Introduced to the Pokémon franchise in Generation VI, the Fairy typing is often applied to species that possess characteristics of fairies, from cute pink-hued styles to whimsical creatures that look like they were plucked straight out of a fairy tale.
Fairy-types were introduced to give more balance to other types in terms of strengths and weaknesses. Steel and Poison-types were in desperate need of a super-effective advantage, while Dark and Dragon-types were too strong and unbalanced, requiring a new typing to negate their dominance. Fairy-types are often overlooked in the anime in terms of their battling strength, but there have been some intriguing showings from the still relatively new typing.
10 Slurpuff Is A Better Fighter Than It Looks
Slurpuff had two major showings through the course of X & Y, under the ownership of both Miette and Sawyer. Miette, a rival of Serena's, would often use Slurpuff as her main Pokémon with varying levels of success in both battling and Pokémon Contests.
Sawyer, one of Ash's Kalos rivals, also utilized the services of the Meringue Pokémon, but rarely saw victory. It still put up a good fight against the likes of Ash's Hawlucha and Tierno's Blastoise, and it even earned a draw against Ash's Goodra in the semi-finals of the Lumiose Conference.
9 Tapu Bulu Gave Ash's Lycanroc The Ultimate Sparring Match
As one of the four Tapu Pokémon, Tapu Bulu is the guardian deity of Ula'ula Island. When it witnesses Ash calm his Lycanroc down after it had been muddied and was ready to erupt into a rage, it acknowledges Ash by challenging the two to a battle.
Tapu Bulu and Lycanroc have a closely-fought match, where Tapu Bulu smartly utilizes Grassy Terrain, Solar Beam, and other attacks that keep Lycanroc on its toes. The battle causes Lycanroc to learn a new move, Stone Edge, which Tapu Bulu still manages to block. It calls an end to the battle, having acknowledged Lycanroc's newfound strength, resolve, and move, and then returns to its slumber. Tapu Bulu was a powerful sparring partner for Lycanroc and arguably should have been featured more often.
8 Primarina Can Be Unassumingly Powerful With Its Vocalized Offense
Lana, one of Ash's close friends from the Pokémon School in Alola, had Popplio as her treasured friend and main Pokémon. She mostly used it in its first form but it eventually evolved, firstly into Brionne and then into Primarina.
The Water/Fairy dual-type, known for its singing and vocal-based offense with the likes of Sparkling Aria and the Z-Move Oceanic Operetta, ultimately got Lana through to the quarter-finals of the Manalo Conference before it was brutally targeted and eliminated by Team Skull's Guzma and his Golisopod. Despite the distressing nature of the defeat, Primarina still showed its grit and determination.
7 Spritzee And Aromatisse Excelled In Both Battles And Contests
The Fairy-type Gym Leader Valerie owns a Sylveon and a Spritzee in the anime, and surprisingly her Spritzee is shown to be the stronger of the two. Spritzee defeats Sawyer's Bagon in a 1-on-1 battle, and in Valerie's 2-on-2 battle with Ash, it defeats Ash's Fletchinder before falling to his Hawlucha.
The evolved form of Spritzee, Aromatisse, is also featured on the team of the Kalos Queen Aria, helping her retain her crown against Serena in "Performing A Pathway To The Future!" with relative ease.
6 The Mysterious Zacian Is One Of The More Ferocious Fairy-Types
The Pokémon titles, games and anime alike, have always been represented by Legendary Pokémon. With the general deviation away from colors, the franchise's most recent additions in Generation VIII were Sword & Shield. Zacian and Zamazenta are the representing Pokémon, with Zacian playing its part as the sword.
The Fairy/Steel dual-type Warrior Pokémon, resembling a large dog, has a certain mystery and gravitas surrounding it, as any Legendary Pokémon should. In the anime, it helps to defeat Eternatus alongside Zamazenta, showcasing its unwavering offense.
5 Sylveon Is As Powerful As It Is Adorable
One of the later additions to the list of Eeveelutions, Sylveon was used by three different trainers during the Pokémon X & Y anime, getting at least a whole episode to shine on each occasion. Serena's Eevee eventually evolved in a Sylveon, with it being vital in repelling Team Flare while trying to thwart Lysandre and his plans.
Ash was able to defeat Gym Leader Valerie's Sylveon relatively easily with his Fletchinder, but he had earlier lost to a Sylveon belonging to a trainer named Penelope, which eased past Ash's Froakie with Draining Kiss.
4 Mimey Became A Loyal Friend And Companion To the Ketchums
Mr. Mime is a recurring character in the anime, with one named Mimey belonging to Ash's mother, Delia. Mimey is often seen helping Delia around the house, but it also travels with her. In Pokémon Journeys, it stays behind to keep an eye on Ash and Goh. Ash even used Mimey in battle during the Battle Frontier Flute Cup, where it easily defeated Hodge's Hariyama, showcasing Ash and Mimey's bond as practically family.
Ash also faced off against a Mr. Mime in the Sinnoh region with a martial arts expert and trainer, Clayton. Clayton's Mr. Mime won easily but after some intense training, Ash's Buizel was able to win the rematch. Mr. Mime is often presented as a comedic character and Pokémon, but its effective use of barriers can translate well to offense and surprise many a Trainer.
3 Mimikyu Is Also Fairy-Type Despite Mainly Showcasing Its Unsettling Ghostly Powers
Team Rocket's Mimikyu, obtained in the Sun & Moon series, is arguably one of the best and most useful Pokémon that the villainous trio has ever owned. It was fueled by a serious hatred of Pikachu, which made it especially competitive and vicious whenever they would face off against Ash and his Pikachu, although it also made it unpredictable and almost impossible for Jessie to control.
The battles between Pikachu and Mimikyu were among some of the toughest match-ups that Ash ever had to endure across his hundreds of clashes with the troublesome Team Rocket trio. Ash's friend Acerola also had a Mimikyu called Mimikins, but its personality was much more geared towards its Fairy typing than its Ghost-type tendencies.
2 Tapu Koko Helped Ash's Pikachu Get Stronger All Throughout Their Alolan Adventures
During the Sun & Moon series, one of the four island guardian deities, Tapu Koku, is considered the most important. It essentially motivates Ash and Pikachu from the moment they meet, all the way up until the face off at the Manalo Conference at the end of the series, where Tapu Koko joins Professor Kukui's team to face Ash in their exhibition match.
Tapu Koko is presented as a final boss. It recognizes Ash and Pikachu's talent early on, gives them a Z-Ring and Electrium Z, and inserts itself into the final battle to help Pikachu realize its absolute potential.
1 Diantha's Gardevoir Justified Its Formidable Reputation
Ash's Pokémon team during his Kalos travels in X & Y is often considered one of his strongest teams in the history of the franchise. His relationship with Greninja and their ability to take a form that could rival Mega Evolutions was especially impressive.
Along their journey to the Pokémon League and ultimately the final, Ash faces off against the famous Champion, Diantha, and her majestic Gardevoir with Mega Evolution capabilities. Diantha and Gardevoir are shown to be unbeatable on multiple occasions, but Ash and Greninja come close before interruptions ensue and Ash passes out.