Class Clown (Funniest Character): James, although Jessie and Meowth do most of the important work in Team Rocket, James is by far the most likable character in this show. Between his family drama, his love for fashion, and his self-deprecating tendencies he rarely leaves a scene without a funny moment or two. I Imagine him being a perpetual contender for this superlative in future seasons.
Most Likely to Succeed (Best Trainer/Pokémon): Pidgeotto, this bird is the most underrated Pokémon that Ash has caught and trained. I can’t count the number of times this brave bird has helped Ash in battle, against Team Rocket, and as a general scout. Pidgeotto never misses, and they deserve to be recognized somewhere as the best bird Pokémon Ash has ever trained.
Most Athletic (Best Battle of the Season):
Ep. 59 Volcanic Panic (Charizard vs. Magmar): Charizard has two battles on this list, this battle might their most impressive of the series. This battle marks the start of his signature Seismic Toss attack.
Honorable Mention: Ep. 79 Fourth Round Rumble (Bellsprout vs. Muk), Ep. 46 Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon (Charizard and Aerodactyl), Ep. 14 Electric Shock Showdown (Pikachu vs. Raichu)
Biggest Flirt (The Inaugural Brock’s Best Crush Award): Officer Jenny, there are many of them, and they are more prevalent in my mind than Brock’s fascination with Nurse Joy this season.
Most Changed (Best Character Development): Ash, this story is about him, and he won’t win it every season, but he really did grow up quite a bit in 82 episodes and one movie. Ash made it into the top-16 in the Indigo League, trained a bevy of skilled Pokémon, and has to deal with Team Rocket every episode. Overall, good work Ash.
Most Unforgettable (Best Episode): The Tower of Terror (Ep. 23), please see my review for this episode, but Ash’s out-of-body experience was one of the coolest animations in the series so far. Also, you got to love those ghost Pokémon.
Prettiest Place (Best One-Episode Setting): The Pi-Kahuna (Ep. 69). The beach town in this episode is unnamed, but the Rock reminds me a similar rock near where I grew up, just off the coast of Cannon Beach, Oregon called Haystack Rock. The surfing scene where Victor plants the flag was beautiful.
Overall Season Score: 9/10, this season is the main reason the anime is so popular. A long 82-episode jaunt through a relatively small region is action-packed, leaving little left to be desired. We haven’t left Kanto by any means, but this season propelled Pokémon into a new cultural stratum. The only complaints I have about the season in general are that it lacks a cohesive direction from episodes 36-57, and there are some glaring continuity errors including James’ Victrebell’s origins remaining a mystery, while also leaning on the Jigglypuff character too often. Next season is shorter and more focused, and an extension of Season 1. I can’t wait for what Season 2 has to offer!
Will Reviews Things 