Pokémon : Season 1

Ash finally reaches the Indigo Plateau, home of the Pokémon League conference. Before the tournament begins, they plan on lighting a ceremonial cauldron with the flame of the legendary Pokémon, Moltres. Ash, as a participant, is free to carry the flame but when Team Rocket steals it, the tournament may be cancelled.

Ash enters his first match of the tournament on the water field against Mandi the Astounding. During the battle against Mandi's Exeggutor, Ash's Krabby evolves into Kingler, who he then uses against Mandy's remaining Seadra and Golbat, winning the match and moving onto the next preliminary round.

For the second round Ash battles in the rock arena. Ash's last Pokémon, Squirtle, defeats his foe's last Pokémon, Nidorino, and he, victorious, moves on to Round 3. In the third round Ash faces a trainer named Pete in the ice arena. Both trainers are left with 2 Pokémon each. Pete uses Cloyster and Arcanine. In the end, Ash is victorious and he moves on to Round 4.

In the 4th round, Ash faces a trainer named Jeanette, who uses a Beedrill, a Scyther, and a Bellsprout. The match ends with Ash victorious, and he moves on to the 5th round, becoming one of the final sixteen members of the tournament.

Ash meets a new trainer named Richie, who is eerily similar to Ash, including owning a Pikachu. However, Team Rocket makes another attempt to steal Ash's and Richie's Pokémon. Ash and Richie prevent Team Rocket from stealing their Pokémon. Ash discovers his next battle is against Richie. Will Ash manage to reach the quarterfinals?

After making a promise with Richie that he will have the best battle of his life, Ash is kidnapped by Team Rocket, who scheme to prevent him from participating in his fifth round match against Richie, let alone steal Pikachu. Ash is not about to let Team Rocket make him break the promise he made with Richie, so he is able to eventually escape. However, he loses due to his Charizard refusing his orders in the final stretch of his battle against Richie. Richie moves on to the quarterfinals.

After losing to Richie in the fifth round, Ash is moping around, annoyed that he lost. He is convinced by Misty that he should support Richie who is now in the quarterfinals. However, when Richie loses, they both have to look inside themselves to see if they are good trainers.