The Most Powerful Aces in the Pokémon Anime, Ranked

Pokémon fans constantly argue about which of Ash Ketchum’s strongest Pokémon are the very best. But Ash isn’t the only trainer with a powerful standout Pokémon, and some of these Aces are much more impressive than others.

The most powerful Ace Pokémon in the anime are usually partnered with Champions, though some Legendary and Mythical Pokémon also bond with skilled trainers. These Pokémon are all incredibly strong, capable of defeating entire teams single-handedly, and are only challenged by other Pokémon of similar power.

Darkrai Allowed Tobias to Destroy Ash and Sweep the Sinnoh League

By the time Ash reached the semi-finals of the Sinnoh League, he had become a strong trainer, nearing the level of the Elite Four. However, he faced a formidable opponent named Tobias, who was even more skilled. Tobias dominated the tournament, primarily using his powerful Mythical Pokémon, Darkrai, and only Ash managed to give him any real challenge.

Ash and his Pokémon team barely managed to defeat Tobias’s Darkrai after Heracross, Gible, and Torkoal had already worn it down. Darkrai was incredibly powerful, able to inflict massive damage, put opponents to sleep, and withstand a lot of attacks. Despite this, Tobias ultimately lost to Cynthia in the Sinnoh League Championship, even after winning the Lily of the Valley Conference.

Dragonite Kept Lance at the Top of the Kanto and Johto Regions For Years

Lance is a well-respected trainer in the Pokémon anime, known for being a champion in two different regions and serving as a role model for Ash Ketchum. He famously reached the finals of the Masters Eight Tournament and is instantly recognizable for his powerful Dragonite, which has been his main Pokémon since the beginning of the series.

Dragonite doesn’t have a big role in the anime because Lance, its trainer, isn’t featured often. However, Lance is a very successful trainer, and it’s hard to believe he’d be as good if he didn’t have a powerful Dragonite alongside his Gyarados. Despite this, Dragonite has had some weak moments, like losing to Diantha in the first round of a tournament, and it wasn’t even the most impressive Dragonite, considering how well Ash’s Dragonite performed.

It’s unfortunate for Lance’s Dragonite because it could become much more powerful, but that probably won’t happen. While Mega Dragonite is now a possibility, it seems unlikely Lance will be featured in the anime again.

Metagross Used Mega Evolution to Nearly Defeat Ash’s Pikachu For Steven

Fans had to wait until Pokémon Journeys to finally see Champion Steven and his Metagross battle in the anime. They made a strong impression at the Masters Eight Tournament, even though they lost in the first round. Their purpose in the story was to make Ash’s victories seem more impressive by appearing powerful before ultimately being defeated.

Metagross is a powerful Steel and Psychic-type Pokémon that has long been Steven’s signature partner. Before the Masters Eight tournament, Steven was ranked among the world’s top three trainers, largely thanks to the strength of his Mega Metagross. Ash and Pikachu would likely have lost to this incredibly strong Pokémon without a special Z-Move attack.

Gardevoir Carried Diantha to the Top 4 of the Masters Eight Tournament

Gardevoir is a hugely popular Pokémon, and when used by Champion Diantha, it’s incredibly strong. In the XY anime series, Diantha had a quick battle with Ash and his Greninja. Even though Greninja was Ash’s most powerful Pokémon at the time, it was obvious Diantha wasn’t fighting at her full strength.

By the time the Masters Eight Tournament began, Diantha had become recognized as one of the world’s top five Pokémon trainers, largely due to the power of her Mega Gardevoir. Her Gardevoir proved its strength by defeating Lance and his powerful Dynamax Dragonite, boosting Diantha’s reputation even further. However, despite its power, Gardevoir couldn’t overcome Leon, and Diantha ultimately finished in fourth place.

Garchomp Made Cynthia an Unstoppable Force For Most of the Pokémon Anime

Champion Cynthia’s Garchomp is famously powerful and terrifying to players of the Generation IV Pokémon games. The anime consistently captured this strength, showing Garchomp as an almost unbeatable force throughout the Diamond and Pearl and much of the Journeys series. Even incredibly skilled trainers like Tobias couldn’t reliably defeat it.

Few were surprised to learn that Cynthia was ranked the world’s second-best Pokémon trainer, and that she and her Garchomp had mastered Mega Evolution. They easily defeated Champion Iris in the first round of the Masters Eight. The only reason Cynthia didn’t win was a risky move – she tried to surprise Ash by using Dynamax on her Togekiss instead of sticking to her usual battle plan. If she had, it would have been very difficult for even Ash’s Mega Lucario to defeat Mega Garchomp.

Charizard Was Undefeated Until Leon Encountered Ash Ketchum

Leon is known as the Pokémon World Champion who has never lost a battle. Although his team is incredibly powerful, most fans believe he would have lost to Cynthia before his battle with Ash if he didn’t have his Charizard. While his Rillaboom seems to have lost battles before the Masters Eight Tournament, Charizard had never been defeated, according to what viewers have seen.

Leon’s Gigantamax Charizard was incredibly powerful, establishing him as the dominant force in the Pokémon world. It was so strong and resilient that it outclassed the Mega Evolutions used by champions like Cynthia, Diantha, and Steven. While other trainers in the Masters Eight also used Charizard, Alain wasn’t a match for Leon, and even Ash’s Charizard likely wouldn’t have fared much better against him.

Ultimately, Ash and Pikachu won against Gigantamax Charizard. But it’s important to remember Leon intentionally made the battle favorable for Ash, as he was eager to finally battle someone who could potentially defeat him and end his winning streak.

Pikachu and Ash Became the Strongest in the World as a Team Unlike Any Other

For years, viewers followed Ash and Pikachu’s journey, watching them grow from battling weaker opponents to defeating incredibly powerful Pokémon and champions. By the time their adventures as the main characters concluded, they’d become known as the very best Pokémon team in the world.

Ash’s Pikachu, a powerful Electric-type Pokémon, achieved incredible victories against many champion-level opponents. It defeated Drake’s Dragonite, Brandon’s Regice, Tobias’ Latios, Alain’s Metagross and Tyranitar, the guardian Tapu Koko, Steven’s Mega Metagross, and even Leon’s Gigantamax Charizard. Through Pikachu’s speed, unwavering determination, and its incredibly strong 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt attack, Ash earned the title of world’s #1 Pokémon Trainer.

Rayquaza Put Lucius On a Different Level From Every Other Pokémon Trainer in History

The Pokémon Horizons series has significantly broadened the backstory of the anime world, particularly with the introduction of Liko’s ancestor, Lucius. Considered the greatest trainer of all time, Lucius had an incredibly powerful team, but his most impressive Pokémon – a rare, Shiny Rayquaza – clearly demonstrates why he was more skilled than even champions like Ash and Leon.

Ash Ketchum has defeated many powerful Legendary and Mythical Pokémon throughout the anime series. However, the show has always avoided having him battle the very top-tier Pokémon – those usually featured on the video game covers – because they’re often depicted as god-like beings. According to the broader story of the Pokémon universe, Rayquaza is only surpassed in power by Arceus, the Creation Trio (Giratina, Dialga, and Palkia), Ultra Necrozma, and potentially Eternamax Eternatus.

2026-05-09 18:42