Pokémon League

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 (ジムリーダー Jimu Rīdā^?) lead Pokémon Gyms, and offer Gym badges to Pokémon trainers who can defeat them. 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 main region has at least eight Gym Leaders at a time. 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 Gym Leaders

• Brock (Takeshi (タケシ^?)): Gym Leader of Pewter City and an expert on Rock-type Pokémon. In the Pokémon anime, he joins Ash on his adventure, leaving his post to his father, Flint. However, in Pokémon Chronicles (Pokémon Sunday in Japan), he returns to find his mother leading the gym, using Water-type Pokémon.
• Misty (Kasumi (カスミ^?)): Gym Leader of Cerulean City and an expert in Water-type Pokémon. In the anime, she leaves this post for a time to join Ash on his adventure. InPokémon Chronicles (Pokémon Sunday in Japan), Misty returns to take over as the Gym Leader from her sisters, and becomes one of the main characters, often co-starring with Tracey Sketchit, Casey, or one of her sisters: Daisy, Lily and Violet.
• Lt. Surge (Matis (マチス Machisu^?)): An expert in Electric-type Pokémon. He is ex-military, but retains the lieutenant title, at the Vermilion City gym. The Japanese video games refer to him as an American, rather than a native of Kanto.
• Erika (エリカ^?): An expert in Grass-type Pokémon. Operates a women-only Pokémon Gym (which doubles as a greenhouse) in Celadon City. In the anime, Erika also works as a perfume maker. In Pokémon Adventures, Erika serves as the leader of the Kanto Gym Leaders who are unaffiliated with Team Rocket.
• Sabrina (Natsume (ナツメ^?)): A specialist in Psychic-type Pokémon, in Saffron City. In the anime, she is a cold, emotionless woman born with powerful psychic abilities, including telekinesis, telepathy, and transmutation, which she used in destructive ways as a child. In the anime, she carries around a green-haired doll that is actually a physical manifestation of the childhood and childlike spirit she abandoned in favor of practicing her psychic abilities. In the videogame the protagonist is told of how she beat the leader of 'The Fighting Dojo' (the gym next door) by robbing it of its gym status. Sabrina returns in Black 2 and White 2 in the Pokéstar Studios as a movie villain.
• Kiyo (Nobuhiko (ノブヒコ^?)): 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, andLeafGreen, 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.
• Koga (Kyō (キョウ^?)): An expert on Poison-type Pokémon, a ninja who also patrols the Safari Zone in Fuchsia City. Runs the Fuchsia City Gym in Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow,FireRed and LeafGreen. In Pokémon Gold and Silver, he leaves his gym to join the Elite Four and is replaced by his daughter Janine. He is a former Team Rocket executive in the Pokémon Adventures manga, who goes on to form the new Elite Four with Bruno, Karen, and Will.
• Blaine (Katsura (カツラ^?)): An expert in Fire-type Pokémon. He enjoys testing his potential challengers with quizzes on their knowledge of Pokémon and appears to be an old friend of Mr. Fuji. Originally resided on Cinnabar Island, but moved to the Seafoam Islands after Cinnabar was destroyed by a volcano, with the intention of rebuilding the gym on Cinnabar some day.
• Giovanni (Sakaki (サカキ^?)): An expert in Ground-type Pokémon, and the leader of Team Rocket. Runs the Viridian City Gym in Pokémon Red, Blue, Pokémon Yellow,FireRed and LeafGreen. He later disappears and is not seen again, though Team Rocket attempts to locate him in Pokémon Gold, Silver, Pokémon HeartGold, SoulSilver, andCrystal.
• Janine (Anzu (アンズ^?)): An expert in Poison-type Pokémon. Janine is Koga's daughter, and in Pokémon Gold and Silver takes over the Fuchsia City Pokémon Gym after her father joins the Elite Four. She makes the Gym's invisible maze even more confusing by filling it with lesser Pokémon trainers disguised as herself, to mislead challengers.
• Blue (the player's rival in the first generation games and their remakes) becomes the new Viridian City Gym Leader following the disappearance of Giovanni in Pokémon Gold,Silver, and Crystal, and their remakes, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. He does not stick to a specific type and has a wide variety of Pokémon, similar to the team he would have at the end of the preceding games.

[edit]Orange Islands Gym Leaders

These gym leaders only appear in the anime series' second season. They do not appear in any of the games.

• Cissy (Atsumi (アツミ^?)): 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 (Dan (ダン^?)): Danny challenges Ash to climb a mountain, freeze a geyser, and sled-race down the mountain.
• Rudy (Ziggy (ジギー Jigī^?)): A Pokémon trainer and dance instructor. He is very protective of his little sister, Mahri.
• Luana (Ruriko (ルリコ^?)): 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.
• Drake (Yūji (ユウジ^?)): Drake is the head of the Orange Islands Gym Leaders. (He is unrelated to the Drake that resides in Hoenn.) Because he had been undefeated until Ashdefeats him, Drake has been the long-standing champion of the Orange Islands; with Ash's victory, photos and plaster prints of him and his team are included among photos and plaster prints of previous champions preceding Drake.

[edit]Johto Gym Leaders

• Falkner (Hayato (ハヤト^?)) : Violet City Gym Leader and an expert on Flying-type Pokémon. Falkner inherited ownership of the gym from his father.
• Bugsy (Tsukushi (ツクシ^?)): Azalea Town Gym Leader and an expert on Bug-type Pokémon. He is a child prodigy who has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of Pokémon.
• Whitney (Akane (アカネ^?)): Goldenrod City Gym Leader and an expert on Normal-type Pokémon. She is known to throw tantrums when she loses, but is otherwise a cheeful Gym Leader and a good sport once she calms down. In the anime, she is much more level-headed, though she tends to get lost in Goldenrod City quite easily.
• Morty (Matsuba (マツバ^?)): Ecruteak City Gym Leader and an expert on Ghost-type Pokémon. Morty has vaguely defined psychic abilities. In Pokémon Crystal, he is a friend of Eusine, a trainer searching for Suicune.
• Chuck (Shijima (シジマ^?)): Cianwood City Gym Leader and an expert on Fighting-type Pokémon. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Chuck was the childhood teacher of the rival, Blue.
• Jasmine (Mikan (ミカン^?)): Olivine City Gym Leader and an expert on Steel-type Pokémon. She initially refuses the player's challenge because she is tending to a sickAmpharos that provides light for the city lighthouse. Only after giving the Ampharos proper medicine can Jasmine be challenged. Jasmine notably appears in Pokémon Diamondand Pearl and Pokémon Platinum in Sunyshore City and also as a competitor in Master Rank Pokémon Contests.
• Pryce (Yanagi (ヤナギ^?)): Mahogany Town Gym Leader and an expert on Ice-type Pokémon. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Pryce leads Neo Team Rocket under the alias of the "Masked Man" or Mask of Ice (マスク・オブ・アイス Masuku Obu Aisu^?). In public, he serves as the leader of the Johto Gym Leaders in a similar capacity to Erika, Winona, and Byron. Pryce is considerably more benign in the anime series, though he has a bitter attitude toward Pokémon since the mysterious disappearance of his loyal Piloswine during his youth.
• Clair (Ibuki (イブキ^?)): Blackthorn City Gym Leader and an expert on Dragon-type Pokémon. Clair is the younger cousin of Elite Four member and Champion, Lance. After being defeated, Clair forces the player to complete a trial in a nearby cave before being awarded a Badge.

[edit]Hoenn Gym Leaders

• Roxanne (Tsutsuji (ツツジ^?)): Rustboro City Gym Leader and an expert on Rock-type Pokémon. She is also a teacher at the Pokémon Trainer's School in Rustboro.
• Brawly (Tōki (トウキ^?)): Dewford Town Gym Leader and an expert on Fighting-type Pokémon. He trains by surfing the waves along Dewford beach, and claims that the swell helps build up his Pokémon's muscles. In the anime, he also has a private island which has a training facility and a battle field that has geysers on it. He used to train withBruno, the Elite Four member from Kanto.
• Wattson (Tessen (テッセン^?)): 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. He and the Trick Master are good friends in Pokémon Adventures. 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.
• Flannery (Asuna (アスナ^?)): Lavaridge Town Gym Leader and an expert on Fire-type Pokémon. Like Falkner, she supposedly inherited her Gym; Flannery's predecessor was her grandfather and she is relatively new in her role as Lavaridge's Gym Leader.
• Norman (Senri (センリ^?)): Petalburg City Gym Leader and an expert on Normal-type Pokémon. In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald, Norman is the protagonist's father. In the anime, he is the father of May and Max and Caroline's husband. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, he is the father of Ruby and a close friend of Professor Birch.
• Winona (Nagi (ナギ^?)): Fortree City Gym Leader and an expert on Flying-type Pokémon. In Pokémon Adventures, she is the de facto leader of the Gym Leaders of Hoenn against the plots of Team Aqua and Team Magma. In the anime, she owns a shiny Swellow.
• Tate & Liza (Fū & Lan (フウとラン Fū to Ran^?)): The twins are the Mossdeep City Gym Leaders and experts on Psychic-type Pokémon. Their parents work at the Mossdeep Space Center. In the anime, it is revealed that Liza is older than Tate by minutes from birth and also happens to be a more experienced trainer than him.
• Wallace (Mikuri (ミクリ^?)): Wallace is the Sootopolis City Gym Leader in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. He is an expert on Water-type Pokémon and also happens to be a skilled artist. In Pokémon Emerald, Wallace becomes the Pokémon League Champion, leaving the post of Gym Leader to his mentor, Juan. In the anime, he does not make an appearance until the Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl anime series, where he is a Contest Master hailing from the Hoenn region who holds a Contest called the Wallace Cup.
• Juan (Adan (アダン^?)): 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.

[edit]Sinnoh Gym Leaders

• Roark (Hyōta (ヒョウタ^?)): Oreburgh City Gym Leader and an expert on Rock-type Pokémon. His father is Byron, who is the Gym Leader of Canalave City. He is first found in the mine near Oreburgh City. He and his father Byron are avid fossil hunters and Roark introduces the player character to the Underground.
• Gardenia (Natane (ナタネ^?)): Eterna City Gym Leader and an expert on Grass-type Pokémon. In the anime, she is extremely enthusiastic about Grass-type Pokémon and would often approach one despite not being worried about being attacked. In the Diamond, Pearl and Platinum games, she shows her discontent for Ghost-type Pokémon as she warns the player about them outside the Old Chateau at the Eterna Forest and notes that she is worried about what would happen if a dual Grass/Ghost type Pokémon does exist.
• Maylene (Sumomo (スモモ^?)): Veilstone City Gym Leader and an expert on Fighting-type Pokémon. Her father is often seen at the casino in Veilstone City and he describes his daughter as a tough one. She also appears in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver at an eating contest in Celadon City and as a participant in the Pokéthlon.
• Crasher Wake (Maximum Mask (マキシマム仮面 Makishimamu Kamen^?)): Pastoria City Gym Leader and an expert on Water-type Pokémon. Wake is dressed up like amasked wrestler. He is widely known as professional wrestler in the Sinnoh region and is often mentioned on various TV shows. He also makes several appearances inPokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.
• Fantina (Melissa (メリッサ Merissa^?)): Hearthome City Gym Leader and an expert on Ghost-type Pokémon. She comes from a foreign land and she speaks in a broken form of the language of the game and her own original language; in the Japanese and French language games this is English, while other language editions have her as French. She is also a skilled tango dancer. Fantina can often be found participating in Master Rank Super Contests in the Hearthome Contest Hall. In Diamond and Pearl, although Hearthome City is visited fairly early, Fantina will refuse to battle until the player has earned four Badges; in Pokémon Platinum, she can be challenged during the player's first vist to the city, placing her as the third Gym Leader in the game.
• Byron (Tōgan (トウガン^?)): Canalave City Gym Leader and an expert on Steel-type Pokémon. He is the father of Roark, who is also a Gym Leader. He and his son are avid diggers and fossil hunters. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Byron acts as the leader of the Sinnoh Gym Leaders against Team Galactic.
• Candice (Suzuna (スズナ^?)): Snowpoint City Gym Leader and an expert on Ice-type Pokémon. After the Elite Four are conquered, she will grant the player access to the Snowpoint Temple. In the anime, she is a childhood friend of Dawn's rival, Zoey. In Platinum, Maylene admires her for her studiousness.
• Volkner (Denji (デンジ^?)): The Sunyshore City Gym Leader and an expert on Electric-type Pokémon. Volkner is close friends with Flint of the Sinnoh Elite Four, but has become disillusioned after a long series of unworthy opponents.

[edit]Unova Gym Leaders

[edit]Black and White

• Cilan (Dent (デント Dento^?)), Chili (Pod (ポッド Poddo^?)), and Cress (Corn (コーン Kōn^?)): Triplets and waiters who share duties as the Striaton City Gym Leaders. The player challenges the Gym Leader whose Pokémon is strong against the player's starter; Cilan has the Grass-Type Pansage, Chili has the Fire-Type Pansear, and Cress has the Water-Type Panpour. Cilan appears as a main character in the anime, joining Ash on his journey after Ash is awarded Striaton Gym's Trio Badge for defeating him and his brothers. While they do not reprise their roles as Gym Leaders in Black 2 and White 2, they do appear in the post-game as NPCs that the player can meet and then participate in a unique battle with them on a regular basis.
• Lenora (Aloe (アロエ Aroe^?)): Nacrene City Gym Leader and paleontologist who uses Normal-Type Pokémon. Lenora has her Gym located inside Nacrene City's museum, of which she is also the director. Her devoted husband, Hawes, is the assistant director. While she does not reprise her role as a Gym Leader in Black 2 and White 2, she remains the director of the Nacrene Museum.
• Burgh (Arti (アーティ Āti^?)): Castelia City Gym Leader; he is a skilled painter and a Bug-Type specialist. Burgh's Gym is modeled after a beehive and features many of his works of art. He is friends with Lenora. In Black 2 and White 2, Burgh is still the Castelia Gym Leader, but his Gym is now coated in silk from cocoons.
• Elesa (Kamitsure (カミツレ^?)): Nimbasa City Gym Leader and a model; Elesa specializes in Electric-Type Pokémon. The Nimbasa City Gym is located in an amusement park, and the Pokémon Gym is filled with roller coasters. Elesa helps to convince Bianca's father to allow his daughter to become a Pokémon trainer and also tells Clay to lower the drawbridge into Driftveil City for the player. She returns as the Nimbasa Gym Leader in Black 2 and White 2, but she has moved her Gym into a fashion studio complete withrunway.
• Clay (Yacon (ヤーコン Yākon^?)): Driftveil City Gym Leader and CEO of an unknown company, according to a trainer in Clay's gym; Clay uses Ground-Type Pokémon in his cavernous mine-like gym. He tests the player before allowing a Gym Challenge by asking the player help arrest the Team Plasma members in his town. His Gym contains an elevator puzzle in Black and White. In Black 2 and White 2, he retains his role as the Driftveil Gym Leader, though his Gym's puzzle now revolves around a maze of platforms obscured by darkness.
• Skyla (Fūro (フウロ^?)): Mistralton City Gym Leader; Skyla uses Flying-Type Pokémon in her gym on an airstrip. She also works as a commercial pilot, flying cargo planes. Before she lets the player challenge her, she visits the Celestial Tower to help a hurt Pokémon she saw on her last flight. Her Gym has a puzzle based on air cannons that shoot the player around. In Black 2 and White 2, she remains the Mistralton Gym Leader and her gym's puzzle involves fans that blows the player in specific directions to move through the Gym.
• Brycen (Hachiku (ハチク^?)): Icirrus City's Gym Leader; Brycen is an Ice-Type specialist. Bored of his life as a movie star, Brycen sought out Alder who suggested that he become a Pokémon trainer. He stresses the importance of concealing his identity from others and wears a mask. Brycen steps down from his role as Gym Leader two years later, and in Black 2 and White 2 returns to his old career in films, allowing the player to encounter him in the PokéStar Studios minigame.
• Drayden (Shaga (シャガ^?)) and Iris (アイリス Airisu^?): The two Gym Leaders of Opelucid City and Dragon-Type specialists. The Gym features a puzzle based on different switches and the movement of statues within the building. While both characters are present in each version of the games, Drayden is battled in Black while Iris is battled inWhite; the character who is not the Gym Leader will be the Move Tutor for Draco Meteor instead. In White 2 and Black 2, Drayden becomes the sole Opelucid City Gym Leader while Iris has become the regional champion in the two years following the previous games. Iris appears as a main character in the anime, but her connection to the Opelucid Gym has not yet been mentioned as of August 2012.

[edit]Black 2 and White 2

The majority of the Gym Leaders in Black and White reprise their roles as Gym Leaders, though others (Cilan, Chili, Cress, Lenora, Brycen, and Iris) are no longer Gym Leaders and appear in the sequels in a different capacity.

• Cheren, one of the player character's two rivals in Black and White, is the Aspertia City Gym Leader in Black 2 and White 2. He specializes in Normal types.
• Roxie^[4] (Homika (ホミカ^?)): Roxie is the Gym Leader of Virbank City and specializes in Poison-Type Pokémon. Her gym is a music club and she is often seen with her signature bass guitar that looks like a Scolipede.^[5] Roxie debuts in the anime in the first season finale of the Japanese Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes! broadcast; Ash challenges her for his eighth Unova League Gym Badge, as Opelucid City is not available.
• Marlon (Shizui (シズイ^?)): Marlon is the Gym Leader of Humilau City and is a specialist in Water-Type Pokémon. Inside his gym is a gigantic pond filled with lilypads that the player must navigate around on. In the Japanese edition, he speaks with a Kyushu accent. He is fond of giving advice to new trainers, and does things at his own pace.^[6]

[edit]Members of the Elite Four

The Elite Four (四天王 Shitennō^?, lit. "Four Heavenly Kings") is an order of exceptionally skilled Pokémon trainers consisting of four member trainers of ascending rank. Like the Gym Leaders, they also specialize on a type of Pokémon but are far stronger. Most different regions possess their own organizations. The player must first defeat them all so that they may gain the right to challenge the 'Pokémon Champion'. The player must obtain all eight badges from each respective region's gym leaders.

[edit]Kanto Elite Four

The Kanto Elite Four act as the Elite Four in the original series of Pokémon games consisting of Pokémon Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow versions as well as in Pokémon FireRedand LeafGreen versions which act as remakes of the original games. Within the timeline of the game series they are eventually also given the status as the 'Johto Elite Four', as Johto shares its Pokémon league with Kanto.

• Lorelei (Kanna (カンナ^?)): Lorelei is a specialist of Ice-type Pokémon. She is originally from the Sevii Islands and she collects Pokémon Dolls. She appears in the Orange Islands series of the anime, where she is known as Prima in the English version. She is a villain in Pokémon Adventures, who attempts to take over the world with the other Elite Four. She later allies with Red and Blue to save her home.
• Bruno (Shiba (シバ^?)): Bruno is an expert on Fighting-types, and a friend and training partner of Brawly. He constantly trains his own body along with his Pokémon, and he wishes to fight the best trainers in the world, which is why he is part of the group. He regularly trains on the Sevii Islands and utilizes the spa for his Pokémon. He appears in thefirst episode of the anime as a combatant on television, and he later meets Ash when he seeks out Bruno to learn of his "secret" to become a great trainer. Bruno is an unwilling villain in Pokémon Adventures, where he is forced by Agatha to fight for her. He later forms the Johto Elite Four with Will, Karen, and Koga. Bruno attaches his Poké Balls to the ends of a set of nunchaku, and unleashes his Pokémon at high speeds to give him an advantage.
• Agatha (Kikuko (キクコ^?)): Agatha is an elderly woman who specializes in Ghost-type Pokémon. She appears in the anime as a temporary leader for the Viridian City Gym, where she defeats Ash in a battle. She is the main antagonist of the Yellow chapter of Pokémon Adventures. She attempts to destroy most of humanity from their base on Cerise Island. She controls Bruno against his will by utilizing the mind-controlling powers of her ghost Pokémon, and she is a former rival of Professor Oak, though their relationship eventually grew very bitter when he decided to pursue his own research career rather than stick with their group, which according to Oak, was only interested in finding new ways to control Pokémon, which the professor found unethical.
• Lance (Wataru (ワタル^?)): Lance, known as one of the best Pokémon trainers in their world, specializes in dragon Pokémon. He is Clair's cousin, having previously trained with her in Blackthorn City. He helps the protagonist in the second generation games in the fight against Team Rocket. He appears in the anime, where he helps Ash's group defeat Team Rocket, catching a red Gyarados that is part of their experiments, and later helps to stop the battle between Groudon and Kyogre. He is an antagonist in Pokémon Adventures who wishes to destroy humanity due to all of the pollution and their hurting of Pokémon. He later becomes an ally of Silver, who he sends on various missions. He is promoted to a Pokémon League champion of the Johto region in the sequel games.

[edit]Johto Elite Four

The Johto Elite Four act as the Elite Four in the original series of Pokémon games consisting of Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal versions as well as in Pokémon HeartGold andSoulSilver versions which act as remakes of the original games. Within the timeline of the games series, they become the successors of the Kanto Elite Four. Some of the members from the previous games return while others are replaced by new ones.

• Will (Itsuki (イツキ^?)): Will is a Psychic-type specialist, who wears formal clothes and a mask. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, he was kidnapped by the Mask of Ice as a child and raised to be his servant. He is initially one of the leaders of Neo Team Rocket, but he eventually goes on to form the new Elite Four with Karen, Koga, and Bruno. He takes over Lorelei's place.
• Koga, Fuchsia City Gym Leader in the Kanto-based versions of the games, is promoted to the Elite Four in Johto-based versions.
• Bruno, member of the Elite Four in the Kanto-based games, retains his membership in the Elite Four in the Johto-based editions.
• Karen (Karin (カリン^?)): Karen is a Dark-type specialist; she likes Dark-types because she finds their wild and tough nature appealing. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, she was kidnapped as a child and raised by Mask of Ice to be his servant. Like Will, she is initially a leader of Neo Team Rocket until she joins the others to form the new Elite Four. She takes over Agatha's place.

[edit]Hoenn Elite Four

The Hoenn Elite Four act as the Elite Four in the original series of Pokémon games consisting of Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald.

• Sidney (Kagetsu (カゲツ^?)): Dark-type specialist, who believes that the dark-side is beautiful, and that "might is right." He is always upbeat, and congratulates those who defeat him.
• Phoebe (Fuyō (フヨウ^?)): is a Ghost-type specialist, whose grandparents are responsible for guarding the Blue, Red, and Green Orbs at Mt. Pyre. She takes control of Regice, together with Glacia, in the Pokémon Adventures manga.
• Glacia (Prim (プリム Purimu^?)): Ice-type specialist, who came to Hoenn while looking for a warmer climate that, as she claims, help her Pokémon grow strong.
• Drake (Genji (ゲンジ^?)): Dragon-type specialist. He battles Ash in the anime, and he wins overwhelmingly due to Ash's overconfidence.

[edit]Sinnoh Elite Four

• Aaron (Ryō (リョウ^?)): Aaron uses Bug Pokémon, calling them beautiful and perfect. He appears in the anime preparing for a championship battle against Cynthia. When he meets Ash, who tells him about his experience with Cynthia, Aaron tells Ash about how he abandoned his Wurmple during his youth. He does his best to train and understand Bug-types out of regret for his mistake. He is later shown to have lost his match.
• Bertha (Kikuno (キクノ^?)): Bertha is an elderly Ground-type specialist. She appears in the anime along with Cynthia.
• Flint (Ōba (オーバ^?)): Flint is a Fire-type specialist, who meets the protagonist in Sunyshore City. He is a friend of Volkner and he has a younger brother named Buck. Flint's also seen on TV battling Cynthia in the final episode of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.
• Lucian (Goyō (ゴヨウ^?)): Lucian is a Psychic-type trainer, who is an avid reader. He battles with Dawn in the anime, and he is shown on television battling Cynthia.

[edit]Unova Elite Four

• Shauntal (Shikimi (シキミ^?)): Shauntal is a Ghost-Type Pokémon Trainer. Her hobby is writing books. She can also be seen at Cynthia's holiday home in Undella Town on occasion.
• Grimsley (Gīma (ギーマ^?)): Grimsley is a Dark-Type Pokémon Trainer. The son of a distinguished family that fell into ruin, he has become an expert gambler.
• Caitlin (Cattleya (カトレア Katorea^?)): Caitlin is a Psychic-Type Pokémon Trainer; she is described as having psychic powers which she had trouble controlling in the past due to her explosive temper. She travels to the region of Unova to learn how to control them and become a better trainer. She previously appeared in the Generation IV games' Battle Frontier and was in charge of running the Battle Castle but was unable to battle.
• Marshal (Renbu (レンブ^?)): Marshal is a Fighting-Type Pokémon Trainer and Alder's apprentice.

[edit]Regional Champions

At the start of every game series, each region has their own respective regional league champion. They are meant to be the strongest trainer within their own region and are far more superior than the Elite Four Members and Gym Leaders. Their position of 'Pokémon Champion' is constantly open to challenge to any Pokémon trainer who gains eight badges and defeats the Elite Four, and once they defeat the Champion in a Pokémon battle, they automatically earn the title for themselves. Whenever the title of champion is passed on, it is honored by an inauguration into the Hall Of Fame.

• Blue, the player's rival, serves as the Kanto League Champion in Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen.
• Lance, member of the Kanto Elite Four, serves as the Johto League Champion in Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver.
• Steven Stone (Daigo Tsuwabuki (ツワブキ ダイゴ Tsuwabuki Daigo^?)): Steven is the Champion of the Hoenn League in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, and the son of Mr. Stone of the Devon Corporation. He has a passion for rare stones, and he constantly travels in search of them. Later in Emerald, he leaves his post as Champion to continue his search for the rare stones. Steven also makes several cameo appearances in HeartGold and SoulSilver. His team is made up of mainly Steel-type Pokémon.
• Wallace, Sootopolis City Gym Leader in Ruby and Sapphire, is the Champion of the Hoenn League in Emerald, replacing Steven.
• Cynthia (Shirona (シロナ^?)): Cynthia is the Sinnoh league champion, who uses mostly female Pokémon. She is very interested in mythology and history, and spends her time researching and exploring various sites associated with Legendary Pokémon of the Sinnoh region. In the game, she helps the protagonist fight against Team Galactic, and she also assists them once Giratina appears and takes Cyrus into the Distortion World. While she does not have a particular associated Pokémon type preference, her signature Pokémon is Garchomp. In the anime, Ash first meets with Cynthia after she defeats Paul in a battle; she later helps the group fight against Team Galactic. In Black and White, and their sequels, Cynthia is found in Undella Town where she can be challenged during the spring months in her rented villa. She appears during the summer months as well, but cannot be battled.
• Alder (Adeku (アデク^?)): Alder is the Champion of the Unova League, who helps the player battle Team Plasma throughout Unova, having taken a hiatus from serving as the Champion after the death of his first Pokémon, a Larvesta that later evolved into Volcarona, in order to properly mourn it. N successfully challenges him to battle and wins, forcing the player to have to fight N. The player can later challenge Alder after finishing the main story of the game. While he does not specialize in a particular Pokémon type, half of his Pokémon are Bug-types, and his signature Pokémon is Volcarona. He retires from his position by the time Black 2 and White 2 take place, but can be battled in his home in Floccesy Town after the player has completed the main story.
• Iris, the Opelucid City Gym Leader in White, serves as the Champion of the Unova League in Black 2 and White 2, replacing Alder and keeping her Dragon-type specialization.

[edit]Frontier Brains

The Frontier Brains (フロンティアブレーン Furontia Burēn^?) are a fictional group of powerful Pokémon trainers from the Battle Frontier that appears in Pokémon Emerald andPokémon Platinum. Each Brain resides at a Frontier facility and has his or her own title. After defeating a Frontier Brain, the trainer will receive a Silver Symbol (1st time) or Gold Symbol (2nd time). In Platinum, the trainer will receive a Silver Medal (1st time) or Colored Medal (2nd time).

In the anime, Ash Ketchum travels the land of Kanto after his journey in Hoenn, defeating the Frontier Brains. Instead of being on the Battle Frontier island, the facilities are in cities in Kanto.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, a mysterious boy called Emerald, who has a connection with Latias and Latios, comes to the Battle Frontier island to defeat the Frontier Brains. Todd, a character from the anime and the Pokémon Snap games, watches Emerald go through the frontier. Similarly, Platinum Berlitz challenges the Frontier Brains of Sinnoh alongside Looker in order to learn more about the Distortion World in a later chapter of the manga.

[edit]Hoenn/Kanto

• Factory Head Noland (Factory Head Datsura (ファクトリーヘッド ダツラ Fakutorī Heddo Datsura^?)) resides in the Battle Factory in Hoenn. As the Factory Head, he is able to view the Battle Swap data of any trainer and advocates gaining experience rather than relying solely on acquired knowledge. Noland battles with a randomly selected team each time he is challenged, which can include any Pokémon except those that are not admissible in the Battle Frontier. He hands out the Knowledge Symbol. In the Pokémon Adventuresmanga, he is the first to battle with Emerald and is in charge of the raising and caring for all the rental Pokémon.
• Arena Tycoon Greta (Arena Captain Kogomi (アリーナキャプテン コゴミ Arīna Kyaputen Kogomi^?)) resides in the Battle Arena. A blunt girl who likes face strong trainers, she hands out the Guts Symbol to those who defeat her.
• Dome Ace Tucker (Dome Superstar Heath (ドームスーパースター ヒース Dōmu Sūpāsutā Hīsu^?)) resides in the Battle Dome. Tucker prefaces battles with narcissistic comments, and enjoys the sound of a crowd chanting his name. He uses Pokémon that are one of a kind, for example, the final evolutions of starter Pokémon. He turns over the Tactics Symbol.
• Pike Queen Lucy (Tube Queen Azami (チューブクイーン アザミ Chūbu Kuīn Azami^?)) resides in the Battle Pike. Lucy prefers to use serpent-like Pokémon. She is very tall, quiet and pale, with knee length black hair and sharp looking eyes. Never saying much, defeated or otherwise, she does state that it took a great deal of work to get to her level of skill. Instead of a series of battles like the other facilities, Lucy's Pike consists of rooms that randomly have either a double battle, a wild Pokémon, a healing station, a trainer battle, or a random conversation. She hands over the Luck Symbol. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, she is the second to battle with Emerald.
• Palace Maven Spenser (Palace Guardian Ukon (パレスガーディアン ウコン Paresu Gādian Ukon^?)) resides in the Battle Palace. In Pokémon Adventures, he once touched the Blue Orb, which controls Kyogre, so he can tell who also has touched it. When battling him, Emerald is not allowed to issue commands to his Pokémon, who must battle based on their instincts and sense of strategy; challenges against Spenser require the trainer to have faith in the Pokémon he has chosen. He hands out the Spirit Symbol.
• Pyramid King Brandon (Pyramid King Jindai (ピラミッドキング ジンダイ Piramiddo Kingu Jindai^?)) resides in the Battle Pyramid. A man who appreciates the grand life of an explorer, he uses trios of Legendary Pokémon. In Pokémon Adventures, he remarks that he favours one-hit knockout moves and had captured Regirock, Regice, and Registeel after the trio disappeared following the battle in Hoenn to stop Groudon and Kyogre. In the anime, Ash notably faces Brandon several times before finally defeating him as the final Frontier Brain. Brandon hands out the Bravery Symbol.
• Salon Maiden Anabel (Tower Tycoon Lila (タワータイクーン リラ Tawā Taikūn Rira^?)) resides in the Battle Tower. She uses a variety of Pokémon. In the manga, she is the leader of the Frontier Brains, and her Battle Tower is considered "special". In the anime, Ash challenges her before Pyramid King Brandon. After Ash and Anabel's battle, there is a hint as if Anabel had fallen in love with Ash as she kisses him on his way out. She gives the Ability Symbol.

[edit]Sinnoh/Johto

• Factory Head Thorton (Factory Head Nejiki (ファクトリーヘッド ネジキ Fakutorī Heddo Nejiki^?)) resides in the Battle Factory in Sinnoh and later, in Johto. Like Factory Head Noland, Thorton's team is randomly selected each time he is challenged and can include any Pokémon except those inadmissible to the Battle Frontier. He gives away the Silver Factory Print to trainers that defeat him once and the Gold Factory Print to trainers that defeat him twice.
• Hall Matron Argenta (Stage Madonna Kate (ステージマドンナ ケイト Suteji Madona Keito^?)) resides in the Battle Hall in Sinnoh and later, in Johto. Argenta uses a strange strategy to test trainers and forces them to choose one Pokémon to battle 10 Pokémon of each type during their challenge. She gives away the Silver Hall Print to trainers that defeat her once, and the Gold Hall Print to trainers that beat her twice.
• Tower Tycoon Palmer (Tower Tycoon Kurotsugu (タワータイクーン クロツグ Tawaa Taikun Kurotsugu^?)) resides in the Battle Tower in Sinnoh and later, in Johto. He was first introduced in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl as the leader of the Battle Tower, which was later incorporated into Pokémon Platinum's Battle Frontier. He gives away the Silver Tower Print to trainers that defeat him once, and the Gold Tower Print to trainers that beat him twice.
• Castle Valet Darach (Castle Butler Kokuran (キャッスルバトラー コクラン Kasuteru Botura Kokuran^?)) and Lady Caitlin (Kattleya (カトレア Katoreya^?)) reside in the Battle Castle in Sinnoh and later, in Johto. Darach is the butler of Caitlin, who is the one in charge of running the facility by determining how much Castle Points (CP) are awarded to the player in the castle. He fights in her place using her Pokémon. Managing and using CP is an important factor for this facility. Darach gives away the Silver Castle Print to trainers that defeat him once, and the Gold Castle Print to trainers that beat him twice.
• Arcade Star Dahlia (Roulette Goddess Dahlia (ルーレットゴーデス ダリア Roureto Godesu Daria^?)) resides in the Battle Arcade in Sinnoh and later, in Johto. Her challenge consists in using a roulette simulator that randomly chooses a special condition for the upcoming battle. She gives away the Silver Arcade Print to trainers that defeat her once, and the Gold Arcade Print to trainers that beat her twice. She is also known to be a great dancer according to some trainers at her facility.

[edit]Subway Bosses

Similar to the Battle Towers and Battle Frontiers of the third and fourth generations, the Battle Subway (バトルサブウェイ Batoru Sabuwei^?) is a venue in Pokémon Black and Whitewhere the player can fight a series of trainers in succession, before eventually challenging the Subway Bosses (Subway Masters (サブウェイマスター Sabuwei Masutā^?)).^[7]

• Ingo (Nobori (ノボリ^?)) is the Subway Boss for the two Single Battle lines.
• Emmet (Kudari (クダリ^?)) is the Subway Boss for the two Double Battle lines.

When challenging the two Multi Battle lines (two players or one player with an NPC challenging two NPCs), both Emmet and Ingo are fought in a Multi Battle.