Ash Ketchum has become a Pokémon Champion after 25 years of catching and battling Pokémon. Over those many years of starring in the anime, Ash caught about 77 Pokémon species, depending who you ask and what you count. Now that his journey has come to an end, fans are debating what his best team would be out of all the Pokémon he’s had over the years.
A since-deleted thread on Reddit asked the Pokémon fanbase what they feel Ash’s best team would be, out of all the Pokémon he’s ever captured. With over 2.5K upvotes and 534 comments, many trainers weighed in with very varying opinions. Here are some of the most interesting options.
One fan of the anime suggested a team with the title “Team Down Bad.” This team would consist of all the “simps” on Ash’s roster that have either been desperate for other Pokémon or even Ash himself. That team would consist of Butterfree, Bayleef, Sceptile, Oshawott, Muk, and Leavanny. Despite this team being more humorous than focused on actual strength, it received an immense amount of upvotes from the community.
Another Redditor jokingly suggested a team of six Tauros. That’s because Ash had 30 Tauros at one point in a banned episode where he spent time in the Safari Zone trying to get as many Pokémon as possible. Every time that Ash would try to catch a Pokémon, a Tauros would comically run in front of his Safari Ball.
Some responses were a bit more serious, however. A fan of the show argued that his team from Pokémon Journeys was the best. This included Pikachu, Charizard, Sceptile, Greninja, Snorlax, and Lucario.
“Based on feats and precedent? There’s no real argument to be made,” the Pokémon fan said.
A lot of people were in agreement over this list. While some people had some changes, like including Gengar or Infernape, the Journeys team seemed to be the most respected team from Ash’s 25-year adventure.
Some Pokémon fans went by personality and nostalgia. One trainer picked Gliscore because he is a “happy, snappy, flappy boi,” Charizard because of “relatable laziness,” and Muk due to him being a “smell tank that kills Oak with hugs.” Another wanted him to bring along Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Pidgeot if there was an episode more focused on adventure than battling.
Throughout the entire debate, however, one thing was clear: Pokémon fans are passionate about the show and have been following Ash’s journey very closely. It’s been very emotional to hear of Ash possibly leaving the anime, and fans are wondering what will be next for the iconic Pokémon Champion and his Pokemon squad.
