User:Hikaru Wazana/Ash's rivals

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Ash's Rivals

Note: This page is under development, feel free to increase it in some detail.


During the course of the anime, many characters have appeared in opposition to Ash. Similar to games in virtually every region Ash meets a new rival and battle it several times during the course of the region. Often an anime establishes three types of rivals in these areas:

Main Rival: Rival that usually wins the most battles and is finally defeated in battle in the main competition of the anime. Their attitudes are more rude and they usually stay one step ahead of Ash. Examples of this are Gary, Paul and Trip.

Ash's current rival: Trip

Friendly Rival: character who generally tend to have attitudes more generally friendly and tend to be in the same level of battles of the protagonist. Examples are Barry, Morrison and Bianca.

League Rival: character who often appears to meet Ash soon after the final battle against the main rival at the Pokémon League, every battle so far resulted in defeat for Ash. Their example is Tobias, Harrison and Tyson.

Original series

The initial phase of anime stabilized only as Gary Oak rival for much of its course, but as the story continued in Johto way more characters entered. Misty also acted like rivals in many episodes, but it followed different goals.

Gary Oak

Main article: Gary Oak
Gary and his Umbreon

Gary is the first rival of Ash (and possibly the biggest one so far). He is the grandson of Professor Oak and began his journey along with his Squirtle, with a few appearances in the Kanto region he is eventually defeated in the league and finished in the top 32.

During the Orange League saga he goes in search of training, after rediscovering Ash, he defeats Ash's Pikachu with his powerful Eevee (which later evolved into Umbreon ) and go to the Johto region.

They eventually battle for the Silver Conference where Ash is victorious after a tough battle because of this Gary decides to become a Pokémon researcher.

He makes brief appearances during the Battle Frontier saga of the anime, where he defeats Ash's Pikachu again with his newly acquired Electivire and continues its journey to the Sinnoh region, where it creates a kind of rivalry with the Pokémon Hunter J and tries to help by a order in the plans of Team Galactic.

Pokémon

Gary Oak
Hometown: Pallet Town
Episodes Present
EP001, EP063, EP065, EP121, EP171, SS015, AG192, DP045, M01
Method Kanto/Johto Post-Johto Sinnoh
Gift 007
Caught 059 133076227084126031098034212022230127229065 466
Evolved 008009197 085


As of Showdown at the Po-ké Corral, Gary has more than 200 Pokémon in his collection including more than one of the same species.

Ritchie

Main article: Ritchie
Ritchie

Ritchie is a character that first appeared during the Indigo League arc, he and Ash team up to defeat the Rockets after they steal many Pokémon from trainers of the competition. They quickly become friends and soon after find out that it would face too, because the interference of Team Rocket and lack of control of his Charizard, Ash ends up being defeated in battle.

He appears again in the arch of Whirl Island where they both try to save a baby Lugia and a relative of the Team Rocket members.

His most recent appearance is in three episodes in Pokémon: Chronicles


Pokémon

Ritchie
Hometown: Frodomar City (dub only)
Episodes Present
EP220-EP222
Method Pre-series Post-Kanto
Evolved 005
Unknown 025 004 012 247 276 133


Casey

Main article: Casey
Casey

Casey is a beginner trainer from New Bark Town who first appeared in the early phase in Johto. In her first fight, it is completely defeated by Ash using only his Charizard. Once again, she battles against Ash and his Pikachu where she put up a good fight only to be stopped by the actions of Team Rocket. Both also competed in the Bug-Catching Contest where Ash wins the competition, yet it's he gives to her his newly captured Beedrill.


Pokémon

Casey
Hometown: New Bark Town
Episodes Present
EP118, EP161, EP261, SS011, SS017
Method Johto
Evolved 153154
Gift 152 015
Caught 016019239


Harrison

Main article: Harrison
Harrison

Native to the region of Hoenn, Harrison helped Ash to rescue the flame of the Silver Conference that was with a wild Sneasel. After rescuing the flame, he captures the Sneasel with the help of his Blaziken.

He have a hard battle against Ash where he can able to beat Ash's Charizard despite the disadvantage of type with Blaziken, but he loses the next match against Jon Dickson.

After this, he decides goes to the Kanto region.

Pokémon

Harrison
Hometown: Littleroot Town
Episodes Present
EP265-EP272
Method Hoenn Pre-series Johto
Gift Pokémon 255
Evolved 256257
Unknown 229208097241
Caught 352 215


Advanced Generation

Although the saga Advance Generation anime has never created a rival to Ash himself, many characters during the course of the series acted as his rivals at some points.

May

Main article: May

Although May has never been specifically treated as a rival in the anime, it has much in common with their counterparts of the games and manga, where she is the main rival of the male character in the game (or manga).

As in the games, her starter Pokémon has an advantage of the type of Ash's starter in the Hoenn region (Treecko), she also had several battles against Ash and is more notable for her last fight against Ash in Battle Frontier saga. She also competes in another kind of competition as opposed to Ash, similar to Sapphire in manga (but the manga is the opposite: Ruby is the Coordinator of the saga while Sapphire is the trainer who battles for badges).

Pokémon

May
Hometown: Petalburg City
Episodes Present
AG001-AG192, DP075-DP079, The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon
Method Hoenn / Frontier Post-Frontier Sinnoh
Caught 265300001446
Hatched 133
Evolved 266267256257 008002003 471
Given 255007 Egg


Morrison

Main article: Morrison
Morrison

Morrison first appears just before the Pokémon League in Hoenn region, he battles with his Beldum against Ash and Pikachu which results in a tie.

Shortly thereafter, Beldum evolves into a Metang in the competition.

He battles with Ash, in the beginning he battled in order to lose on purpose, but after Ash revolts, they battle at the same level.

Pokémon

Morrison
Hometown: Verdanturf Town
Episodes Present
AG118, AG126-AG132
Method Pre-series Hoenn
Unknown 260 374 208207058203
Evolved 375


Rafe

Rafe
Main article: Rafe

Rafe is one of the main characters in Destiny Deoxys, much like other rivals, he acts in rude way to Ash. Them face off in a Tag Battle in Battle Tower of Larousse City, where he is victorious.

During the crisis in the city, he and Ash put their differences aside and join to help the city.


Pokémon

Rafe
Hometown: South City
Episodes Present
M07
Method Pre-series
Unknown 257


Tyson

Main article: Tyson
Tyson

Tyson is a veteran trainer Ash and his friends find during the festivities for the start of the competition in Ever Grande City. His main Pokémon is a powerful Meowth that he found abandoned after a wild brawl against a Persian.

He battles against Ash for the eighth position in the championship and wins after a tough battle. Then it is shown that he proved to be the winner of the competition.

Pokémon

Tyson
Hometown: Mauville City
Episodes Present
AG125-AG132
Method Pre-series Hoenn
Caught 052
Unknown 254 376 232275297


Diamond and Pearl

Diamond and Pearl is so far the series where most rivals have been created for the main characters of anime. In addition to Ash's rivals, most Dawn's rivals battled against Ash several times at one point or another in the anime.

Paul

Main article: Paul

Paul is a veteran trainer to Veilstone City, much of his rivalry with Ash was due to their attitudes with their Pokémon. While Paul would rather focus on brute strength and heavy workouts for his Pokémon, Ash was the opposite of that which caused many fights between them.

Paul is the trainer's original of Ash's Chimchar who was released after failing to meet their expectations during the tournament in Tag Battle Hearthome City.

Despite his starter being a Turtwig (which evolved to Torterra well before Diamond and Pearl), the main Pokémon he owned in the Sinnoh region is a Electivire that he's trained since it was an Elekid and was used in the last battle against Ash in the Lily of the Valley Conference.


Pokémon

Paul
Hometown: Veilstone City
Episodes Present
DP002-DP003, DP006, DP015-DP016, DP040, DP046, DP050-DP052, DP064, DP067, DP074, DP077-DP078, DP081, DP100, DP118, DP127- DP128, DP131-DP132, DP155, DP163, DP182- DP189, M13
Method Kanto/Johto/Hoenn Pre-series Sinnoh
Gift 387
Caught 461 198 239 291390 396(x3) 234 217472452
Evolved 388 389 125466430 306 467
Given Away 184
Released 396(x3) 234390
Unknown 184034297423305


Barry

Main article: Barry

Barry is a fan of Paul Ash and Dawn are in the city of Hearthome during the journey. He has several battles against Ash during the phase of the Diamond & Pearl, a native of Twinleaf he also is a son of Palmer, one of the Sinnoh Frontier Brains.

During the competition he battles against his idol Paul, but loses to him.

Pokémon

Barry
Hometown: Twinleaf Town
Episodes Present
DP101-DP103, DP110-DP111, DP140-DP141, DP157, DP163, DP182-DP189
Method Pre-series
Caught 214
Unknown 395 398 407 227 106


Conway

Main article: Conway
Conway

Conway is a partner of Dawn during the competition of double battles in the city of Hearthome. Thanks to his experience and strategies both were to the finals, where faces Ash and Paul but loses the battle much of this thanks to the evolution of Paul's Elekid.

He appears again during the four-part Pokémon Summer Academy arc.

His lastest appearances were at the League where he confronts Ash once again, but lost again after a hard battle.

Pokémon

Conway
Hometown: Unknown
Episodes Present
DP050-DP052, DP088-DP091, DP182-DP185
Method Pre-series
Unknown 199306 214 213 463 477


Nando

Nando
Main article: Nando

Nando appears at the beginning of the journey in Sinnoh, after battling with Ash and Dawn decides to become a coordinator in addition to going after badges to qualify for the Pokémon League. He is the first opponent that Ash faces during the competition.

Pokémon

Tobias

Main article: Tobias
Tobias

Tobias is a very powerful Pokémon trainer who appeared during the Lily of the Valley Conference arc. Very little is known of him, he managed to defeat all the gym leaders in the region of Sinnoh with just only your Darkrai. He faces Ash in The Semi-Final Frontier! vying for a top four position in the competition, he manages to defeat three of Ash's Pokémon only with Darkrai and finally falls after fighting against Ash's Sceptile, then he uses his Latios that defeated the rest of Ash's team falling only to Ash's Pikachu ending winning the match. After that he wins the next match and becomes the champion of the competition.

Pokémon

Tobias
Hometown: Unknown
Episodes Present
DP183-DP189
Method Pre-series
Unknown 491381


Best Wishes/Black & White

Similar to the original series (in the Kanto region, specifically) is the first time that Ash's rival is mainly a beginner trainer. From Minccino-Neat and Tidy!, is also introduced one of these two rivals presents in games Black and White.

Trip

Main article: Trip
Trip

Trip is the main rival of Best Wishes, despite being a rookie trainer, he defeats Ash's Pikachu in his first battle, much of this is due to the effect caused by Zekrom into Pikachu.

He battles Ash again in A Rival Battle for Club Champ! in a battle 5x5, he lost only two Pokémon into battle and win several Ash's Pokémon with one blow.

He reappears again in the arc in the town of Castellia.

Trip is a fan of Alder, which he watched a Pokémon battle when he was younger and had contact with his idol, which inspired him to train hard and strong following with the intention of facing his idol.

Pokémon

Trip
Hometown: Nuvema Town
Episodes Present
BW001, BW010, BW022, BW031, BW039-BW040, BW052, BW070-BW072, BW090-BW093
Method Unova
Given 495
Caught 532 608 592520582
Evolved 496497533534


Bianca

Bianca
Main article: Bianca

Bianca is a beginner trainer who first appeared in Minccino-Neat and Tidy!, she is sent by Professor Juniper to deliver a badge case to Ash. She quickly becomes friends with the characters and joins the group in Emolga the Irresistible!, later she made an attempt to capture one wild Emolga and leaves the group in the next episode to try to win more badges.

She reappears in the arc of Club Battle's tournament, as one of the participants, but is defeated in his first match. She appears again in several episodes during the Ash's journey in Unova region.


Pokémon

Bianca
Hometown: Nuvema Town
Episodes Present
BW013, BW024-BW025, BW037, BW039-BW042, BW049, BW062-BW063, BW070-BW073
Method Unova
Caught 572 616
Evolved 499500 589
Given 498
Trade 588
Traded 616


Stephan

Main article: Stephan
Stephan

Stephan is a trainer Ash and his friends meet during the trip to find Nimbasa City. His main Pokémon is a Zebstrika that first appeared as a Blitzle. He reappears in the arc of the Club Battle's tournament, as one of the participants.

Stephan proves to be itself a powerful Trainer who thanks to his hard training and dedication to their Pokémon can win the Clubsplosion tournament after defeating powerful trainers including the former champion of competition.

Pokémon

Stephan
Hometown: Unknown
Episodes Present
BW032, BW039-BW042, BW069-BW073
Method Unova
Unknown 522539
Evolved 523



Trivia

  • Gary and Paul notably are the only ones Ash's rivals that appeared in a movie in person: Gary appears in a flashback of his fight against Giovanni and Mewtwo in the first movie and Paul walking into a location appears similar statues of Dialga and Palkia present in the city of Solaceon during the credits in the thirteenth movie.
    • However, most rivals of Ash in the Sinnoh region appear in static images during the credits of the thirteenth film.
  • Similar to that, disregarding the counterparts of the main games, Gary and Ritchie are the only rivals who appeared in one game in the series himself and also the manga-based anime.
  • All main rivals battled Ash's Pikachu in their first battle against Ash.

See also