Whether it's the anime or the mainline games, it's almost impossible to think about the Pokémon series without thinking about the many rivals that inhabit it. In a franchise all about personal growth and competing to be the best possible trainer one can be, it's only natural that its rival characters would manage to leave such a lasting impact on fans, and this is especially true within the anime.

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Serving as the franchise's protagonist, Ash has the biggest amount of rivals by far, from Gary Oak in Kanto all the way to Bea in Pokémon Journeys. However, he's not the only one, as several of Ash's travelling companions have made memorable rivals during their own personal journeys as well, and even Ash's Pikachu has a major rival early on in the first season of the show.

10 Paul Has A Tendency To Act Heartless And Barely Recognizes Ash As A Rival

paul pokemon

Truly great rivals are supposed to inspire one another to do their best as well as strive to prove themselves victorious over the other. There's typically a healthy dose of friendly competition involved, but this isn't really the case when it comes to Paul, Ash's main Sinnoh rival.

He's introduced as a heartless trainer who will scold or even abandon his own Pokémon if they don't meet his expectations, rather than train them to become better. He believes Ash's philosophies on raising and treating Pokémon are complete nonsense and hardly even recognizes their rivalry until it's too late for him to get any meaningful development.

9 For Most Of His Screen Time, Gary Oak Is Too Egotistical For His Own Good

gary and ash pokemon

Gary Oak may be the series' most iconic and unforgettable rival, but that doesn't mean it's for the right reasons. Rather, Gary is most remembered for constantly insulting Ash as well as being so overconfident that it gets irritating after a while.

He doesn't have much to back up his talk, save for the fact that he's the grandson of Professor Oak, which isn't enough to carry his character. He finally becomes bearable after losing to Ash in the Pokémon League and the two are seen as friends afterwards, but he's hardly bearable for most of his major appearances.

8 Trip Finds Ash Annoying But Still Helps Him Out And Genuinely Enjoys Battling Him

trip ash iris pokemon

Trip is a Pokémon Photographer and Ash's main rival throughout the Unova region. Similar to Paul and Gary, Trip views Ash as an annoyance and has a tendency to be somewhat obnoxious, but not to the same extent.

He's willing to help Ash and give him pointers at times, such as when he helps Ash work through why his Oshawott was struggling to land Aqua Jet. After he loses against Alder, he realizes that he's not nearly as skilled as he previously thought, and his ego mellows out, allowing him to view Ash as a genuine rival and look forward to battling him.

7 Barry First Views Ash As Weak But Eventually Admits That He's The Stronger Trainer

barry from pokemon

Barry is a hyperactive, yet still serious and dedicated trainer who serves as Ash's secondary rival in the Sinnoh region. While Barry does look up to Paul and wants to be like him, he still cares deeply for his Pokémon and doesn't mistreat them.

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Due to looking up to Paul, he similarly initially views Ash as a weak trainer, but his views soften over time. He actually eventually admits that Ash is a stronger trainer than himself, and the two go on to become good friends.

6 Lt. Surge's Raichu Is A Serious Rival To Ash's Pikachu To The Point They Consider Evolution

Pikachu and Raichu face to face in the Pokémon anime.

Although not a human rival, it's hard to forget about the short-lived rivalry that existed between Ash's Pikachu and Lt. Surge's Raichu. Pikachu is initially defeated, and it's implied that Raichu - having evolved from Pikachu - is simply too much stronger, and that Ash couldn't compare.

This leads to one of the most emotional moments for Pikachu, in which it's given the option to evolve into Raichu if it so chooses. Pikachu declines and Ash instead focuses on its speed to outmaneuver Raichu in their next battle, ultimately securing them the win.

5 Drew Is A Great Rival And Friend For May, Helping Further Her Development

drew and may pokemon

Drew is a major rival for May throughout their travels in the Hoenn region. He may start out as a cocky and overconfident jerk, insulting May and saying she and her Beautifly are nothing compared to him, but their relationship grows over time.

In fact, the anger that Drew inspires within May helps her grow as both a trainer and a person, as she eventually has to admit that she isn't as good as Drew until she puts in the effort. Her desire to beat him causes her to push herself harder and grow more than she would have otherwise, and the two end up becoming friends.

4 Zoey Cares Deeply For Dawn And Helps Inspire Her To Do Her Best

zoey and dawn pokemon

Zoey is a fellow coordinator and rival to Dawn throughout their travels in the Sinnoh region. Their relationship starts out friendly from the get-go, with Zoey returning Dawn's lost choker and offering to style her hair, unlike many of the more antagonistic rivalries in the series.

Zoey understands Dawn's feelings well, as shown when she stops Ash from chasing after her following a loss, saying that she just needs space. The two inspire each other to compete with everything they have, and although they want to reign victorious, they still help each other at their lowest points.

3 Ritchie Is A Great Friend And Rival To Ash, Both Of Whom Have Pikachu Partners

ritchie from pokemon

Ritchie is one of Ash's oldest rivals, the two having met all the way back in the Kanto region. Ritchie is incredibly similar to Ash in that he treats his Pokémon well and tends to befriend people easily, but is equally competitive and intense during battles.

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Both of their partner Pokémon are Pikachu and the two have fairly similar teams, which makes their drive to beat the other all the stronger. Ritchie also values fair play strongly, as seen when he stops the referee of his match with Ash from disqualifying the latter when he shows up late.

2 Gladion And Ash Develop A Genuine Friendship And View Their Finals Match As Their Greatest Battle

gladion pokemon

Gladion is a reserved yet kind trainer who serves as Ash's main rival throughout the Alola region. He first becomes interested in Ash and the potential of him as a trainer after Tapu Koko grants Ash a Z-Ring.

He's a strong rival who also cares deeply for his sister, Lillie, and Ash can be seen giving him updates on his sister's progress at times. After the two face off in the League Finals, they smile and shake hands, marking their fight as their greatest battle.

1 Alain And Ash Are Not Only Rivals But Close, Caring Friends

alain from pokemon

Alain is Ash's main rival throughout the Kalos region and has more of a personal arc than many other rivals. Originally manipulated into helping the villains, he teams up with Ash to stop Team Flare upon the realization that his actions were evil.

He gets caught in a depressive spiral afterwards, believing he has to atone for his actions, but is turned around after conversing with Ash. He owes most of his personal development to Ash, and their close nature only serves to make the two even more excited to be able to battle against each other.

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