Despite his young age, Ash Ketchum has achieved considerable success throughout his Pokémon Training career. A huge reason for his progression is his strong and loyal arsenal of Pokémon. Ash's close bonds and constant care for his companions make him one of the anime's best Trainers, granting him a unique connection to them.
Ash has caught plenty of Pokémon in his journey, but he becomes incredibly attached to a select few. Ash relies heavily on these Pokémon throughout the anime series, which is entirely justifiable. Interestingly, some of those that fans may assume are weak are actually among Ash's strongest Pokémon. Although every one of his Pokémon is useful and gets a lot of love from him, the best warrant praise at the end of the day.
Updated on Nov. 15, 2021, by David Caballero: Ash has plenty of valuable members in his crew, but some outshine the rest. Indeed, Ash's strongest Pokémon stand out because of their overall battle prowess. Their versatility and stamina have rescued Ash on more than one occasion, helping the young boy from Pallet Town become one of the toughest Trainers in the entire Pokémon world.
Gengar
When Ash's Gengar makes its initial appearance in the series, it is not only a force to be reckoned with, but also quite mischievous. This is what would make it extremely humorous and an overall fan favorite.
However, with Gengar being one of the most powerful Ghost-types out there, it offers a great deal of help when used in battle. This is exactly why it is a Pokémon that not only Ash yearns for in the series, but also every devoted Pokémon gamer does as well.
Heracross
Heracross is a Pokémon that every gamer wants to have on their team. It's not only one of the best Bug-type Pokémon but one of the absolute GOATs of the Johto region. The anime confirms this by having Ash use it constantly throughout the season, including during his memorable battle against Gary in the Silver Conference.
Its personality is a bit goofy in the anime, but it knows how to get down to business against opponents. This lovable bug becomes quite combative, cementing its place as one of Ash's all-time strongest Pokémon.
Melmetal
Melmetal is a newer addition to the franchise, so fans are still trying to understand its capabilities. Yet despite its short screen time so far, it quickly proved itself as Ash's best Pokémon in the Alola region.
Melmetal was one of Ash's most curious and independent Pokémon, often wandering around, much to its Trainer's chagrin. A pure Steel-type, Melmetal gave Ash's team a massive Physical boost thanks to its formidable Attack and Defense stats. There also is a lot of interest in this Pokémon in general, as its pre-evolved form, Meltan, surprised even longtime Pokémon fans when it randomly appeared in Pokémon Go.
Dracovish
In the pantheon of weird-looking Pokémon, none come close to Dracovish. This bizarre but ultimately endearing creature might be off-putting at first, but any doubt or reservation disappears once it arrives on the battlefield.
Dracovish's most significant moment so far came during Ash's battle with Iris, when he defeated her infamous Dragonite with a super effective Ice Fang. Despite its limited screentime so far, Dracovish's performance during the Iris battle proved that it is indeed one of Ash's strongest Pokémon, and the anime would certainly keep finding ways of making it stand out in the future.
Dragonite
Dragonite is one of the most iconic Pokémon from Generation I, and it's easy to understand why. This orange beast can be equal parts goofy and fierce, living up to its status as the first-ever Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon in the franchise.
Ash's Dragonite has quickly cemented its place as one of the boy's all-time greatest Pokémon. It defeated Korrina's Mega Lucario during one of the anime's most unforgettable battles. Later, during Ash's match with Iris, Dragonite bested her mighty Haxorus. It makes sense that the boy from Pallet Town would have such a worthy mon on his team, especially with all his experience, but Dragonite's absurd strength might place it as one of Ash's strongest Pokémon ever.
Infernape
Chimchar is an absolute fan-favorite, and Infernape is a big reason why. The fire monkey is adorable and had a heartbreaking but ultimately inspirational role in the anime, so its popularity was all but warranted. However, Infernape is a complete beast of a Pokémon, and the anime cemented its reputation as the best starter for the Sinnoh region.
Thanks to its dual Fire/Fighting-type, it is quite combative. Ash's Infernape proved itself a proud but loyal friend who never backed out from a battle. During a recent episode, it went against an actual Legendary Pokémon, holding its own against the mighty Moltres.
Snorlax
Snorlax is another Generation I Pokémon that helped this franchise reach the immense success it currently has. Lazy and constantly hungry, Snorlax is still an absolute beast in battle, cementing its place as one of the most fearsome Pokémon in the Kanto Pokédex.
Despite its reputation as a glutton, Snorlax is immensely strong and athletic in battle. Ash's Snorlax memorably defeated Clair's mighty Kingdra during Ash's rematch with Clair in the Johto region. During Ash's match with Gary in the Silver Conference, Snorlax also defeated two of Gary's toughest Pokémon, Arcanine and Nidoqueen.
Sceptile
Generation III is when many of the current Pokémon fans got into the franchise, so it makes sense that Hoenn's starters have a special place in the community's hearts. However, the anime cemented Sceptile as one of Ash's strongest Pokémon by constantly showing its impressive fighting skills.
Ash's Sceptile memorably battled both a Mythical and a Legendary Pokémon in the anime, going up against a Deoxys and a Regirock. However, its most memorable moment, by far, was when it defeated Tobias' Darkrai during the Lily of the Valley Conference, becoming the first Pokémon in the entire Sinnoh region to defeat Tobias's Darkrai in battle.
Pikachu
Although Ash's Pikachu is not necessarily the most imposing when it comes to his stature, it has been essential. First off, one cannot undervalue the significance of Pikachu being Ash's first Pokémon. It grows immensely from its beginning stages and, in a way, exceeds all expectations.
In fact, this carries over to his track record in battle, as he has been able to beat some of the strongest Pokémon in the series, such as Tapu Koko and even Drake's Dragonite. Thus, he warrants a ton of praise.
Charizard
It is remarkable to see how much Ash's Charizard progresses throughout the anime series. At first, this absolute beast of a creature refuses to listen to Ash, openly defying him and even going to sleep in the middle of battle.
However, once Charizard warms up to his new Trainer, it becomes one of Ash's strongest Pokémon. Charizard battled a plethora of Pokémon during his time with Ash, including two Legendary Pokémon, Entei and Articuno. However, its most iconic moment has to be its heart-pounding match against Gary's Blastoise during the Silver Conference, one of the best and most rule-breaking battles in the Pokémon anime.
Greninja
Greninja has quickly become one of the most popular Pokémon of all time, and its reputation doesn't seem to be about to change any time soon. Its role in the anime did a lot to cement its popularity, but its presence in the Super Smash Bros. franchise also helped.
Ah's Greninja was beloved by the fans from the moment it debuted as a Froakie. However, it became the absolute GOAT when it mastered its superior form, known as Ash Greninja, thanks to its close bond with Ash. During the climactic battle in the Lumiose Conference, Greninja defeated Alain's Bisharp and held its own against his Mega Charizard. And even though it couldn't prevail, Greninja still earned the hearts of fans the world over, who consider it Ash's strongest Pokémon.