We All Live In A Pokémon World...

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Battles Over Pokémon Battles

Pokémon and Prejudice

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The Idiot's Guide to Pokémon

Pokémon: the Best (Animal) ShowYou're Not Watching

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There are no Bad Pokémon

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Battles Over Pokémon Battles...

Let's clear one thing up right away: contrary to rumors, Pokémon battles are NOT the same as cockfighting or pitbull fighting; but because of these knee-jerk comparisons, Pokémon battles are probably the most difficult aspect of a world so vastly different from ours for some people to understand. In battle, Pokémon are willing participants, and are not forced to battle if they become too weak and the battle is never to the death. Pokémon are never left in this weakened state as their trainers have them treated at the nearest Pokémon Center after a match. Pokémon battle because they love their trainers in return for the love and care they receive. However, there are good trainers and bad trainers; while sadly, some Pokémon can remain loyal to an abusive trainer (see below), others will not respect and will disobey a trainer who does not make an effort to earn that Pokémon's loyalty. And a good trainer knows when a Pokémon is better left in the wild.

Related episode(s):
"The Path to the Pokémon League" (Pokémon [first season]) - good trainer/bad trainer
-Ash worries after witnessing some intense Pokémon training, but learns the difference between abuse and tough love
"Charmander, the Stray Pokémon" (Pokémon [first season]) - good trainer/bad trainer
-An abandoned Charmander is blindly loyal to its negligent trainer until Ash offers it a new life
"Showdown at Dark City" (Pokémon [first season]) - fighting vs. battling
-Two rival gyms are warned they will never gain official gym status if they continue to use Pokémon for violence
"The Lost Lapras" (Pokémon [Orange Islands; second season]) - good trainer/bad trainer
-Ash, Misty, and Tracey stop abusive trainers found beating their infant Lapras, and help it to trust humans again
"Charizard Chills" (Pokémon [Orange Islands; second season]) - trust/respect
-Ash's disobedient Charizard develops respect for its trainer after Ash stays up all night nursing it back to health
"Turning Over a New Bayleef" (Pokémon Johto League Champions [fourth season]) - trust/respect
-After Ash uncharacteristically yells at his Bayleef, it runs away and Ash must work hard to regain its trust
"Brave the Wave!" (Pokémon Advanced [sixth season]) - battle ethics
-Overconfident, Ash pushes his Treecko too hard, and learns a tough lesson regarding the sport of battling
"Sitting Psyduck" (Pokémon Advanced Battle [eighth season]) - fighting vs. battling
-A rich girl discovers that her pampered Psyduck is happier when playing, getting dirty, and battling
"Trials and Adulations" (Pokémon DP Galactic Battles [twelfth season]) - trust/respect
-When her Mamoswine is injured, Dawn applies her newfound maturity and first-aid skills; in return, Mamoswine begins to respect and obey Dawn
"The Battle Club and Tepig's Choice" (Pokémon Black & White [fourteenth season]) - good trainer/bad trainer
-Ash earns the trust of an abandoned and starving Tepig, who later becomes his newest partner
"Snivy Plays Hard to Catch" (Pokémon Black & White [fourteenth season]) - trust/respect
-A Snivy believed to have had a trainer whom it felt was unworthy is impressed by Ash's strength and his determination to catch it
"Iris and Excadrill Against the Dragon Buster" (Pokémon Black & White [fourteenth season]) - trust/respect
-After being reminded of a difficult loss in the past which caused her Excadrill to shut down, Iris begins to realize she hadn't considered Excadrill's feelings, and had pushed her Pokémon too hard

Related game(s):
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon (Red Rescue Team [GameBoy Advance, GameCube+GameBoy Player], Blue Rescue Team [Nintendo DS])
-Experience life as a Pokémon, helping others in their secret world while learning a valuable lesson in kindness
Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver (Nintendo DS)
-Journey again through Johto, proving the importance of raising your Pokémon with love against a rival who treats his Pokémon as mere tools
Pokémon Black and White (Nintendo DS)
-Extremists Team Plasma try to convince trainers that they are mistreating their Pokémon by keeping and battling with them, and plan to "liberate" Pokémon from their trainers; meanwhile, as always, raise your Pokémon with love while considering both sides of the argument and uncover the true intent - and mastermind - behind the movement

Looking at it from a character's (i.e. Pokémon Trainer's) point of view, I sometimes wonder how our hero Ash would react to those who not only believe that Pokémon are sent to fight each other without any regard for their feelings or safety, but are treated as objects and forgotten once the battle is over. Quite the opposite, as Ash has had to defend his beliefs against those of his Sinnoh rival Paul, who claims that Ash is wrong to care about, be friends with, and encourage the true strength of his Pokémon. So to be accused of not loving his Pokémon...or loving them too much...I think he'd prefer the latter.

Related episode(s):
"Different Strokes for Different Blokes" (Japanese [Forest of Hesitation! Shinji Again!] preferred*; Pokémon Diamond & Pearl [tenth season])
-Ash is disturbed by Paul's training style that includes verbal abuse and zero tolerance for weaker Pokémon
*Team Rocket dialog only¹; this site otherwise supports TPCi English dub
"Top-Down Training!" (Pokémon Diamond & Pearl [tenth season])
-After Paul challenges and loses to Sinnoh Champion Cynthia, both Ash and Cynthia try to convince Paul of the importance of bonding with his Pokémon, particularly Chimchar, to no avail
"Tag...We're It!" {Tag Battle; part 1} (Pokémon Diamond & Pearl [tenth season])
"Glory Blaze!" {Tag Battle; part 2} (Pokémon Diamond & Pearl [tenth season])
"Smells Like Team Spirit" (I hate the 90s) {Tag Battle; part 3} (Pokémon Diamond & Pearl [tenth season])
-Ash becomes fed up with the abusive training to which Paul subjects his Chimchar; when Paul later discards Chimchar, Ash invites the traumatized Pokémon to join his team and become stronger through love and encouragement
"Tears For Fears" (I love the 80s) (Pokémon DP Battle Dimension [eleventh season])
-As Chimchar adjusts to its new life, it is in shock and awe of the kindness and sense of family shared by Ash and his Pokémon
"Chim-charred!" (Pokémon DP Battle Dimension [eleventh season]) Highly recommended!
-Chimchar confronts Paul in battle and realizes its true strength through Ash's support; however, Chimchar's resentment toward Paul leaves it out of control
"Barry's Busting Out All Over!" (Pokémon DP Battle Dimension [eleventh season])
-Ash battles Barry, an admirer of Paul's, to try to show him the importance of bonding with his Pokémon
"A Pyramiding Rage!" (Pokémon DP Galactic Battles [twelfth season])
-Following a humiliating loss to Pyramid King Brandon, Paul is forced to face the anger that solely drives him to battle
"Pedal to the Mettle!" {Ash vs Paul: Full Battle; part 1} (Pokémon DP Galactic Battles [twelfth season])
"Evolving Strategies" {Ash vs Paul: Full Battle; part 2} (Pokémon DP Galactic Battles [twelfth season])
-Unprepared and after a landslide loss to Paul, despite his Chimchar's inspiring evolution, Ash is left to wonder how Paul's callous training style still makes him and his Pokémon so strong
"The Eighth Wonder of the Sinnoh World!" (Pokémon DP Sinnoh League Victors [thirteenth season])
-During his final battle against Volkner, Ash and Infernape's trust is proven when Infernape finally learns to control Blaze

But aren't most Pokémon so powerful that they could easily rebel against abusive trainers...or any trainer? This is a common argument used to counter the question of just why these almost super-powered creatures allow themselves to be confined in tiny Pokéballs and trained by humans. Though some Pokémon prefer not to stay inside their Pokéballs (i.e. Ash's Pikachu), it's confirmed that Pokéballs are actually warm and comfortable, and they are often the safest place for a Pokémon². And while it's obvious that if a trainer is kind to his or her Pokémon, the Pokémon will return that kindness and willingly participate in battles and contests, in some cases, care and respect for one's Pokémon has little to do with whether a Pokémon obeys its master. With no disrespect to fans who claim otherwise, a Pokémon's (or any creature's) size, strength, and power is irrelevant in the hands of domineering humans, just as in our world where people have overpowered, captured, and beaten into submission the largest, strongest, and most dangerous animals.

Related movie(s):
"Mewtwo Strikes Back" (Movie 1; Japanese only; English dub version not recommended)
-When the cloned Mewtwo learns he was created by humans for their own gain, he vows revenge on all humans as well as natural-born Pokémon, using his powers to create a race of his own Pokémon super-clones
"Mewtwo Returns" ("Mewtwo I am Here"; Pokémon special [TV movie])
-Still coming to terms with his own existence, Mewtwo is again approached by Giovanni and forced to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect his cloned comrades' right to exist
"Raikou! Legend of Thunder" (Japanese preferred; Pokémon Crystal special [US: Pokémon Chronicles])
-Team Rocket plans to capture the legendary Pokémon Raikou to exploit its powers, but are opposed by young Pokémon trainer Kenta (Jimmy) and his friends
"Arceus and the Jewel of Life" (Movie 12)
-Ash and friends learn the truth behind the legend that names the wrong man for betraying Arceus, the legendary Pokémon who helped restore a land devastated by meteors; convinced the land will revert to a wasteland once Arceus' Jewel of Life is returned, the real traitor instead tries to kill Arceus. Also noted is the townspeople's harsh treatment of their 'magical creatures' (Pokémon), all of whom are later freed from servitude by Arceus

Buson (Team Rocket): "You're trying to save a wild Pokémon...you Pokémon trainers are supposed to catch wild Pokémon."
Kenta: "It's your methods that are the problem! If you want to catch Raikou, battle him fair and square!"
Basho: (Team Rocket): "Pokémon exist for the sake of humans. We want Raikou's powers to achieve our ambitions. You Pokémon trainers and your desire for strong Pokémon are just the same."
Kenta: "I don't want strong Pokémon! I want to raise them and become strong with them!"
Buson: "But don't you need great power? To win battles?"
Kenta: "Pokémon battle aren't just about winning or losing! We don't battle for the sake of defeating the opponent...so we can be glad whether we win or lose! Because there were people who wanted to use Pokémon as tools, Raikou broke off this relationship with them, and he's been alone all this time! You two don't deserve to even have Pokémon!"
(from "Raikou! Legend of Thunder!" [translation by Excalibur Fansubs])

¹Refers to Team Rocket's 'self-awareness', a term I generally use for the extremely annoying occurrence in which fictional/animated characters acknowledge that they are fictional and/or animated. On Pokémon, this occurred often in the earliest seasons and then again in Battle Frontier and Diamond & Pearl, usually consisting of on-screen references to current or previous 'seasons', references to the viewing audience (as Pokémon is a non-interactive show), references to animators/writers, acknowledging the length of episodes, 'Diamond and Pearl' [direct gaming] puns, and ironic use of the word 'cartoon'. The term originated on Star Trek, and often refers to when holo-characters realize that they are in fact holo-characters (which usually leads to ship-wide malfunctions and havoc!)
²Some examples of Pokéballs being used to protect Pokémon include "Snow Way Out" (Pokémon [first season]) in which Ash begged his Pokémon, including Pikachu, to return to their Pokéballs so they would not freeze during a blizzard; they refused, wanting to help keep Ash warm instead. In "Sandshrew's Locker" (Pokémon Diamond & Pearl [tenth season]), a pet Sandshrew was lost inside a school when a town was flooded and its residents forced to move; Sandshrew was later found by its trainer, safe having still been inside its Pokéball while underwater. In "A Sandile Gusher of Change" (Pokémon Black & White [fourteenth season]), Ash recalls his Oshawott to keep it from falling into boiling water from erupting geysers.