Within Pokemon franchise, Normal-types are generally considered among the dullest of the species, as their typing has no resistances and only an immunity to Ghost-types. However, in reality, they only have a weakness to Fighting-types and are often capable of multiple movepools.
Due to the common perception that Normal types underestimate themselves, they are given many opportunities to break and exceed these expectations. In anime there are many examples of that.
10 May’s Munchlax wins her wrestling debut
In “May’s Egg-Cellent Adventure”, May is shocked when a girl named Nicolette challenges her to a battle. Vileplume faces May’s Munchlax in her first battle under May’s ownership.
With very little knowledge of Munchlax other than that he loves to eat and sleep, the idea of him excelling in battle isn’t something that crosses May’s mind until she actually sees it for herself. Munchlax soaks up Vileplume’s offense before launching a Focus Punch and Solar Beam counter for the win.
9 Ash’s Tauros forces Anabel’s Hardened Steel-type Metagross out.
During Ash’s Battle Frontier campaign, he faces Battle Tower’s Frontier Brain Anabel and her psychic-types. Ash loses the first try, but in the subsequent rematch, his Tauros is able to defy expectations and uses sheer force to beat the hard body of Metagross, a Steel-type.
Metagross’s Meteor Mash and Tauros’s Take Down collide, resulting in an explosive knockout. This was quite an impressive feat from Tauros’ point of view, as a Normal-type overcame Metagross’s resistance to Normal-type moves.
8 Lenora’s Lillipup embarrasses Ash’s Tepig
In Ash’s Unova campaign, her second Gym challenge against the Normal-type specialist ends in embarrassment on the first try, with Lenora using her modest Lillipup to knock out Ash’s Tepig. Ash and Tepig are surprised by Lillipup’s innocent appearance, but the Puppy Pokémon easily outmatches Tepig.
This humiliation gives Ash a lot to think about before his rematch, and he quickly learns not to underestimate Normal guys, resulting in a respectful rematch that ends in a win for Ash.
7 May’s Skitty manages to defy the odds and defeat Watt’s Ampharos
At Ruby and Sapphire anime series, May decides to become a Pokémon Coordinator, but still chooses to develop her Skitty in the forms of Pokémon battles. As she learns more moves, she becomes much more than just her adorable appearance. In the episode “Manectric Charge”, Skitty gets her first win.
The battle is against Mauville’s gym leader assistant Wattson named Watt and his Ampharos. On paper, he would be expected to gain Mareep’s final evolution form. But Skitty perseveres and uses his assist move to use Quick Attack followed by a Double Slap for the win.
6 Virgil’s Eevee defeats a Druddigon to win the Vertress Conference in Unova
The final of Unova’s Vertress Conference between Dino and Virgil is barely shown in the anime, due to Ash and Cameron already being eliminated, but the later stages are shown with Virgil’s Eevee taking on the intimidating Dragon-type Druddigon.
Virgil is known for using various variations of Eeveelutions, but his diminutive original form ends up winning him competition from the Unova League. This Eevee far exceeded expectations considering the gigantic gap in size and power.
5 Ash’s Noctowl almost single-handedly leads Ash through Morty’s ghost types
Since Noctowl is part of the Normal type, Ash’s decision to use it in his battle against Ghost-type specialist and gym leader Ecruteak Morty is initially questionable, but it actually works and Noctowl carries him through the battle.
Noctowl uses Foresight to make Gastly visible, allowing Cyndaquil to take him out. Noctowl then returns to the battle and learns the move Confusion. The confusion helps Noctowl get past both Morty’s Haunter and Gengar, making Noctowl the undisputed star of Ash’s Ecruteak Gym success.
4 Victor Winstrate’s Zigzagoon annihilates Brock’s Mudkip in record time
At Ruby and Sapphire games, the Winstrates are known as a family that acts as a gauntlet for Pokémon battles. The battles happen one after another without interruption, but in the anime, the family challenges Ash, May, Brock and Max to 4 separate individual fights.
Brock is the first to engage Victor’s Zigzagoon, a short normal guy, with his Mudkip, but Brock quickly learns not to underestimate his opponent. Zigzagoon easily dodges a squirt gun and unleashes a shock beam for Victor’s instant victory.
3 Tyson’s Meowth is strong enough to defeat Pikachu and eliminate Ash from the Hoenn League.
The incompetence of Team Rocket’s Meowth can often stamp a false pretense on the species as a whole, leading fans to think that all Meowth are weak Pokémon. At Ruby and Sapphire anime series, however, Tyson’s Meowth seeks to change that perception.
Wearing an outfit similar to The cat with boots, Tyson’s Meowth draws many comparisons to Ash’s Pikachu, a small-statured Pokemon that isn’t fully evolved but can still be up there with the best. In the Ever Grande Conference, Meowth is even able to defeat Ash’s Pikachu and win the match for Tyson.
two Aipom scores several impressive victories with Ash, including Gardenia’s Roserade.
Aipom joins Ash during the Battle Frontier arc and travels with him to Sinnoh before being traded to Dawn so he can pursue his love of Pokémon Contests. But she often forgets how many battles Aipom wins under Ash’s possession before he redeems himself.
He only loses twice to Zoey’s Glameow and Roark, but his impressive wins put those losses aside. He defeats Paul’s Chimchar and Roark’s Geodude among many others, but arguably the biggest accomplishment is Aipom knocking out Gardenia’s fully evolved Roserade during Ash’s Eterna Gym challenge.
1 Snorlax ignores his supposed type disadvantage against Greta’s Fighting-types for an impressive win.
Ash pulls off some impressive victories during his Battle Frontier campaign, including his Snorlax against Fighting-type specialist and Frontier Brain Greta. Ignoring his type disadvantage versus Fighting-types, Snorlax is dispatched after Ash’s Grovyle goes down. Notably, Snorlax proceeds to knock out Greta’s Hariyama in response.
Snorlax showed off a masterclass of assorted moves to overcome the mismatch against Greta’s Medicham, using Rest while frozen to recover before launching up with a Hyper Beam and landing a huge Body Slam for the win. Snorlax has been listed as one of Ash’s strongest Pokémon, but this battle surprised everyone.
About the Author
