Greninja

Greninja has to do something most contenders in this bracket don't: fight through a wall of nostalgia. Fortunately, the ninja-frog has the style to make a run at it. The sleek design and battle-ready presence give Greninja instant card appeal, while its animated adventures created another layer of attachment for fans who came to Pokémon later. Put Greninja against Lucario and you've got a swagger fight. Put it against Charizard and generations collide. That's the matchup we really want to see. When childhood heavyweights are staring back from the other side of the card, is Greninja good enough to make you abandon the old guard?