10 Greatest Pokemon Anime Episodes Ever
5. Battling A Thaw In Relations
While that title is...just awful, the episode is anything but. The third and final episode covering Ash's battle with Sinnoh rival Paul, it was in many ways the conclusion of the Sinnoh story, paying off a wonderfully paced and plotted story that elevated the Diamond & Pearl saga.
The episode delved into battle mechanics like never before, layering on status conditions with field hazards with abilities, topping it off with the kind of battle ingenuity that Ash is infamous for, but had been carefully cultivated through his time in Sinnoh. More importantly, it showed how Paul had pushed Ash and vice versa, even if the latter didn't really let it show until he had been bested.
The final showdown between Electivire and Infernape feels even bigger because how much the two butted heads since they were an Elekid and Chimchar under Paul's care. Electivire goading his rival when he's down and Infernape unleashing the full power of his Blaze ability to finally prove to his former trainer how strong he is, and to validate Ash's philosophy of love over Paul's of power. Even though Ash did not go on to win the league (the less said about that, the better) this felt like the biggest win he could ever have had in the Sinnoh region.