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Discussing which of Ash Ketchum’s Pokémon are the strongest or most well-developed is popular among Pokémon fans. What’s less commonly discussed is which of Ash’s Pokémon are the most adorable. Given how important the cuteness of many Pokémon is to the franchise’s success, this is a massive oversight.
Pokémon are famous for how cute they can be, and Ash Ketchum caught some of the cutest Pokémon in the anime. His best buddy Pikachu is obviously precious, and most of the many Starter Pokémon he’s caught were specifically designed to be cuter than most others. Importantly, though, these Pokémon are still characters, meaning that their behavior can be just as critical in judging their cuteness factor as their aesthetics.
10 Scraggy Has One of the Silliest Designs Among Ash's Pokémon
Ash's Scraggy Acts Tries to Act Tougher Than He Is
Scraggy is the cutest member of Ash’s Unova team. While he does have competition for this title from Oshawott, Scraggy ultimately wins out through sheer charm. While Oshawott is very traditionally cute, Scraggy is «ugly cute,» with the element most responsible for this being his weirdly shaped mouth.
Scraggy’s personality perfectly complements his off-beat design. Despite being a scrawny little lizard who can barely keep his «pants» up, Ash’s Scraggy likes to think of himself as a tough guy, the contrast only making him cuter. It’s always wholesome seeing him be overconfident and getting into trouble.
9 Bulbasaur Has Always Been Among the Cutest Pokémon in the Franchise
Ash's Bulbasaur Being a Grump Only Makes Him More Adorable
All of Ash’s Kanto starters are precious in their own right. Based on pure aesthetics, Squirtle, Charmander, and Bulbasaur are all fairly equal. Factoring in the personalities of Ash’s Pokémon, though, it’s Bulbasaur who stands out as the cutest.
A cross between a baby dinosaur and a plant, with a big bulb on its back, Bulbasaur has a calming palette, and a wide, warm smile. It’s especially cute when Ash’s Bulbasaur smiles, due to his initial nature as the grumpiest, most stand-offish member of Ash’s team. Seeing such a sweet-looking creature behave this way is hilarious and charming.
8 Cyndaquil is a Sleepy Little Baby
Ash's Cyndaquil is Positively Wholesome
Cyndaquil wasn’t just one of Ash’s powerhouses during his time in Johto, but also incredibly endearing. His design is simple, with him just being a small echidna-like creature with flames on his back. What makes Cyndaquil stand out are his stubby little arms, and the unique shape of his eyes.
Ash’s Cyndaquil very much behaved like a baby, and a lazy one at that. Its cutest attribute is undoubtedly how prone it was to falling asleep. Some fans lament that Cyndaquil didn’t evolve into Quilava until Diamond and Pearl, but Quilava isn’t nearly as wholesome-looking, and its personality is boringly serious.
7 Nebby is the Cutest Legendary Pokémon in the Anime
Nebby Manages to Be Even Cuter Than Ash's Poipole
Nebby, a Cosmog, technically isn’t one of Ash’s Pokémon, but he may as well be. This Legendary Pokémon came into Ash’s care during his stay in Alola, and won his heart, the hearts of his friends, and the hearts of the audience with how much of an adorable baby it was. Cosmog is a small, cloud-like creature with a palette resembling a starry night, and an incredibly expressive face.
Nebby behaves in a baby-like manner, often crying, being easy to make laugh, and being a picky eater. Nebby also takes to sleeping in Ash’s backpack, which is especially precious given that it shares this space with Ash’s Rowlet. It would have been nice if Nebby could have stayed adorable forever but, alas, it had to become a Solgaleo.
6 Glicor Begins His Time with Ash as a Weak Crybaby
Ash's Gliscor is Goofy and Sweet
The evolved form of Gligar, Gliscor is a little weirdo. A cross between a scorpion and a bat, Gliscor, under most circumstances, isn’t one of the cutest Pokémon. Ash’s Gliscor, however, is the exception, with its design contrasting with its goofy and overly-emotional personality.
As a Gligar, Gliscor was a complete crybaby. It didn’t fully lose these traits after growing stronger, but it did develop a quirkier and sillier side. Some people may find the animals that it’s based on scary, but there’s nothing scary about Gliscor, and it has the biggest heart possible.
5 Riolu is as Adorable as Lucario is Cool
Ash's Riolu Was Like His Baby
Riolu wasn’t the first baby raised by Ash, but he’s definitely the most memorable one. The pre-evolved form of one of the most popular Pokémon ever, Lucario, Riolu just looks like a smaller, cuter version of it. The bond Ash and Riolu form is the most wholesome in Pokémon Journeys, and it’s always sweet seeing Ash take care of it, even if Riolu doesn’t appreciate being babied.
Some of Ash’s Pokémon are cute because they act stronger than they are or look, but it’s the opposite with Riolu. From the moment he hatches from his egg, Riolu is fully capable of living up to his own hype, and it’s adorable seeing him take down much larger opponents. This also makes it even more impactful when Riolu acts his age, and needs comfort from his Trainer.
4 Pikachu isn't One of the Most Iconic Mascots in the World For No Reason
Ash's Pikachu Has Enjoyed Countless Cute Moments Over the Decades
As one of the anime’s protagonists, PIkachu has had more opportunities to showcase his cuteness than any other Pokémon. Regardless of what situation he’s placed in, he’ll always find a way to brighten up a scene, be it with silly faces, tiny outfits, over-the-top reactions, or the help of his beloved ketchup. Pikachu and Ash’s bond is one of the most endearing aspects of the anime, and while Pikachu’s personality may not be as complex as some of Ash’s other Pokémon, it’s definitely one of his sweetest and funniest.
Pikachu wouldn’t be the Pokémon franchise’s mascot if it didn’t have one of the cutest creature designs of all time. The electric mouse is known far and wide, and the only Pokémon more popular than it tend to have more traditionally «cool» designs. Even still, Ash’s Pikachu is one-of-a-kind, and even the wonderful Captain Pikachu in Pokémon Horizons can’t truly replace him.
3 Rowlet is the Most Expressive Pokémon Ash Has Ever Had
Ash's Rowlet is Sleepy and Over-Dramatic
Alola may be the region where Ash caught multiple Legendary Pokémon, and had three Ace-level Pokémon outside of them, but it’s his Rowlet that stands out as the most loved of his Pokémon in Sun and Moon. From its design alone, it’s impossible not to love the round owl with a little grass bowtie. The anime could have easily given Rowlet a bland personality, and fans would still have adored it, but instead he ended up having one of the most memorable personalities in the series.
Like Cyndaquil before him, Rowlet is prone to falling asleep at inappropriate times, but his self-appointed home in Ash’s backpack makes him far cuter in that regard. It’s not particularly intelligent, it’s incredibly laid back, and its overly dramatic facial expressions are often hilarious. More than any other Pokémon, Rowlet benefits from just how expressive Sun and Moon’s animation is. This is all without even mentioning how precious it looks in its Decidueye costume.
2 Bayleef Was Adorable From the Moment She Was Introduced as a Chikorita
Bayleef's Crush on Ash Makes For One of the Cutest Relationships Between Ash and Any of His Pokémon
Chikorita has one of the cutest designs of any Starter Pokémon. A pale green baby dinosaur with a leap for hair, there’s nothing not to love about it. Ash’s Chikorita enjoys this advantage, while also possessing the unique quirk of having a crush on Ash, leading to countless cute moments.
At first glance, Ash’s Bayleef isn’t as traditionally cute as it was when it was a Chikorita. However, seeing how the much-bigger dinosaur with more expressive eyes behaves around Ash makes clear this isn’t the case. Whether she’s excited to see him, or crying because she misses him, Bayleef is consistently one of the most wholesome Pokémon in the anime.
1 Totodile Makes Up For His Weakness by Being the Absolute Cutest Pokémon
Ash's Totodile is Famous For His Signature Happy Dance
Totodile is both the cutest member of Ash’s Johto team, and the cutest Pokémon he’s ever caught. A baby crocodile with a vibrant blue, yellow, and pink palette, all Totodiles are cute. No other Totodiles compare to Ash’s though, with his loud, silly personality elevating his design tenfold.
Totodile is one of Ash’s weakest Pokémon, and one of his dumbest, but these things don’t matter to him. Ash’s Totodile lives in the moment, doing a happy little signature dance when he’s excited, and getting comically angry when he’s upset. Any benefit Ash would have gained from evolving Totodile into Croconaw would have been heavily outweighed by the potential loss of this delightful and innocent soul.
