List of Pokémon characters

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of characters in the Pokémon games, anime, and manga. Save for notable specific Pokémon, the specific species of Pokémon are not listed here; they are instead detailed further at List of Pokémon.

Note that this list includes characters from all of the various incarnations of the Pokémon franchise. This includes characters from a number of discrete, similar-but-separate continuities, including but not limited to the video game continuity, the anime continuity, the Pokémon Adventures continuity, the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga continuity, and the Magical Pokémon Journey manga continuity. The anime continuity and most of the manga continuities are based to varying degrees on the games, but they all diverge at key points. A single character may appear in multiple continuities, sometimes in the same basic role (e.g. Giovanni), sometimes in very different roles (e.g. Brock).

All references to the "video games" collectively refer to Pokémon Red and Blue, Yellow, Pokémon Gold and Silver, Pokémon Crystal, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, Pokémon Emerald, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl only, unless noted otherwise. There are also games such as Pokémon Trading Card Game and Pokémon Ranger Also, there is a game for Nintendo 64 called Hey You, Pikachu!, Pokémon Stadium, Pokémon Stadium 2, and Pokemon Snap.

Likewise, references to the Pokémon anime also include, in addition to the eponymous anime itself, the related sidestory Pokémon Chronicles anime, the game Pokémon Channel, and Ash & Pikachu manga unless otherwise noted.

Contents

[edit] Main characters

Main article: List of main characters on Pokémon

[edit] Protagonists

The various heroes of the Pokémon franchise.

[edit] In the video games

The male and female protagonists from Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.
The male and female protagonists from Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.

The protagonist of the video games can be renamed by the player, but each has an array of default names. As the anime and the various manga are, to differing degrees, based on the games, other Pokémon protagonists (or supporting characters) are often named after and share many characteristics with the game protagonists.

  • The female protagonist of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen — The design of the female protagonist is based on Green (Blue in Japan) from Pokémon Adventures, who was in turn based on the Lass generic opponent and concept art for a third female protagonist (they were unable to implement it due to game card's limitations) of the original Red, Green, and Blue games. If a name is not chosen for her, the game will give you a few random names to choose from, such as Momo, Fire, Green, Red, and Rey. Internal game data not accessible by the player identifies her as Leaf.
  • The protagonist of Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal — This protagonist (and the female version of this protagonist, introduced in Pokémon Crystal) are the inspiration for Jimmy and Marina, the heroes of "The Legend of Thunder", the multipart episode at the beginning of Pokémon Chronicles.
    The male protagonist also inspired Gold of Pokémon Adventures, while the female protagonist inspired Crystal in the same series. The default name of the male character is Gold, whereas the female character is Kris.
  • The protagonist of Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald — This protagonist and rival pair are known as Brendan and May, because of their default names as the rival (If the player chooses a male protagonist, the rival is female and named May, and if the player chooses a female protagonist, the rival is male and named Brendan).
    May inspired May in the Pokémon anime. Brendan and May also inspired Ruby and Sapphire in Pokémon Adventures.
  • The protagonist of Pokémon Diamond, Pearl — Lucas is the male, and Dawn is the female. Lucas has yet to be appear in the anime but is the base for Dia from the manga, while Dawn inspired the Dawn from the Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl anime and (Ms.) Berlitz from the manga.
  • Wes — Wes (whose name can be changed) is the protagonist of Pokémon Colosseum. He stole a Snag Machine from Team Snagem, and teamed up with Rui to rescue the Shadow Pokémon from Team Snagem and Team Cipher.
  • Lucy Lightfoot — The Pokémon Trozei Adventure Mode protagonist. She is a secret agent from the Secret Operations League (SOL), and is assigned a number of missions to recover stolen Pokémon from the Phobos Battalion.
  • The protagonist of Pokémon Ranger — Can be either male or female. The protagonist the player doesn't choose becomes a companion for the player throughout the game. The male character is named Lunick and is always paired with Minun while the female character is named Solana and is always paired with Plusle.

[edit] Anime protagonists

  • Ash Ketchum (Satoshi) He is from Pallet Town, Kanto; Ash Ketchum is the main star of the anime series and is one of the default names in Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow (his Japanese name, Satoshi, is named after Satoshi Tajiri, the creator of the Pokémon games). Ash aspires to be a Pokémon Master, and together with the various friends and Pokémon that travel with him, embarks on many adventures. In a similar fashion to the game, Ash enters various Pokémon League competitions. Ash has made cameo appearances in Pokémon Chronicles, and is referred to frequently.
  • Pikachu — Pikachu is the series' main Pokémon and also serves as the Pokémon series' mascot. Pikachu is a little, yellow, mouse-like creature with a lightning bolt tail and the ability to create an electrical jolt from its cheeks. It is the Pokémon that Ash receives from Professor Oak to start his journey, and stays with Ash for the entirety of the Pokémon anime. Other Pikachu appear elsewhere, but this particular Pikachu never appears without Ash until the second episode of season 10 of Pokemon.
    Other Pikachu of note include Richie's Pikachu Sparky, the Surfing Pikachu Puka, seen in a first-season episode (which drew popular controversy and the Surfing Pikachu rumors to the fans of the game), and the Pikachu owned by the protagonist of Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition.
  • Brock (Takeshi) He is from Pewter City, Kanto; The Pewter City Gym Leader, who leaves his post to become a Pokémon Breeder, leaving the care of his gym to his father. He is one of Ash's traveling companions in the anime, and appears as a Gym Leader in the games and various manga. He is classed as a protagonist for being one of the most long-running characters in the show, behind Ash, Pikachu, and Team Rocket

[edit] Companions
  • Dawn (Hikari) She is from Twinleaf Town, Sinnoh; After May's departure, Dawn took the role of co-star and coordinator in the Sinnoh Region. Unlike May, however, Dawn knew what she was going to do as a trainer from the beginning. She aspires to become a top coordinator, just like her mother.
  • May (Haruka) She is from Petalburg City, Hoenn; A traveling companion for Ash during his journey through the Hoenn region, and later the Battle Frontier challenge in Kanto. Although unsure of her dream at first, her desire to be a Pokémon Coordinator soon spurs her to take on her own journey. She is based on the female playable character in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. May is the daughter of Norman the Petalburg City Gym Leader and Caroline. She reappears again in Battle Dimension with Ash, Brock, and Dawn.
  • Misty (Kasumi)She is from Cerulean City, Kanto; The Cerulean City Gym Leader, who leaves her post to become a Water Pokémon expert. She is one of Ash's traveling companions in the anime, and appears as a Pokémon Gym Leader in the games and various manga. She follows Ash until the end of season 5 when she got her bike back from Nurse Joy, and is asked by her sisters Daisy, Lily, and Violet to look after the Gym while they go on a cruise around the world. She has been in the series as a main protagonist for more seasons than either May or Dawn.
  • Tracey Sketchit (Kenji)He is from the Orange Islands; A Pokémon Watcher who idolizes Professor Oak, and travels with Ash and Misty throughout the Orange Islands. Realizes his dream of becoming Professor Oak's assistant when Ash, Misty, and Brock move on to Johto.
  • Max (Masato)He is from Petalburg City, Hoenn; Younger brother of May and son of the Petalburg City Gym Leader Norman, introduced alongside her. Although he is too young to be a Pokémon Trainer, he joins the group in order to experience more of the world of Pokémon than what he can learn from books. Like Tracey, he idolizes Professor Oak. Although not being able to contribute Pokémon to the team, he makes up for it by his extensive knowledge of Pokémon. Max is similar to Wally, yet Wally is old enough to catch and train Pokemon. His appearance seems to be based on a young boy in Ruby and Sapphire who warns the main character that Prof. Birch is being attacked by a wild Poochyena.

[edit] Manga protagonists

  • Yellow— Yellow is the initial protagonist of the issues of Pokémon Adventures (Special) based of the game "Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition". She had the goal to save Red of the Four Elite. She started with a Rattata and Red's Pikachu.
  • Gold — Gold is the initial protagonist of the issues of Pokémon Adventures (Special) that are based on the second generation of games, Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal. He is one of the few Pokédex holders that does not initially know his specialty with Pokémon, and it is this that disconcerts him until his battle against Neo Team Rocket and Mask of Ice. He started with a Cyndaquil and an Aipom.
  • Ruby — One of two protagonists in the issues of Pokémon Adventures (Special) based on the third generation of games, Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, Ruby is a boy whose goal is to be the top Pokémon Coordinator by winning all the contests in Hoenn. He seems to have no interest in Pokemon battles, and is oddly enough, the son of Petalburg City Gym Leader, Norman. However, there is a hidden reason for this, and soon he shows his other side again, battling alongside Sapphire to face Groudon and Kyogre.
  • Sapphire — One of two protagonists in the issues of Pokémon Adventures (Special) based on the third generation of games, Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, Sapphire is a girl who lives for Pokémon battle whose goal is to conquer all the gyms in Hoenn. When she first appears, she is wearing little more than a grass shirt and skirt. When she meets Ruby, he makes her a set of clothing for her to wear. Her father is Professor Birch, and in a similar vein, she shows no interest in Pokémon Research.
  • Emerald — A boy who is the main character of the issues of Pokémon Adventures (Special) based specifically on the Battle Frontier of Pokémon Emerald. He mysteriously appeared at the Battle Frontier, transported by Latias and Latios. He abhors capturing Pokémon, but still competes in the Battle Frontier's opening ceremonies by using Pokémon he has befriended at the Frontier or those supplied to him by Crystal (appeared in the GSC series of Pokemon Adventures (Special) as one of the main characters) who has captured every Pokémon.


  • Hazel — (called Maron in the Japanese series) is the main character of Magical Pokémon Journey. She's a bubble-headed blonde who's madly in love with her friend Almond, and adores cute Pokémon such as Pikachu and Clefairy. As a child, she was an irrepressible tomboy who enjoyed playing pranks on her friend Almond; now that she's older, she's still quite hyper, but in a more girlish way.
  • Akai Isamu — (nicknamed Red) He is the protagonist of the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga. Professor Oak gives him a Pokédex so that he can collect as much data on Pokémon as possible. His starter is a rude Clefairy who gets him into more trouble than he bargained for.
  • Shuu — In his series, Pokemon Getto Da Ze, he goes on amusing misadventures with his Pikachu, with whom he communicates due to a device called an In-Com.

[edit] Companions
  • Yellow — A girl who disguises herself as a boy in Green/Blue (Blue in Japan)'s instructions in order to find Red, who has mysteriously disappeared sometime in Vol. 4 of Pokemon Adventures. She has only a Rattata and Doduo, along with Pikachu, to help her on her quest.
  • Silver — Usually chasing Gold away because he feels that Gold is only hindering him on his missions, he fights alongside Gold, Crystal, and the others from the earlier series to stop the Masked Man's plans.
  • Crystal — A capture pro whose team was specifically designed for this purpose, Crystal has caught almost every single species and recorded the data for Kanto and Johto Pokémon and is the first trainer to finish the Pokédex.
  • Rui — Rui (whose name can be changed) is Wes's companion in Pokémon Colosseum, and she aids him with her unique ability to see the dark aura of Shadow Pokémon (something that normally requires a special Aura Reader to see). She is the granddaughter of Eagun, the guardian of the shrine in Agate Village.

[edit] Antagonists

[edit] The rival

The main character's rival in the video games has a number of default names, but he (or she) roughly corresponds to several other characters in the Pokémon anime and Pokémon Adventures (Pokémon Special in Japan). (Note that not all of the corresponding characters are rivals or antagonists to the protagonist in the anime or in Pokémon Adventures, however.) In the Pokemon video games, the rivals will always pick a starter Pokemon which has a type advantage over the player's own.

  • Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal — This character steals his first Pokémon from Professor Elm, and tends to see Pokémon as tools, to use and discard, although not in the Pokémon Adventures. Unlike the first rival, his view on Pokémon makes him a mediocre trainer (evidenced by his name not being on the "winning trainers list" in the Pokémon Gym buildings). He says his name is "???", but the player may also choose a name for him. This rival doesn't appear in the anime mainly, but is featured in the Japanese opening for Pokémon Chronicles. however, Paul acts very similar to Silver, and appears to have the same attitude and taste towards Pokemon as Silver. The rival is featured in Pokémon Adventures as Silver. It is hinted that he is the son of Giovanni at the end of FireRed and LeafGreen by a scientist in the Team Rocket warehouse in the Sevii Islands. Once the character has defeated the scientist, he states "Who are you? You're not Giovanni's kid..? No, he has red hair".
  • Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald — In this game there are two different rivals but more supportive unlike rivals in prior games.
    • The first rival is the opposite gender of the protagonist and has an agreeable and encouraging attitude. his name is Brendan, and is the child of Professor Birch (and goes on to work as his assistant after the protagonist defeats the Elite Four). The female main character/rival is the basis for May in the anime. You cannot name your rival in these games. May is your rival's name if you choose the male trainer, and Brendan is your rival's name if you choose the female.
    • Another one of your rivals is your protégé, Wally. In the beginning, he is a sickly young boy who needs help in catching a Pokémon. He goes to your dad for advice but then your dad tells you to help him catch a Pokémon. You use your dad's Zigzagoon to help catch him a Ralts. The next time he battles you, he seems better of his sickness and is in tune with his Pokémon. He battles you for the last official time near Victory Road and waits there, always ready for another battle from you.
  • Pokémon Diamond and Pearl — In this game there are two rivals.
    • One is the opposite gender of your character and is one of Rowan's assistants. If you prefer to be a boy then your rival will have the name of Dawn. If you desire to be a girl then your rival’s given name will be Lucas. In both cases, they won't fight you, but rather aid you in your quest.
    • The other rival (who can be named at the player's choice) is a blond-headed boy who is impatient and determined to be the best Trainer of all time. At times he'll aid the player, but, more often than not, he'll pick fights with the player. He tends to crash into people quite often as he runs about. His final official battle with the player is in the Fight Area, and he can be fought again during weekends.
  • Pokémon Trading Card Game and Pokémon Trading Card Game 2 — In these game, the player's main rival is a boy by the name of Ronald, who is portrayed as egotistical and greedy. In Pokémon Trading Card Game, Ronald appears throughout the game to antagonize the player and acts as the game's final boss; in Pokémon Trading Card Game 2, Ronald is shown to be a member of Team Great Rocket.
  • Pokémon chronicles

Vincent is the rival of Jimmy

[edit] Team Rocket

Main article: Team Rocket

Team Rocket is an international crime organization in the games, manga, and anime, primarily interested in stealing Pokémon and world domination, but involved in sundry other crimes.

Jessie, James, and Meowth in the third episode of the Pokémon anime.
Jessie, James, and Meowth in the third episode of the Pokémon anime.
  • Butch (Kosaburo)(23 years old) and Cassidy (Yamato)(23 years old); In the anime, these two are more-abrasive, much-more-competent members of Team Rocket. They appear infrequently in the main Pokémon anime, but they make frequent recurring appearances in Pokémon Chronicles. The names are derived from the outlaw Butch Cassidy. A constant running gag is that everyone keeps forgetting Butch's name, prompting him to to angrily correct them. Cassidy's appearance is identical to that of female rocket grunts in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal.
  • Professor Sebastion (Shiranui-Hakase) (50 years old); In the anime, he is a scientist that supplies Team Rocket with various gadgets. These gadgets include an "Evolution Inducer", a machine used to create a super-powerful red-colored Gyarados through forced evolution, and the "Electric Crystal System", a magnetic device used in Pokémon Chronicles to attempt to ensnare Raikou.
  • Tyson (Tatsumi) (40 years old); A high-ranking Rocket Agent who accompanied Professor Sebastion in the "Red Gyarados" episodes.
  • Professor Nanba (Nanba-Hakase) (60 years old); A Team Rocket scientist who planned to use the power of Lugia's rage to conquer the world. His Pokémon is Electabuzz. Often works with Cassidy and Butch. He makes recurring appearances in Pokémon Chronicles.
  • Mondo (21 years old); A junior member of Team Rocket that assisted Jessie and James. Only referred to in the CD radio dramas in Japan.
  • Mask of Ice — The leader of Team Rocket in the Gold/Silver arc of Pokémon Adventures. Mask of Ice is later revealed to actually be Pryce, leader of the Mahogany Town Pokémon Gym.
  • Domino(18 years old); Code-named the Black Tulip. She is sent by Giovanni to look for Mewtwo.
  • Annie (Zanna) and Oakley (Rion) (both 23 years old); A pair of independent thieves (though in the American version, it is said they work for Team Rocket which most likely isn't true). In Pokémon Heroes, they seek to capture Latias and Latios. They are noted for their high fashion and outrageous coiffures. The names are derived from the show performer Annie Oakley.
  • Attilla (Buson) and Hun (Bashou) (both 28 years old); A pair of high-ranking Rocket agents. In Pokémon Chronicles, these two accompanied Professor Sebastion in trying to capture Raikou. The names are derived from Attila the Hun. For unknown reasons, Hun (Bashou) was changed to a female in the American and Spanish dubs. However, he was never referred to as a man (only collectively with Atilla as "those men"), so he may just be a man with a female voice.
  • On'na Boss(65 years old) (deceased); Giovanni's (Sakaki's) mother and the former head (and possibly founder) of Team Rocket. Often known by fans as Madame Boss. Only referred to in the CD radio dramas in Japan.
  • Miyamoto(30 years old) (deceased); Jessie's (Musashi's) mother and agent of Team Rocket. Disappears while on a mission to capture Mew. Only referred to in the CD radio dramas in Japan.
  • Drill-Sergeant Viper (35 years old): introduced in the episode Training Daze as the man responsible for training new recruits.
  • Siam — Appears in the Pokémon Adventures manga. Siam, along with Karen, Green, Silver, and Kartz, is one of the children kidnapped by the Mask of Ice and raised to be his servants. Siam was one of the leaders of the new Team Rocket formed in Johto.
  • Kartz — Appears in the Pokémon Adventures manga. Kartz, along with Karen, Green, Silver, and Siam, is one of the children kidnapped by the Mask of Ice and raised to be his servants. Kartz was one of the leaders of the new Team Rocket formed in Johto.
  • The Beast Warrior Trio: Oca, Jagura, and Storc — Appears in the Pokémon Adventures manga. They are a trio of highly skilled Rockets who served Giovanni while he operated out of the Sevii Islands.

[edit] Other rivals

  • Mewtwo — In Pokémon: The First Movie, Mewtwo, who is angered at humans because it believed that all humans treated their Pokémon as slaves and was created only as a servant, attempts to take a counterattack on humans. It is foiled by the efforts of Ash working together with Mew. Mewtwo then becomes somewhat of an anti-hero.
  • Team Aqua and Team Magma — These two opposing groups each seek to cause huge laterations to the planet's ecosystem. Aqua wishes to expand the seas by awakening Kyogre, and Magma wants to do the same with the land through Groudon.
  • J — A female Pokémon Hunter wanted by the authorities for stealing Pokémon from other Trainers and selling them to various clients for profit. As well as being a powerful Trainer, J leads a small army of henchmen and machines to aid in her jobs. She has appeared in two episodes of the anime so far, and more appearances are likely. She bears some resemblance to Wes from Pokémon Colosseum, though most likely due to coincidence.
  • Cipher — In Pokémon Colosseum, Team Cipher is creating and distributing Shadow Pokémon.
    • Es Cade/Evice — Evice is the secretive head of Team Cipher, but spends most of his time posing as Es Cade, the somewhat absent-minded mayor of Phenac City.
    • Nascour — Nascour is the public leader of Team Cipher, often seen directing Cipher operations.
    • Miror B — This flamboyant disco fan, who has a quartet of dancing Ludicolo, is initially a Cipher administrator. He reappears later in Pokémon XD, as a roving, independent Pokémon thief.
    • Dakim, Venus, and Ein — These three are Team Cipher's administrators. Dakim and Venus are in charge of distributing Shadow Pokémon, and Ein is in charge of research. Each of them has one of the three Legendary Beasts (Entei, Suicune, and Raikou).
  • Revived Cipher — In Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Cipher revives five years after Colosseum ends, with a new leader, several new Admins and their dreaded secret weapon, XD001 (Shadow Lugia).
    • Greevil — Evice's replacement in Pokémon XD as Cipher's new leader. Often disguised as the kindly aristocrat Mr. Verich.
    • Ardos and Eldes — Greevil's twin sons, who serve as his most trusted bodyguards. Ardos wears all blue to match his hair; while Eldes wears red. Interestingly, Eldes also seems to have a good side, showing up at points in the game to give the protagonist wise advice, while Ardos seems to not have any compassion in him at all.
    • Snattle — Admin of Cipher during Greevil's reign. He serves Cipher in hopes of being Orre's new governor.
    • Lovrina and Gorigan — A pair of Admins in charge of general work around Orre.
  • Team Snagem — Team Snagem, led by Gonzap, is a gang of Pokémon thieves headquartered in southeastern Orre. Partnered with Team Cipher, they have access to various Pokémon-stealing devices. Of particular note is the Snag Machine Gauntlet, which Wes steals from them at the beginning of Pokémon Colosseum. In Pokémon XD, it's revealed that Team Snagem was betrayed by Team Cipher sometime after Colosseum ended, and Gonzap has swore revenge on them. Although they initially give Michael (the hero of XD) trouble by stealing his Snag Machine, they later team up with him after realizing that Michael also wants to stop Team Cipher.
  • Team Galactic— In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, they are the evil team tormenting the region of Sinnoh. They desire to reshape time and space to their preferred designs.
    • Mars and Jupiter — A pair of Team Galactic Commanders. Both are female.
    • Saturn — A young man who is Team Galactic's top Commander.
    • Cyrus — The boss of Team Galactic. His emotionless personality is said to result from an encounter with the Legendary Pokémon Mesprit.
  • Go-Rock Squad— In Pokémon Ranger, they are the evil team who cause trouble with the Capture Styler, a device used to control Pokémon Temporarily in the Fiore Region
    • Gordor — The boss of the Go-Rock Squad. He was originally Prof. Hastings' assistant, but left him out of his rage for never getting any credit in their research.
    • Go-Rock Quads — A quartet of high-ranking members in the Go-Rock Squad, all of them siblings. Posing as a music band, they hide their Stylers in their instruments.

[edit] Pokémon League

The Pokémon League is a little-described organization that organizes and certifies Pokémon Gyms and Pokémon tournaments. Becoming the Pokémon League Champion is one of the main goals in the video games, as well as one of Ash's stated goals in life in the anime.

The members of the Pokémon League have differing roles depending on where they appear; in the video games, they are the one-time "boss" opponents the player has to overcome to progress through the game, in the anime, they are usually one-time challengers Ash has to face to become the Pokémon League Champion, and in the manga, they are alternately enemies or allies to the protagonists, depending on their individual motivations.

[edit] Gym Leaders

Main article: Pokémon Gym

Gym Leaders lead Pokémon Gyms, and offer Gym Badges to Pokémon trainers who can defeat them in a challenge. Usually, this challenge takes the form of a Pokémon battle, but, occasionally, the challenges are a trial of skill or endurance, or the badges are given in return for extraordinary services rendered.

Each region has at least eight Gym Leaders at a time (except for the Orange Islands, which only have five)And Orre which only has one. Any trainer who earns a Gym Badge from eight Gyms is eligible to go on to face the Elite Four or participate in the Pokémon League Championships, as appropriate.

[edit] Kanto

Main article: List of Kanto Gym Leaders
  • Sabrina — A specialist in Psychic-type Pokémon, in Saffron City. In the anime, she has telekinesis and other psychic powers. In the videogame the protagonist is told of how she beat the leader of 'The Fighting Dojo'(the gym next door) robbing it of its gym status.
  • Kiyo — Kiyo leads a martial arts gym in Saffron City, and, until an unspecified amount of time before the events of Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen, was either a Gym Leader or an aspiring Gym Leader. Either way, his prospects as a Gym Leader were dashed after Sabrina and her Gym of Psychic-type Pokémon defeated him and his followers.

[edit] Orange Islands

Main article: List of Orange Islands Gym Leaders

These Gym Leaders, save for Danny and Rudy[citation needed], appear only in the anime.

  • Cissy — Cissy is an expert on Water-type Pokémon, and challenges Ash to a water gun accuracy contest and a surfing race instead of a battle.
  • Danny — Danny challenges Ash to climb a mountain, freeze a geyser, and sled-race down the mountain.
  • Rudy — A Pokémon trainer and dance instructor. He is very protective of his little sister, Mahri.
  • Luana — A specialist in two-on-two Pokémon battles. She also owns and operates a hotel, and has a son, Travis, who looks much like Ash, who also has a Pikachu sitting on his shoulder while starting off on his journey. She has the ability to run fast, probably only during the point she was running to Travis look-a-like Ash.
  • Drake — Drake is the head of the Orange Islands Gym Leaders. (He is unrelated to the Drake that resides in Hoenn.) Drake was undefeated, until Ash defeats him. There is confusion, as there are tons of photos and hand print plasters of champions, which Ash did upon victory.

[edit] Johto

Main article: List of Johto Gym Leaders
  • Clair — Blackthorn City Gym Leader and an expert on Dragon-type Pokémon. It is thought that Clair may be a relative of Lance, the dragon trainer from the Red, Blue, Yellow, Leaf Green, and Fire Red Elite four. They are both believed to be related to Drake, the dragon trainer from the Ruby/Sapphire Elite four.

[edit] Hoenn

Main article: List of Hoenn Gym Leaders
  • Wattson — Mauville City Gym Leader and an expert on Electric-type Pokémon. An old man, Wattson is almost always seen smiling and likes a good joke. In the anime, any visitor who enters the Gym by the front door takes as an inadvertent roller coaster ride, ending up against a mechanical Raikou.
  • Juan — An expert on Water-type Pokémon. He was Wallace's mentor and ran the Sootopolis City Gym before him. After Wallace became the Pokémon League Champion, he returned to run the Gym. In the anime, there is no mention of any Sootopolis gym leader other than Juan himself.

[edit] Sinnoh

Main article: List of Sinnoh Gym Leaders
  • Roark — Oreburgh City Gym Leader and an expert on Rock-type Pokémon. A challenger who defeats him in battle wins the Coal Badge. His father is Byron, who is the Leader of another Sinnoh Pokémon Gym.
  • Byron — Canalave City Gym Leader and an expert on Steel-type Pokémon. A challenger who defeats him in an official battle earns the Mine Badge. He is the father of Roark, who is also a Gym Leader.
  • Volkner — The Sunyshore City Gym Leader and an expert on Electric-type Pokémon. His name is derived from the word "volt", and possibly the name of Johto's Violet City Gym Leader Falkner. A challenger who defeats him in battle earns the Beacon Badge, the last of the eight Sinnoh Gym Badges. In the upcoming game Pokemon platinum he will not be the Sunyshore city gym leader.

[edit] Members of the Elite Four

Main article: Elite Four

The Elite Four are the elite members of the Pokémon League in each region. In the games, manga, and anime, a Pokémon trainer has to defeat them before becoming Pokémon League champion. Each region has their own Elite Four.

[edit] Kanto

[edit] Johto

Hoenn

[edit] Sinnoh

[edit] Battle Frontier Frontier Brains

Main article: List of Frontier Brains
  • Anabel (Rira) — Salon Maiden Anabel is in charge of the Battle Tower. Previously thought to be a boy by Ash. Her Frontier Symbol is Ability. Another notable fact is that she has feelings for Ash. She is voiced by Hilary Thomas. Anabel can also sense what her pokemon are feeling and talk to them.
  • Greta (Kogomi) — Arena Tycoon Greta is in charge of the Battle Arena, and uses teams customized to ideally fit the unusual battle rules in the Battle Arena. Her Frontier Symbol is Guts. Sonny Dey provides her voice.
  • Lucy (Azami) — Pike Queen Lucy is in charge of the Battle Pike, and uses primarily serpentine Pokémon. Her Frontier Symbol is Luck. Another notable fact is that she has feelings for Brock. She is voiced by Emily Williams (voice actor).
  • Spenser (Ukon) — Palace Maven Spenser is in charge of the Battle Palace. His Frontier Symbol is Spirit.
  • Tucker (Heath) — Dome Ace Tucker is in charge of the Battle Dome. His Frontier Symbol is Tactics.

[edit] Other recurring characters

  • Gary Oak (Shigeru) — Ash's main rival since childhood, and grandson of Professor Oak. Like Ash, he journeys to become a Pokémon Master, but abandons his quest in order to follow his grandfather's footsteps. In the original Japanese, he is named after Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of the Mario and Legend of Zelda games and Satoshi Tajiri's mentor. He is voiced by Jimmy Zoppi.
  • Delia Ketchum (Hanako) — Ash's mother in the anime. (In the games, the main character's mother is nameless and has no personality.) Delia is very caring of her son, always reminding him to do his best. She is very talented, having won a beauty pageant and cooked a dish so popular that elite chefs at the Indigo Plateau have asked for its recipe. It is not known who is the father of Ash, but it isn't clear that Ash's parents have separated, although she has contacted him at least once since Ash left. She has a Mr. Mime housekeeper who helps her with chores and is also rather adept in battle.
    In the Japanese version, the name of Satoshi's mother was, for a long time, unrevealed (with her referring to herself as Satoshi no haha or referred as Mama-san, although the role was credited as Hanako). The name Hanako (and its English counterpart, Delia) was revealed during the second Pocket Monsters movie. She also is constantly reminding Ash to change his underwear. She is voiced by Veronica Taylor, later Michelle Knotz.
  • Daisy, Lily and Violet, Misty's sisters — In the anime, Misty's sisters take over the Cerulean City Pokémon Gym when Misty goes adventuring with Ash. The three girls are quite vain, and happily hand control of the gym back to Misty when she returns, in order to focus on fashion once again. Daisy is voiced by Lisa Ortiz while Megan Hollingshead voices Lily and Rachael Lillis voices Violet.
  • Drew (Shū) — Drew is a friend of Micheal and a Top Tag Battle Battler, So far known to win 100-150 Tag battles.
  • Harley (Haarii) — In the anime, a Pokémon Coordinator who is considered one of May's rivals (enemy can be a better word as well as the whole group as he is not above plotting evil mischief against them too) and apparently went to the same kindergarten with a girl who looked like her. When remembering an incident in which the "May" girl stole some of his food he explains that that is one of the reasons that he hates her. He dresses up to resemble a Cacturne. He uses dirty tricks in order to get his opponents off balance. Unlike Team Rocket (occasionally), Harley has never shown any kind of remorse for his actions. Harley owns a Cacturne, a Banette, an Ariados, an Octillery and a Wigglytuff. Harley is currently traveling to the Johto region to participate in the Johto Pokémon Contests. He is voiced by Andy Rannells in Season 7-8, and Billy Regan in Season 9.
  • Kenny (Kengo)— In the series Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. His first appearance is at Dawn's second contest in Floaroma. He is beaten by Dawn, and appears to love to annoy her. In his next appearance, he competes against her at the Solacean Town contest. His starter Pokemon was also a Piplup. It has evolved into a Prinplup. He has a Prinplup, Alakazam, and a Breloom. His voice is provided by Rhonda Krempa.
  • Todd/Snap (Tōru) — A Pokémon photographer who takes pictures of Pokémon in their natural habitat, and the main character of the video game Pokémon Snap. The name Tōru comes from the verb toru, meaning "to take a picture". Todd is only known as Todd on episodes airing on Kids' WB! in the United States; on home video/DVD releases, and in all other English-speaking countries, he is called Snap. Like Todd's Japanese name, this is also a reference to his love for taking photos. He is voiced by Jimmy Zoppi.
  • Vincent/Jackson (Jun'ichi) — In the Raikou: The Legend of Thunder arc of Pokémon Chronicles, a Pokémon Trainer who starts his Pokémon Journey in Johto. He is friends with two other trainers, Jimmy and Marina. His Japanese name is a reference to Junichi Masuda, composer of the soundtracks of the Pokémon games.
    The character known as Jun'ichi was first introduced in the main Pokémon anime, as a semi-finalist in the Johto Pokémon League championships. He later appears in Pokémon Chronicles, but there he is referred to as "Vincent".
  • Jimmy (Kenta) and Marina (Marina) — These two Pokémon trainers adventure with Vincent in Johto in Raikou: The Legend of Thunder, the miniseries/movie that begins Pokémon Chronicles. They are based on the male and female main characters of Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, and may be the "Yoshi and Dani" Vincent/Jackson refers to in his single appearance in the main Pokémon anime. They are childhood friends, and have strongfeelings for the other, as revealed in the Raikou special. Marina later makes several cameo appearances in the Sinnoh arc of the anime, one of which involving a picture of her in an advertisement Ash and Company read promoting the Pokétch. The character for Jimmy is voiced by Sean Schemmel.
  • The Pichu Brothers — In the anime, a pair of mischievous Pichu. They lead older, wiser Pokémon (like Meowth and Ash's Pikachu) on wild chases whenever they appear.
  • The Eevee Sisters — In the anime, five sisters (Satsuki, Sumono, Tameo, Kome, and Sakura) who each have a different evolution of an Eevee. They live in Ecruteak City. The youngest sister, Sakura, instead of joining Ash and his friends, journeys around Kanto (in Pokémon Chronicles), and evolves her Eevee into an Espeon. The five sisters are based on the Kimono Girls of Ecruteak City in Pokemon Gold, Silver, and Crystal games.
  • Paul (Shinji) — Ash's newest rival in Sinnoh. He bears a striking resemblance to the rival from Pokémon Gold and Silver, in both his appearance and his attitude towards Pokémon training. Shinji is focused on owning only the strongest Pokémon and will not hesitate to release Pokémon if they do not meet his high expectations. He is voiced by Julian Robelledo.
  • Nando (Naoshi) — A friend of Ash and Dawn who participates in both Contests and Gym battles, having incurred Zoey's ire in their first meeting. Known for his great knowledge of folklore and his overly polite, gentle nature.
  • Suzie (Yuki) — In the anime, a Pokémon breeder who gives Brock her Vulpix. Brock later returns it to her.
  • Duplica (Imite) — In the anime, a Pokémon entertainer and Ditto trainer who performs various cosplay acts for passing travellers. She is the trainer of two Ditto: One which performs perfect transformations, while the other transforms into a smaller version of larger Pokémon. While her name was changed in the English translation, her house is still known as "Imitehouse". "Imite" is short for "imitate". This character is based on Copycat of Saffron City in the games.
  • Gabby and Ty — In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, Gabby and Ty are a reporter/cameraman team. The two of them interview the protagonist (by way of a Pokémon battle) on multiple occasions. The player can then see a summary of the interview/battle on one of the TVs in the various homes and other buildings.
  • Magikarp Salesman — Well known in the anime for conning James into buying a Magikarp, he has since become a running gag in the series. His character was most likely inspired by an NPC in Pokémon Red and Blue who would sell the player a Magikarp for 500 Poké Dollars. In the Johto season, he tricks James into trading a Victreebell for a Weepinbell, which also evolves into Victreebel after. In the Hoenn season, he tricked James into trading all his money for a "Chimecho", which is actually a Hoppip. In Diamond and Pearl, he sold Team Rocket an "evolution machine," which they used to try to evolve the worlds strongest Magicarp and Feebas, and of course Ash's Pikachu, but only to fail and to realize they had been conned again. In the Chronicle series, he also attempted to trick Professor Oak and Tracey into buying a Magikarp, in which Tracey threatened to call the police. He is voiced by Eric Stuart.
  • Solidad (Saori) — A rival of Drew's after she beat him in his very first contest. Later defeated May and won the Kanto Grand Festival. She is voiced by Sonny Dey.
  • Duking - The owner of the Pyrite Colosseum in Pyrite Town, in Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. At first he is rather grumpy but soon becomes friendly when Wes frees the town from Miror B. At this point, Duking will also give you a Plusle. In XD, Duking is obsessed with the new discovery of wild Pokémon and allows Silva to run his colosseum. He trades Pokémon with Michael if he specifically captures the rare Pokémon in the three wild spots.
  • Solana (Hinata) - A Pokémon ranger based on the female character in Pokémon Ranger whose partner pokémon is Plusle. She has made two appearances in the anime. She is voiced by Rhonda Krempa.
  • Kazuki (Lunick) - A Pokemon Ranger of one of the characters in Pokemon Ranger the game with his partner Minun. He is well advanced on focusing on becoming a Ranger in Fiore.

[edit] Pokémon Professors

The Pokémon Professors give new Pokémon trainers a starting Pokémon appropriate to their region, and entrust them with a task (be it completing a Pokédex, delivering an object, or otherwise offering encouragement). They are also leading researchers of Pokémon-related topics, and mentor Pokémon trainers in a general way. It's interesting to note that almost all Pokémon Professors have the name of some sort of woody plant: Oak, Ivy, Elm, Birch, and Rowan, with the exception of professor Hastings.

  • Professor Samuel Oak (Yukinari Ōkido-Hakase) — A Pokémon researcher and the grandfather of Gary Oak/Blue/the rival in Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen. He is often considered the leading Pokémon expert, often giving lectures to Pokémon academies and hosting a radio show in Goldenrod City. Alongside his research, he is also authorized by the Pokémon League to give new Pokémon trainers one of the three Kanto starter Pokémon: Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle.
    In the anime, he gives Ash his Pikachu, after Ash arrives too late to receive one of the usual three starter Pokémon. In Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition, he simply gives the player a Pikachu after your rival takes the Eevee that Oak was going to give you. He is a master Pokémon poet. All Pokémon he "baby-sits" are loyal to him, and he had a Charmeleon as a young boy. In Pokemon 4Ever, it is shown that he traveled forward in time to the future when he was a boy, and Ash became friends with him. When Ash tells Professor Oak about him, he replies that he is sure that "Sammy" will always be his friend, even though Misty later realizes that Ash never told him his name. You then see the current Professor Oak looking through a book of old drawings he made as a kid.
  • Professor Felina Ivy (Uchidō-Hakase) — A Pokémon researcher. She is the leading researcher in the Orange Islands. In the anime, she gives Ash the GS Ball to deliver to Kurt, which eventually leads him to the Johto region. Brock ends up staying with her during the Orange Islands saga of the anime, but parts ways with her after that saga, on unexplained painful or unpleasant terms.
  • Professor Hastings — The Pokemon Professor in Pokémon Ranger. He invented the capture styler.

[edit] Recurring "clones"

These characters are actually a group of women with identical appearances (although Brock demonstrates the ability to tell them apart). They don't individually recur, but they do appear in each town in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh regions and the Orange Islands, an identical-looking and -sounding woman with the same name filling the same role. Their identical appearance may be a reference to or parody of the identical sprites used in the video games, a common practice in video game RPGs.

  • Nurse Joy (Joi) — A family of Pokémon nurses in the anime, all named Joy, who operate the various Pokémon Centers in the world of Pokémon. Because of their identical appearance, it is often difficult to tell one Nurse Joy from another. The Japanese name, joi, means "female doctor". They often have Chansey nurses. Some can be singled out from the others due to trademark items but there are very few. The only differences are the crosses on their hats. In Pokemon Yellow, as well as Diamond & Pearl, Nurses resembling Nurse Joy work in the Pokemon Centers. Their English voice actresses are Megan Hollingshead (season 1-6), Bella Hudson (Seasons 7-8), and Michele Knotz (Season 9+10). The only difference between all the Nurse Joys is that each Nurse Joy has a different color for the Red Cross on their hats.
  • Officer Jenny (Junsaa) — A family of police officers who are all police officers in the anime, all named Jenny, who maintain law and order in the Pokémon world, often opposing members of Team Rocket. The Japanese name, junsaa, means "police officer". Officer Jennies are often accompanied by Growlithe or in one case a Stunky. There are also many with trademark items to differentiate some, but are just as few as the Joys. The only differences are the symbols on their hats and their uniforms (which are different depending on their region). They make an appearance in Yellow, replacing the male police officer, and later to give the player a Squirtle. They are voiced by Chinami Nishimura (Japanese), and in English by Megan Hollingshead (Seasons 1-6), Jamie Davyous Owens (Season 7-8), Diane Stillwell (MoMP) Emily Williams in late Season 9 & Season 10+, Maya Rosewood played her in a Season 9 episode, and Jamie Peacock voiced her in The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon.An Officer Jenny trains a rookie detective Marble whose voice actresses are that of Meghan McCracken (English) and Chinami Nishimura (Japanese).

[edit] Other minor characters

  • Eusine, known as Minaki (?) in Japan, called Eugene in Pokémon Chronicles, appears in the Pokémon animated series and in the video game Pokémon Crystal. A self-declared Legendary Pokémon expert, he ventures around Johto in search of Suicune and also makes an appearance in Pokémon Crystal. In the anime series he challenges Ash Ketchum to a battle to face Suicune. He also shows up in the Raikou special focused on the Gold, Silver, and Crystal characters. In the video game, the player first meets him at Burnt Tower in Ecruteak City. After you wake Suicune, he will inform your character that he has been searching for Suicune for more than 10 years, and he will thank you for finally letting him see the legendary Pokémon. He also battles the player at Cianwood City, using a Lv 23 Hypno, Lv 23 Haunter, and Lv 25 Electrode. After you catch Suicune at Tin Tower, Eusine will come to congratulate you. The player will catch a final glimpse of Eusine at Celadon City, Kanto.
  • Bebe - The inventor and manager of the PC storage system in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. After the player retrieves the National Pokédex, Bebe gives the player an Eevee.
  • Bianca (Kanon)- A girl in the movie Pokémon Heroes. An art loving girl, she is the granddaughter of Lorenzo, the owner of the DMA. She knows the secrets of the legendary Pokémon Latios and Latias, as well as being friends with both of them. She is hesitant of Ash at first, but the two become friends later on, after the disaster on Altomare. Latias uses her image often as a disguise, when she plays around Altomare, causing Ash to be confused between the two. At the end of the movie, Bianca (possibly Latias) kisses Ash on the cheek leaving Ash confused once again and Brock and Misty completely jealous.
  • Melody (Furūra) - A girl in Pokémon: The Movie 2000. When she was first shown in the movie, she gave Ash a kiss, leaving a strange impression and also an extremely jealous Misty. Throughout the movie, she teases Misty about liking Ash, but Misty denies it every time. In the end of the movie, Melody plays Lugia's song on her ocarina. This helps Ash save the world from being destroyed.
  • Bill (Masaki Sonezaki) — The inventor of the PC storage system in Kanto/Johto. In the games, he manages to turn himself into a human-Pokémon hybrid by accident. (This amazes the player's Pikachu in Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition.) In the anime, he is also a student of theoretical Pokémon behavior, learning how Pokémon behave by dressing up in Pokémon costumes. His favourite Pokémon are Eevee and its evolutions. According to FireRed and LeafGreen, Bill seems to be allergic to dairy products, and his first Pokémon was an Abra.
  • Eagun (Rogan) - A legendary Pokémon trainer in Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD and his wife, Rui's grandparents. The two are elderly and live in Agate Village. Eagun may be old but he still has some fight left in him. He has a team made of Pikachu, Pichu and Raichu, all knowing Volt Tackle. Some people have believed that Eagun and Beluh are Ash and Misty from the anime because of Pikachu, and also because Rui resembles Misty slightly. This, however, is only a coincidence, for the events and characters in the Pokémon games are completely different from those in the anime.
  • Lanette — The inventor of Hoenn's storage system in the Pokémon games. It is implied in-game that she is close friends with Bill (the player can read an E-mail on Lanette's laptop from Bill complimenting her success with the Hoenn PC system). Her house is littered with books and she rewards visiting players with a doll, asking them not to tell anyone.
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