Ash aspired to become a Pokémon master throughout the Pokémon series, so he naturally faced off against his fair share of gym leaders. Based on the boss-type characters from the mega-popular video game series, they came in all forms, with all types of personalities and interests, not to mention the different Pokémon types they specialize in. However, them all being gym leaders suggests they can put up a good fight in a Pokémon battle and Ash learned firsthand how often this is the case.
Pokémon (1997)
- Release Date
- September 7, 1998
- Cast
- Veronica Taylor , Rachael Lillis , Eric Stuart , Ikue Ôtani , Rica Matsumoto
- Seasons
- 18
Some of Pokémon‘s gym leaders proved such a tough match that Ash initially lost his first battle against them, only to earn the badge he needed during a rematch. Often, Ash learned from them what he needed in order to continue on his journey in becoming the very best. There were even a few times when Ash only won the badge he needed thanks to a technicality. Some of these gym leaders prove to be threatening even when they weren’t part of a Pokémon battle.
Here are the 12 strongest and most ferocious gym leaders Ash ever faced off against during his run as the anime’s main character.
12 Whitney
Season 4, Episode 1 – “A Goldenrod Opportunity”
Whitney, also known to Japanese audiences as Akane, served as the leader of Goldenrod Gym in Goldenrod City, the third gym leader in Johto. Specializing in normal-type Pokémon, she awards the Plain Badge to those who can take her down.
In the anime, Whtiney appears in “A Goldenrod Opportunity,” where she takes an interest in Ash’s Pikachu after he encountered her Clefairy. Initially, she takes him to the Goldenrod Galleria before Ash realizes she is a Gym Leader.
Early on, Ash’s Cyndaquil managed to defeat Whitney’s Nidorina, but he was ultimately defeated, losing to her Miltank, who had the powerful deflection move, Rollout. During a fight against Team Rocket at a Miltank farm, Ash develops a strategy needed to face Whitney again, slowing down Miltank with Totodile and Cyndaquil, ultimately knocking her out with Pikachu.
11 Roxie
Season 15, Episodes 35 and 36 – “Rocking the Virbank Gym!”
Roxie, also known as Homika, is a musician who serves as the gym leader in Virbank City. Her specialty is poison-type pokémon, and offers the Toxic Badge to those who manage to defeat her in battle.
In the anime, she appears in “Rocking the Virbank Gym!,” a two-part episode. She is shown to be skilled enough to use three pokémon in her party to take on opponents with twice as many, as seen when she pitted three of her Pokémon against Ash’s six. Roxie was able to take down five of Ash’s Pokémon, though she was ultimately defeated, with Ash’s Pikachu prevailing against Roxie’s Garbodor, earning him the Toxic Badge.
10 Blaine
Season 1, Episode 59 “Decisive Battle! Guren Gym!”
Blaine, also known by some as Katsura, is the leader of the gym on Cinnabar Island, and he awards those who best him with the Volcano Badge. His specialty is fire-type pokémon.
In the anime, Ash first meets Blaine in “Riddle Me This,” where Blaine was shown to have closed the Cinnabar Gym, instead starting an inn near the location’s hot springs. However, after encountering Blaine while in disguise, Ash and his friends found his secret Gym within the Cinnabar Volcano. Ash and Blaine soon had a three-on-three battle. Blaine’s Ninetales bested Ash’s Squirtle. Ash’s Charizard also flew away from the battle to take a nap.
By “Volcanic Panic,” Ash ends up forfeiting the battle. However, the two would later have a rematch, held on top of the volcanic crater. This time, Ash’s Charizard was able to defeat Blaine’s Magmar by flying it into the air and knocking it out, earning Ash the win.
9 Roark
Season 4, Episode 18 – “O’er the Rampardos we Watched”
Roark, who Japanese audiences will recognize as Hyouta, is the gym leader in Oreburgh City. Harnessing the power of rock-type pokémon, and trainers who defeat him earn the Coal Badge.
In the anime, Roark first appears in “Shapes of Things to Come!” and is portrayed as the Oreburgh Mine foreman. He initially battled Paul, who won and earned the Coal Badge. Roark then went on to battle Ash. Early on, Ash’s Aipom was bested by Roark’s Cranidos and Ash even had to recall Pikachu from the battle. Turtwig was able to defeat Cranidos, but Ash was defeated when Onix took on Turtwig and later knocked out Ash’s Pikachu.
“O’er the Rampardos we Watched” saw Ash challenge Roark to a rematch. This time, Pikachu and Aipom were able to defeat Onix and Geodude. Rampardos, the evolution of Cranidos, initially proved powerful, but was ultimately knocked out by Turtwig, earning Ash the win.
8 Brawly
Season 6, Episode 20 – “Brave the Wave”
Brawly, also known as Touki, was Dewford City’s gym leader. Something of a surfer type, his specialty was Fighting-type Pokémon and he awarded those who defeated him with the Knuckle Badge.
In the anime, “Brave the Wave” interestingly saw Brawly constantly put off an upcoming battle with Ash as he preferred going off surfing, much to Ash’ annoyance. However, after seeing Pikachu blast off Team Rocket, Brawly was convinced to battle Ash.
At the Dewford Gym, Brawly’s Machop defeated Ash’s Taillow, but was itself taken out by Treecko. However, Brawly won the match with his Hariyama. Returning to the beach, Brawly explained the importance of surfing, as well as training, when it came to developing strategies. Inspired, Ash even sought to teach his Pokémon Brawly’s wave techniques. During their rematch, Ash was ultimately able to earn the Knuckle Badge thanks to the new techniques, as well as his new Corphish.
7 Maylene
Season 4, Episode 66 – “Lost Leader Strategy!”
Maylene is the gym leader in Veilstone City. Trainers who defeat her have the chance to earn the Cobble Badge and she specializes in fighting-type pokémon.
In the anime, Maylene and Lucario already had a formidable reputation even before she became the city’s gym leader. Interestingly, the new position ended up putting a lot of pressure on her, making her become withdrawn and uncertain. In “Lost Leader Strategy!,” when Ash proposed a battle, she declined.
Maylene eventually found a kindred spirit in Dawn and agreed to battle her. After defeating her and regaining her confidence, she agreed to battle Ash. Lucario easily took down Ash’s Chimchar and Staravia, but Ash’s Buizel was able to put up a good fight. Ultimately, this battle ended in a tie, leaving the choice of whether or not to award Ash the Cobble Badge up to Maylene. Ultimately, she decided to award Ash the badge.
6 Lt. Surge
Season 1, Episode 14 – “Electric Shock Showdown”
Lt. Surge, also known as Matisse, is the Gym Leaer of the Vermilion Gym in Vermilion City. Surge specializes in electric-type pokémon and awards those who best him the Thunder Badge.
The anime first saw Surge appear in “Electric Shock Showdown.” Taking pride in his Raichu, he initially mocked Ash’s Pikachu. He eventually agreed to battle Ash, but Surge’s Raichu soon made quick work of Pikachu, who would recover at a local pokémon center.
During a rematch, Ash’s Pikachu was able to escape Raichu’s attacks using the Agility move. During the battle, Raichu’s Thunderbolt manages to destroy the Gym’s lights and windows. However, Pikachu was able to protect himself using his tail. Ultimately, Raichu’s show of strength proved to be his undoing, as he ultimately exhausted himself. This granted Pikachu the chance to defeat Raichu, winning him the Thunder Badge.
5 Wulfric
Season 19, Episode 29 – “A Real Icebreaker!”
Wulfric, also known as Urup, serves as the gym leader of the Snowbelle Gym. He makes used of ice-type pokémon and rewards those who best him with the Iceberg Badge.
Wulfric appeared in the anime episode, “All Hail the Ice Battlefield!,” where he quickly proved his prowess. Despite Ash having a slight advantage, using three pokémon while Wulfric only used three, he still lost to the formidable gym leader.
Wulfric believed his victory was partially tied to Ash’s lack of trust in Greninja, which soon caused Ash to grow depressed and question himself. Eventually, in “A Real Icebreaker!,” Ash regained his confidence and challenged Wulfric to a rematch. As the battle drew on, Ash’s Greninja faced off against Wulfric’s Abomasnow. While Greninja had improved from the earlier battle, things looked bad for Ash when Wlufric Mega Evoled his Abomasnow. However, Ash was able to win in the end, obtaining his Iceberg Badge.
4 Clair
Season 5, Episode 43 – “Fangs for Nothin'”
Clair served as the Blackthorn gym leader. She was known for using dragon-type pokémon and those who defeated her in battle would earn the Rising Badge. Notably, the character of Lance, a Dragon-type Trainer, is her cousin.
In the anime, Clair first appeared in “Beauty is Skin Deep,” where she served as host of Ash and his friends while they stayed in the city. Ash would battle her in the episode, “Fangs for Nothin’,” which ended up getting interuppted by Team Rocket. The two would have a rematch in “Better Eight Than Never.” The battle seemed to be a pattern of Ash and Clair’s Pokémon one after the other.
Eventually, Clair’s Dragonair, which had defeated Pikachu, faced off against Ash’s Charizard. While Dragonair initially seemed to have the upper hand, Charizard won with a combination attack, allowing Ash to obtain the Rising Badge, which served as his final Johto League Badge.
3 Olympia
Season 18, Episode 45 – “All Eyes on the Future!”
Olympia, also known as Gojika in Japan, serves as the gym leader in Anistar City. Her specialty is psychic-type pokémon and she awards the Psychic Badge to those who can defeat her in battle.
The anime saw Oylmpia make her debut in “Cloudy Fate, Bright Future!,” where she used her powers to predict Ash and his friends would endure a crisis, as well as sharing Frogadier’s past. It’s even shown her premonitions have even helped people prepare for disasters. “All Eyes on the Future!” saw her have a Gym battle with Ash.
Ash chooses Frogadier and Talonflame, while Olympia uses a male and female Meowstic. The two Meowstic initially manage to dodge his attacks with the help of their psychic powers. While Frogadier struggled during the battle, his determination proved strong. In the end, Frogadier’s Water Pulse grows powerful enough to incapacitate the two Meowstic, allowing Ash to win the battle.
2 Sabrina
Season 1, Episode 22 – “Abra and the Psychic Showdown”
Sabrina, also known as Natsume in Japanese releases, is known as the Master of Psychic Pokémon. She serves as the leader of Saffron City gym. With the use of her Psychic-type Pokémon, she battles trainers who hope to obtain the Marsh Badge.
The anime adaptation plays up Sabrina’s power early on, with Ash and his friends encountering her younger alter-ego in “Abra and the Psychic Showdown,” who saves them from a trap room. Early on, Ash forfeited a match against her after her Kadabra overwhelmed Pikachu. Sabrina then trapped Ash and the others within her own play town until her father helped them escape, advising Ash to find a ghost Pokémon.
During a rematch, Ash’s new Haunter abandoned him and his other Pokémon were too afraid to fight, causing Sabrina to transform Misty and Brock into dolls, having similarly transformed her own mother. Sabrina’s father explained his daughter’s obsession with harnessing her powers has even caused her to separate herself into a younger and older form.
After facing off against Sabrina again, Ash’s Haunter managed to get Sabrina to laugh, causing her linked Pokémon to laugh, as well as reuniting her personalities. Ash won the Marsh Badge, with Haunter staying with Sabrina.
1 Giovanni
Season 15, Episode 48 – “Meloetta and the Undersea Temple!”
Giovanni, also known as Sakaki, is the leader of the gym in Viridian City. However, he is arguably best known as the head of Team Rocket. Trainers who manage to defeat his Ground-type Pokémon can win the Earth Badge.
Giovanni is a recurring character in the anime, usually seen in contact through Team Rocket, though he occasionally took on a more direct role as an antagonist. While Ash normally faced off against his underlings, he got the chance to battle him directly in “Meloetta and the Undersea Temple!,” where Persian fought Pikachu, using the former’s Shadow Claw against the latter’s Iron Tail.
On Giovanni’s orders, Persian used a Power Gem against both Pikachu and Ash, taking down the Pokémon within seconds. The two found themselves trapped within a shrinking cube. However, the battle was part of a larger scheme, as Giovanni used the captured Pokémon and his Trainer to threaten the Normal/Psychic Mythical Pokémon Meloetta.
