ThePokémonanime is indisputably aimed at younger kids, and like much of the media aimed at that group, it carries with it a lot of important lessons that can help those kids grow up to be good people. Of course, these important life lessons aren’t just limited to children–anyone can learn to become a better person by taking onPokémon’s greatest lessons.
Pokémonis, of course, chock-full of lessons in its over 1,200 episodes.Some are better than others, but the strongest lessons that the series has to teach are those which frequently reoccur. By looking at Ash, his friends, and even Team Rocket, there’s a lot to be learned about things like persistence and doing what’s right. These traits are consistent throughout the series' long run, so no matter what era of the anime one might be looking at, there’s still important lessons for kids (or anyone else) to pick up.
5Have the Courage to Chase Your Dreams
Ash Never Lets Anything Stand in His Way
Ash Ketchum is the kind of character who sets his eyes on a goal and never looks away.From the very first episode to his last, Ash is focusedon becoming a Pokémon Master. It doesn’t matter that he barely knows what he’s doing, or if he’s losing more battles than he’s winning. Ash understands that, as disappointing as his losses can be, they’re also learning opportunities, and Ash definitely proves that he’s been learning whenever he heads back for a rematch. Ash acknowledges that he’s only at the start of his journey, and that he’ll grow better with time.
Ash’s dogged pursuit of his dreams is an inspiration to anyone who has big dreams of their own that they want to accomplish.Ash has suffered some crushing defeats, losses that might lead others to quit, but never once does Ash consider giving up on his dream. He’s even had people tell him to his face that he’d be better off quitting, but Ash simply sets his anger aside and strives to prove them wrong with his actions.
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And the thing is,Ash’s techniqueworks. By getting back up whenever he’s knocked down,Ash learns from his mistakes and does better the next time, every time.Ash eventually became world champion, but it wasn’t his destiny or anything so simple; it was his resilience, his willingness to stick it out even during the most difficult battles when things were looking bleak. Ash earned his champion title with lots of hard work and a great many failures before his eventual success. No other anime character has seen as many setbacks, yet remained determined to achieve his dream.
4Nothing Beats a Good Friend
Ash Couldn’t Have Made It Alone
There’s one thing that Ash has had at his side during every adventure, and that’s a good friend. Be it Pikachu, or Misty, or Brock, Ash has always had someone in his corner to count on when things get rough. Especially early on, when Ash is new to everything, he relies heavily upon Brock and Misty’s experience and knowledge.Ash proves friendship is a two-way street by coming to his friends’ aid just as often as they come to his. They care about one another, and are willing to do whatever it takes to help a friend in need.
These people often end up repaying Ash in unpredictable ways, with everything from Pokémon and Pokémon Eggs to advice or shortcuts that can speed up his journey.
For Ash, just about everyone he meets is a friend that he just doesn’t know yet.While Ash is very much focused on his journey, it’s not to the exclusion of everything else. He’s more than happy to take time out of his day to help a stranger with a problem, and soon enough, that’s one more new friend he’s made. These people often end up repaying Ash in unpredictable ways, with everything from Pokémon andPokémon Eggsto advice or shortcuts that can speed up his journey.
Ash would barely have made it out of Pallet Town if it weren’t for the friends that he’s made along the way helping him out, starting with Pikachu.By the end of the series, Ash has friends across the globe rooting for him in the Masters' Eight, because he’s just made that much of an impact on the people he’s met along the way. These friends are the proof of his journey and all the struggles he’s gone through to get to where he is.
3Treat Your Pets Well, and They’ll Repay the Favor
Ash Goes to Great Lengths to Care for His Pokémon
It might be a little strange to think of Pokémon as pets, especially when Ash’s relationship with Pikachu is so much more than that.However, being that Pokémon aren’t real, pets are about the closest analogue that actually exists. Ash has strong relationships with all his Pokémon because Ash has proven time and time again that he’ll go out on a limb for any one of them, and they respect that and trust him for it.
When Ash was lost and alone in the mountains, and at risk of freezing to death, he was still worried first and foremost about the safety of his Pokémon, insisting that Pikachu and the others get into their Poké Balls to ensure that they’d survive. They understood what he was trying to do for them, but refused, opting to stay out and help keep Ash warm throughout the night. That’s far from the only time that Ash’s Pokémon have saved his life, but it still stands out as an excellent example of the trust that he has built with each of them.
While most people won’t have quite as dramatic an experience, there’s still a tremendous amount of value that a pet can add to one’s life.
It’s a partner through thick and thin, there with you in your darkest moments, still loving you all the same. Having a pet is, of course, a big commitment, but it’s one that will inevitably be worth the investment. A pet can absolutely change one’s life, helping to deal with problems like loneliness. And who knows? People have had their lives saved by their pets before.
2Persisting in the Face of Failure
Even Team Rocket Can Teach Valuable Lessons
It’s important to keep moving forward, even after failures, and if there’s ever been a show to teach that lesson, it’sPokémon.Ash himself has failed many times at many different things, but he never lets himself become discouraged. As discussed above, Ash takes the opportunities that failure provides to learn and become better, helping him not to fail the next time. That’s how Ash went from being disqualified in his first Pokémon League championship toultimately winning it all in the Masters’ Eight.
But enough about Ash. There’s another set of characters who are the pinnacles of pushing on in the face of adversity: Team Rocket.Team Rocket has failed to steal Pikachu well over a thousand times, but no matter how badly it went for them, they’re always back next episode, ready to try again. They keep their eyes on the goal and completely ignore the consequences of their failures. They’ve even been forced to take side jobs before, like in Alola, just to fund their continued attempts to capture Pikachu, but never once considered giving up.
While it might be strange to think of Team Rocket as inspirational, there’s no character out there who’s more equipped to deal with failurethan Jessie or James.Team Rocket may be the perennial losers ofPokémon, but they continue marching towards their goal no matter what happens.There is such a thing as taking it too far, of course, but most people could stand to be more resilient to failure, and that lesson may well be the best thing that Team Rocket has to offer.
1Deep Down, We’re All The Same
Mewtwo’s Wise Words Echo in the Minds of 90s Kids
At the end of the firstPokémonmovie, Mewtwo learns a valuable lesson about his own identity, which he phrases like so:“I see now that the circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are.”This line has to do with Mewtwo’s origins as a clone, which it felt cheapened its life somehow, making it little more than a knockoff of something better and more proper. However, over the course of the movie, and with Ash’s help,Mewtwo is able to see reasonand becomes a better person.
People and Pokémon alike should be judged on their own actions, not the immutable traits they’ve had since birth.
This is probably one of the most valuable lessons thatPokémoncould teach.Other people may have been born differently than you, but they’re more than just what they were born as. People and Pokémon alike should be judged on their own actions, not the immutable traits they’ve had since birth. In fact,Pokémonis arguably one of the biggest supporters of diversity, with its thousand plus monsters all equally willing and able to be friends with one another. Their different strengths and weaknesses come together to create powerful combinations, proving that they’re better off together than alone.
At the end of the day, your life is your life, and it will be what you make of it. Mewtwo’s quote illustrates that no matter what you are, you’re able to redefine your life to be what you want it to be through your actions. If you want to be a good person, then do the kind of things a good person would do, and you will be regarded as such by those who matter. A person’s value comes from what they do, not what they are, and that’s the best life lesson thatPokémonhas to offer.
Pokémon
Cast
Pokémon follows Ash Ketchum on his journey to become a Pokémon Master, accompanied by his loyal Pikachu. Released in 1997, the series explores Ash’s travels through various regions, where he encounters new friends and challenges, underscoring the themes of adventure and teamwork.
