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Favorite Pokemon Relationships?

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In light of the discussions surrounding the terrible handling of the pokemon in Journeys, I thought I would make this thread so we can talk about when the pokemon were being handled well. Or more specifically, the relationships and dynamics between them.

I have lots of favorite relationships as I love almost every pokemon on the main cast, but one relationship that I feel is rather underrated is between Ash's Pikachu and Charizard. Specifically in the fact that those two went through development on their own and in regards to their friendship, which I always thought was interesting to see.
 
Oooh I have several:

  • Pikachu & Togepi. These two were adorable for many reasons. However, I really liked how Pikachu got to shine in an older brother capacity, automatically looking out for Togepi whenever Misty and Ash were not around. And I don't recall him being instructed to do so, so his care for the Spike Ball Pokémon (especially in the shorts) was that much more profound to me. Then, there was also the fact that Pikachu had a specific cry for Togepi ("Pipipi," which phonetically sounds like "Togepi") which added to their interactions. I feel like it gave Pikachu another personality layer aside from being Ash's main partner. I also enjoyed when the other party members would look after Togepi too (without prompt!), such as when Bulbasaur did a lullaby for it with its Vine Whip.
  • Pikachu & Piplup. This is another favorite because Pikachu gained not only a spotlight-sharing equal, but a best friend to boot. Their bond mirrored the bond shared between their Trainers (although their personalities didn't necessarily reflect their Trainers), and I found it cool how it would be Pikachu & Piplup to do things such as send Team Rocket away, interact with the Pokémon of the day, etc. It's a relationship I feel is unique too, as Pikachu hasn't really had an equal partner since; the ending scene of Pikachu riding Togekiss to calm the upset Piplup when it was time to say goodbye is so heartwarming and tearjerking. I also liked the duo so much, it was one of the reasons my choice for Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky has primarily been Pikachu as the hero and Piplup the partner, a pairing I cannot bring myself to change. It was my way of seeing my team animated in a sense.
  • Snivy & Emolga. This one is purely a guilty pleasure, I will admit. The catty squabbling & dirty looks between these two always made me smile whenever it appeared on-screen, especially when they would try to out poise each other; one of my favorite scenes is when the gang are helping Luke with his movie set and Emolga and Snivy tumble into the frame, fighting each other - it was even more amusing because you think Snivy would be above such displays of immature roughhousing. Their personalities were such good foils for each other and I enjoyed that Snivy had someone to bounce off of and that Emolga was different in personality to Pikachu & Pachirisu. Unlike the above two relationships, I was sad that it kind of fell off from its share of screen time as the series progressed. I also wished there would have been an "enemy of my enemy" situation, where the two of them met another female Pokémon they disliked more than each other, and had to work together to handle.
 
I really liked the dynamic Corphish had with Treecko/Grovyle in AG; the former was outgoing but sort of carelessly mean at times and overly silly; the latter was a self-serious loner. No wonder the two had a rivalry for a time.

The Bulbasaur/Squirtle friendship was nice, too (the scene when Squirtle came back for the Johto league and they greeted each other was cute).

Is mentioning Meowth and Pikachu cheating? :p Seriously, they have a very odd Tom and Jerry thing going on where they're archenemies who like one another at times.
Also, they had some amazing scenes together in gen 1 when Pikachu was more mischevous and the show leaned towards a particular brand of humor (their "battle" in Who Gets to Keep togepi and Pikachu's Looney Tunes gag with him in "The Punchy Pokémon" come to mind).
 
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Sceptile and Corphish, I love the rivalry they have since Sceptile was a Treecko, Grovyle helping Corphish jump the rocks in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew was adorable :bulbaLove:, I wish we had seen them interact even more.

Rowlet and Tsareena, it was fun to see Tsareena "rejecting" Rowlet since she was a Bounsweet :LOL:, too bad their interactions never went beyond that. I also love Rowlet's relationship with his adoptive family and how they support him even after he left with Ash, I especially love Trumbeak, I have a weakness for characters who seem grumpy at first but deep down they really care.

Pikachu and Butterfree, their friendship was adorable, Pikachu was shattered when Butterfree had to go :cry:. And that talk they had under the moon after Misty rejected Caterpie was just beautiful, you knew the meaning of their talk even without really understanding their sounds :bulbaLove:.

Bunnelby and Sylveon, I love how this little bunny was a support for Eevee in her shy days, Bunnelby's kind and understanding personality was just what Eevee needed.

Though I love the relationship between Hawlucha and Noivern, I would have also loved to see Noivern interacting more with Talonflame, it was the one who made Noibat's hatching possible after all.
 
Some highlights out of the dozens I love:

Pikachu & Meowth: Probably my favorite out of the ones in this post just because of how far their history goes. Initially very early in the series in the series they establish Pikachu and Meowth as archenemies, but further down the line they have way more wholesome moments then you'd think :cry: Many of the episodes featuring the two where they get separated from their teams ended up being some of the favorites in my series because they always do such a good job at displaying the chemistry between the two. As the show puts it itself, if the stars aligned a different way they probably would've been really good friends

Pikachu & Togepi: I think Togepi was one of the best cast members in the OG series because of how it gave more depth to both Misty and Pikachu's characters, and I love how it brought out more of Pikachu's nourishing side. Unlike Grookey, it's antics felt more organic and enjoyable because it was only just a baby (and also just way more funny in general), and I loved seeing Pikachu take care of it like it was one of his own.

Bunnelby & Chespin: Compared to Oshawott and Piplup, I actually think Chespin was one of more tolerable gag starters, and having Bunnelby fill the role as a straight-man to Chespin's craziness played a lot into that. I loved the polar opposite sibling dynamic they had throughout the series, especially in their errand episode, and even other characters like Sylveon helped displayed the difference in their characters in full

Meowth & Wobbuffet: Their relationship started out rocky compared to most of the other ones on this list, but I love how Meowth slowly just gets used to Wobbuffet's looney personality overtime and the two have some of the biggest best friend energy in the series, only contested by Pikachu and Piplup IMO. Their roles together in the Pikachu shorts are also hilarious and their dynamic, as simple as it is, never gets old to me

Meowth & Mimikyu: To Meowth literally being scared half to death in its debut episode to him being the one to further its character arc, Meowth and Mimikyu's relationship in S/M was adorable and there were as much terrifyingly hilarious moments as there were feel-good ones. I wish Mimikyu got more screentime in the series but for what little it did get it always made the most out of it
 
Adding on to my earlier post, I'm going through what I feel are the lesser discussed relationships on the main cast that need more love:
  • Pikachu and Charizard: I like these two because their relationship feels more unique compared to other pokemon in the fact that they actually went through what can essentially be called "drama". Easy friends at first, then Charizard's very first evolution caused a rift in that friendship. The two still cared about each other, though, as shown in Pallet Party Panic and Pokemon Double Trouble; the latter of which incidentally repaired their relationship. I would also like to point out that Charizard was the very first pokemon who Pikachu had to earn the respect of, and inevitably did.
  • Greninja and Talonflame: Really disappointed how this was essentially dropped by XYZ along with the bird's personality. Right in their first battle, you had them at odds before earning each other's respect through battle, to forming a tight "three mon team" with Pikachu for a good thirty episodes in the XY saga. Frogadier and Talonflame also fought alongside each other in the latter's evolution episode and during the gym battle against Olympia. I know Hawlucha and Froakie got their episode, but I appreciated the bond between these two much more because it was shown more often and wasn't just a one-off thing.
  • Ash's Torterra and Paul's Torterra: (@PkmnTrainerV already beat me to the punch but hey, it's underrated, and I love it, so...:p) I don't think I've ever said this before, but Paul's Torterra, despite its limited appearances, is one of my favorite pokemon in the series. It's the only one of Paul's pokemon to have a personality, and it really showed in its relationship with Ash's Torterra, or rather, Grotle, at the time. Not to mention I've always loved mentoring relationships and the fact that Grotle wanted to learn under Torterra; and the latter wanted to teach Grotle was just really nice to see and it was personally one of the highlights for me in the Sinnoh region. I'm honestly disappointed Paul's Torterra didn't get any more appearances, let alone with Ash's especially. Would've been nice to have given Ash's Torterra a win had they gone back to explore that further, but alas...
And here are my top favorites(excluding Pikachu for now cause that's a longer list...) :bulbaLove::bulbaLove::bulbaLove::
  • Bulbasaur and Squirtle: One of my favorite parts about these two is the fact that despite Bulbasaur's no nonsense personality, he always manages to act immature when Squirtle is around. Squirtle essentially brings out a different side to Bulbasaur and I've always loved that type of dynamic: two unlikely to become friends characters becoming friends. Not to mention the cute goodbye they had in Bulbasaur...The Ambassador. Tell me that wasn't cute!!!
  • Meowth and Wobbuffet and TR Pokemon: Excuse me, but these guys have to be the funniest thing in the Pikachu Shorts ever. I don't think I can enjoy one as much without these guys to provide their wacky antics that become "conflict". Not to mention all the fun dynamics that come from it. I'll forever remember Arbok and Weezing as a duo, thank you; Meowth and Wobbuffet are a really underrated pair of friends; Mimikyu slowly becoming close comrades with Meowth and Marinie is adorable; and I honestly love these wacky pokemon a lot.
  • Snivy and Pignite: One of my favorite things about Unova had to have been Snivy. And this adorable grass snake had a great dynamic with the other two starters on the team: Oshawott and Pignite. But her dynamic with Oshawott was essentially just her not really liking him much and I'm talking about her dynamic with the fire type: Pignite. The fact that she's gone out of her way to help him fight back against his old trainer, snap him out of it when he was in a slump, go out of her way to fight in a battle in which the only emotional reasons she'd have for fighting in the first place was for her teammate...it was really just a strong sign that Snivy cared about her teammates and it really showed in how much she cared for Pignite here. And the fact that Pignite became stronger from this because of his teammate's assistance was something that made this better: it was literally because of her that he was able to find the strength he needed to overcome his obstacles.
  • Hawlucha and Noivern: For some reason, it's always bothered me when people relegate Hawlucha as Noivern's "big brother" when it really isn't that big of a deal. Yet, my defensive instincts flare up immediately once someone calls Ash Noivern's father figure. Yeah, he's the trainer, but I honestly felt a stronger bond between Hawlucha and Noivern then with Noivern and Ash, which is why I always thought of Hawlucha as Noivern's father figure. He's the one that found Noivern's egg, was the one who Noivern has shown to look up to greatly, was the one who helped Noivern grow every step of the way(literally; Hawlucha plays a major role in like every Noivern episode), and when Noibat grew up, who was being protected? Ah, yes, in the age old trope of the parent-child relationship; once the child has become of age, the tables have turned and the parent is the one being protected instead! Hawlucha is Noivern's dad. Fight me. :p
  • Bunnelby and Sylveon: I LOVE these two. They're super cute and honestly? whispers I ship them. The fact that Bunnelby helped Sylveon get over its shyness was adorable and seeing how willing Bunnelby was to be around Sylveon and help her out was even more adorable. Bunnelby played an important role for Sylveon's development and seeing Bunnelby proud of Sylveon once she evolved into this stronger version of herself was absolutely heartwarming. REALLY cute duo.
And here are the relationships between my little bean and the other pokemon!
  • Pikachu and Togepi: The OG dynamic. Their sibling-like bond was really adorable to see and anytime Pikachu would go out of his way to help Togepi just made my heart clench. Remember when the only time Pikachu's ever snapped back at Chikorita was in that one short when she accidentally hit Togepi? Remember when Pikachu had an intense freak-out when he was forced to fight Togepi? Remember how these two were almost always seen sleeping together? I love these two so much and they're really super cute to see on screen, always.
  • Pikachu and Meowth: Darn, I almost missed this one, had other users not have mentioned it. If I were to describe the dynamic these two have in a few words, it would be: "they have a lot of history together". Emphasis on the history. :p The fact that they're constantly within this love/hate relationship is also wonderful to see. One of my favorite things about the "Meowth changes sides" arc was the fact that Pikachu was not afraid of openly showing his distaste for Meowth in the beginning, before he slowly began to relax around him. Then the betrayal happened and Pikachu was back to hating Meowth with a passion. A little too passionate, maybe, as Ash had to step in before Pikachu jumped off a train car. :LOL: Also, this is just a side note, but in XY011, The Bamboozling Forest, one small tidbit I liked was when Pikachu had agreed to help Meowth, Froakie pulled him aside to convince him NOT to do that, but Pikachu just had this resigned look on his face like "yeah, I know". These two could run their own show I swear-wait. The Pikachu Shorts. :lapras:
  • Pikachu and Piplup: The Best Friend duo! I'll keep it short this time, but I really love these two and their friendship in the DP saga. Seeing the two mesh off of one another and steadily influence each other, whether for the better or worse, like actual best friends do just made their dynamic all the more genuine. Their individual episodes were always a treat to see, and it honestly convinced me that the two were little kids that just had trouble with certain things. Steamboat Willies was one of my personal favorite episodes, specifically in regards to these two. As soon as Dawn and Ash leave, giving Piplup and Pikachu this huge responsibility...things start to go wrong, and the two begin panicking, though quickly able to pick up the pieces. Also, their emotional hug in the last episode was super cute and the fact that Piplup being mad at Pikachu for leaving made the latter cry was just...ack. I love these two dorks.
  • Pikachu and his teammates: No, I'm not going to go through ALL of them, but here's a quick rundown of my favorite relationships: Butterfree, Charizard, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Bayleef, Buizel, Snivy, Greninja, Talonflame, Goodra, and all of the Alolan gang(aka the Dork Squad)! I listed ones that I personally felt was a stronger bond rather than just mutual support and friendship on account of being teammates, which Pikachu holds for all of them, obviously, but I think these are the pokemon he's closest too. I included Talonflame to complete the XY trio at the very beginning of the saga: Fletchling, Pikachu, and Froakie. I have like five shots of these three alone. They're tight. Also, the entire Alolan squad goes into one category because they're snuggling in literally every other episode so...it would've felt disingenuous to NOT include them.
  • Pikachu and Buneary: Cute duo! Buneary, like Piplup, brings out another side to Pikachu and I like how they "explored" that a little in a way that felt natural and not forced(lookin' at you, Journeys). Not to mention, these two look cute together! And they're also just friends too, which makes their relationship feel more genuine if we remove Buneary's crush for a moment.
And that's all of them! For me, I mean. Now, excuse me while I remove myself from this thread for the long post...:whistle:
 
Pikachu and Piplup: Really cute together and they are bros.
Greninja and Braixen: Always thought their feelings mirrored their trainers.
Chespin and Pancham: Despite being a part of a serious and mature series, this was XY’s way of lightening things up with a comedy duo. Their interactions and bickering always made me laugh and Chespin’s happy go lucky and Pancham’s brash personalities complement each other so well, and a huge part of why I adore the later so much.
Marshtomp and Ludicolo: Severly underrated but this is my favorite friendship of all time. As a Lotad and Lombre, Mudkip would help out his friend, who was slower at times. The two would always be beside each other and I loved them especially as a Mudkip and Lotad.
 
  • Ash's Torterra and Paul's Torterra: (@PkmnTrainerV already beat me to the punch but hey, it's underrated, and I love it, so...:p) I don't think I've ever said this before, but Paul's Torterra, despite its limited appearances, is one of my favorite pokemon in the series. It's the only one of Paul's pokemon to have a personality, and it really showed in its relationship with Ash's Torterra, or rather, Grotle, at the time. Not to mention I've always loved mentoring relationships and the fact that Grotle wanted to learn under Torterra; and the latter wanted to teach Grotle was just really nice to see and it was personally one of the highlights for me in the Sinnoh region. I'm honestly disappointed Paul's Torterra didn't get any more appearances, let alone with Ash's especially. Would've been nice to have given Ash's Torterra a win had they gone back to explore that further, but alas...
I don’t know why, but Pokemon of a single evolutionary family interacting together, and learning from each other EXCEPT "I’m better than my evolution and need to defeat it" gives a warm and fuzzy vibe. I always cherish those instances. That’s also what made Ash's Litten and Kukui's Incineroar special for me since, proving itself better only due to the evolution line difference wasn’t Litten’s goal. It didn’t even play into their relationship for the most part except for the symbolism of Incineroar being the "champion status".
 
Underrated: Ash's Grotle and Paul's Torterra. I loved how Torterra taught Grotle how to handle its loss of speed, and I wish they had more interactions.
That was brilliant, too bad Torterra's teaching didn't pay off and they didn't interact after that episode
 
It was for a very short period of time, but Pikachu and Caterpie's dynamics were so adorable when Caterpie dreamed of being a "loveable" Pokémon at a slepless and restless night, and Pikachu was there for him.

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It is sad that Butterfree didn't have much interaction with other Pokémon of Ash's party and then left them.
 
I've been looking through my album of pokemon screenshots, and I just recalled my favorite moment from the very first Pikachu Short:
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And THIS is why I love the Kanto squad. You can clearly see how exasperated Bulbasaur is with Pikachu here, but he's willing to give a helping hand anyway. And then cue Pikachu and Squirtle simultaneously in awe of Bulbasaur's diplomat skills in action. Actually that entire short was just really showing off why I love the wonderful quartet that is Pikachu, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Charizard...and all the pokemon, really. :bulbaLove::bulbaLove::bulbaLove:
 
Last thing, but although it was only shown for a brief period of time, I really liked the relationship shown between Pikachu and his clone. Seeing the parallels and similarities between the two were really interesting to me and showcased the clone trope well. Not to mention, the development of Pikachu's clone spanning from the first movie to the special, Mewtwo's Return was really nice to see, especially since it was largely because of Pikachu. As brief as it was, I really did like this relationship.
 
I've been looking through my album of pokemon screenshots, and I just recalled my favorite moment from the very first Pikachu Short:
And THIS is why I love the Kanto squad. You can clearly see how exasperated Bulbasaur is with Pikachu here, but he's willing to give a helping hand anyway. And then cue Pikachu and Squirtle simultaneously in awe of Bulbasaur's diplomat skills in action. Actually that entire short was just really showing off why I love the wonderful quartet that is Pikachu, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Charizard...and all the pokemon, really. :bulbaLove::bulbaLove::bulbaLove:
The other really cool thing about this is that Pikachu explicitly asks Bulbasaur to help by saying its name in his Pikachu speak (PikakaPika) and the "Buddy, I'm sorry, but would you mind aha?" tone with how Pikachu asked it.
 
Please note: The thread is from 2 years ago.
Please take the age of this thread into consideration in writing your reply. Depending on what exactly you wanted to say, you may want to consider if it would be better to post a new thread instead.
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