Ash is the counterpart of Red for the Anime. If read where to appear then it would be in some weird crossover special. And Ash does have essentially the starter weak against Gary since Charizard fought Blastoise in the Silver Conference.
But that's the thing he isn't. Ash is inspired by Red in character design the same way Ritchie is inspired by Ash. Let's look at a few differences between the season 1 Kanto Ash and Red.
Red knows that you have to weaken a Pokemon first before catching it. Ash tried to catch a pidgey with a pokeball but fails, and his pokedex then tells him that he has to weaken the Pokemon first.
1. Red is stated to have an arrogant personality similar to Gary in Kanto stating to be the best Pokemon trainer in Palet town. Ash is shown to be a little arrogant, but is very much naive and easy to discourage. Also Red is not a complete idiot while Ash seems to come across like that during Kanto.
2. Red has a
poliwhirl and starting pokemon at the start of the series. Ash has
no pokemon.
3. Professor Oak stated Gark Oak to be his
grandson. He never said Gary Oak was
his only Grandson did he ?
4. Professor Oak in the anime is stated that two other trainers took
Charmander and
Bulbasuar. Gary was shown to have gotten
squirtle in the anime, and Ash got Pikachu. Blue starting pokemon in the manga from professor Oak is
Charmander, while Red is
bulbasuar. Coincidence ? I don't think so.
5. Red's pikachu stays in a pokeball. Ash pikachu does not like being in a pokeball.
6. Both
Red and
Blue got to the
Pewter City gym before Ash and both of them defeated Brock before him.
Brock left with
Ash not
Red.
7. Misty left with Ash on his journey. Red helped Misty, but departed ways soon after.
I can go on but their evidence to suggest Blue and Red exist in the anime.