Ash’s Fully Evolved Pokemon until Pokemon Journeys: The Series

The jokes about Ash never evolving his Pokemon have finally died down. Now, Ash has more fully evolved Pokemon than not – well, almost. As of the latest season of the Pokemon anime, Pokemon Master Journeys (Season 24), Ash has 32 fully evolved Pokemon.

Ash’s current team is stacked with fully evolved Pokemon. Before you come at me, let me clarify: fully evolved Pokemon EXCEPT for Pikachu, who, let’s face it, is never going to evolve. (Pikachu at present has Gigantamax, which works similar to Mega Evolve.)

In the Pokemon anime, Ash has gone through 9 regions, the current being Galar. Over the years Ash has built his little army – family – of starters and non-starters at different stages of their evolution. Here are all of Ash’s fully evolved Pokemon.

What are Ash’s Fully Evolved Pokemon?

1. Kanto/Indigo League and Orange League

I. Starters

Out of the Kanto Starter Pokemon, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander, (and Pikachu), Ash catches all three, but only the Charmander fully evolves.

• Charmander to Charmeleon to Charizard

Charmander was Ash’s most loved and trusted Pokemon. Charmander loved Ash but his nature soon changed after he evolved into Charmeleon. He ignored Ash’s commands because he thought that Ash was weak and not up to Charmeleon’s own skill-level.

As a Charizard too, he disobeys Ash, until Ash helps him regain his memories as Charmander. Now Charizard and Ash are thick as ever.

II. Non-Starters:

• Caterpie to Metapod to Butterfree (released)

Butterfree was the first Pokemon that Ash ever caught, and the fastest to evolve – it took a single episode for him to reach his final evolution. Metapod evolves to save Ash from a swarm of Beedrill.

• Krabby to Kingler

Kingler is Ash’s first Water-type Pokemon to evolve. Krabby defeats the Grass-Psychic-type Exeggutor despite a type-disadvantage. This battle experience triggers its evolution.

• Pidgeotto to Pidgeot (released)

Pidgeotto evolves to Pidgeot to succeed in saving all the wild Pidgey and Pidgeotto from Fearow and its flock of Spearow.

• Mankey to Primeape

Mankey evolves to Primeape to defeat Team Rocket. Ash gives his Primeape to Anthony to train it to become stronger.

III. Caught Fully Evolved:

• Muk

Ash uses Pikachu and Magnemite (from the wild) to defeat Muk and capture it.

Muk disliked Ash before it was captured. Muk was released briefly in Sun and Moon before being reunited with Ash in Journeys.

• Snorlax

Ash first saw Snorlax in Grapefruit Island, gobbling every last grapefruit in the orchard. He stops Snorlax with the help of Jigglypuff and manages to capture it.

2. Johto League

I. Starters

Out of the Johto Starter Pokemon Totodile, Chikorita, and Cyndaquil, Ash catches all three, but neither of them fully evolve.

II. Non-Starters

Ash didn’t catch any non-starters that fully evolved in this league.

III. Caught Fully Evolved

• Noctowl

Noctowl is the first and last of Ash’s bird Pokemon to be caught fully evolved.

3. Hoenn League/Battle Frontier

I. Starters

Out of the Hoenn Starter Pokemon Mudkip, Torchic, and Treecko, Ash catches Treecko, and he fully evolves.

• Treecko to Grovyle to Sceptile

Treecko evolves into Grovyle while battling its arch-enemy Loudred (later, Exploud). Grovyle evolves into Sceptile to save his love Meganium but also loses the use of his attacks because Meganium falls in love with Tropius.

Sceptile does gain his moves back and becomes strong enough to defeat Tobias’s Darkrai.

II. Non-Starters

• Egg to Phanpy to Donphan

After hatching, Phanphy evolves in a fight with Team Rocket, and manages to defeat them as its fully evolved form, Donphan.

• Taillow to Swellow

Swellow is the first of Ash’s Pokemon caught in Hoenn to fully evolve. Taillow shouts and evolves into Swellow to survive a sandstorm during the Pokemon Ring Contest.

• Snorunt to Glalie

When Snorunt evolves into Glalie, it masters the Ice Beam move to fend off Team Rocket.

4. Sinnoh League

I. Starters

Out of the Sinnoh Starter Pokemon Piplup, Chimchar, and Turtwig, Ash catches the latter two, and they both fully evolve.

• Chimchar to Monferno to Infernape

Chimchar was Paul’s Pokemon but joins Ash because Paul abandons him. It evolves in Monferno in a battle with Paul’s Ursaring, and then into Infernape due to activation of his special Blaze ability.

• Turtwig to Grotle to Torterra

Turtwig evolves into Grotle to fight against Paul’s Honchkrow. Due to its protective nature, it evolves into Torterra to protect Pikachu and Raichu from Team Rocket using its newly learned Leaf Storm.

II. Non-Starters

• Starly to Staravia to Staraptor

Staravia emerges in the sky as Starly is flung into the air in a fight with Team Rocket. Staravia later evolves into Staraptor during the Pokemon Ring Contest to learn Close Combat and defeat Paul’s Honchkrow.

• Gligar to Gliscor

Gliscor evolved with the use of a Razor Fang so it could get over its fear of heights. Gliscor is the first of Ash’s Pokemon from Sinnoh to fully evolve.

5. Unova League

I. Starters

Out of the Unova Starter Pokemon Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott, Ash catches all three, but neither of them fully evolves.

II. Non-Starters

• Pidove to Tranquill to Unfezant

Unfezant is Ash’s first Pokemon to evolve – she evolves into Tranquill while clearing out a horde of Venipede in Castelia City, and into Unfezant during the Gym battle.

• Sewaddle to Swadloon to Leavanny

Ash meets Sewaddle in Pinwheel Forest and he initially disliked Ash. He evolves into Swadloon during his battle with Whirlipede. He becomes Leavanny in Ash’s battle against Iris, to defeat her Emolga.

• Sandile to Krokorok to Krookodile

Krookodile famously appears wearing a pair of sunglasses as Sandile. He evolves into Krokorok in his battle with Pikachu. When Ash offers for him to join his team, Krokorok accepts and is caught in a Pokeball.

He evolves to his final form, Krookodile, in a fight with Iris’s Dragonite at the Junior Cup.

6. Kalos League

I. Starters

Out of the Kalos Starter Pokemon Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie, Ash catches Froakie, and he fully evolves.

• Froakie to Frogadier to Greninja

Greninja reaches his final evolution during a rescue mission in the ninja village. He protects Pikachu with his hands, defending him from Bisharp, and evolves at the same time.

II. Non-Starters

• Fletchling to Fletchinder to Talonflame

Fletchling first evolves in its battle with Moira’s Talonflame and learns a new move to win the Sky battle.

In an effort to save Ash from Moltres’s Flamethrower in Mt. Molteau, Fletchinder evolves into Talonflame.

• Goomy to Sliggoo to Goodra

Goomy wills itself to evolve into Sliggoo when it hears that Ash protected it from Grumpig’s attack. It reaches its final evolution while confronting Team Rocket.

It busts up a rainstorm and evolves into Goodra to stop a forest fire.

• Egg to Noibat to Noivern

Noibat evolves into Noivern to save Ash’s Hawlucha from falling into a ravine. Hawlucha is the one who had found Noivern as an egg.

7. Alola League

I. Starters

Out of the Alola Starter Pokemon Popplio, Rowlet, and Litten, Ash catches the latter two, but only the Litten fully evolves.

• Litten to Torracat to Incineroar

Litten challenges Professor Kukui’s Incineroar. He doesn’t want to accept defeat and evolves into Torracat, succeeding in smashing his more evolved form. Torracat evolves into Incineroar after his victory.

II. Non-Starters

• Rockruff to Lycanroc

Rockruff always wanted to be like its more evolved form and hoped to evolve during a bout with a Lycanroc.

After the grand trial in Alola, Rockruff trips from a mountain-edge and faints. After recovering, he howls at the green sunset and evolves to a Dusk Form Lycanroc.

• Meltan to Melmetal

At the Alola League Finals, Meltan’s hordes do a fusion ritual to evolve in one huge Melmetal.

• Poipole to Naganadel (released)

Naganadel reaches its form after the Manalo Conference. It retains its personality and behavior but becomes more powerful and helps Ash win an Exhibition battle, before entering the wormhole above Kukui’s house and returning to its world.

8. Galar League

I. Starters

Out of the Galar Starter Pokemon Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble, Ash hasn’t caught either of them – yet.

II. Non-Starters

• Dragonair to Dragonite

On Dragonite Island, Ash offers Dragonair his help to learn the Dragon Dance so it can fly with its flock.

Ever since, they’ve always shared an affectionate bond. It evolves because Ash cannot grip its skin while flying to escape from Wailord.

• Farfetch’d to Sirfetch’d

Sirfetch’d evolves his leek, as a Farfetch’d is split in a battle with Rinto’s Gallade. He wins against it and helps Ash rank higher in the World Coronation Series.

• Egg to Riolu to Lucario

In the latest episode, Ash Mega Evolves his Lucario to fight against Gigantamax Machamp. Lucario is the first of Ash’s Pokemon to use Mega Evolution.

III. Caught Fully Evolved

• Gengar

Gengar, like Muk, was caught in its fully evolved form and have a  troublesome relationship with him before they are captured. But with time, Gengar develops a strong bond with Ash.

• Mimey/Mr. Mime

Mimey was never caught. It was “adopted” by Ash’s mom, Delia, and functions as part of Ash’s team.

Key

• TB – The Beginning – Seasons 1-3
• GS – Gold and Silver – Seasons 4-6
• RS – Ruby and Sapphire – Seasons 7-9
• DP – Diamond and Pearl – Seasons 10-13
• BW – Black and White – Seasons – 14-16
• XY – X and Y – Seasons 17-19
• SM – Sun and Moon – Seasons 20-22
• PJ – Pokemon Journies – Season 24

Are Fully Evolved Pokemon Stronger?

Most fans want all of Ash’s Pokemon to fully evolve because they think this will help him become a Pokemon Master faster.

But evolution in the anime is different than in the game. In the show, due to the concept of levels, evolution does not necessarily mean a level-up in terms of strength.

In the Pokemon game, an evolved form of a Pokemon has better stats than it’s earlier versions. In the anime, that’s clearly not true.

We’ve seen loads of fully evolved Pokemon being defeated by non-evolved Pokemon due to more training or an advantage in type.

But evolution does mean mental and physical maturity, and this definitely works in Ash’s favor because of his relationships with his Pokemon. If they can understand him better and vice versa, Ash has more chances of winning in battle and tournaments.

Again, there are obvious exceptions to this. Ash has already tried evolving Pikachu but he literally smacked the Thunder Stone out of his hand. 

Either way, with his current team of fully evolved Pokemon + Gmax Pika, Ash might finally get his worth.

About Pokémon

Pokémon was first released in 1996 and is set up in a world where humans catch monsters and store them in pocket-sized poke-balls.

They are creatures with an affinity to certain elements and some superhuman abilities related to that element.

Revolving around a teenage boy Ash Ketchum, Pokémon takes us through his journey to becoming the most accomplished Pokémon trainer the world has ever seen.