The BEST episodes of Pokémon season 1
Every episode of Pokémon season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Pokémon season 1!
A young boy named Ash Ketchum embarks on a journey to become a "Pokemon Master" with his first Pokemon, Pikachu. Joining him on his travels are Brock, a girl-obsessed Rock Pokemon Trainer, and Misty, a tomboyish Water Pokemon Trainer who may have a crush on him. Ash and Co. end up traveling through various regions, including Kanto, the Orange Islands, and Johto, and then enter the Pokemon League competitions there. Along the way, they run into many confrontations with Jessie, James, and Meowth, a trio of Pokemon thieves who are apart of an evil organization called "Team Rocket". But everytime Team Rocket try to do their evil deeds, they fail thanks to Ash and his Pokemon.
#1 - Charmander, the Stray Pokémon
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 6/10/1997
As our heroes press on toward Vermilion City, they encounter a lone, weak Charmander at a mountain pass. Standing atop a stone, it appears to be waiting for someone. Ash immediately attempts to capture it, but fails. Giving up, Ash and friends head for a nearby Pokemon Center. There they run into Damien—the very boy who had abandoned the Charmander. A storm erupts. Our heroes go out in the middle of the night to rescue the deserted Pokemon. Their timing couldn’t be better for they saved the fiery Pokemon from an attack of vicious Spearow. Upon their return to the Pokemon Center, the Charmander is taken care of immediately, but the next morning he is gone, without a trace. Ash and friends go out to find him only to be side-tracked by the devious Team Rocket. Just when they thought they had captured Pikachu and rendered our heroes temporarily helpless, Charmander comes to the rescue. Will he ultimately become the next Pokemon to join Ash?
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#2 - Bye Bye Butterfree
Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 8/19/1997
As they journey toward Saffron City, our heroes come to a path that continues along the side of a sheer cliff. When the party sees a flock of Butterfree flying above the ocean, Brock, as a Pokemon breeder, explains that it is the Butterfree’s egg-laying season. In order to continue their posterity, Butterfree find mates during this season and cross the sea together. Ash releases his Butterfree, sending it off toward the flock. His Butterfree performs a dance to attract a pink Butterfree, but is brutally rejected. Ash, Misty and Brock try to encourage Butterfree, but Butterfree can’t recover from the shock of rejection. Just then Team Rocket arrives to poach the Butterfree. Ash’s Butterfree tries to prevent the capture of his fellow Pokemon with very little success. Determined to free them and win the heart of the pink Butterfree, he battles Team Rocket with the strength and courage of a Pokemon in love. Can Ash’s Butterfree rescue his fellow Butterfree Pokemon and win the heart of his pink Butterfree? If so, will he leave Ash, his beloved Pokemon trainer, to follow his love and fulfill the Butterfree destiny?
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#3 - Bulbasaur and the Hidden Village
Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 6/3/1997
Still lost, the party continues to wander. Falling from a rope bridge, stumbling into pitfalls, being caught in various traps, they struggle on until reaching a village, not shown on their map, inhabited by Pokemon that have been injured in battle or abandoned by their masters. In this village, a kind-hearted young woman named Melanie cares for these Pokemon. Even as our heroes, touched by Melanie’s kind example, attempt to assist her in caring for the Pokemon, Team Rocket is slowly making its way toward the village. A combined effort of Melanie and Ash’s Pokemon is needed to battle and defeat Team Rocket, and as a result, Ash’s courage earns him a battle between Pikachu and Melanie’s bravest Pokemon, Bulbasaur. Will Pikachu defeat Bulbasaur, thus increasing Ash’s collection of Pokemon?
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#4 - The Path to the Pokémon League
Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 5/20/1997
On the way to Vermillion City, Ash meets AJ, a Gym Leader at an unsanctioned Gym who has 98 wins and zero losses. They battle, and Ash is surprised that AJ's Ground-type Sandshrew can easily beat his Flying-type Pokémon.
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#5 - Ditto's Mysterious Mansion
Season 1 - Episode 37 - Aired 12/9/1997
The group is seeking shelter from the storm and they find it in an old theater house. They meet a girl named Duplica who has a talent for pretending to be other people. They meet her Ditto who has a problem; it cannot transform it's face. She tells them about her problems and they try to help her. Eventually, Team Rocket steals Ditto and try to make it transform into various things. They are very harsh on Ditto to make it transform perfectly, and it succeeds under the pressure they put it under. They give Meowth to Duplica pretending it is Ditto, but she is not fooled and eventually gets back the real Ditto. Now that Ditto can transform perfectly, Duplica can put on her shows.
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#6 - The Tower of Terror
Season 1 - Episode 23 - Aired 9/2/1997
Ash realizes that he must battle and collect a ghost Pokemon in order to defeat the young girl’s psychic Pokemon. In search of a ghost Pokemon, he heads immediately for a tower in Lavender Town where they are said to live. Jessie, James and Meowth from Team Rocket are already at the tower, but as they lay in wait for our heroes, they are attacked by Gastly, Haunter and Gangar. In the process of trying to defeat the ghost Pokemon, Ash learns a lesson or two about the mystical spirit world. Can Ash capture a ghost Pokemon and if so, will it be enough to defeat the psychic Gym Leader of Saffron City?
#7 - Riddle Me This
Season 1 - Episode 58 - Aired 8/13/1998
Ash and the group are sailing towards Cinnibar Island, and they happen to meet Gary on the boat. Gary tells them there is no gym on Cinnibar Island anymore, and that they were wasting their time going. When they arrive, they meet a strange looking guy who gives information in riddles. He shows them the gym. It is a broken down piece of debris, and hasn't been used in a long time. The gym leader Blaine was sick of battling tourists who came on vacation, rather than for a Pokémon match. The group try to find a place to stay the night. Unfortunately, all the places are packed with tourists. Ash is beginning to get very hungry, just as he smells something good cooking. They find Gary staying in one of the hotels and they even have an Electabuzz for entertainment playing some music. Gary decides to offer Ash some leftovers from their banquet if he will spin around three times and say "Pikachu". Ash refuses, but Pikachu does it hoping to help out Ash. Ash stops Pikachu, just as the star of their show arrives. It is Jigglypuff going to sing them a song. The group run away to safety, just as Jigglypuff begins to sing accompanied by the Electabuzz's music. The whole crowd falls asleep and get some lovely Jigglypuff squiggles on their faces. Ash and the group find the riddle man's hotel, and he offers a free stay as a reward for solving a riddle. Meanwhile, Team Rocket attempt to steal the Pokémon inside the lab on the island. Ash stops them as usual, with help from his Pokémon. They get to a hot spring, when Togepi jumps on a lever that opens a secret passage. They follow it down to see a hidden Pokémon gym. The riddle man is there to greet them, as he reveals his true identity. He is Blaine, and is ready to battle Ash. The battle is tough with Squirtle first losing, and Charizard refusing to battle. Pikachu makes a comeback, by defeating Rhydon through a direct shock to its horn. Blaine then calls Magmar, who Pikachu is unable to beat. Magmar uses a Fire Blast attack, w
#8 - Electric Shock Showdown
Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 7/1/1997
Our heroes finally reach Vermilion City. They make their way to the Pokémon Center to refill their empty stomachs, but once there, they witness dozens of injured Pokémon being treated. Pikachu and Ash are alarmed to learn that all of these Pokémon were injured in battles with the Vermilion Gym Leader, Lt. Surge. Nonetheless, eager to earn a badge, Ash challenges Lt. Surge. Pikachu reluctantly enters the battle only to discover its opponent to be a Raichu, a fierce Pokémon with tremendous electric power. In order for Pikachu to successfully compete, it must demonstrate a stronger will than ever before displayed in battle. Could Pikachu possibly have a chance against Raichu's overwhelming strength?
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#9 - Here Comes the Squirtle Squad
Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 6/17/1997
A company of Squirtles stand in the path of our heroes' enthusiastic march. To make matters worse, joining forces with Team Rocket, the Squirtles capture Ash and friends. When the Squirtles lock Pikachu, who has been critically injured, in a cage, Ash runs to retrieve a healing Potion. Upon Ash's return, a battle ensues between Team Rocket and our heroes. When it becomes apparent that Team Rocket has deserted the Squirtles, and even endangered them, Ash and his love of Pokémon prevails, and saves a Squirtle from certain doom. Will Ash's kind and brave act go unnoticed by the Squirtle?
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#10 - The School of Hard Knocks
Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 5/20/1997
Our three heroes have lost their way in the depths of a dense wood, shrouded in thick, white mist. Momentarily giving up, they decide to break for a brief rest. As Ash wanders deeper into the wood, searching for firewood, he happens across a young boy being bullied by five classmates gathered around him. Eavesdropping on their conversation, Ash learns that the boys are attending the Pokémon Seminar (or 'Pokémon Zem' for short) - a preparatory school for Pokémon trainers. Graduates from the Pokémon Seminar are automatically qualified to participate in the Pokémon League without undergoing any actual test of skill. Although many children dream of entering the illustrious Seminar (or rather their parents dream of them entering), only the most wealthy children can enter the school. But there must be a reason for the gloom overshadowing the faces of the students of this aristocratic school.
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#11 - Showdown in Pewter City
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 4/29/1997
Jessie, James, and Meowth dig a trap for our heroes, but they end up falling into it themselves! Ash and Misty arrive at Pewter City and meet a curious fellow named Flint, who notices that Pikachu is tired and shows them the way to the Pokémon Center. At the Pokémon Center, Ash reads a poster promoting the Pokémon League Regional Championships—to compete, you have to beat gym leaders from various towns and win their badges. Ash challenges the Pewter City Gym Leader, Brock, but even a healed Pikachu has no chance against Brock's Rock-type Pokémon. Later, Flint shows Ash a surprising side of Brock—when he's not battling and raising Pokémon, he has to take care of his ten brothers and sisters. Will this news affect Ash's desire to battle Brock again for the Rock Badge? Who is this Flint guy, and why does he insist on helping Ash train Pikachu for the rematch? And will Team Rocket ever climb out of that hole?
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#12 - Pokémon - I Choose You!
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 4/1/1997
Meet Ash Ketchum, a 10-year-old boy full of imagination, confidence, and dreams that are almost too big for his village of Pallet Town—plus the desire to become a Pokémon Master!
#13 - Friends to the End
Season 1 - Episode 82 - Aired 1/21/1999
Ash is sad about his loss at the Pokémon League. He is not speaking to anyone, and when Misty comes in to try to cheer him up it quickly turns into an argument between the two. Pikachu brings a quick finish to the argument with a thundershock on everyone. Ash and the gang decide to head out to cheer on Richie for his sixth round. Richie fights the match hard, and unfortunately loses. After coming out of the match, Richie is determined to try harder for next year which inspires Ash to do just the same. As they talk, both of their Pikachu play behind them until they fall into a hole dug by Team Rocket. They rush to save their Pikachu, but fall into another hole. Ash struggles to get out, but upon sliding back down, the hole collapses into deeper inside the ground. Jessie and James fish out the two Pikachu from the other hole and trap them in a cage. They get out of the hole with the help of their Pokémon Pidgeotto and Happy, and defeat Team Rocket. Back at the Pokémon League, they receive their badges for participating and are treated to a great display of fireworks. Team Rocket try to dig below the arena to get in, but end up being blown away along with the fireworks. Ash says goodbye to Richie and proceeds back home to Pallet Town.
#14 - Pokémon Shipwreck
Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 7/15/1997
With the St. Anne deep underwater, the group recovers and discover their predicament. Jessie and James wake up as well. When they meet up they initially start a battle, but the weight of their Pokémon rocks the boat. They agree to work together to get out. They find their way to a weak point in the boat where Charmander welds through it. Water gushes in and the three escape on water Pokémon. Team Rocket try to escape, but their Magikarp is too weak. They eventually float to the surface and are discovered by Pidgeotto who was searching for dry land. Just when the group are about to push overboard the apparently dead Team Rocket, they wake up. After sitting around starved for days with no land in sight, they start to consider eating Magikarp. They discover that Magikarp is all scale and bones. After James kicks Magikarp overboard, it evolves into Gyarados. The angry Gyarados does a Dragon Rage attack on them and they all spin away in a tornado created by Gyarados.
#15 - Pokémon Scent-sation!
Season 1 - Episode 26 - Aired 9/23/1997
The party arrives in Celadon City, a perfectly pleasant town full of large department stores, condominiums, and fancy arcades. Brock and Misty are mesmerized, listening to a pretty young girl in a miniskirt, selling perfume. Appalled by the price of the perfume, Ash is kicked out of the department store, and heads for the Pokemon gym alone, but he is denied entrance to the Celadon Gym. The perfume that Ash criticized in the department store is produced in this gym. Brock and Misty enter the gym and befriend those who inhabit it, but Ash must go to some outrageous lengths in order to even set foot in the gym let alone prove himself worthy of battle against its Master.
#16 - Sparks Fly for Magnemite
Season 1 - Episode 30 - Aired 10/21/1997
As our heroes make their way through the industrial town of Gringy City, Pikachu, perhaps weary from travel, is in a strange state; the electric sacks on his cheeks are continually twitching as though overcharged. At the town’s Pokemon Center, Joy diagnoses Pikachu as being in the first stages of a Pokemon cold. She begins treatment immediately, but the town suddenly goes into a blackout. Assuming the problem to be in the power-generating station near the beach, Ash and friends go to investigate. There they discover the Pokemon, Magnemite and a pack of Grimer—Pokemon created from sludge. What exactly is going on?
#17 - The Battle of the Badge
Season 1 - Episode 63 - Aired 9/17/1998
The gang arrive in Viridian City. They find the gym where Ash is about to battle, just as Gary shows up bragging about having ten Badges. He enters the gym just for practice. Gary's battle with Giovanni is quite easy, winning against Giovanni's Kingler and Rhydon with his Nidoking and Arcanine. Then, Giovanni decides to bring out a new Pokémon. Gary is defenseless against it, as it brings chaos to the whole gym. Meanwhile, Ash in carelessness flings Togepi into the air, as it lands with Team Rocket. While Jessie and James struggle to capture it, they eventually present it to Giovanni only to find Giovanni only wants rare and powerful Pokémon. Ash finds the gym in a wreck, as he wakes up Gary. Gary is terrified, as he describes this new Pokémon as truly evil. Ash goes in to compete to be totally surprised to find the gym masters are Jessie and James, as Giovanni had to leave for an emergency. The battle is intense, as the trainer is electrically shocked as their Pokémon get hurt. The shocks bring Ash to his knees just as he sends out Pidgeotto, who beats Jessie's Pokémon, shocking her. Meowth has a control panel to blow up the opponents' side of the playing field, but Gary bursts in to stop him. The match finishes and Ash wins. Jessie is completely fried. Then, Togepi decides to play with the explosion controller, and accidentally sends Jessie and James flying. Gary's cheerleaders do a cheer for Ash. Then, the group continue along. Realizing that Ash doesn't know where the Pokémon League is, they decide to head back to Pallet Town to ask Professor Oak and visit home.
#18 - Mystery at the Lighthouse
Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 6/24/1997
The party emerges from the forest onto a beach, where in the distance they see a lighthouse, shining at the tops of a cliff. The lighthouse belongs to Bill, a Pokémon researcher who is awaiting the coming of a one-of-a-kind Pokémon, never before seen by humans. Before long, a tremendously large shadow begins to take form in the sea mists, but this possible discovery could be hindered due to the infamous Team Rocket lurking in the background cooking up another one of their schemes. Could such a legendary Pokémon truly exist?
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#19 - Battle Aboard the St. Anne
Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 7/8/1997
Ash and his party arrive at a port where the SS Anne, an international cruise liner, is docked. Receiving free tickets, from a mysterious duo, for a Pokémon Trainer party aboard the Santa Anne, they board the ship filled with anticipation of good food and lots of Pokémon excitement. Aboard the ship, bustling with Pokémon Trainers, Ash meets a distinguished gentleman who suggests they make a Pokémon trade. Ash exchanges his Butterfree for the gentleman's Raticate. Just then, the SS Anne is taken over by Team Rocket who had arranged the party as a ploy to steal Pokémon.
#20 - Wake Up Snorlax!
Season 1 - Episode 41 - Aired 4/23/1998
Having not eaten in days, the group search for a town and find one. Unfortunately, the town has no food because the water supply was being blocked by a Snorlax. They try many tricks to wake up the Snorlax, but it does not work. Team Rocket comes by and they help to wake up the Snorlax because they want to steal it. They eventually wake it up by getting the old man who owned it to play his Pokéflute. When it wakes up, it eats all the thorns blocking the water flow and then goes back to bed somewhere else. The water is flowing again and the village can grow crops. The group leave and continue on their way.
#21 - Abra and the Psychic Showdown
Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 8/26/1997
The party finally arrives in Saffron City where a young girl manages a gym of Pokemon using her psychic powers. If Ash defeats this particular Gym Leader, Ash can earn a gold badge. Gathering all their strength, Ash and Pikachu challenge her. She happily accepts, but adds the strange condition that if Ash loses, they must become her friend. The official gym battle begins, but Pikachu is helpless against the young girl’s Pokemon, Abra. To make matters worse, Abra evolves in the middle of the match, turning into the more powerful, Kadabra. Employing even stronger psychic powers against Pikachu, Saffron City’s Gym Leader defeats Ash. As this strange story unravels, Ash encounters a mysterious man who seems to be the key to solving the puzzle to this young girl’s disturbing power.
#22 - Bulbasaur's Mysterious Garden
Season 1 - Episode 51 - Aired 7/2/1998
Continuing on their way, Ash battles a man with a Rhyhorn. The battle is tough, but Bulbasaur wins. Bulbasaur's bulb then starts flashing. They rush it to a Pokémon Center and discover it is going to evolve. Bulbasaur leaves his bed and is taken by other Bulbasaur to the mysterious garden where the Bulbasaur evolve into Ivysaur. The group manage to get into the garden behind vines and are watching the ceremony. Bulbasaur doesn't want to evolve. The Venusaur leading the ceremony gets mad at Bulbasaur and attacks it. Ash jumps out in front of Bulbasaur to save it and tries to reason with the Venusaur. Team Rocket float in and use a vacuum device to suck up all the Ivysaur and the Venusaur. Bulbasaur saves them and Venusaur agrees to let Bulbasaur evolve when it wants to.
#23 - Island of the Giant Pokémon
Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 7/22/1997
As our heroes and Team Rocket beat the odds by surviving the sinking ship, they are dragged into another potentially deadly situation when they are attacked by the ferocious Pokemon, Gyarados. One Gyarados becomes many and Ash, friends and foe are swept up in a tornado landing them in various locations on an island. Ash loses Pikachu and the Poke Balls containing Charmander, Squirtle and Bulbasaur. Jessie and James from Team Rocket, who land in another remote part of the island, also lose their Pokemon. Thus both Pokemon and their masters are left searching for each other on this strange island, inhabited by gigantic Pokemon. Where could this island be?
#24 - Clefairy and the Moon Stone
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 5/6/1997
Will Team Rocket steal the Moon Stone? Are there other Clefairy lurking about, and do they carry Moon Stones, too? And is the legend of the Moon Stone true?
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#25 - The Ninja Poké-Showdown
Season 1 - Episode 32 - Aired 11/4/1997
Fuchsia Gym, the authorized gym where Ash seeks his next badge, turns out to be a hidden ninja’s lair. After finally discovering and entering the gym, he is held up by a complex system of traps. At last, the gym’s eccentric trainer challenges Ash to a match. Just as he defeats the trainer, the official battle with the Master begins. The battle goes out of control as Team Rocket also enters the gym and its vast array of traps. Can Ash actually earn the gym badge?