Pokémon

The Best Episodes of Pokémon Season 1

Genres:AnimationAction & AdventureSci-Fi & Fantasy

Every episode of Pokémon Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Pokémon Season 1!

Join Ash accompanied by his partner Pikachu, as he travels through many regions, meets new friends and faces new challenges on his quest to become...
Episodes
82
Avg. Rating
7.1
S1
S2
S3
S4
E1
E2
E3
8.5
7.5
7.7

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  1. 8.5/10(2.1k votes)

    #1 - Pokémon - I Choose You!

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    S1:E1

    Meet Ash Ketchum, a 10-year-old boy full of imagination, confidence, and dreams that are almost too big for his village of Pallet Town—plus the desire to become a Pokémon Master!

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  2. 8.4/10(1.1k votes)

    #2 - Charmander - The Stray Pokémon

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    S1:E11

    Our friends, lost, discover an injured Charmander. Pikachu talks to it and learns that it's been waiting a long time for its trainer to return.

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  3. 8.2/10(982 votes)

    #3 - Bye Bye Butterfree

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    S1:E21

    When the party sees a flock of Butterfree flying above the ocean, Brock, as a Pokémon breeder, explains that it is the Butterfree's egg-laying season.

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  4. 8.1/10(938 votes)

    #4 - Electric Shock Showdown

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    S1:E14

    Our heroes finally reach Vermillion City, and they discover that the Pokémon Center is filled with Pokémon hurt during battles with Lt. Surge, the Vermillion City Gym Leader.

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  5. 8.1/10(667 votes)

    #5 - Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon

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    S1:E46

    Our heroes approach Grampa Canyon, famous for the beautiful scenery of its valley. As they approach, however, they find wave upon wave of people also heading for Grampa Canyon.

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  6. 8.0/10(839 votes)

    #6 - The Tower of Terror

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    S1:E23

    In search of a ghost Pokémon, Ash heads immediately for a tower in Lavender Town where they are said to dwell.

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  8. 8.0/10(735 votes)

    #7 - Pikachu's Goodbye

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    S1:E39

    Ash and the others discover a group of wild Pikachu in a secluded area of the woods. How will Pikachu feel seeing others of its kind in the wild?

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  9. 7.9/10(922 votes)

    #8 - Here Comes the Squirtle Squad

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    S1:E12

    Ash and his friends walk along a path and fall into a hole dug by a batch of mischievous Squirtle. Ash climbs out and tries to battle them, but they scatter when Officer Jenny arrives.

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  10. 7.8/10(883 votes)

    #9 - Island of the Giant Pokémon

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    S1:E17

    As our heroes and Team Rocket beat the odds by surviving the sinking ship, they are dragged into another potentially deadly situation when they are attacked by the ferocious Pokémon, Gyarados.

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  11. 7.8/10(812 votes)

    #10 - Abra and the Psychic Showdown

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    S1:E22

    The party finally arrives in Saffron City where a young girl manages a gym of Pokémon using her psychic powers. If Ash defeats this particular Gym Leader, Ash can earn a gold badge.

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  12. 7.8/10(8 votes)

    #11 - Round One - Begin!

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    S1:E77

    Ash enters his first match of the tournament on the water field against Mandi the Astounding. During the battle against Mandi's Exeggutor, Ash's Krabby evolves into Kingler, who he then uses against Mandy's remaining Seadra and Golbat, winning the match and moving onto the next preliminary round.

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  13. 7.7/10(1.3k votes)

    #12 - Ash Catches a Pokémon

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    S1:E3

    Ash discovers and catches a Caterpie—his first Pokémon capture! Though Ash is excited, Misty is grossed out by Bug-type Pokémon, so she is repulsed by its attempts to be friends with her. At night, as Ash and Misty sleep, Caterpie shares with Pikachu its dream of evolving into a Butterfree.

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  14. 7.7/10(1.1k votes)

    #13 - Showdown in Pewter City

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    S1:E5

    Jessie, James, and Meowth dig a trap for our heroes, but they end up falling into it themselves! Ash and Misty arrive at Pewter City and meet a curious fellow named Flint, who notices that Pikachu is tired and shows them the way to the Pokémon Center.

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  15. 7.7/10(937 votes)

    #14 - Bulbasaur and the Hidden Village

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    S1:E10

    Ash and Misty, while arguing, discover an Oddish. As Misty's Starmie weakens the Oddish, a Bulbasaur appears and fights Starmie while the Oddish runs off into the woods.

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  16. 7.7/10(9 votes)

    #15 - Go West Young Meowth

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    S1:E72

    Ash and his friends go to Hollywood (although only a small nearby town) to see the premiere of the movie their Pokémon were cast in. Team Rocket follows them to find out that Meowth has history in this town; It is here where he was a member of a gang of street Meowths led by the Persian. He learned to speak and walk upright to win the heart of a female Meowth who was abandoned by her owner. Upon returning, he challenges Persian who was once his mentor for the female Meowth he thought he lost years before.

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  17. 7.6/10(833 votes)

    #16 - Pokémon Shipwreck

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    S1:E16

    The St. Anne has capsized and sunk with Ash, the gang, and Team Rocket trapped inside. Now, both sides must put aside their differences in order to escape.

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  18. 7.6/10(783 votes)

    #17 - Haunter Versus Kadabra

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    S1:E24

    Unbenownst to Ash, one of the ghost Pokémon decides to join Ash and friends on their journey and more importantly help Ash battle the powerful Saffron City Gym Leader.

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  19. 7.6/10(660 votes)

    #18 - The Flame Pokémon-athon!

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    S1:E33

    Our heroes come to a prairie where the Laramies, a family of Pokémon Ranchers live. They learn from a daughter of the Laramie family that a race is held at the ranch once a year to measure the growth of everyone's Pokémon.

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  20. 7.6/10(642 votes)

    #19 - Ditto's Mysterious Mansion

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    S1:E37

    Our heroes take shelter in a cabin that turns out to be the Copycat House of a trainer who has a Pikachu that is a Ditto, the Transform Pokémon.

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  21. 7.6/10(628 votes)

    #20 - The Battling Eevee Brothers

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    S1:E40

    Tracing a path through the woods, the party comes across a tree baited with a plate of food and water. An Eevee is bound to the trunk with string.

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  22. 7.6/10(622 votes)

    #21 - Holy Matrimony!

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    S1:E48

    As our heroes pass the entrance to a small village, they stop in front of a strange sign.

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    Director:Koji Ogawa
  23. 7.5/10(1.3k votes)

    #22 - Pokémon Emergency!

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    S1:E2

    Ash rushes into Viridian City with his gravely wounded Pikachu. The city's on high alert for Pokémon thieves-thieves like Jessie, James, and Meowth of Team Rocket, a group of bad guys dedicated to stealing valuable Pokémon.

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    Director:Osamu Inoue
  24. 7.5/10(840 votes)

    #23 - Battle Aboard the St. Anne

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    S1:E15

    Ash and his friends board a fancy cruise ship called the St. Anne, thanks to tickets provided by two friendly but familiar-looking people. We soon learn that they're actually Jessie and James in disguise!

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  25. 7.5/10(675 votes)

    #24 - The Ninja-Poké Showdown

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    S1:E32

    Fuchsia Gym, the authorized gym where Ash seeks his next badge, turns out to be a hidden ninja's lair. After finally discovering and entering the gym, he is held up by a complex system of traps.

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  26. 7.5/10(596 votes)

    #25 - The Song of Jigglypuff

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    S1:E45

    Our heroes trudge along, resigning themselves to the idea of camping out in the desert as the sun slowly sets. Suddenly they see bright lights in front of them: a glamorous city appears before them, covered in neon lights.

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Season 1 Ratings Summary

"Pokémon - I Choose You!" is the best rated episode of "Pokémon" season 1. It scored 8.5/10 based on 2110 votes. Directed by Toshiaki Suzuki and written by Takeshi Shudo, it aired on 4/1/1997. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "Charmander - The Stray Pokémon".