'Pokemon': Ash's 8 Most Notable Unevolved Pokemon, And Why They Haven't Evolved

Ash Ketchum's Pokemon Journey is quickly coming to an end, as the Japanese airing of Pokemon: Aim To Be A Pokemon Master! closing in on the halfway mark. Episode five, 'Burn: The Squirtle Squad!' focused on a long awaited reunion between Ash and his Squirtle, now a famous Pokemon Fire Fighter, and also featured Bulbasaur and Charizard, who along with Pikachu, make up the remainder of Ash's very first Pokemon team still in his possession.

For some fans, Squirtle's return has raised the question of why a number of Ash's Pokemon have never evolved. While the Pokemon video games include many different methods and conditions that can be met to trigger a Pokemon's evolution, the anime often simplifies it to a Pokemon's level, and their bond with their Trainer and desire to become stronger for them, with an evolution stone thrown in here and there. However, some of Ash's closest Pokemon companions have not evolved.

Let's look at Ash's most notable unevolved Pokemon, and the reasons, or theories, as to why evolution has not occurred for them.

1. Pikachu

Pikachu is Ash's first and most loyal Pokemon, and the only one that has accompanied him to every single region. In both the Pokemon games and anime, Pikachu can only evolve when exposed to a Thunder Stone. Ash's Pikachu is first faced with the choice of whether or not to evolve after it is defeated by it's evolved form, a Raichu owned by Lt. Surge, at the Vermillion City Gym. A kind Nurse Joy offers Ash and a recovering Pikachu a Thunder Stone, proposing it may be easier to defeat Surge's Raichu if Pikachu also evolves. Pikachu refuses, deciding that it is happy as a Pikachu, and becoming Raichu would change it too much.

In other, similar scenarios over the years, Pikachu has only reaffirmed it's choice. Eventually, in Pokemon: Journeys, Ash's Pikachu is discovered to have the Gigantamax factor, which allows it to grow to an immense size during battle. While Pikachu with this factor are not able to evolve, this doesn't take away from the fact that Ash's Pikachu still would have chosen not to.

However, it does mean that in the future, Ash and Pikachu can be a little more relaxed around Thunder Stones.

2. Bulbasaur

Ash's Bulbasaur, a grass-type, was the first of the Kanto Region starter Pokemon he captured. It is also, aside from Pikachu, the member of Ash's original six to have remained on his team for the longest, and has been seen and called upon multiple times since. Many other Trainers who meet Ash's Bulbasaur have commented on how well trained it appears, and it shares a particularly close bond with Ash.

Unlike many of Ash's other Pokemon, for which we can only speculate the reasons behind their lack of evolution, Bulbasaur gets a whole episode devoted to the subject. After winning a battle at the beginning of 'Bulbasaur's Mysterious Garden', Bulbasaur collapses and begins emitting a strange glow. After rushing it to the Pokemon Centre, Ash and friends are informed that Bulbasaur is preparing to evolve, a reveal Bulbasaur is notably displeased with. That night, Bulbasaur is kidnapped by a group of other Bulbasaur, and taken to the titular Mysterious Garden, where a fully evolved Venusaur waits to oversee a mass evolution of Bulbasaur into Ivysaur.

Having eventually set off in pursuit of Bulbasaur, Ash witnesses the evolution, but also sees his own Bulbasaur refuse. This angers Venusaur, who believes Bulbasaur has now ruined their ceremony. However, all is soon forgiven when Bulbasaur rescues the newly evolved Ivysaur from a kidnapping attempt by Team Rocket. With this act, Bulbasaur earns Venusaur's respect, as both it and Ash accept it's decision to grow stronger as it is.

3. Squirtle

Ash first meets his Squirtle when it is the leader of the rebellious Squirtle Squad, but it soon became one of his most reliable Pokemon. As with Bulbasaur, Ash has often been praised for how well his Squirtle was raised. Unlike Bulbasaur, we are never given a definitive reason why Squirtle has never evolved, but there are quite a few theories. One theory proposes that Squirtle developed a phobia of it's fully evolved form, Blastoise, after being chased and nearly killed by a giant mechanical one in 'Island of the Giant Pokemon'. Others believe Squirtle simply followed Bulbasaur's lead in deciding not to evolve, as the two have always been close.

Another theory links Squirtle's lack of evolution to it's relationship with another of Ash's early Pokemon, Charmander, now a Charizard. When Ash's Charmander evolved into Charmeleon, then Charizard, it developed a rather serious attitude problem. It refused to listen to Ash, which in turn strained Charizard's relationship with Ash's other Pokemon. While the situation improves by the end of the Orange Islands saga, it is easy to understand the potential long term effects. Squirtle, fearful of the personality changes that initially warped Charizard, may understandably have decided against evolving to prevent the possibility of such changes in itself.

One more possible scenario could simply be a marketing/promotional decision on the part of the anime's writers. Squirtle is regularly voted as one of the cutest Pokemon. Having a main character own one and therefore easily able to call upon that cuteness if desired is a clever decision.

4. Totodile

While none of Ash's three Johto region Starter Pokemon have fully evolved, the water-type Totodile is the only one to have not evolved at all. In fact, Totodile is especially notable as the only one of Ash's Johto Pokemon who can evolve that has not done so. The main reason, although this has never been explicitly stated, is likely the fact the unique personality and quirks that Ash's Totodile possesses would not easily carry over to it's evolutions, Croconaw and Feraligatr.

Ash's Totodile is one of his most playful Pokemon. It is known for performing a happy dance when it exits it's Lure Ball (a specialised Pokeball for Water Pokemon), or wins a battle. It's dancing habit occasionally frustrates Ash when he needs Totodile to focus, but often endears it to those watching it battle.

Both of Totodile's evolutions gain weight, and lose speed. Were it to evolve, Ash's Totodile would no longer be light-footed enough for it's signature dance. Interestingly, Totodile is shown having become close friends with Ash's Corphish, another Pokemon of his that has not evolved.

5. Corphish

Corphish is the third Pokemon caught by Ash on his travels through the Hoenn region, and, similarly to it's eventual close friend Totodile, is Ash's only Hoenn Pokemon with an evolution to not have evolved. It is notable for having one of the highest win rates of Ash's Pokemon, and a similar personality to him, making he and his Trainer particularly close.

For the above reasons, Corphish has become a fan favourite, with many believing it deserves to evolve into Crawdaunt to gain the unique water/dark typing, and reach the full potential of attacks it can learn. However, just as many are happy for Corphish to remain a Corphish. Why? Well..

The voice work for Corphish, in both the original Japanese anime and it's English dub, is considered some of the best. The voice of Crawdaunt, however, is often perceuived as lackluster by comparison. Some believe that Corphish has not evolved because doing so would ruin his personality.

6. Gible

Captured in the Sinnoh Region, Ash's Gible is the first Dragon-type to be owned by a main character, as well as the first to have a final evolution, Garchomp, that is considered a Psuedo-Legendary Pokemon. Many were excited at Ash's capture of Gible, assuming it meant that he would eventually own a Garchomp. However, Gible has never evolved.

There are a few possible reasons for this. Some believe Gible's failure to evolve was to preserve it's status as a comic relief character, including the running joke of it's failed Draco Meteor attacks hitting Dawn's Piplup.

Another reason could be that a Garchomp owned by the Sinnoh champion, Cynthia, already has a prominent role in both the Pokemon games and anime. Garchomp's status as a Psuedo Legendary just wouldn't be as special if there were too many of them running around.

7. Oshawott

Oshawott, the water starter of the Unova region, was the second Pokemon obtained by Ash when he began his travels there. Though it becomes one of his most prominent Unova battlers and gains a lot of experience, Oshawott never evolves. One possibility is that it simply doesn't believe it needs to, especially after it is able to defeat it's evolved form, Dewott, in battle during the Decolore Islands arc. But another reason, supported by both the story and promotional purposes, is perhaps more likely.

Ash's Oshawott is cute. Anime viewers know it is cute, game players know it is cute, and Ash and his companions know it is cute. But perhaps most importantly, Oshawott itself knows, and likes, the fact that it is cute. Oshawott has shown vanity on various occasions, and likely doesn't want to give up it's cuteness to evolve.

8. Rowlet

While attending Professor Kukui’s Pokémon school in Alola, Ash ends up catching two of the region’s possible starters. While his fire type Litten eventually fully evolves into an Incineroar, his grass starter, Rowlet, never evolves. However, unlike many of the other entries on this list, Rowlet has a confirmed reason as to why.

While training with Ash in the woods for an upcoming battle Rowlet accidentally swallows an Everstone, which prevents Pokémon from evolving. Ash is at first horrified, until he and Rowlet discover that it can use the Stone to perform the powerful Seed Bomb, an attack Rowlet could not otherwise learn.

Despite not evolving, the most obvious visual cue of strength and experience, the Pokémon above have more than proven their worth, and the fact that Ash is willing to always accept them as they are proves him worthy of the title Pokémon Master.