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Legendary Pokemon are the best critters in terms of power, moveset, and utility in the mainline games and animated series. Catching them is an extraordinary feat for anyone in the Pokemon world.
Notably, the anime takes a slightly different approach to understanding Legendaries. For example, Melmetal is one creature with Legendary status in video games, while it's just a rare critter in the anime. Considering this aspect, it's wise to reject Ash's Melmetal from the list and include several others that deserve recognition. Only a few trainers have caught or befriended them.
Some facts may surprise fans regarding how one owned Legendaries and how one caught them. This article details all the information about five trainers who caught Legendary Pokemon in the animated series.
Tobias and four other trainers with Legendary Pokemon
1) Unknown Sinnoh Trainer
The most uncanny thing in the Pokemon anime is that an unnamed trainer is seen waiting in line to register his name for Sinnoh's Lily of the Vally Conference. Although they did not win the competition, it's clear that someone from the Sinnoh region has caught a Heatran. Despite considering this Pokemon as Legendary, it has always been a topic of discussion whether it is one because it doesn't have a place within the "Cosmology" of Pokemon.
However, whoever the trainer is, he is one of the strongest in the region. A background character with a dual Fire and Steel-type Legendary would have showcased exceptional performance if he had made it through the tournament phases. However, the unidentified trainer loses a match at some point to another unspecified trainer.
2) Gladion
Indeed, it's mind-boggling to think of Legendary Pokemon appearing in the wild. However, one trainer from the anime rescues Silyvally from a cruel experiment conducted in a research facility.
In Pokemon games, players only have one option to get a Legendary—by catching it. That's not the case every time in the animated series, as the rescuer, Gladion, helps Silyvally escape the torture. Thanks to their friendship and training, we saw some of the anime's most memorable and interesting stories and battles.
Gladion is one of Ash's rivals, though Ash has beaten him in a tournament despite having a Legendary in possession. Gladion and his partner have a higher friendship level than any other befriended Pokemon if we look at their background history and achievements.
3) Tobias
The storyline of how Tobias got a Mythical and Legendary Pokemon is still unknown. He possibly possesses other powerful critters, too. In the battle between Ash and Tobias in the Sinnoh region's Lily of the Valley Conference, the latter dominated the competition with his Darkrai. Alongside this beast, he has a Latios that is ever ready to show its phenomenal power, both best suited for competitive play.
Tobias used no other Pokemon except those mentioned above to win the battle against Ash. It felt like Tobias had already achieved his goal of becoming a true master if we look at his battle performance.
4) Brandon
Brandon is the most potent trainer of the Frontier Brains because he has three of four Legendaries from the Regi family. To end the final phases of Pokemon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire, the anime team not only introduced Brandon but also induced Regirock, Regice, and Registeel along with him.
One can even consider Brandon one of Ash's rivals, though he has only made short appearances in the series to be a competitor, but as the opponent, he did give Ash a hard time.
Brandon even becomes an essential figure in the lives of Ash and Paul, as he compels them to push their limits to beat his Legendary Pokemon team. Paul is brutally defeated, while Brandon gives Ash a decisive battle that might have overturned his favor. However, Pikachu emerges victorious by landing the Iron Tail move twice in a row.
5) Nurse Joy and Gon
Nurse Joy is a character who helps trainer heal their Pocket Monster in a Pokemon Center. There are multiple Nurse Joys, sharing the same name and appearance, who work as the medical staff throughout the centers in the anime and mainline title. However, one of the many Nurse Joy owns Latias, a Legendary Pokemon.
Although her priority is to heal the damage, she can give many trainers a challenge that might be hard to overcome. In one incident, when Forrest, Brock's brother, challenged Nurse Joy to become Pewter City Gym Leader, she revealed Latias and defeated him without struggle.
Goh is Ash's friend, a companion who travels with him in the Pokemon Journeys series. With a dream to capture every Pocket Monster, this trainer is on a mission to make that come true.
Goh has already encountered other Legendary Pokemon like Zapdos before getting Suicune. The bond and friendship that Goh had developed with this powerhouse is so satisfying to see as it refuses to be free from Goh's possession, displaying that the connection is at a higher level.
