Top 5 female characters from the Pokemon anime

Ash has met countless members of the fairer sex on his endless Pokemon journey so far, several of who have even joined him on his travels for a time.

Many female characters in the show have had fantastic showings, and others still have been more than sub-par. And some have had below-par performances while still managing to be incredibly popular.

So which characters across Ash's grand adventure to become a Pokemon master were most notable? And which ones have the fans loved the most?

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.

Five best female characters from the Pokemon anime

#5 - Nurse Joy

Nurse Joy is a consistent character throughout both the anime and the games (even though she may not be named in the latter, her telltale appearance is easily recognizable). This massive family of sisters/cousins/clones/whatever they may be are always there to help Ash and his friends whenever their Pokemon need some TLC after a hard fight.

Between the surrealness of there always being a Nurse Joy in any given town, each one's thorough love for Pokemon, and Brock's easily swayed heart pulling for her every time, Nurse Joy more than deserves a spot on this list.

#4 - Cynthia

The Sinnoh region's champion is an incredibly talented trainer and the first female champion to appear in the franchise. While kind and seemingly lighthearted, Cynthia has a powerful presence that can even placate Brock's lady-saving Croagunk.

She doesn't show up in the anime as often as many other female characters, but her strong personality and exceptional talent have earned Cynthia a place in the hearts of the franchise's fans.

#3 - Jessie

The persistent Pokemon snatcher and her two teammates have been tailing Ash and Pikachu for just a few episodes shy of Ash's entire career as a Pokemon trainer. But just being the most-seen female character is not quite enough to earn Jessie so high a position in the rankings.

While not a particularly gifted trainer, Jessie still treats her Pokemon with respect and love and displays a surprising penchant for Pokemon contests. Between her genuine talent in contests and raucous personality, Jessie remains a solid and popular female character even after years of chasing around Ash.

#2 - Misty

Misty was Ash's first companion in the original series. A tomboy who won't let Ash get away with much of his protagonist nonsense, Misty has always been a beloved character by the series's fans.

She even takes part in an exciting occasion, hatching the Generation II Pokemon Togepi over two years before the release of Pokemon Gold and Silver. However, post-Togepi, Misty feels a little lacking as she spends much of the rest of the series toting around the infant Pokemon. This sees her lose much of the energy and freedom she had come to be known for.

She returns in full-force during her appearances in future seasons, though, bringing back that Misty spunk fans know and love.

#1 - Serena

Serena only shows up in the anime for a single season, but she made quite the impact in the short time she was Ash's companion. Not only is she revealed to have already met and befriended Ash long before he started on his Pokemon journey, but she is the only companion of Ash to openly confess her affection to him.

Serena is also one of few characters to significantly change their appearance mid-season, cutting her hair in a heart-touching scene and switching up her outfit. This also sets her apart from other game-anime companion counterparts like May and Dawn as the only character to receive her own unique anime appearance.

The love-struck Serena is certainly not loved by all, with fans of Ash's other female companions often irate that the Kalos companion got much closer to Ash than any other companion ever has. But whether through admiration or notoriety, Serena has definitely earned her place on this list.

Edited by Ravi Iyer