5 most underwhelming Pokemon that Ash's friends used in the anime

Ash Ketchum's companions have showcased some of the most iconic Pokemon from the series, but others have fallen way short of that label.

The list of Ash's friends and their Pokemon is vast. There have been Pokemon that simply stole the show, whether through comedic relief or knowing their way around a battle.

Some of his friends have Pokemon that simply did not stand out or perform well compared to others. The trainers and Pokemon obviously loved each other and had strong bonds, but the notoriety was just not there.

Note: This list is subjective and reflects only the opinion of the article's writer.

5 most underwhelming Pokemon used by Ash's friends in the anime

#5 - Pansage (Cilan)

Pansage's underwhelming status has to do with its trainer and is not wholly its own doing. Cilan was just plain boring, and his Pokemon was an okay battler and had some decent moments to look back on.

However, the amount of time it was around in the anime compared with the amount it accomplished was simply not enough. Cilan and his Pansage could have been some of Ash's greatest allies but were instead background noise in the bigger journey.

#4 - Geodude (Brock)

Brock's Geodude is a Pokemon that served better in the games rather than the anime series. It was a formidable opponent when the player faced the Pewter City Gym leader.

In the anime, fans rarely saw it. The screen time was nearly nothing, and when it did get chosen to battle, it was only because the area couldn't hold Onix within it. That never faired well.

#3 - Togedemaru (Sophocles)

Togedemaru is cute and cuddly in the same way that Pikachu is. It is a great companion to Sophocles but is incredibly dependent. While a fan favorite, it is underwhelming outside of any category but popularity.

It was almost a Pikachu-lite. Unfortunately, that made Togedemaru take a backseat to the most popular Pokemon of all time.

#2 - Dedenne (Clemont/Bonne)

Clemont captured Dedenne at the request of his sister, Bonnie. She was not old enough to have a Pokemon of her own and wanted something to care for.

Dedenne being underwhelming is not entirely its fault, much like Cilan's Pansage. Bonnie, to be quite honest, became pretty annoying when caring for it. It often needed saving, and when it won in battle, it was usually a fluke.

#1 - Goldeen (Misty)

Misty's Goldeen was often one of her choices to throw into battle. Its first appearance saw Misty send it out to battle Team Rocket. There was no water around, so Goldeen simply flopped all over the place until returned to its Poke Ball.

It was a Pokemon that always seemed to help in out-of-battle situations but was sorely lacking in-battle itself.