The First: Episode 001 - "Pokémon - I Choose You!"

At one point in time or another, it was said that the initial steps of a journey may not be simple. The same is true of Ash's first steps, which are shown in the very first episode of the Pokémon anime. They are not simple, but they are the steps that spearhead the series of steps that becomes Ash's journey through the episodes and movies alike. This episode becomes important for this reason.

The games come "alive".

The episode is also important because the episode effectively marks a point when the games come "alive" in the form of animation. Even so, it becomes evident that the anime would have its own unique takes on events as they would have occurred in the games. The most significant and unique is that Ash would not (initially) receive one of the three traditional starter Pokémon and instead received Pikachu in an unusual circumstance, as it was the only Pokémon that remained with Professor Oak.

Only one is left.

A series of events then took place as the two started their journey. Ash's first attempts at capturing Pokémon faltered miserably, and Pikachu's uncooperative attitude did not help matters much, especially as things escalated into a full-scale chaos. Yet through it all, Ash still trusted Pikachu as a partner he chose. And just when it seemed that all things looked bleak, a turn of events occurred - Pikachu took action, and things have never been the same ever since.

The turning point.

Oh, wait - someone's here to tell you about it.

[AshKetchumMode]
Hi! You know, the first time I set out on my journey, things were rough. I was lucky to get Pikachu, but then I wasn't sure if things would work out. And then everything just went so wrong. I'm glad Pikachu came through in the nick of time; I don't know what would've happened if it hadn't been that way. I couldn't have done it without my buddy, and on my journey, that means a lot.
[/AshKetchumMode]

"Well, we beat 'em."

Well, you heard it from the man himself. These initial steps are not simple, but they're indeed part of the series of steps of an extensive Pokémon journey, one that still holds significance today.

Three-line summary:

Welcome to the world of Pokémon -
and welcome to the journey
of one of its newest upstarts.