Throughout more than 20 series and 8 generations of Pokémon, Ash Ketchum has journeyed all over the place, sharing priceless experiences and adventures with various people and Pokémon alike, and forming lasting friendships with many. While some of his travel companions over the years have had their own goals and reasons for travelling with Ash, some have wanted to continue travelling with him simply because of Ash himself.
Regardless of the motive, anyone traveling with Ash learns that although he has lofty goals of becoming a Pokémon master, that all would mean nothing to him if he didn’t have close friends to share it all with.
10 Cilan Was Supportive & Wise
Ash first meets Cilan when he is looking to challenge the Striaton Gym, eventually learning that Cilan and his two brothers are all co-Gym Leaders. After some intense battling, Cilan versus Ash especially, Cilan wants to learn Ash’s secrets so that he can apply them to his own journey to becoming a top Pokémon connoisseur, so he joins Ash and Iris on their adventures.
Cilan ends up filling the void that Brock would normally fill, as aside from the Orange Islands arc, Pokémon Black & White is the first season where Brock doesn’t accompany Ash on his journeys. Not only does he take up the mantle of the chef but he is also kind, patient and always there to advise Ash, with his generally optimistic nature arguably being one of many reasons why Ash gets on so well with him.
9 Clemont Was Similar To Ash With His Ambitions
While Clemont continues the trope of Ash having a male Gym Leader travel companion, Clemont is vastly different to the likes of Brock and Cilan, arguably sharing more traits with Ash rather than filling in any blanks that Ash may have, such as with cooking.
When Clemont and his little sister Bonnie decide to accompany Ash on his travels, Clemont is very vocal about how much admiration and respect he has for Ash as a trainer, following their brief battle in a previous episode, and he is no doubt looking to learn from him. The two become close and Clemont certainly pulls his weight and impresses Ash with a variety of inventions.
8 Iris Drove Ash Mad But Could Also Drive Him Forward
Initially following or occasionally bumping into Ash and Cilan during their adventures in Unova, Iris is eventually asked to join them officially on their journey. She is shy at first and doesn’t completely trust Ash and his approach to life in general, often being critical of his inherent lack of maturity.
As their travels progress, this turns to teasing rather than serious criticizing, as her obsession with acting older than she actually is is eventually exposed as being a bit hypocritical and she starts to embrace fun and adventure a bit more. She eventually becomes close friends with Ash, which makes their reunion and subsequent battle in Pokémon Journeys a heartwarming moment for sure.
7 Goh & Ash’s Goals Don’t Clash & Work Together Perfectly
Ash’s friend and travel companion in Pokémon Journeys, Goh, is finally an example of a trainer who actually carries the franchise mantra “Gotta Catch ’em All.” The fact that his goals don’t clash too much with Ash’s goals of becoming the best and defeating the Pokémon Monarch Leon means that they work as a cohesive team and friendship, rather than as rivals.
The fact that the moment they properly met in Pokémon Journeys was with sharing a magical experience, riding on a Lugia, really sets the tone for their relationship and collective sense of adventure. In one episode, Goh travels home but forgets a gift intended for his parents, and Ash finds this gift and travels all the way to Goh’s hometown to give it to him, a true sign that Ash values Goh and his friendship.
6 May Was Supportive Of Ash Despite Having Her Own Ambitions
When May and Max initially join Ash and Brock on their travels through Hoenn, May surprisingly doesn’t like Pokémon in the slightest, she only really wants to be a trainer so that she can travel. However, she does quickly grow to love Pokémon through entering contests and changing her goals to becoming a top Pokémon Coordinator. Ash once again inspires a travelling companion with his determination and commitment to his goals.
May’s sweet and caring nature is only ever really broken if she is hungry or if she is arguing with her brother, so her energy toward Ash is mostly positive and supportive. Although she isn’t in a position to offer advice to Ash, the two become close friends, as they are both progressing and learning in their respective fields.
5 Dawn’s Addition To The Duo Of Ash & Brock Was Refreshing & Effortless
During the adventures of Diamond & Pearl through the Sinnoh region, the team of Dawn, Ash and Brock has perfect synergy and team chemistry. Dawn is confident and focused on becoming a top Pokémon Coordinator, taking inspiration from Ash, his drive and determination to become the best, albeit as a Pokémon master rather than a coordinator.
Ash trades his Aipom for Dawn’s Buizel, which is a sign that Ash really considers her a good friend. This normally wouldn’t matter when considering trading, but Ash generally avoids trading Pokémon as he loves to connect with his Pokémon as friends, and his brief trade of Butterfree for a Raticate back in the Kanto adventures showed his inner turmoil.
4 Serena & Ash Truly Cared For One Another
Serena joined Ash and company on their travels through Kalos. She is the first true travel companion of Ash who develops feelings for the trainer from Pallet Town, and actively address them, even if not directly with Ash. She is an example of a travel companion and friend who would just carry on following and cheering for Ash, without having a proper goal of their own.
Serena often helps Ash to regain focus or motivation if he is ever down or defeated, and Ash repays this loyalty by even delaying a Gym battle in order for Serena to pursue a contest first, which, considering how impatient Ash always is regarding Gym challenges, says a lot about how he values Serena and her friendship.
3 Misty Could Be Difficult For Ash To Stand At Times But Was Always There For Him
As part of the original trio along with Ash and Brock, it is easy to forget that Misty was initially following Ash because he destroyed her bike and she was willing to annoy him until he paid her back. Over the years, she has become more than just the Cerulean City Gym Leader, as a valued member of the team.
She is never afraid to bring Ash down a peg or two if he really needs to, and is always there for him to offer advice and support, earning her spot as one of Ash’s best friends and travel companions over the course of the entire series.
2 Brock Was Reliable & Ever-Present
It is easy to forget that Brock was the first-ever Gym Leader that Ash battled on his quest to become a Pokémon master, way back in Pewter City. This is simply because Brock immediately joined Ash on his travels and stuck by his side throughout his journeys through Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh, and has become synonymous with Ash, as his best friends and travel companion.
While he may have had ulterior motives in agreeing to join Ash, such as becoming a better Pokémon breeder and meeting as many beautiful women as possible, Brock loves to look after and care for people, as shown with his huge family and how much he cares for his siblings, and he finds himself at home travelling with Ash and whoever else wishes to join them.
1 Pikachu Will Always Be Ash’s Closest & Most Loyal Friend
The obvious choice for Ash’s best friend over the course of the series is quite simply Pikachu. Being his trusted companion and friend over Ash’s entire Pokémon journey, through thick and thin, Pikachu is always there to either fight fiercely for him or to support him in any other aspects of everyday life.
Pikachu didn’t trust or respect Ash at the very beginning, but Ash’s personality quickly shone through his inexperience and naivety, and the two have become one of the closest and most iconic duos in the history of anime.
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