Ash met and caught many Pokémon in the Pokémon anime. Some Pokémon were regularly captured with a battle and throwing a Poké Ball, while others were befriended and willingly joined the team. However, some Pokémon initially had a tough time respecting Ash. These Pokémon often had trust issues from previous experiences such as abandonment, or strong personalities.
To work with some of his Pokémon, Ash had to gain their respect first. From helping Charizard recover from being frozen to saving the lives of Chimchar, Tepig, and Squirtle, Ash often gained his Pokémon's respect by helping them in some big way. This often resulted in these same Pokémon helping him out in return and joining his team if they were not part of it already.
10 Ash Helped Charizard Recover From Being Frozen
Ash's Charizard was fairly rebellious and cost Ash a vital battle in the Indigo League when it refused to obey him and napped in the middle of the battlefield. However, this changed after Tad's Poliwrath froze Charizard in battle. Ash spent the entire night helping Charizard recover.
Ash lit fires around Charizard to melt the ice and rubbed Charizard's body with his bare hands to help it warm up. Despite Ash's own hands being rubbed raw during this process, he refused to stop until Charizard was fully healed. These efforts reminded Charizard of all the times Ash took good care of it, and its respect and loyalty to Ash fully returned by the morning.
9 Ash Defended Pikachu From A Flock Of Spearow
Ash and Pikachu notably did not get along at the beginning of their journey. Pikachu shocked Ash multiple times and refused to obey him. However, Ash quickly risked his life to defend Pikachu from a flock of Spearow by trying to become a human shield. Pikachu, touched by this selfless action, defended Ash in return by using a Thunderbolt attack powered by the rain outside to defeat all of the Spearow. This incident sparked Ash and Pikachu's strong trainer-and-Pokémon bonds.
8 Ash Saved Tepig's Life After It Was Abandoned And Left To Starve
Tepig, similar to Ash's Charmander, was abandoned by a previous trainer at Accumula Town after losing to a Deerling in battle. Unlike Charmander, who was left on a rock to wait for its trainer's "return," Tepig was tied to a post and left to starve. Tepig eventually broke free of the post but still had the rope stuck around its mouth, resulting in it starving from being unable to eat.
Ash met Tepig after it broke into the Battle Club looking for food. After cornering Tepig by using food as bait and chasing it, Ash removed the rope around its mouth and gave it some well-needed food. These actions instantly earned Ash Tepig's respect and gratitude, and Tepig helped Ash save Pikachu from Team Rocket and joined his team afterward.
7 Ash Took Care Of Paul's Chimchar After Paul Abandoned It
Ash's Chimchar was initially owned by Paul, who picked it up after witnessing it defeat a group of wild Zangoose. Paul often insulted Chimchar and called it weak. He trained it harshly by having all of his Pokémon attack it, and pressured Chimchar to unleash powerful moves before later abandoning it. Ash offered Chimchar the opportunity to join his team, and he continued to treat Chimchar with patience and kindness during later training with him and the other Pokémon. Chimchar cried tears of joy, grateful that it was with a trainer that offered such compassion.
6 Ash Defended Squirtle From Team Rocket's Bombs When It Was In Trouble
When Ash and Squirtle first met, Squirtle led the Squirtle Squad and initially captured Ash and his friends after teaming up with Team Rocket. However, Team Rocket turned on Squirtle and its squad by attacking them with bombs, and this resulted in Squirtle being stuck on its shell. Ash immediately shielded Squirtle with his body to protect it and pleaded for Squirtle to save itself.
This assistance touched Squirtle's heart, and it saved Ash, got rid of Team Rocket, and doused a forest fire the bombs created with the Squirtle Squad's assistance. Squirtle decided to travel with Ash afterward, while the rest of the Squirtle Squad became the official town firefighters.
5 Ash Tried To Put All Of His Pokémon Into Poké Balls To Survive A Freezing Cave-In
During "Snow Way Out," Ash and his Pokémon were caught in a snowy cave-in. He initially used Charmander's flames to keep himself and the others warm, but Charmander later lost the energy needed to produce the flames. As the night got colder and with no other way to keep the Pokémon warm, Ash forced all of his Pokémon to enter their Poké Balls to survive the cold. However, Pikachu refused to get into its Poké Ball, despite Ash repeatedly pleading with it to do so.
The rest of Ash's Pokémon shortly left their Poké Balls and huddled up to Ash to keep him warm, despite risking their own health. Thankfully for both Ash and his Pokémon, all of them survived the night and were rescued in the morning.
4 Ash Helped Stop A Territorial Dispute Affecting Heracross' Fellow Heracross And Butterfree
Heracross was first introduced when it and the rest of its fellow Heracross and Butterfree were in a territorial dispute with some of the Pinsir population in "A Sappy Ending." It was later revealed that Team Rocket took all of the sap from the Pinsir's trees, forcing the Pinsir to cross over to the Heracross and Butterfree-populated areas to get their own sap. After Ash, his Pokémon, and Heracross worked together to get rid of Team Rocket, the Pinsir returned to their respective forest. Heracross was so thankful that it decided to join Ash's team.
3 Ash Tried To Help Treecko Save Its Old Tree
Ash's Treecko was initially part of a group of Treecko whose home, a huge tree, was dying. Treecko wanted to stay with the old tree and save it, while the rest of the group wanted to leave for a new tree. After dealing with Team Rocket, the old tree began falling apart. Ash tried to help save the tree by using rope to keep it together, but the tree died despite his best efforts, leaving behind a new seed to plant.
Treecko gave Ash the chance to battle and catch it, and Ash succeeded. Shortly afterward, Treecko planted the new seed and decided to journey with Ash's team, while the rest of the Treecko stayed behind to care for the newly planted tree.
2 Ash Helped Rockruff Master The Rock Throw Attack
Rockruff initially lived with Professor Kukui, though Kukui never caught it in a Poké Ball. In the episode "Rocking Clawmark Hill," Ash discovered that Rockruff was going out on its own to Clawmark Hill to train with other Pokémon in the area. Ash offered to train Rockruff in getting stronger, and it paid off with Rockruff finally mastering the move Rock Throw. Rockruff, grateful for the opportunity and with Kukui's encouragement, joined Ash's team.
1 Ash Nursed Goomy To Health When It Was In Need Of Help
Ash first met Goomy in "A Slippery Encounter" after Ash found it in a weak, flattened state and in need of help. Ash quickly brought it to a nearby river, pouring water over it so it could recover from its earlier dehydration. After Team Rocket tried to capture Goomy and Pikachu, both Pokémon worked together to escape and eventually defeat them. Goomy, wanting to be strong like Pikachu and noticing how Ash cared a lot for his Pokémon, accepted Ash's offer to join them on their journey.
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