokemon, not standing up for their power (except for Tapu Koko). Kukui’s in-game counterpart is one of the more difficult trainers in Alola, acting as the region’s stand-in champion, much like he did in the anime.
7
Conway used real competitive strategies
First appearance: Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, “Tag! We are…!”
Conway is a Sinnoh trainer whose strategies are straight out of the competitive battling scene. Conway used the trick room in his battle with Ash, reversing the Pokemon’s speed in battle and allowing his Dusknoir to act faster. Conway also used a shackle, improving its defenses to the point where it took Ash three Pokemon to defeat it. Conway’s full team consists of Slowking, Agron, Shackle, Dushknoir, Heracross, and Likkilikki, which provides a good mix of types.
Conway’s Pokemon all have pretty good coverage moves, at least from what is shown. He was certainly one of the more intelligent competitors that Ash had ever had, but when his plans went astray, he often struggled. To adapt to the changed conditions of battle.
6
Sawyer took notes to plan his strategies
First appearance: Pokemon XY“Battle with Elegance and a Big Smile!”
Sawyer is another rival of Ash, whose whole demeanor makes him a good choice for competitive battles. Sawyer constantly takes notes on battles he watches, planning out what strategies he can use to counter those he sees being implemented. Sawyer’s team consists of Sceptile (who can Mega Evolve), Salamence, Slurpuff, Aegislash, Clawitzer and Slaking. Mega Sceptile, Salamence, and Aegislash are all good choices, and Aegislash especially gave Ash trouble, which he wouldn’t have been able to beat in a competitive battle.
Sawyer has a thorough understanding of type match-ups, and his Pokemon mostly have good coverage moves. Sawyer would certainly do well in a competitive scene with his thoughtfulness and strategic mind, and most of his problems in the anime were a result of unpredictable actions, like Ash blocking the form of his Aegislash, something impossible in the games.
5
Raihan’s strategies are common in competitive
First appearance: Pokemon Journeys“Toughing it out!”
Raihan is Leon’s main rival, and a gym leader who specializes in dragon types. However, Raihan is mostly known for his preference for weather-based tactics, using moves and abilities that change the weather to disadvantage his opponent.. Weather strategies are quite common in competitive battling and can really swing a battle. Only three Pokemon are known to be on his team, however: Duraludon, Goodra, and Flygon.
With all three being Dragon-type, he has some significant weaknesses to deal with, and his weather can only go so far in covering these. His Pokemon have decent coverage moves, and Raihan definitely understands type match-ups. Given access to more Pokemon, Raihan would likely be a fairly competitive player.
4
Leon was undefeated for a reason
First appearance: Pokemon Journeys“Lightning of the Titans!”
Leon is the undefeated champion of the Galar region, and the reigning world champion in the anime. As befits such a figure, Leon is very knowledgeable about almost every aspect of battle, something that is reflected in his choice of Pokemon.. Leon’s team includes Dragapult, Rillaboom, Cinderace, Inteleon, Mr. Rime, and, of course, Charizard. At least three of these are capable of gigantamax, giving them access to powerful moves. His Pokemon all have excellent coverage moves, and some have ideal abilities, like Cinderace’s Libero ability.
Leon has a bit of type redundancy on his team, though Cinderace’s ability helps it fill a different niche than Charizard. Leon would likely do quite well in a competitive scenario, and is the type of trainer who would probably adapt his team to fit the new rules he was working under.
3
Diantha’s tactics are difficult to fight with
First appearance: Pokemon XY“The Bonds of Evolution!”
Diantha is the Kalos region champion, and was ranked #5 in the Masters’ Eight tournament, making her one of the strongest trainers in the anime world. Her strategies are adapted to the Pokemon she is currently using, which can make her a difficult opponent to find in battle. She has a penchant for using defensive moves like light screen, something common in competitive but rare in the anime. Diantha’s team includes (Mega) Gardevoir, Aurorus, Goodra, Gorggeist, Hawlucha, and Tyrantrum.
Like most at her level, her Pokemon have a variety of types, and while some of them have very few known moves, the ones that are known have some coverage. Her careful strategies and smart insight into her opponents would make her quite dangerous in competitive battles.
2
Cynthia’s strategies dominate the opposition
First appearance: Pokemon Diamond and Pearl“Top-Down Training!”
Cynthia is champion of the Sinnoh region, and was ranked #2 in the Masters’ Eight, making her the second-strongest trainer after Leon. Cynthia has an excellent understanding of type match-ups and coverage moves, and her Pokemon are exceptionally well trained.. Cynthia’s team includes Spiritomb, Roserad, Togekiss, Gastrodon, Garchomp and Milotic. This gives her an effective mix of types, and while some of her Pokemon possess double weaknesses, Cynthia has counters prepared to deal with anyone trying to exploit those weaknesses.
Cynthia’s game counterpart is known as one of the hardest trainers in the games she appears in, and she also lives up to her reputation in the anime. Her bold strategies intimidate opponents, throwing them off their game if their will is anything less than iron.
1
Paul is the most competitive trainer in the anime
First appearance: Pokemon Diamond and Pearl“Two degrees of separation!”
Paul is Ash’s main rival of the Diamond and pearl Era, a trainer known for his cruel treatment of his Pokémon, treating them as if they were mere tools. Paul was known to catch a lot of one type of Pokemon and only keep the strongest, never catching anything without an explicit plan for how to use it. Paul’s team changed constantly throughout the series, but against Ash in the conference, he used Aggron, Gastrodon, Drapion, Ninjask, Froslass and Electivire. The team had an excellent mix of types, and used tactics like poison spikes, which are common in competitive play.
Paul’s battles are some of the most strategically complex in the anime, and he uses things like Pokémon’s abilities that often go unmentioned. Although Paul’s behavior was cruel in the series, it actually matches how competitive players often play, especially about catching lots of Pokemon and only keeping the strongest. These traits make Paul somewhat of a villain in the series, but they also ensure that he is the one Pokemon Anime trainer most qualified for competitive battling.