Best GYM Battle Of Kanto

[Genaller]

Hey everyone,

Over the next few weeks we’re gonna decide what PAD’s consensus is for the GOAT GYM Battle. This thread will be for the best Kanto gym battle and I’ll make other threads for the best gym battle in other major regions (so no OI). Each Poll will last 10 days and after that the winners will face of in the final round to determine PAD’s GOAT GYM Battle! For the record Ash vs GYM Leader X will include every official gym battle involving Ash and that leader including the interrupted ones.

 

[Pokegirl Fan~]

Ash vs Blaine (rematch) imo. I thought it was pretty good and I think it was the first time Charizard listened to Ash during a battle, even if it was temporary.

 

[PokemonBattleFanatic-]

Blaine is the only correct answer here

 

[ash&charizardfan]

Blaine should be the obvious choice, charizard vs magmar is still epic, though as a character I liked erica a lot.

 

[Akkipeddi]

It was really close between Lt Surge and Blaine, though ultimately I voted for the latter. Charizard vs Magmar was a gem in those days. However, the Lt Surge episode was better overall since it was the first major development and decision that Ash and Pikachu had to make.

 

[Navin]

Easily Blaine, and then Lt. Surge. Too many pity badges or other circumstances that prevent ranking Kanto as you can with other region.

 

[PokemonBattleFanatic-]

1.Blaine
2.Surge
3.Koga

 

[345ash-greninja]

Well, back in those days, the writers weren't much accustomed to making good battles, and Ash won many pity badges, as a result most of the Gym battles being trash. The only standard battles were Blaine and Surge. I'll give Blaine the edge, considering the intensity of Charizard vs Magmar, which as Akkipeddi said, was a gem back in those days.

 

[DatsRight]

I remember loving Charmander vs Koga's Golbat, if mostly because it was the only gym battle to use the actual Kanto Gym battle BGM.

 

[UltimateNinja]

Second Blaine match. The other's are rather meh to horrible.

 

[Hunter Zolomon]

The battle against Blaine is the best in my opinion. Charizard vs Magmar was an epic battle.

My second favorite is the battle against Lt. Surge. Pikachu overcame the odds and defeated Raichu.

 

[FlygontheRavager]

Hm...actually, I'd say both Ash vs. Surge and Ash vs. Blaine are my favorite Kanto Gym Battles. They're both equally memorable (Surge for Pikachu's resolve not to evolve and the battle against Raichu, and Blaine for "aim for the horn" and Charizard vs. Magmar), and I honestly can't choose between them.

 

[raichu27]

I'd probably say Surge. I thought the Pikachu vs. Raichu battle was interesting. I also liked the Brock and Blaine battle.

 

[Gryphon Turboclaw]

Two words, along with my vote, for the Lightning American(or would that be Orrean, Unovan, or Alolan nowadays?): Character development. Ash and Pikachu had to make quite the decision, and once they did, had to (with Brock's guidance) adjust their fighting style to make it work.

My second place goes to Koga. Not only was the general atmosphere carried over well from the games, but Ash really had to fight for his badge this time(Charmander Vs. Golbat being the highlight).

Third seems to be most other voters' first: Blaine. It was an awesome brawl, albeit hampered somewhat by the fact that Charizard listening to Ash that moment wasn't out of a restored bond, but a burning desire to beat the lava out of Blaine's Magmar. I will give it props for effectively foreshadowing how capable the pair would be once Ash reminded Charizard of said bond and Charizard threw away the Jerk-ass Ball once and for all.

As rightly notorious as Kanto I was for the 'pity badge' phenomenon, only *three* of Ash's gym battles here were of the 'no way in HFIL can he win this as is, so let's give him the badge anyway and move on with the plot' nature of that Ultra Beast: Brock, Sabrina, and Erika, and even the first of those requires qualification due to exactly *why* Brock gave it to him. Ash would've beaten Misty outright if not for the Rockets' interference, and his gym battle against TR themselves was just poorly written once it kicked off, plain and simple. This was the writers's series debut, and it showed in both good and bad ways.