Pokémon Journeys served as Ash’s last adventure as the protagonist, and as a result, it had a widely different premise. Whereas other series saw Ash exploring the currently airing generation’s region and catching Pokémon specifically from that region, Pokémon Journeys instead had Ash traveling all over the Pokémon world with his partner Goh. This causes him to catch Pokémon from different regions, making an entirely diverse team that helps him become the world’s best trainer and defeat Leon. While Ash’s journey team is fantastic, it wouldn’t be the team he’d have had if he had explored the region.

For all of his teams, Ash would use the game’s regional bird, a majority of the region’s starter Pokémon, fan favorites, and Pokémon that would offer unique fighting animation opportunities, like Noivern or Hawlucha. Analyzing Ash’s previous teams, one can see that his strictly Galar roster could be revealed if he had a standard Galarian journey alongside Galarian companions.

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10

Corviknight Would Have Been Perfect on Ash’s Team

Corvinknight The Raven Pokémon; Flying/Steel Type; Pokédex #0823

For Generations 1 through 6, Ash has caught and used the regional bird as part of his main team. Pidgeotto in Kanto to Talonflame in Kalos. That trend dropped in Generation 7 as Toucanon’s focus on Special Attack moves and Ash’s dynamic with Rowlett would make the Pokémon feel redundant. But the Rookidee line would be right at home. Pokémon is known to bravely challenge any opponent, no matter how powerful, which perfectly fits Ash’s battle style and personality.

Capturing the regional bird early on would make Rookidee Ash’s longest-running Galarian teammate, giving it the chance to win many times. It’d be an excellent asset in Ash’s gym challenge journey as he fights Milo, the grass-type gym leader, with its fascinating typing and is a fantastic aid against Opal’s Fairy-type Pokémon with its dual steel typing.

9

Ash Would Have Most Definitely Caught a Grokey

Grokey The Chimp Pokémon; Grass Type; Pokédex #0821

Rillaboom is the strongest monkey Pokémon the series has revealed so far. Ash uses the monkey Pokémon of a region. Aipom, Infernape, and Primeape are some of his most well-remembered teammates. As Ash also uses at least one of the starter Pokémon of the region, the easily excited and fun-loving starter Pokémon would fit well with Ash’s personality and could easily ride alongside Pikachu on his shoulders.

As it evolves into Rillaboom, it would be a powerhouse on Ash’s team and be a great aid against Nessa’s water types, Gordie’s rock types, and the consequential Raihan’s ground types. The series could even call back to Ash’s Charizard by having the evolved Pokémon be disobedient to Ash, though instead of being harmful towards his trainer, perhaps Rillaboom is too focused on making music, and Ash could balance Rillaboom’s music-making with battling, showing how he’s grown as a trainer over all these years.

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8

Ash’s Sirfetch’d Would Definitely Make a Reappearance

Sirfetch’d The Wild Duck Pokémon; Fighting Type; Pokédex #0865

Ash first met Farfetch’d Pokémon Journeys Episode 27, “Toughing It Out!” It is a perfect Pokémon for Ash. It’s so perfect that even if he explored Galar naturally, he’d likely capture one still. In Pokémon Journeys’, Ash finds the Pokémon after discovering how dedicated it is to battling other Pokémon. Farfetch’d was a proud Pokémon wanting to engage others in battle, to hone its skills, never give up. This Pokémon would pair nicely with Ash’s Rookidee and see Ash as his way of getting stronger. What’s interesting about Farfetch is that it didn’t like Ash initially and only joined him to get stronger.

The series could have a fantastic character arc for Farfetch’d as it evolves into Sirfetch’d after learning to respect Ash as a trainer. In Pokémon Journeys, it evolved after learning to protect others, and the same can also be done here. As a pure fighting type, it reflects Ash’s natural bond with Fighting Pokémon and would be a great aid against Piers, Melony, and Gordie. It would also be a significant challenge against one of Ash’s likely rivals: Marnie.

7

Ash Would No Doubt Seek Out and Catch a Chewtle

Chewtle The Snapping Pokémon; Water Type; Pokédex #0833

Chewtle would be a great comedic relief for Ash. It’d likely follow the trend of Pokémon that Ash captures that love to take a bite out of him. Think Gible from Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl. The Pokédex entry for this Pokémon states that it bites down and never lets go, which gives it the unique Pokémon move: Jaw Lock, which prevents the target from switching out or fleeing.

The Pokémon being caught early would give Ash a comedic Pokémon on his team, which often ends up being his water-type Pokémon. While Chewtle evolves at an early age, the anime would likely stall Chewtle’s evolution into the powerful Dreadnaw until far later on. Either way, Ash’s only water type of the region would be a great aid against Kabu, Allister, and possibly Raihan.

6

Ash Couldn’t Resist Catching a Sizzlipede

Sizzlipede The Radiator Pokémon; Fire/Bug Type; Pokédex #0850

Ash has used several bug types, possibly more than anyone would expect. He’s caught six Pokémon, with Heracross and Butterfree being his most well-known. Ash could catch a Sizzlipede, Galar’s most famous bug type, to cover his lack of fire types. This Centiskorch could also give Ash another Pokémon with the unique Gigantamax form outside of Pikachu, allowing the series to have more dynamic Pokémon battles. For instance, two Gigantamax Centiskorch battle against each other as Ash fights Kabu.

Ash’s bug-type Pokémon tend to be his sweetest, with Heracross having an obsession with honey. Centiskorch could do the same and be a loyal companion to Ash, whose personality is focused on the food Ash’s companions make. Sword and Shield focused on curry as its main meal, so perhaps one of Ash’s companions is a curry-making expert who Centiskorch fonds over.

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5

Ash Could Up His Steel Type Count With Cufant

Cufant The Copperderm Pokémon; Steel Type; Pokédex #0878

Steel isn’t a type that Ash often uses because it’s more defensive nature doesn’t suit Ash’s far more fast-paced fighting style. Still, the Copperjah line is a perfect Pokémon for Ash to have, not only to boost his steel-type numbers but also to emphasize a Galarian staple: Copperjah. Starting as an adorable Cufant, Ash could catch this Pokémon early on and evolve it to be one of his earliest and strongest Pokémon and serve as a callback to his ownership of Melmetal, Donphan, Muk, and Stakataka because of its size.

But Ash likely wouldn’t own Copperjah for long, as the anime series would likely have Ash let it stay behind when Bede breaks the Stow on Side Ancient Mural to protect the mural after its fellow Pokémon attacked it. This is only said because Rose uses a Copperjah, and Ash rarely uses a Pokémon which the evil team uses. This Copperjah could be a new “Bye-Bye Butterfree” moment for the trainer.

4

Ash’s Dracovish Is Another Perfect Addition to His Team

Dracovish The Fossil Pokémon; Water/Dragon Type; Pokédex # 0882

Dracovish was encountered and caught in Pokémon Journeys episode 50, “A Pinch of This, a Pinch of That!” It was restored from fossils discovered in the Wild Area, and after some fun hijinks, Ash could capture it and add it to his team, marking the first fossil Pokémon that Ash would ever own. It also served as the last Pokémon Ash would catch in the series. Like Gible, Dracovish had a habit of chewing on people’s heads. It also enjoyed playing in the water with other Water Type Pokémon. This personality trait could make Dracovish and Ash’s hypothetical Dreadnaw great friends.

While Ash has never used two water-type Pokémon on the same team, the two would likely be in constant rotation if Ash had them both. Still, the Pokémon’s unique Water and Dragon typing would help Ash’s battle against Raihan and in the Pokémon League, where he’d face Leon. If the anime had to choose only one water type to represent Ash’s team, it’d likely be Dracovish.

3

Ash Could Replace His Gengar from Kanto With Dragapult from Galar

Dragapult The Stealth Pokémon; Dragon/Ghost Type; Pokédex #0887

Ash has rarely used Ghost types, not counting the one Haunter that he temporarily used to best Sabrina, and the reason has always been up in the air. The most commonly held belief is that none of the region’s ghost-type Pokémon fit Ash’s battle strategies or trainer personality. That changed with the introduction of Dreepy and, more importantly, Dragapult. The Dragon Ghost Pokémon is fast, cool-looking instead of creepy, and could even be a hilarious motherly Pokémon thanks to the Dreepy it has with them.

This Pokémon could also be a pseudo-replacement for Dragonite and Gengar, two Kanto Pokémon Ash caught in Pokémon Journeys. Covering two types that Ash doesn’t use a lot would give his team great diversity and would be a great final Pokémon to bring in and make him champion. Dragpult is also one of Galar’s best Pokémon, which fans adore, so the series’ protagonist would likely represent that.

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2

Ash Could Have Had Scorbunny Instead of Goh in Pokémon Journeys

Scorbunny The Rabbit Pokémon; Fire Type; Pokédex #0813

Ash often uses multiple starters in a region, and if Pokémon Journeys explored Galar, it’d likely do the same. While Goh uses Scorbunny and Cinderace in the main series, Ash would likely use Scorbunny if he explored Galar. The two just have far too much in common personality-wise. While it would cover another fire-type on his team, likely, Raboot wouldn’t evolve fully into Cinderace as some of his starter Pokémon do.

Ash’s Pignite, Quilava, and Bayleef are all Pokémon that reached their second evolution and stopped there. Raboot could end up the same way as it becomes focused on becoming “cool’ rather than winning any battles and gaining experience. Evolved Pokémon change personality types, and Raboot’s stubbornness to remain cool beyond being useful could make him an endearing character for the series. Which could also make Centiskorch Ash’s go-to fire-type Pokémon.

1

Ash Catching a Kubfu Would Become The Pokémon Champion’s Mystical Ace

Kubfu The Wushu Pokémon; Fighting Type; Pokédex #0891

The Sun and Moon series was the first series to introduce Ash being able to use a Legendary Pokémon on his main team, as long as the Legendary Pokémon can evolve. Melmetal, Ash’s best steel type, and Naganadel, his strongest poison-type Pokémon evolved from seemingly weaker Pokémon, and Kubfu is a perfect Pokémon to replicate that. As the iconic Pokémon in the Isle of Armor Sword and Shield DLC, the anime would likely want to tie in this DLC with Ash getting a Kubfu to train, inciting fans to catch a Kubfu of their own.

Catching a Kubfu would give Ash a seemingly weaker Pokémon that he would train into the powerful Urshifu, giving him a fighting-type Pokémon that matches his style of fighting and training. Considering how Ash battles, he would likely evolve into the Single Strike Style and use moves like Iron Head, Wicked Blow, and Close Combat. This Pokémon would serve as the ace of Ash’s team, reminiscent of his Infernape and Greninja, two powerful Pokémon in their own right.

Pokémon

Release Date

1997 – 2022

Network

TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC