Despite his famous catchphrase “Gotta Catch ‘Em All,” Ash Ketchum has never truly attempted to live by that mantra over the course of his entire Pokémon journey. However, having been to many different regions home to eight generations of Pokémon, he’s still managed to collect a number of different species, enough to give him a unique team for each region anyway.
There have been Pokémon he has actively pursued, those that he caught by accident, and even several that he gave away or released. There have also been some examples of Pokémon he looked after, but never actually owned, such as Nebby and Larvitar. No matter the circumstances surrounding the Pokémon he did actually catch, it’s still interesting to see which Pokémon typings Ash has appeared to favor over others.
13 Pikachu And Gengar Are Ash’s Sole Electric- & Ghost-Types, Respectively
With Pikachu being Ash’s best friend and most trusted Pokémon companion, Ash has never needed to even consider getting another Electric-type. While he has doubled up on other typings on occasion, it just wouldn’t make sense with Electric-types.
Ghost-types are a different story. Ash never technically owned the Haunter that helped him defeat Sabrina by making her laugh, and fans were left waiting for Ash to get another Ghost-type. This long wait finally came to an end in Pokémon Journeys, when Ash finally got himself a Gengar, his first official Ghost-type Pokémon of the series.
12 Mimey Is The Only Psychic- And Only Fairy-Type That Ash Has Ever Owned
Effectively adopted by Ash’s mother Delia back in Kanto, Mr. Mime is technically the only Psychic-type and only Fairy-type that Ash has ever owned. His ownership of Mimey could well be disputed if not for the fact that Delia left Mimey with Ash at the start of Pokémon Journeys.
Ash used Mimey in the Battle Frontier Flute Cup, and the two worked together really well, with Mimey easily defeating Hodge’s Hariyama before it was switched out for Pikachu.
11 Glalie And Lapras Are The Sole Ice-Types Ash Has Caught
Ice-types are perhaps one of the least popular types in the entire Pokémon series, as apart from their super-effectiveness against Dragon-types, there are usually better alternatives. That being said, Ash did still own two Ice-types at different times during his adventures.
His Lapras helped him travel across the Orange Islands before he eventually released it, but it’s widely argued that he should have kept it. Ash also ended up with a Glalie while in Hoenn, after his Snorunt evolved. Glalie even ended up becoming one of his main players, helping him through a couple of rounds in the Ever Grande Conference.
10 Ash Has Owned Three Of Both Rock- And Steel-Types
Despite Steel-types being introduced back in Generation II, Ash didn’t end up owning a Steel-type Pokémon until Generation VII in Alola. Meltan appeared to be more of a mascot than an integral part of the team in battle, but then it evolved into the powerful Melmetal. Ash also technically caught the Rock/Steel dual-type Ultra Beast Stakataka before having to send it back through the Ultra Wormhole. The infamous Lucario would later become Ash’s third Steel-type in Pokémon Journeys.
In addition to Stakataka, Ash owned two other Rock-types at different times, Boldore while in Unova and his prized Lycanroc during the Alolan adventures.
9 Ash Has Caught And Battled With Four Dark-Types
Dark-types are not a type that Ash particularly yearns to use, but he has had some heavy hitting Dark-types on his teams over the years. He had Scraggy and the cool sunglasses-wearing Krookodile while in Unova, but his Greninja was arguably his best Dark-type with it becoming a main player in his Kalos team.
His fourth Dark-type is his Incineroar, which evolved from Torracat after the Manalo Conference at the end of Sun & Moon.
8 Bulbasaur And Four Other Poison-Types Have Been Caught By Ash Over The Years
Initially, it would be easy to say that Muk has been the only Poison-type that Ash has ever owned, but he has in fact owned four other Poison-types at some point in time. Bulbasaur and Gengar are generally known for being Grass-type and Ghost-type, respectively, but they both have the secondary typing of Poison.
During the Johto adventures of Gold & Silver, Ash caught a Beedrill in a Bug-Catching Contest, but he would ultimately give it to a trainer named Casey in honor of her love for black and yellow Pokémon. The fifth Poison-type Pokémon that Ash has owned is the Ultra Beast Naganadel, a fighter that helped Ash to his first Pokémon League victory in Alola.
7 Ash Has Actually Owned More Bug-Types Than Expected, With Six Different Pokémon
Two main Bug-types spring to mind when thinking Ash’s teams over the years: Heracross and Butterfree, though the latter was released early on. Ash also acquired a Beedrill in a Bug-Catching Contest and he owned a Leavanny during his Unova adventures.
During the Ultra Beast part of Sun & Moon, Ash also technically caught two Bug-types in the form of Buzzwole and Pheromosa before having to release them and send them home.
6 Ash Has Had Six Of Both Dragon- And Ground-Types, With Gible Belonging To Both
Ash has owned six of both the Dragon-type and Ground-type over his various travels, with the Gible he caught in Sinnoh belonging to both categories. Ash also caught two other Ground-types in Sinnoh, Torterra and Gliscor, and he also used his Donphan at the Lily of the Valley Conference in Sinnoh. He would then get hold of a Palpitoad and a Krookodile while in Unova.
After Gible, the first Dragon-type Ash caught in the series in Generation IV, he went on to catch Goodra in Unova, Noivern in Kalos, and Naganadel in Alola. Ash finally caught himself a Dragonite in the latest Pokémon Journeys, where he would also get a Dracovish.
5 Ash Has Owned Seven Of Both Grass- And Fire-Types, Which Are Mostly Starter Pokémon
Ash has owned five of the eight Fire-type starter Pokémon, ending up with Charizard, Quilava, Infernape, Pignite, and Incineroar. With May owning Torchic in Ruby & Sapphire and Serena having Fennekin in X & Y, Ash caught alternative Fire-types in Torkoal and Talonflame respectively.
Similarly, Ash has owned numerous Grass-type starters, namely Bulbasaur, Bayleef, Sceptile, Torterra, Snivy, and Rowlet. However, unlike with Fire-types where he tries to have one even if they aren’t a starter, his seventh Grass-type Leavanny was also caught in Unova, giving him two in addition to Snivy. This meant that he went without a Grass-type in both Kalos and the most recent Pokémon Journeys.
4 Ash Has Had Nine Normal Pokémon
The Normal typing is often attached to Flying-types, which is the case with Ash’s Pidgeot, Noctowl, Swellow, Staraptor and Unfezant. However, he has also owned four other Normal-types during his many travels in the Pokémon world.
Back in the original Kanto series, he technically owned a Raticate for half an episode when he traded away his Butterfree before insisting that they trade back. He also traded his Aipom with his friend Dawn while in Sinnoh, with it being more interested in contests than battles. Ash also inadvertently captured thirty Tauros in Kanto, with him eventually also adding a Snorlax to his team, making nine Normal-types in total.
3 Ash Has Caught Ten Fighting-Types, Including The Briefly-Owned Primeape And Two Ultra Beasts
Ash has owned ten Fighting-types in all, with two of those being the Ultra Beasts Buzzwole and Pheromosa that he had to immediately release. Apart from the Primeape that he released after a few episodes, the rest of the Fighting-types that he has caught over the years have been integral parts of his teams.
The other seven Fighting-types are Heracross, Infernape, Pignite, Scraggy, Hawlucha, and most recently in Pokémon Journeys, Sirfetch’d and Lucario.
2 Ash Has Owned Eleven Water-Types, Second To Only One Other Type
For whatever reasons, Ash has rarely been seen evolving his Water-types, with Kingler and Greninja being the only exceptions. He has also had Squirtle, Totodile, Corphish, Buizel, Oshawott, and Palpitoad, all of which arguably would have been better use to him if they were fully evolved.
Ash technically owned a Seaking at one point, having caught one in a contest before immediately releasing it. During his Orange Islands adventures, Ash also had a Lapras that helped him travel around until he eventually released it. The eleventh and final Water-type that Ash has owned is the mysterious Dracovish, which he obtained in Pokémon Journeys.
1 With Thirteen Different Pokémon, Flying Is The Type That Ash Turns To The Most
In what quickly becomes the norm for Ash, he develops a pattern where he almost always catches the first Flying-type he comes across in every region. This is the case for the first six generations, proven by Pidgeot, Noctowl, Swellow, Staraptor, Unfezant, and Talonflame. In Sun & Moon he gets a Rowlet early on, another Flying-type.
The other Flying-types that Ash has owned are Charizard and Butterfree from Kanto, Gliscor from Sinnoh, Hawlucha and Noivern from Kalos, and Dragonite, which Ash finally caught in Pokémon Journeys. This makes thirteen Flying-types that Ash has owned in total.
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