From tiny terrors to unexpected champions, these Pokemon proved that size and appearance can be deceiving! Join us as we explore the most surprising powerhouses from the anime series that left trainers and viewers alike completely stunned. Our list features some truly unexpected contenders that pack way more punch than you'd think!
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most stunning times
00:12Pokémon in the anime shocked us all by demonstrating vastly stronger power than they should be
00:18able to produce.
00:26Number 10, Bellsprout.
00:28As she walked out on a red carpet with cheering fans for her battle against Ash in the Indigo
00:33Plateau Conference, Jeanette Fisher seemed like a big deal.
00:37However, he had little trouble taking out her first two Pokémon.
00:41Jeanette's final partner was Bellsprout.
00:51No one took the weedy Pokémon seriously until it started wrecking Ash's team with its
00:56tiny frame, agility, and Aikido-style skills to take out Bulbasaur and Pikachu, even using
01:02its legs as a lightning rod to shrug off electric attacks.
01:16It took the slimy, massive Muk to flop on top of Bellsprout to defeat it.
01:21Jeanette's Bellsprout isn't the only secret powerhouse, as old man Shuckles used great
01:26strength to lift heavy boulders when looking for Shuckles.
01:38Number 9, Miltank.
01:40The bane of old-school Pokémon fans in the video games, Whitney and her Miltank caused
01:45many Game Boys to be turned off in anger.
01:48In the anime, it was just as bad for Ash.
01:51Taking her on in a gym battle, he defeated Whitney's Nidorina and Clefairy with only
01:56Cyndaquil.
01:57But once Miltank came out, it was a different matter.
02:08Looking like a lovable, friendly pink cow, this bovine went on a rolling rampage, taking
02:14out each of Ash's Pokémon.
02:21In the next episode, Ash and the team visited Whitney's uncle's Miltank farm.
02:26There, he experienced more pain from the cow as one booted him across a field.
02:38It took environmental trickery for Ash to beat Whitney's Miltank in the gym rematch.
02:43Number 8, Mr. Mime.
02:44He may look like a total goofball, but this Marcel Marceau lookalike gives out smackdowns.
02:51In its debut, Mimey managed to deflect a missile with a barrier, later trapping Team Rocket's
02:57tank with help from another Mr. Mime.
03:08In the final of the Battle Frontier Flute Cup, Ash decided to use Mimey for the battle
03:13against Hodge's Hariyama, causing Goh to believe it wouldn't have a chance.
03:18Even with the Pokémon having the clear type advantage, it was still shocking to see how
03:23easily it beat the fighting type.
03:29It dodged or blocked every attack, before using Reflect to trap Hariyama and finished
03:34it off with a sidekick.
03:39Number 7, Rowlet.
03:41Ash's Rowlet really didn't seem like a strong Pokémon.
03:45After all, it preferred snoozing in his backpack.
03:48Yet, when it came down to it, Rowlet was something else.
03:52At one point, it played a big role in defeating Swirless and Drudigon with Meltan, but its
04:05most impressive feat was against Hau's Decidueye in the Alola Pokémon League.
04:10Despite it being its third-stage evolution, Rowlet used raw determination, speed and unpredictability
04:17against the Grass-Ghost type.
04:20It even managed to escape multiple Spirit Shackles with ingenuity.
04:24After the two clashed, Decidueye struggled to its feet, seemingly winning.
04:29However, Rowlet was merely sleeping.
04:32The confidence of this bird…
04:37Seeing a chance, Rowlet managed to take out Decidueye with a Brave Bird, showcasing its
04:43super power.
04:55Number 6, Haunter.
04:57Fun fact, Ash's first brush with Oblivion wasn't in Pokémon The First Movie.
05:02Instead, it was at the purple hands of Haunter.
05:05When Ash and the team entered the Pokémon Tower, they were soon at the mercy of Ghastly,
05:11Haunter and Gengar, who used practical jokes to terrorise the group.
05:19At one point, they caused everyone to float around the room.
05:23But when Ash and Pikachu are struck by a falling chandelier, Haunter pulls out their souls.
05:28Yeah, essentially, the Pokémon ended their mortal lives.
05:33Thankfully, Ash and Pikachu returned to their bodies later.
05:38With this ability, it's good this Haunter is more interested in making folks laugh rather
05:44than battling.
05:45Otherwise, no one would survive.
05:50Number 5, Snivy.
05:52In the very first episode of the Pokémon Black and White series, a simple grass snake lizard
05:58defeats Ash's Pikachu.
06:00This is the same electric mouse that has fought legendaries and electrocuted ground-type Pokémon,
06:06which is meant to be impossible.
06:09However, at the beginning of the episode, Pikachu encounters Zekrom, which took away
06:16his electric power.
06:18However, with Trip taking out Snivy for its first-ever battle, Pikachu should have won
06:24with its vast experience or non-electric moves.
06:27Yet, he was beaten by a leaf tornado that also messed up the battlefield, causing a
06:32massive upset.
06:43Ash's Snivy is also a secret powerhouse.
06:46At one point, it was able to hold off the rampaging legendary Pokémon, Tornadus and
06:51Thundurus for a bit.
06:58Number 4, Psyduck.
07:00Afraid of water, despite being a water-type, a lack of decent attacking moves, and a dopey
07:05expression, Psyduck seemed like the weakest Pokémon to ever exist when it joined Misty's
07:11team.
07:12Yet, once it gets a headache, its superior psychic power is unleashed.
07:22After all, Psyduck has single-handedly beaten Team Rocket and sent them flying.
07:28After Jessie's ace Pokémon, Lickitung defeated Misty's borrowed team in the Queen
07:32of the Princess Festival contest, Psyduck's headache caused it to wreck the pink creature.
07:48Later on, Misty took on both Mallow and Lana.
07:51Despite having a type advantage, once Psyduck's head pain kicked in, it easily defeated the
07:56duo.
08:00Number 3, Meowth.
08:02The amount of times Team Rocket's Meowth has been beaten by Ash doesn't make him
08:06seem too strong, but the fact that he can talk is a vastly different kind of power.
08:11But, when it comes to unprecedented Meowth-battling prowess, the honour belongs to Tysons.
08:17Unlike Puss in Boots, its battle against its evolved form, Persian, in the Evergrande
08:22Conference was intense.
08:24Despite being hit several times, Meowth kept fighting and viciously attacked Persian, even
08:29after winning.
08:37It followed this up by later defeating a Rhydon before it faced Ash's Pikachu.
08:43Despite its opponent being an electric type, Meowth used electric moves to block attacks.
08:48Its powerful determination managed to keep it standing as Pikachu fell, leading to Tyson
08:54eventually winning the competition.
08:59Number 2, Krabby.
09:01Tiny and sounding like it says, cookie cookie, over and over again, Krabby doesn't appear
09:06formidable at all, especially when Gary's massive Krabby is compared to Ash's petite
09:13So, when Ash sent it out to face Mandy's Exeggutor at the Indigo Plateau Conference,
09:18it didn't look great.
09:20After all, not only did Krabby have a type disadvantage, but this was its first-ever
09:26battle.
09:33Even with its inexperience, it survived a barrage of egg bombs.
09:37Yet after escaping a whirlpool, Krabby managed to lock onto Exeggutor, use Lea, and then
09:43stomp to knock out the seemingly more powerful Pokemon.
09:52This caused Krabby to evolve into Kingler, allowing its new form to run through the rest
09:57of Mandy's team of Seadra and Golbat.
10:24If you're on your phone, make sure to go into your settings and switch on notifications.
10:29Number 1, Happiny.
10:31Adorable, small, and delightful are just some of the adjectives you could use to describe
10:36Happiny.
10:37Yet Brock's version could add Powerhouse, Terrorizer, and Goliath to that list.
10:43This baby Pokemon has saved the team so much with its strength that its small stature shouldn't
10:48be able to contain.
10:49With a simple pound attack, it sent opponents flying, including when it faced two Dittos,
10:55and even caused all of Team Rocket to blast off multiple times.
11:05Away from battling, Happiny saved Brock and Autumn as they fell from a bridge and tossed
11:11them effortlessly to safety.
11:17To top it off, the little Pokemon has even lifted a crater filled with ice and Team Rocket
11:23without breaking a sweat, throwing it away into oblivion.
11:39What other secret Pokemon Powerhouses from the anime did we miss?
11:44Ash's Buizel, Jessie's Sivviper or her Lickitung, or something else?
11:48Let us know in those comments below.