Ash's Bayleef

Ash's Bayleef サトシのベイリーフ Satoshi's Bayleaf

Ash's Bayleef

Debuts in The Chikorita Rescue Caught at Route 29 Evolves in Current Events Gender Female Ability Unknown Current location In rotation

→ This Pokémon spent 73 episodes as Chikorita.

Voice actor Japanese English As Chikorita Mika Kanai As Bayleef Mika Kanai Mika Kanai (EP199-DP182, JN143-present) Michele Knotz (JN114-JN135)

Ash's Bayleef (Japanese: サトシのベイリーフ Satoshi's Bayleaf) was the second Pokémon that Ash caught in the Johto region, and his sixteenth overall.

In the anime

History

Original series

Chikorita struggling against Hoothoot

Bayleef debuted in The Chikorita Rescue as a Chikorita. Chikorita was especially stubborn, going so far as to fight Ash's Charizard despite being faced with overwhelming odds, and she was injured in the process. Team Rocket kidnapped her and tried to convince the stubborn Pokémon to join them, but Ash eventually won her confidence by saving her from Team Rocket.

Chikorita made her Gym battle debut in Fighting Flyer with Fire, where she took on Falkner's Hoothoot. Ash showed that he believed in Chikorita by defending her choice to a disapproving Falkner, but Chikorita was outclassed by the Flying type, who dodged her Vine Whip and Razor Leaf and then knocked her out with a Peck and a Tackle.

Chikorita's jealousy of Pikachu and resentment towards Ash arose in Chikorita's Big Upset. Ash tried to recall Chikorita for Pikachu in a battle with a Schoolboy's Raticate, but Chikorita refused, and the battle was suspended by the time Ash returned her. She later ran away during the night and stumbled into the territory of a group of urban Pokémon. Lashing out at the group's leader, Primeape, she knocked it out and became the new leader. Team Rocket tried to take her and the other Pokémon with their robot made out of tires, but Ash risked himself to save her, and Chikorita returned the favor by catching him when he fell. The two then took down the robot, and Chikorita forgave Ash and became friends with Pikachu.

In Gettin' The Bugs Out, Ash used Chikorita as his second Pokémon in his Azalea Gym battle, despite the type disadvantage, something which Bugsy mocked. First, she went up against Spinarak, who dodged many of her attacks until Chikorita's Sweet Scent stopped it and then defeated with a Tackle. She then went up against Metapod, which used Harden to defend itself before defeating Chikorita with a Tackle of its own.

In The Totodile Duel, Chikorita defeated Misty's Staryu in a battle to determine who got to keep a wild Totodile. Staryu's powerful Water Gun almost defeated her, but she dug in her heels and then managed to dodge a Tackle and hit Staryu from behind with Vine Whip. By this point, she had proven to increase her battling capability significantly, taking down Jessie's Arbok with a single Tackle attack in The Heartbreak of Brock.

Bayleef begging to return to Ash

In Current Events, Chikorita evolved into Bayleef to protect Ash from Team Rocket. However, in the following episode, Turning Over A New Bayleef, the amorous Pokémon was shown not to have realized she had grown so much and continued to act as though she was still small enough to leap into Ash's arms. This problem was addressed when she ran away after Ash scolded her to "get away and stay away." Bayleef then came across Haruno and her Pokémon, and she and Ash made up by taking down Team Rocket's giant Bayleef mecha. After the villainous trio had been defeated, Bayleef showed her affection towards Ash by using her newly learned Body Slam on him.

Bayleef and Ash after winning the Extreme Pokémon Race

In Ash's Gym battle against Chuck in Machoke, Machoke Man!, Bayleef was the second Pokémon Ash used, sending her out after Pikachu had been defeated by Chuck's Poliwrath. She bested Poliwrath in a display of strength, slamming Poliwrath to the ground with a Vine Whip and then using Body Slam to knock it out. She then fought Chuck's powerful Machoke, taking damage from Karate Chop and Submission, but showed good strategy by restraining Machoke's arms with her vines to block his Cross Chop, and then used her own Submission-induced momentum to in turn slam Machoke to the ground. She then used Body Slam and a point-blank Razor Leaf to take out Machoke and win the battle, earning Ash the Storm Badge.

Bayleef was briefly sent to Professor Oak's Laboratory in Dueling Heroes in exchange for his Kingler, who Ash needed to compete in the Whirl Cup. She did not warm up to Professor Oak well, and Oak called Ash to inform him that Bayleef was restless. Finished with Kingler, Ash returned Bayleef to his team in the next episode.

In Extreme Pokémon!, Bayleef participated in the Extreme Pokémon Race with Ash, racing Gary and his Arcanine. She showed immense strength by hurling Ash at Team Rocket's balloon so that Ash could pierce it with his skateboard and rescue Arcanine. She then arrived just in time to attack Jessie's Arbok and hold it off long enough for Gary to catch up and then take down Arbok with his Arcanine. Bayleef and Ash worked together to finish the race, and they beat Gary just at the end, winning the race for Ash.

Bayleef leaping with Vine Whip

Ash called on Bayleef's assistance in his Silver Conference Full Battle against Gary. In Can't Beat the Heat!, she was sent out to give Ash a type advantage over Gary's powerful Blastoise, managing to use Vine Whip to jump above Hydro Pump. However, her aerial Razor Leaf was deflected by a Rapid Spin, and she was knocked out when Blastoise bit her leaf and tossed her against the stadium wall.

In Playing with Fire!, Bayleef redeemed her loss in a battle with Harrison's Houndoom, again showing innovation by clamping Houndoom's jaw shut with Vine Whip and then using Body Slam to take it down. She put up her best efforts against Blaziken but was unable to overcome another type disadvantage and was defeated by a Fire Punch.

Ash left Bayleef at Professor Oak's lab before he departed for the Hoenn region.

Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire and Pokémon Chronicles

In Showdown at the Oak Corral, she was seen helping Tracey feed the other Pokémon across Oak's lab.

She was reunited with Ash in The Right Place and the Right Mime, where she rescued him from his stampeding Tauros, who had carried him off in their excitement.

Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl

In An Old Family Blend!, after briefly being stolen by Team Rocket, Bayleef escaped from her Poké Ball and went looking for Ash. Eventually, Bayleef thundered out of the trees and tackled Barry. Soon after, she found Ash and tackled him as well. When he tried to recall Bayleef to her Poké Ball, she took it in her mouth, wanting to spend more time with Ash. She later helped destroy the hands of one of Team Rocket's mechas, and afterwards was sent back to Professor Oak's lab. Bayleef was not seen participating in the Lily of the Valley Conference.

Pokémon the Series: Black & White

Bayleef was reunited with Ash in The Dream Continues!, where she and the rest of Ash's Pokémon posed in a group photo with him.

Pokémon Journeys: The Series

Bayleef encouraging Pikachu in a vision

Bayleef celebrating Ash's win against Leon

Bayleef reappeared in a flashback of Ash's Gym battle against Chuck in Octo-Gridlock at the Gym!.

In Advice to Goh!, she reunited with Ash during his visit to Professor Oak's Laboratory with Goh.

Bayleef, along with the rest of Ash's Pokémon at the lab, reunited with Ash in Friends, Rivals, Lend Me Your Spirit!, enthusiastically leading the charge to greet him. During the visit, she watched the battle between Ash and Paul. Before Ash left, she posed with the rest of Ash's Pokémon in a group photo with him.

From Battling as Hard as Stone! onwards, Bayleef watched Ash's Masters Eight Tournament matches against Steven, Cynthia, and Leon. In Partners in Time!, Bayleef appeared as a vision to Pikachu during his battle against Leon's Charizard. After Ash won the battle, Bayleef joined the rest of Ash's Pokémon at the lab in celebrating their Trainer's victory.

In Heroes Unite!, Bayleef, along with the rest of the Pokémon at the lab, welcomed Ash back to Pallet Town after his victory over Leon.

In Ride, Lapras, Ride!, Bayleef was shown to have rejoined Ash's team. During the episode, she helped free a trapped Wailmer. Despite Wailmer evolving into a Wailord and getting stuck again, they were able to free the Float Whale Pokémon.

In The Rainbow and the Pokémon Master!, Bayleef assisted Ash in looking for a missing Charmander around Oak's lab, but to no avail.

Personality and characteristics

Bayleef and Ash

Chikorita being jealous of Pikachu

Bayleef is an incredibly affectionate Pokémon. However, as a Chikorita, she was quite jealous and often fought for attention over Ash's other Pokémon—especially Pikachu. Characteristically stubborn and somewhat violent, hints of her crush on Ash were first sighted in Once in a Blue Moon. Her antics included bursting out of her Poké Ball unannounced and throwing tantrums. However, some of her more extreme personality traits seem to have mellowed following evolution in Current Events.

She has since proven to be a powerful and tactical battler, often using her vines to restrict her opponent's moves or evade oncoming attacks by pushing herself airborne, a technique later copied by Gary's Nidoqueen. Bayleef's stamina and full-charge approach to battling made for some incredible moments during Ash's Silver Conference campaign. Whenever they've reunited, Bayleef has tended to express her affection towards Ash by tackling him.

Appearance

As a Chikorita

Moves used

Using Body Slam Using Razor Leaf as a Chikorita	Move First Used In Razor Leaf † The Chikorita Rescue Vine Whip † The Chikorita Rescue Tackle Chikorita's Big Upset Sweet Scent Gettin' The Bugs Out Body Slam † Turning Over A New Bayleef Headbutt † Playing with Fire!
A † shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves.

Artwork

Artwork from "After the story"	Poster for Pokémon: To Be a Pokémon Master

In the games

In the spin-off games

Pokémon: Catch the Numbers!

Bayleef appears in Pokémon: Catch the Numbers! as one of the Pokémon the player needs to get back from Team Rocket.

In the manga

Bayleef in Ash & Pikachu

Ash & Pikachu

Bayleef only appeared on the scoreboard in One Half Of A Poké Ball.

Chikorita in Emperor of the Crystal Tower: Entei

Movie adaptations

Bayleef appeared as a Chikorita in Emperor of the Crystal Tower: Entei.

Moves used

	Move First Used In Vine Whip Emperor of the Crystal Tower: Entei
A † shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves.

Bayleef in Pokémon Journeys: The Series

Pokémon Journeys: The Series

Bayleef appeared in Advice to Goh! at Professor Oak's Laboratory.

Trivia

• Bayleef was the only Pokémon that Ash owned that evolved during the Johto saga.
• Bayleef is Ash's first confirmed female Pokémon.
• Bayleef is the only Grass-type Pokémon owned by Ash that is mid-way through her evolutionary line.
  • Bayleef is also the only Grass-type first partner Pokémon owned by Ash or his friends with this distinction.
• In the Dutch dub of the anime, Chikorita was incorrectly referred to as a male. The same also occurs in the Hindi dub before her evolution into Bayleef.

Related articles

• For more information on this Pokémon's species, see Chikorita and Bayleef.

Ash's Pokémon
On hand:	Pikachu
Traveling with:	Rotom Phone
At Oak's/In rotation:	Pidgeot	Bulbasaur	Charizard	Kingler	Muk	Tauros (×30)
	Snorlax	Heracross	Bayleef	Quilava	Totodile	Noctowl
	Donphan	Swellow	Sceptile	Corphish	Torkoal	Glalie
	Staraptor	Torterra	Infernape	Buizel	Gliscor	Gible
	Unfezant	Oshawott	Pignite	Snivy	Scraggy	Leavanny
	Palpitoad	Boldore	Krookodile	Talonflame	Hawlucha	Noivern
	Dragonite	Gengar	Lucario	Sirfetch'd	Dracovish
With Kukui/In rotation:	Rowlet	Lycanroc	Incineroar	Melmetal
At home:	Mr. Mime
In training:	Squirtle	Primeape
Released:	Butterfree	Lapras	Larvitar	Greninja	Goodra	Nebby
	Naganadel
Temporarily owned:	Seaking	Buzzwole	Stakataka	Pheromosa	Rowlet
Traded away:	Raticate	Aipom
Given away:	Beedrill
Traveled with:	Haunter	Azelf	Meowth	Meloetta	Rotom Pokédex	Latias
The Power of Us only:	Ekans	Sentret
EToP only:	Fearow	Oddish	Mankey	Slowpoke
Newspaper Strip only:	Starmie	Clefairy
For a list of Pokémon Ash has temporarily owned, used, or commanded, see here

This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.