Summary
Ash Ketchum, after 25 years, finally became the Regional League Champion at the Manalo Conference, making him the first Champion in regional history. Ash’s defeat at the Lily of the Valley Conference still stings, as he showed remarkable maturity and strategy, only to be defeated by Tobias’s powerful Pokémon. Ash’s victory at the Masters Eight Tournament, where he defeated the undefeated Champion Leon, fulfilled his dream of becoming the best Trainer and crowned him King of the World Coronation Series.
Ash Ketchum was on his Pokémon a journey of twenty-five years. He visited eight different regions, made friends, and caught all kinds of Pokémon on his way to becoming a Pokémon Master. Competitive and relentless, Ash has also participated in many championships, regularly placing in the Top 10 and nearly winning twice. However, it took seven tries before he became Regional League Champion.
Below are every tournament and championship battle Ash has ever participated in, including the rankings he finished in. The entries are listed in chronological order, starting with Ash’s first convention performance. Ash has also participated in many smaller tournaments, but those are not considered here; instead, only major Regional League conference tournaments are counted.
1 Indigo Conference – Top 16
The Indigo Conference was the first championship Ash participated in, explaining why it was also his lowest placing in the Pokémon League to date. However, reaching the Top 16 out of more than 200 contestants is not an easy achievement. Ash lost to Richie, who fans remember as a Trainer who looked like a clone of Ash, to the point that he also had a Pikachu. The battle was exciting enough, but Ash lost because his Charizard refused to obey his orders. Instead, it lay down and took a nap, leading to Ash’s elimination. Ash was still an inexperienced Trainer at the time, so it was understandable that he lost this tournament. He simply wasn’t ready to go all the way.
2 Cam League – Champion
Ash first became Champion in the Orange Islands arc of the original story. His final battle was against Drake, the infamous Dragon Master. The battle ranks as one of the most exciting in the anime, as Drake’s Dragonite single-handedly defeated four of Ash’s Pokémon before being defeated by Pikachu. The Orange Islands were created for the anime and the plot takes place early in the series so many casual fans are unaware of Ash’s victory in the Orange League. It’s also not a type of tournament like the other Tournaments but more like games, where Ash only fights the region’s champion. However, defeating Drake in battle was one of Ash’s greatest moments as a Trainer and cemented Pikachu’s position as his secret trump card.
Silver Conference 3 – Top 8
Harrison is one of Ash’s best rivals in Pokémon, serving as both a wise mentor and challenging opponent who pushes him to become a better Trainer. The Silver Conference also made Ash more cunning, and although Harrison defeated him in battle, their match was one of the most intense in the series. Ash also faces Gary during the Silver Conference in one of the most unforgettable and rule-breaking battles in anime. He came out on top and his rivalry with Gary officially ended. After his loss to Harrison, Ash made it into the top 8, but fans could see this young Trainer was on his way to greatness.
4 Ever Grande Conference – Top 8
In Hoenn, Ash participated in the Ever Grande Conference and once again placed in the Top 8. This time, he lost to the eventual winner of the conference, Tyson, in one of the strangest battles in anime. Entering the second half of the battle, Tyson and Ash appeared to be evenly matched. Ash’s Torkoal defeated Tyson’s Shiftry, but the latter’s Hariyama defeated two of Ash’s Pokémon, Torkoal and Corphish. Ultimately, it all comes down to the battle between Ash’s Pikachu and Tyson’s Meowth. Both Pokémon put in a valiant effort, but Meowth came out on top after a particularly powerful Iron Tail caused Pikachu to fall.
5 Conference Lily – Top 4
Ash’s failure at the Lily of the Valley Conference still leaves some fans feeling upset. During his journey across Sinnoh, Ash showed true growth and maturity, leading many in the community to believe that he would eventually become Champion. His battle against his reformed rival, Paul, seemed to confirm this, as Ash displayed remarkable strategy and composure that ultimately led to his victory.
Alas, things did not go according to plan. Ash faces Tobias in the semi-finals and he is no match for his opponent’s Pokémon. Tobias has Darkrai, a mythical Pokémon that he has won in all of his previous battles. However, Ash still manages to defeat the Pokémon with his Sceptile, causing the crowd to cheer. Tobias didn’t even break a sweat because his next Pokémon was Latios, a Legendary, and even though Pikachu ended up fainting, it still took down Latios. However, Ash had no more Pokémon left and Tobias won the match. Many fans still think it was unfair for Tobias to win using Myths and Legends, and they may have a point.
Vertress Conference 6 – Top 8
During Unova’s Vertress Conference, Ash’s Pikachu once again took center stage, serving as its Trainer’s last hope. During his battle with Cameron, Ash chose a balanced team of six people, but Pikachu was the only one left standing when Cameron defeated his newly evolved Lucario. The electric mouse performed admirably but could not overcome the mighty Lucario, one of the best monsters of Generation IV. Ash took his defeat with maturity and once again made it to the Top 8, actually dropping the rankings for the first time.
7 Lumiose Conference – Runner-up
If Ash’s loss at the Lily of the Valley Conference stung, his loss to Alain at the Lumiose Conference was a complete burn. Ash reached the finals with one of his best teams in the series: Pikachu, Greninja, Noivern, Talonflame, Hawlucha and Goodra. Alain’s team is no joke either, and his Charizard is a fearsome foe similar to Tobias’s Darkrai. After a terrible battle, both Trainers used their ultimate Pokémon, Ash-Greninja and Mega Charizard X. Both Pokémon attacked at the same time, creating a giant cloud of steam. When the fog cleared and after an intense staredown, Greninja succumbed. Alain’s victory at the Lumiose Conference is still controversial within the community, as many felt that Ash was at the top of his game during the Kalos season.
Manalo Conference 8 – Champion
The news spread around the world: after 21 years, Ash Ketchum has finally become the Pokémon Champion. As mentioned before, that’s not entirely true since Ash is already the Orange League Champion. However, his victory at the Manalo Conference made him Regional Champion, an honor that only the best Trainers can achieve. Furthermore, he was the first ever Regional Champion, making it all the more remarkable. His final opponent is Gladion, one of Sun & Moon’s best characters. It all ended when Ash’s Lycanroc used Counter, pushing Gladion’s Lycanroc off the field and Ash won the match. It was a moment of joy for every fan, a triumph 21 years in the making and one of anime’s most satisfying moments to date.
9 Masters Eight Tournament – Monarch
Ash doesn’t compete in the Galar League and earn badges there; instead, he used his victory in Alola to enter the World Coronation Series, a tournament designed to find out who is the best of the best, with competitors participating. players like Gym Leaders and Regional Champions. Ash has earned the right to participate in the final tournament of the World Coronation Series, Masters’ Eight, which features some of Pokémon’s most skilled trainers.
Ash fought hard in Masters Eight, facing off against Steven Stone, Cynthia and finally the undefeated Leon, Champion of Galar. Ash’s battle with Leon was incredible, involving Mega Evolution, Z-Moves, and Dynamaxing, and it was a tough battle on both sides. The battle between Ash and Leon eventually turned to Pikachu versus Charizard, with Pikachu drawing power from every Pokémon Ash had ever caught to win. Ash was crowned King of the World Coronation Series, a title given to the Strongest Trainer, effectively achieving his dream of becoming the best no one has ever been.
Looking back at Ash’s tournament achievements like this really shows how much Ash’s techniques and skills have evolved over the course of the series, even as it spans decades. With one exception, Ash ranked higher every time he attempted to challenge an alliance conference. And when Ash finally became champion, he didn’t stop there; instead, he needs to become a champion and overcome seemingly impossible odds to get there. Fans rejoiced as Ash finally achieved his dream of becoming Pokémonis for the best, even if it means Ash’s journey is now almost over.