Starting a new game is the norm for many players. With each new game, Pokémon allows players to venture into a new region, catch new Pokémon, and explore with a new protagonist. Speaking of the protagonist, there are many beloved trainers that we have loved in the series from Ethan (Gold), Wes (Pokémon Colosseum), Brendon/May (Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald), and many more.
However, two protagonists most players are familiar with is the protagonist in the first Pokémon games, Red and Ash from the beloved Pokémon anime series. These two trainers have endured many trials to achieve their goal of being the very best. Let’s ask the highly debatable question, Who is the better trainer?
10 Experience: Ash
Let’s take a look at the experience of each trainer. While Red only had a brief stint in the Kanto Region and numerous cameo appearances in other regions afterward, Ash has continued from each region to the next. We see the growth from the Kanto region to the Galar region as Ash has battled all types of Pokémon. He has also, competed against more trainers, gym leaders, and Pokémon league trainers than Red has.
You can assume that Red only has feats and battles concurrent with Kanto and Johto regions as well as counting the Unova region’s Pokémon World Tournament and Aloha region’s Battle Tree. Ash wins this round because of his experience against more regions of Pokémon and trainers.
9 Dependability: Red
As experience as Ash is he is not without a few failed goals along the road. Many are aware of his losses in many Regional Leagues. That being said, Pokémon is probably one of the most realist stories within Anime, because the protagonist usually has a ton of plot armor to make sure they come out on top. Ash has approved after his failures and has been dependable and overcoming the odds against stronger trainers like Brandon.
Now Red, he is dependable as well. He has battled against all 8 gym leaders, defeated the elite four, beaten his rival Blue to become Pokémon Champion, defeated Team Rocket, which led to its disbandment and captured all 150 Pokémon, which was a task completed for Professor Oak, as well as became Indigo League champion. Red’s successes trump Ash’s try again trials.
8 Adaptability: Ash
As strong as Red is, Ash has the stronger adaptability in his favor. Similar to the experience argument, Ash can adapt to many scenarios because of his exposure to go up against different types of Pokémon within different regions of the world.
No confirmed canon suggested Red has been exposed to the wild as Ash has. While exposure is one thing, Ash’s Pokémon can adapt to many situations like battling tough trainers from different regions as well.
7 Roster Strength: Red
Ash and Red both have very distinct rosters, despite some similarities. While Ash’s roster is more diverse with Pokémon from different regions like Sceptile and Infernape. Pikachu, of course, has to be level 100+ right now and has victories over legendaries and powerful Pokémon like Latios, Dragonite, and Regice, feats that shouldn’t be possible for basic Pokémon.
Red, however, hasn’t changed that much based on the game’s canon. He has virtually the same roster of Pikachu, Charizard, Venusaur, Blastoise, Snorlax, and Lapras. Based on the feats and battles between Kanto and Johto, Red’s roster is incredibly strong, training on Mt. Silver against high-level Pokémon and raising them to peak levels over time. He can also, achieved Mega Evolution with his Charizard, Venusaur, and Blastoise. However, as diverse Ash’s roster is, Red has been training the same strong Pokémon from a very young age to adulthood, giving Red the edge.
6 Motivation: Tie
Both trainers display an equal amount of motivation. While Ash has lost many regional leagues, he has always come close and it never discourages him to win a championship. He finally won his first Pokémon League in the Aloha region. Many anime fans wept in joy to finally see Ash achieve this goal after much hardship.
Red shows incredible motivation as well. Not back down to most challenges. His toughest challenge is completing the original 150 Pokémon Pokédex, a feat many players probably haven’t done on their Gameboy. He was also, motivated enough to go and live his life behind to find Mew on Mt. Silver where he stayed waiting for years.
5 Popularity: Ash
Okay, this one is kind of a curveball and doesn’t display skill, but more who has the more clout? Ash is pretty well known within – pretty much all the regions. Not only that, but he has been featured in many movies and series both on TV and theaters.
Red has only been prominently shown in Kanto related games like Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Firered, Leafgreen and Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee and cameos for later Pokémon titles. Outside of that, he was featured in Pokémon Origins animation and Pokémon Adventures manga. This clearly goes to Ash, because of his notable presence within the Pokémon series.
4 Bond with Pokémon: Red
Using the game’s canon, Red is shown to have the same roster as he did in the Kanto region. We can assume that his bond with his Pokémon is strong based on this observation. In Origins, Red realizes early that Pokémon are not tools of battle, but partners fighting alongside the trainer.
Ash’s bond with his Pokémon is also strong. The most obvious bond Ash has with his Pokémon is Pikachu. It’s his best friend, which is displayed throughout his many Pokémon adventures. Even with the teary moments from Butterfree’s farewell, Charizard’s departure, and the “Snow Way Out” scene, shows that Ash truly cares for his Pokémon. However, despite this, Ash has changed up his roster over time, which he let go of many Pokémon. Another factor is Charizard, in which Red’s has a strong relationship with him and Ash has a disjointed relationship with his.
3 Biggest Feats: Red
Both trainers have accomplished many feats beyond comprehension. Ash, the biggest feats are becoming the Aloha Region Champion, defeating legendaries in battle, and helped save the world. Red biggest feats are collecting 150 Pokémon (completing the Pokédex), becoming Kanto Region Champion, and disbanding criminal organization Team Rocket.
While Ash’s feats are great, Red feats are bigger. Why? Red has faced off against legendaries too, which he defeated and caught which Ash has yet to do. Red disbanded Team Rocket and beat their boss Giovanni, while Ash defeated Jesse and James to earned his Earth Badge without facing Giovanni. Ash has yet to “catch em’ all” only capturing 60+ Pokémon throughout his lifetime, while Red did this in Kanto (minus Mew). Let’s assume, Red could also beat the gyms in other regions because many claim him to be one of the best trainers in the world.
2 Rival Feats: Red
Rivals can be the most annoying at times, especially if they are unexpected and you forgot to go to the Pokémon Center before they appeared. Red’s rival is Blue, which is Prof. Oak’s Grandson. Red only lost to Blue once, because Blue used a douchebag move of choosing a water-type (Squirtle) to counter Red’s fire-type (Charmander). However, after that Red beatdown Blue throughout the rest of the series/game, even after beating the Elite Four. Red is rumored to send Blue’s Raticate to the Shadow Realm. Permanently. Talk about being a savage!
Ash’s rival is Gary Oak, pretty much a snobby kid with many girlfriends – basically another douchebag. It’s shown throughout the Kanto region that Gary is strategically superior to Ash when it comes down to battling, which he has beaten Ash on occasion. However, Ash became a stronger trainer and beat Gary in the Johto League Conference and made him switch professions. Red edges Ash’s rival feat because Blue is shown to be impressively strong and able to become a Gym Leader and League Champion. A feat that Gary has technically never achieved and he has always been just above average trainer with his highest placing 16th at the Silver Conference.
1 Strategic Thinking: Ash
While Red is an incredibly strong trainer, he is willed together equally by strong Pokémon. His main roster is incredibly high leveled and efficient. Ash has strong Pokémon too, but some of his battles required strategic thinking on the fly that makes him not only unpredictable but effective against trainers with better Pokémon.
Case in point the legendary battles against Latios and Regice with Pikachu, his Torkoal almost beat a Registeel, and his Sceptile took out a seemly invincible Darkrai. He doesn’t even evolve certain Pokémon that would give him an exponential advantage within the battle. No question that Ash has the edge here. He is truly an underdog.
Winner: Red
NEXT: The Strongest Pokémon For Each Letter Of The Alphabet
