Gym Leader
- Leader redirects here. For the recurring character that first appeared inRaid Battle in The Ruins!, seeLeader (JN014).
AGym Leader (Japanese:ジムリーダーGym Leader) is the highest-ranking member of a PokémonGym. The main job of a Gym Leader is to testTrainers and theirPokémon so that they are strong and resourceful enough to take thePokémon League challenge. If a Trainer defeats a Gym Leader inbattle, then the Trainer earns that Gym'sBadge.
Gym Leaders are also responsible for overseeing how their respective Gyms are run and maintained. Great care must be taken to make sure that their Gym reflects the best environment for thetype in which theyspecialize, such as swimming pools in aWater-type Gym, trees and flowering plants in aGrass-type or aBug-type Gym, or ice and snow in anIce-type Gym. According toMorty, teaching young people how to battle with Pokémon of that particular type can also be the job of a Gym Leader. Unlike regular Pokémon Trainers, a Gym Leader has the right to directly challenge thePokémon League Champion, as revealed byBrock inPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!. As shown byKorrina inX and Y, a Gym Leader is allowed to have casual battles without the loss counting as an official loss that merits a Badge.
It has not exactly been made clear how Gym Leaders attain their position, but it appears that it varies for each Gym. Some of them founded their Gyms and are self-appointed. Others, such asWhitney, are chosen by the other members of the region's Pokémon League. A few appear to be passed on through families:Janine,Falkner, andFlannery all took over their respective Gyms from a close family member. However, Gyms do not necessarily belong to a particular family.Roark and his father,Byron, are both Gym Leaders at the same time, in different Gyms. Leaders can also choose to vacate their position. Examples includeKoga,Giovanni, andWallace. Some Gym Leaders also have secondary professions, such asElesa being a fashion model,Valerie being a fashion designer, andKaty owning a bakery.
Terminology
While this type ofTrainer is most commonly referred to as aGym Leader (Japanese:ジムリーダーGym Leader), other terms have occasionally been used in the English- and Japanese-language game manuals.
In the English game manuals fromGeneration I, the term "Pokémon Leader" is used in the section explaining and listing Gym Leaders; in later sections about the cities and towns, this was shortened to "Leader". In the English game manuals fromGeneration II, both "Gym Leader" and "Leader" are used. InPokémon: Official Nintendo Player's Guide, "Gym Leader" is formatted insentence case as "gym leader".[a]
In the Japanese game manuals from Generation I, the term used isジムのリーダー (Gym's Leader), rather than the definitive nameジムリーダー (Gym Leader).
Pokémon used
Nearly all Leaders rely on a singletype of Pokémon. For example,Erika uses onlyGrass-type Pokémon in official Gymbattles. Some Leaders, however, stray from this mold, albeit rarely. This is evidenced by the different types used byBlue during his reign as the Gym Leader of theViridian Gym in Generations II, IV, and VII, although he is the only Gym Leader to do so. However, many Gym Leaders have one or two Pokémon that stray from their type theme. This is usually because of a lack of availability for Pokémon of a certain type, such asSunyshore Gym LeaderVolkner'sAmbipom andOctillery inPokémon Diamond and Pearl. InPaldea, all of the Gym Leaders, excludingLarry, will use a Pokémon whose type does not match their type theme. Instead, that Pokémon'sTera Type will match the type theme and the Gym Leader willTerastallize that Pokémon after sending it out.
Geography and climate can often be connected to the type of Pokémon the Gym Leader of that area uses.Pastoria Gym LeaderCrasher Wake usesWater-type Pokémon, a direct allusion to the flooded marsh that surrounds the area and the constant downpour that plaguesPastoria City. Another example of this is theCinnabar Gym Leader,Blaine, who usesFire-type Pokémon and lives in a volcanic area.Pryce,Candice,Wulfric, andGrusha, theMahogany,Snowpoint,Snowbelle, andGlaseado Gym Leaders, respectively, useIce-type Pokémon and live either in or near icy or wintry areas.
The character archetype can also reflect the type of Pokémon a Leader uses. For example,Roark andByron, who are both miners, use the relatedRock- andSteel-type Pokémon.Tate and Liza could be based on the archetype of twins who can communicate telepathically, and thus trainPsychic-type Pokémon, and being twins, they also battle opposing Trainers in Double Battles.
In the core series
AGym Leader (Japanese:ジムリーダーGym Leader), orLeader prior toPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, is theTrainer class name given to the Gym Leaders when they are battled in thePokémon games. Despite Gym Leaders themselves being introduced inGeneration I, the Trainer class did not appear onscreen untilGeneration II, and it has been incorporated into every game since. Gym Leaders are integral within the Pokémon universe. Occasionally, in order for one to advance in the game, the player must challenge and defeat the leader of aGym. Each game is designed in such a way that the player will not be able to move forward until they receive aGym Badge which will, in turn, either allow them to use anHM to overcome natural obstacles or trigger a necessary event to continue with the game. It is one of the player's main objectives to collect eight Gym Badges, allowing them to challenge theElite Four.
Leaders do not seem to be required to be in their Gyms at all times, as they may have other duties.Giovanni, for example, could keep his title as a Gym Leader despite not being at theViridian Gym during the majority of the events ofGeneration I, and his successor,Blue, was also absent from the Gym several times. Beginning inGeneration IV, Leaders are increasingly encountered outside of their Gyms, evident in the remakesPokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, where the Leaders have to be found in different locations at specific times before they canexchange phone numbers with the player for arematch at the Fighting Dojo. Some Leaders even appear across regions, such asJasmine appearing inSunyshore City,Crasher Wake onRoute 47, andMaylene inCeladon City. Leaders can even challenge other Gyms and theElite Four (likeVolkner wanted to do). In later games, it is made apparent that Gym Leaders know each other and are acquainted with Gym Leaders from other regions, as well as with members of theElite Four andChampions. Examples of this are Jasmine being friends withErika, Volkner being friends withFlint,Brawly training withBruno, and mostUnova Gym Leaders coming together to fightTeam Plasma'sSeven Sages.
The role of Gym Leader is often passed down by family:Falkner inherited the role as the Flying-type Gym Leader ofViolet City from his father,Janine takes over her fatherKoga as theFuchsia Gym Leader following his promotion to the Elite Four, the role of Oreburgh was given toRoark by his fatherByron when he left to become the Canalave Gym Leader (although only after Riley, who was the first candidate, declined),Gordie is theCirchester Stadium Gym Leader inPokémon Sword passed down from his motherMelony who holds the title inPokémon Shield,Marnie becomes theSpikemuth Gym Leader replacing her brotherPiers. Other times, it will be passed down to a Gym Leader's protégé:Wallace was mentored byJuan to become the Sootopolis Gym Leader, a position he returns to during Wallace's time as Champion; the role ofOpelucid Gym Leader is given to Iris inPokémon White compared to her mentorDrayden inPokémon Black,Bede becomes theBallonlea Stadium Gym Leader after acceptingOpal's offer to be her successor. Gym Leaders can also retire or even forcefully lose the title of Gym Leader in some cases;Koichi was the former Fighting-type Gym Leader ofSaffron City until he lost a duel betweenSabrina who replaced her.
In addition, some Gym Leaders may be required to use Pokémon different than their usual team, such asCheren inBlack 2 and White 2. Due to their higher AI compared to regular Trainers, Gym Leaders are also one of the few Trainers to employ the use ofPotions when battling.
Gym Leaders in Galar have two divisions: major and minor. Upon completion of the main story, during theGalarian Star Tournament,KlaraSw/AverySh reveals that they have become a minor divisionPoisonSw/PsychicSh Gym Leader.
Gym Trainers
In addition to Gym Leaders, there are alsoGym Trainers. They are Trainers that are either a devotee or apprentice to the Gym Leader, who follow the same type theme as the Leader does. It is usually necessary to defeat multiple Gym Trainers before challenging the Gym Leader. Some Gyms in the game require the player to solve a puzzle, and one must often use Gym Trainers as obstacles to reach the solution. They have no direct impact on the overall plot, other than rarely offering the player helpful advice. It is also worth noting that the type ofTrainer appearing in a Gym will depend on the Gym itself. For instance,Gardenia employsAroma Ladies andBeauties, exclusively, whileMisty recruitsSailors andSwimmers; these Gym Leaders represent thetypesGrass andWater, respectively. However, starting inGeneration VIII, they only have the Trainer class "Gym Trainer", as well as a special introduction featuring their Badge.
In the spin-off games
Pokémon Masters EX
Gym Leaders from various core series regions appear inPokémon Masters EX. Some of them serve as PML Leaders for thePokémon Masters League, though this position is not exclusive to Gym Leaders, as seen withHapu.
Pokémon Puzzle series
In the "1P Stadium" mode ofPokémon Puzzle League,Ash Ketchum battles the eightKanto Gym Leaders.
In the "2P Stadium" mode of Pokémon Puzzle League, each player chooses a player character. The eight Kanto Gym Leaders are part of the list of available characters.
In the "Challenge" mode ofPokémon Puzzle Challenge,Ethan battles the eightJohto Gym Leaders.
Pokémon Trading Card Game
InPokémon Trading Card Game, theClub Masters have a role similar to Gym Leaders, giving outMedals to duelists who defeat them.
Pokémon Mezastar
InPokémon Mezastar, theStar Trainers have a role similar to Gym Leaders.
In animation
Pokémon the Series
InPokémon the Series,Trainers challenge Gym Leaders at their respectiveGyms in order to earnBadges. If a Trainer earns eight Badges from oneregion, they become eligible to enter that region'sPokémon League Conference.
There are more than eight Gyms, and thus Gym Leaders, in each region. Many Trainers in the series have been shown to have Badges that do not exist in the games, such asGary earning ten Badges inKanto. Other Badges observed in the animated series which do not correspond to game Badges suggest that there are at least nine Gyms inHoenn, 11 inSinnoh, 14 inUnova, and 11 inKalos. 11 Gyms have been shown on-screen in Unova. Several other characters have become or were Gym Leaders in this canon at some point:
- Pewter Gym Leaders:
- Cerulean Gym Leaders:
- Visquez acts as theVermilion City Gym Leader inLt. Surge's absence
- Agatha of theKantoElite Four acted as the temporary Gym Leader of theViridian Gym
- Theoriginal Blackthorn Gym Leader
- Mr. Moore,Flannery's grandfather and her predecessor as the Gym Leader ofLavaridge Gym
- Miles,Skyla's grandfather and her predecessor asMistralton City Gym Leader
- Clembot, the actingLumiose City Gym Leader
Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire
InThe Great Eight Fate!,May mentioned that theSootopolis Gym is the last Gym of theHoenn League, implying that there is a fixed order of Gyms. However, in the next episode,Eight Ain't Enough!,Juan is surprised to hear that theRain Badge was Ash's eighth Badge.
All Gym Leaders sinceFlannery have appeared in at least one episode before Ash earned a Badge from them.
Pokémon the Series: Black & White
InCilan Takes Flight, it's shown that, although Gym Leaders generally get along, they tend to disagree on things, in particular if their ways of running a gym clash.
Pokémon the Series: XY
All ofKalos's known Gym Leaders teamed up to help in the final battle againstTeam Flare and theGiant Rock inRocking Kalos Defenses! andForming a More Perfect Union!.
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
Some Gym Leaders from different regions were seen participating in theWorld Coronation Series, such asVisquez,Korrina,Raihan,Bea, andVolkner. It's also revealed that Bea travels across different regions of thePokémon world to battle other Gym Leaders, such as Korrina andChuck to be able to train for the championship. InFriends, Rivals, Lend Me Your Spirit!,Paul was revealed to have been offered a Gym Leader position at an undisclosed Gym.
Gallery
Pokémon Horizons: The Series
TheRising Volt Tacklers have encountered several Gym Leaders, such asBrassius andKabu, in their search for theBlack Rayquaza that once belonged to the Ancient AdventurerLucius. In addition,Iono once helpedDot search for a missingLiko in her hometown ofLevincia. InWelcome to Naranja Academy!, it was revealed thatPaldea's Gym Leaders helpNaranja Academy to train qualified Trainers forTera Training, a special curriculum that consists of teaching them and perfecting the use of theTerastal phenomenon.
Gallery
The Gym Leaders ofPaldea
Pokémon Origins
All of theGeneration I Gym Leaders appeared inPokémon Origins, but onlyBrock andGiovanni had spoken lines and key roles in the miniseries' plot. In this canon, it is revealed that Leaders have different teams to take on challengers, depending on how many Badges they have.
Pokémon Generations
Giovanni is the only Kanto Gym Leader to appear in the miniseries, specifically inThe Chase andThe Legacy.
InThe Uprising, most of theUnova Gym Leaders battledTeam Plasma at thePokémon League. InThe Frozen World,Drayden tried and failed to stop Team Plasma from stealing theDNA Splicers.
Pokémon: Twilight Wings
All ofGalar Gym Leaders appeared inPokémon: Twilight Wings. The first one to appear wasBea, who battledLeon inLetter and lost.Milo,Nessa, andAllister also made cameo appearances at the end of the same episode.Training focused mainly on Bea.
InEarly-Evening Waves, Nessa's story was told after a defeat in theChampions Cup.Raihan was also seen on a magazine cover during the episode, andMarnie was seen eating at aBattle Café.
Kabu,Gordie,Melony, andPiers all appeared inAssistant.
InThe Gathering of Stars, every Galar Gym Leader attended theGalarian Star Tournament.
Pokémon Evolutions
Roark appeared inThe Rival, whereBarry was seen challenging and defeating him in a flashback.
Morty appeared inThe Show, watching theKimono Girls' performance with hisGengar.
Pokémon: Paldean Winds
All ofPaldea Gym Leaders appeared inPokémon: Paldean Winds.Iono was the first Gym Leader to appear, debuting in a cameo inBreathe Out.
Ryme appeared inBreathe Together while rapping aboutNaranja Academy duringOhara,Aliquis, andHohma's video project. Next, Iono starred in a segment of the video, introducing all of the region's Gym Leaders to the audience. It was revealed by Iono that Larry is one of the oldest active members of the PaldeaPokémon League, having been Gym Leader for around 25 years.
Tyme, the former Gym Leader ofMontenevera, also made brief appearances inBreathe In andBreathe Together.
In the manga
Pokémon Adventures
In thePokémon Adventures manga, Gym Leaders have the same jobs as in thegames andanimated series, but are also shown to throw away their role as Leader and pursue other goals. Some Gym Leaders even become evil, such asKoga,Lt. Surge,Sabrina, andPryce. In order to become a Gym Leader in Adventures, one needs to fight a Trainer chosen by thePokémon Association and win in front of them without letting one of their own Pokémon faint. The one exception to this rule seen so far has been byBlue when he defended the building whereRed took his exam, since Red had to decline becoming a Gym Leader due to an injury, despite having passed the exam. Some Gym Leaders have jobs outside of their Gyms, but some of them focus solely on training their skills. In some regions, a single Gym Leader is chosen to lead and/or supervise the others. Known Gym Leaders with this status includeErika, Pryce, andWinona.
Gym Leaders are highly respected in their respective home regions and usually in other regions as well. When crises emerge, it is highly probable for Gym Leaders to gather to discuss about the situation that has befallen the region and what to do with it:
- All of theKanto andJohto's Gym Leaders were called up for a tournament held atIndigo Plateau in theGold, Silver & Crystal arc to fight as teams to see which region had stronger Gym Leaders. The secret secondary purpose of the tournament was to figure out the identity of theMasked Man, who had been identified as a Gym Leader. The Kanto team won with four wins, three losses, and one draw.
- Seven ofHoenn's Gym Leaders gathered atFortree City during theRuby & Sapphire arc to decide which team —Team Magma orTeam Aqua — they should support. When the crisis escalated, the Gym Leaders turned their attention towards thesuper-ancient Pokémon instead, although they were also forced to battle theAdmins of both aforementioned teams in the process.
- Six ofSinnoh's Gym Leaders gathered to fightTeam Galactic atSpear Pillar near the end of theDiamond & Pearl arc.
- Six ofUnova's Gym Leaders gathered to protect theNacrene Museum fromTeam Plasma's advance during theBlack & White arc. Their plan ultimately failed, and Team Plasma took them hostage. Once freed, they battled against theSeven Sages atN's Castle.
- Five ofKalos's Gym Leaders gathered to stopTeam Flare from activating theultimate weapon in theX & Y arc. All eight of them later helped to stop the team's second attempt to use the weapon.
- All ofGalar's Gym Leaders gathered to combat theDarkest Day unleashed byChairman Rose in theSword & Shield arc. Most of them also took part in the battle againstEternatus.
The Electric Tale of Pikachu
Several of the Kanto andOrange Islands Gym Leaders appeared inThe Electric Tale of Pikachu, though there were notable differences in some of their depictions compared to theanimated series. For example,Sabrina was portrayed as a kind and caring person, andBrock andMisty were not constantly traveling withAsh.
Pokémon Zensho
TheGeneration I Gym Leaders of Kanto appeared inPokémon Zensho.Satoshi earned a Badge from each of them, although he got theCascade Badge fromMisty by defending her Gym from aTeam Rocket Grunt and theMarsh Badge fromSabrina by helping to saveSilph Co. fromTeam Rocket, instead of defeating them.
Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys
Gold met many of the Johto Gym Leaders over the course of thePokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys manga, on his quest to earn eight Badges. However, due to the manga ending inCianwood City,Pryce andClair never appeared in it. Gold also temporarily led theCianwood Gym whileChuck was recovering from an accident.
Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure
Throughout hisjourney,Jō faced the Gym Leaders ofKanto andJohto. All of them except forFalkner appeared only as silhouettes.
List of Gym Leaders
Indigo League
In theGeneration I games and their respectiveremakes, a number of Indigo League Gym Leaders can be fought out of order.Koga must be fought beforeBlaine, as defeating Koga grants access toSurf and by extension,Cinnabar Island, but otherwise,Lt. Surge,Erika, Koga,Sabrina, and Blaine can be fought in any order. InPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, Blaine can also be fought before Koga, due to Surf having been replaced by theSecret Technique Sea Skim. Regardless, all seven other badges must be collected in order to gain access toViridian Gym to challengeGiovanni.
| Indigo League | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I,II,III,IV, andVII | Region:Kanto | ||||||
| Gym Leader Japanese | Location Japanese | Type | Badge | ||||
 Brock タケシ Takeshi | Pewter City ニビシティ Nibi City | Rock |  Boulder Badge | ||||
 Misty カスミ Kasumi | Cerulean City ハナダシティ Hanada City | Water |  Cascade Badge | ||||
 Lt. Surge マチス Matisse | Vermilion City クチバシティ Kuchiba City | Electric |  Thunder Badge | ||||
 Erika エリカ Erika | Celadon City タマムシシティ Tamamushi City | Grass |  Rainbow Badge | ||||
 Koga キョウ Kyou GenerationsI,III, andVII |  Janine アンズ Anzu GenerationsII andIV | Fuchsia City セキチクシティ Sekichiku City | Poison |  Soul Badge | |||
 Sabrina ナツメ Natsume | Saffron City ヤマブキシティ Yamabuki City | Psychic |  Marsh Badge | ||||
 Blaine カツラ Katsura | Cinnabar Island グレンじま Guren Island GenerationsI,III, andVII | Fire |  Volcano Badge | ||||
| Seafoam Islands ふたごじま Twin Islands GenerationsII andIV | |||||||
 Giovanni サカキ Sakaki GenerationsI,III, andVII |  Blue グリーン Green GenerationsII,IV, andVII | Viridian City トキワシティ Tokiwa City | Ground | Various |  Earth Badge | ||
Johto League
Chuck,Jasmine, andPryce can be challenged in any order.
| Johto League | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| GenerationsII andIV | Region:Johto | ||
| Gym Leader Japanese | Location Japanese | Type | Badge |
 Falkner ハヤト Hayato | Violet City キキョウシティ Kikyō City | Flying |  Zephyr Badge |
 Bugsy ツクシ Tsukushi | Azalea Town ヒワダタウン Hiwada Town | Bug |  Hive Badge |
 Whitney アカネ Akane | Goldenrod City コガネシティ Kogane City | Normal |  Plain Badge |
 Morty マツバ Matsuba | Ecruteak City エンジュシティ Enju City | Ghost |  Fog Badge |
 Chuck シジマ Shijima | Cianwood City タンバシティ Tanba City | Fighting |  Storm Badge |
 Jasmine ミカン Mikan | Olivine City アサギシティ Asagi City | Steel |  Mineral Badge |
 Pryce ヤナギ Yanagi | Mahogany Town チョウジタウン Chōji Town | Ice |  Glacier Badge |
 Clair イブキ Ibuki | Blackthorn City フスベシティ Fusube City | Dragon |  Rising Badge |
Hoenn League
InPokémon Ruby, Sapphire, andEmerald, it is possible to break the order and skip fightingBrawly until after defeatingWattson orFlannery. Regardless, the player must still defeat Brawly before fightingNorman since the latter requires the first four Badges before challenging him and defeating Norman grants access to Surf outside of battle.
Similarly,Winona can be skipped until after defeatingTate and Liza orWallaceRS/JuanE, but the player must still defeat Winona to gain access to thePokémon League.
Both of these are no longer possible inPokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, where a group ofRuin Maniacs inGranite Cave prevent the player from advancing until Brawly has been defeated, and aBird Keeper onRoute 120 prevents the player from advancing until Winona has been defeated.
| Hoenn League | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GenerationsIII andVI | Region:Hoenn | |||
| Gym Leader Japanese | Location Japanese | Type | Badge | |
 Roxanne ツツジ Tsutsuji | Rustboro City カナズミシティ Kanazumi City | Rock |  Stone Badge | |
 Brawly トウキ Tōki | Dewford Town ムロタウン Muro Town | Fighting |  Knuckle Badge | |
 Wattson テッセン Tessen | Mauville City キンセツシティ Kinsetsu City | Electric |  Dynamo Badge | |
 Flannery アスナ Asuna | Lavaridge Town フエンタウン Huen Town | Fire |  Heat Badge | |
 Norman センリ Senri | Petalburg City トウカシティ Touka City | Normal |  Balance Badge | |
 Winona ナギ Nagi | Fortree City ヒワマキシティ Hiwamaki City | Flying |  Feather Badge | |
 Tate and Liza フウとラン Fū and Lan | Mossdeep City トクサネシティ Tokusane City | Psychic |  Mind Badge | |
 Wallace ミクリ MikuriRSORAS |  Juan アダン AdanE | Sootopolis City ルネシティ Rune City | Water |  Rain Badge |
Sinnoh League
InPokémon Diamond, Pearl,Brilliant Diamond, and Shining Pearl,Maylene andCrasher Wake can be challenged in either order.
InPlatinum,Fantina is now required to be battled as the third Gym Leader, as the player cannot progress pastHearthome City until she is defeated. Additionally, Maylene must be challenged fourth and Crasher Wake must be challenged fifth.
| Sinnoh League | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| GenerationsIV andVIII | Region:Sinnoh | ||
| Gym Leader Japanese | Location Japanese | Type | Badge |
 Roark ヒョウタ Hyouta | Oreburgh City クロガネシティ Kurogane City | Rock |  Coal Badge |
 Gardenia ナタネ Natane | Eterna City ハクタイシティ Hakutai City | Grass |  Forest Badge |
 Maylene スモモ Sumomo | Veilstone City トバリシティ Tobari City | Fighting |  Cobble Badge |
 Crasher Wake マキシマム仮面 Maximum Mask | Pastoria City ノモセシティ Nomose City | Water |  Fen Badge |
 Fantina メリッサ Melissa | Hearthome City ヨスガシティ Yosuga City | Ghost |  Relic Badge |
 Byron トウガン Tougan | Canalave City ミオシティ Mio City | Steel |  Mine Badge |
 Candice スズナ Suzuna | Snowpoint City キッサキシティ Kissaki City | Ice |  Icicle Badge |
 Volkner デンジ Denzi | Sunyshore City ナギサシティ Nagisa City | Electric |  Beacon Badge |
Unova League
Black and White
| Unova League | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generation V | Region:Unova | ||||||||||
| Gym Leader Japanese | Location Japanese | Type | Badge | ||||||||
 Cilan デント Dent |  Chili ポッド Pod |  Cress コーン Corn | Striaton City サンヨウシティ Sanyou City | Grass | Fire | Water |  Trio Badge | ||||
 Lenora アロエ Aloe | Nacrene City シッポウシティ Shippou City | Normal |  Basic Badge | ||||||||
 Burgh アーティ Arty | Castelia City ヒウンシティ Hiun City | Bug |  Insect Badge | ||||||||
 Elesa カミツレ Kamitsure | Nimbasa City ライモンシティ Raimon City | Electric |  Bolt Badge | ||||||||
 Clay ヤーコン Yakon | Driftveil City ホドモエシティ Hodomoe City | Ground |  Quake Badge | ||||||||
 Skyla フウロ Huuro | Mistralton City フキヨセシティ Fukiyose City | Flying |  Jet Badge | ||||||||
 Brycen ハチク Hachiku | Icirrus City セッカシティ Sekka City | Ice |  Freeze Badge | ||||||||
 Drayden シャガ ShagaB |  Iris アイリス IrisW | Opelucid City ソウリュウシティ Souryuu City | Dragon |  Legend Badge | |||||||
Black 2 and White 2
| Unova League | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Generation V | Region:Unova | ||
| Gym Leader Japanese | Location Japanese | Type | Badge |
 Cheren チェレン Cheren | Aspertia City ヒオウギシティ Hiougi City | Normal | Basic Badge |
 Roxie ホミカ Homika | Virbank City タチワキシティ Tachiwaki City | Poison |  Toxic Badge |
Burgh アーティ Arty | Castelia City ヒウンシティ Hiun City | Bug | Insect Badge |
 Elesa カミツレ Kamitsure | Nimbasa City ライモンシティ Raimon City | Electric | Bolt Badge |
Clay ヤーコン Yakon | Driftveil City ホドモエシティ Hodomoe City | Ground | Quake Badge |
Skyla フウロ Huuro | Mistralton City フキヨセシティ Fukiyose City | Flying | Jet Badge |
Drayden シャガ Shaga | Opelucid City ソウリュウシティ Souryuu City | Dragon | Legend Badge |
 Marlon シズイ Shizui | Humilau City セイガイハシティ Seigaiha City | Water |  Wave Badge |
Kalos League
| Kalos League | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Generation VI | Region:Kalos | ||
| Gym Leader Japanese | Location Japanese | Type | Badge |
 Viola ビオラ Viola | Santalune City ハクダンシティ Hakudan City | Bug |  Bug Badge |
 Grant ザクロ Zakuro | Cyllage City ショウヨウシティ Shōyō City | Rock |  Cliff Badge |
 Korrina コルニ Corni | Shalour City シャラシティ Shara City | Fighting |  Rumble Badge |
 Ramos フクジ Fukuji | Coumarine City ヒヨクシティ Hiyoku City | Grass |  Plant Badge |
 Clemont シトロン Citron | Lumiose City ミアレシティ Miare City | Electric |  Voltage Badge |
 Valerie マーシュ Mache | Laverre City クノエシティ Kunoe City | Fairy |  Fairy Badge |
 Olympia ゴジカ Gojika | Anistar City ヒャッコクシティ Hyakkoku City | Psychic |  Psychic Badge |
 Wulfric ウルップ Urup | Snowbelle City エイセツシティ Eisetsu City | Ice |  Iceberg Badge |
Galar League
| Galar League | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generation VIII | Region:Galar | |||||
| Gym Leader Japanese | Location Japanese | Type | Badge | |||
 Milo ヤロー Yarrow | Turffield ターフタウン Turf Town |  Grass |  Grass Badge | |||
 Nessa ルリナ Rurina | Hulbury バウタウン Bow Town |  Water |  Water Badge | |||
 Kabu カブ Kabu | Motostoke エンジンシティ Engine City |  Fire |  Fire Badge | |||
 Bea サイトウ SaitouSw |  Allister オニオン OnionSh | Stow-on-Side ラテラルタウン Lateral Town |  Fighting |  Ghost |  Fighting Badge |  Ghost Badge |
 Opal ポプラ Poplar |  Bede ビート Beet | Ballonlea アラベスクタウン Arabesque Town |  Fairy |  Fairy Badge | ||
 Gordie マクワ MakuwaSw |  Melony メロン MelonSh | Circhester キルクスタウン Circus Town |  Rock |  Ice |  Rock Badge |  Ice Badge |
 Piers ネズ Nezu |  Marnie マリィ Mary | Spikemuth スパイクタウン Spike Town |  Dark |  Dark Badge | ||
 Raihan キバナ Kibana | Hammerlocke ナックルシティ Knuckle City |  Dragon |  Dragon Badge | |||
Paldea League
The Gym Leaders of thePaldearegion are the first ones who can be challenged in any order rather than the usual fixed order. However, thelevels of their Pokémon remain the same regardless of when they are challenged. The Gym Leaders are listed in order of lowest level to highest.
| Paldea League | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Generation IX | Region:Paldea | ||
| Gym Leader Japanese | Location Japanese | Type | Badge |
 Katy カエデ Kaede | Cortondo セルクルタウン Cercle Town | Bug |  Bug Badge |
 Brassius コルサ Colsa | Artazon ボウルタウン Bowl Town | Grass |  Grass Badge |
 Iono ナンジャモ Nanjyamo | Levincia ハッコウシティ Hakkō City | Electric |  Electric Badge |
 Kofu ハイダイ Haidai | Cascarrafa カラフシティ Carafe City | Water |  Water Badge |
 Larry アオキ Aoki | Medali チャンプルタウン Chanpuru Town | Normal |  Normal Badge |
 Ryme ライム Lime | Montenevera フリッジタウン Fridge Town | Ghost |  Ghost Badge |
 Tulip リップ Lip | Alfornada ベイクタウン Bake Town | Psychic |  Psychic Badge |
 Grusha グルーシャ Grusha | Glaseado Mountain ナッペ山 Mount Napper | Ice |  Ice Badge |
Orange League
| Orange League | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Animated series-exclusive | Region:Orange Islands | ||
| Gym Leader Japanese | Location Japanese | Challenge | Prize |
 Cissy アツミ Atsumi | Mikan Island ナツカン島 Natsukan Island | Water Gun target test Surfing race |  Coral-Eye Badge |
 Danny ダン Dan | Navel Island ネーブル島 Navel Island | Climb mountain (to qualify) Freeze a geyser race Build atoboggan Toboggan race |  Sea Ruby Badge |
 Rudy ジギー Ziggy | Trovita Island ユズ島 Yuzu Island | Target test Same-type Pokémon battle |  Spike Shell Badge |
 Luana ルリコ Ruriko | Kumquat Island リュウチン島 Ryūchin Island | Double Battle |  Jade Star Badge |
 Drake ユウジ Yūji | Pummelo Island カンキツ島 Kankitsu Island | Full Battle |  Winner's Trophy Honor at the Palace of Victory |
Trivia
- ForDP009,Professor Oak's Big Pokémon Encyclopedia is about Gym Leaders. He writes thissenryū about them: 「ジムリーダー いのちをかけて かかってこい」"Gym Leader, put your life on the line and challenge me."
- TheDark type did not get a Gym untilGeneration VIII, twenty years after the type debuted inPokémon Gold and Silver. Previously, there have been threeElite Four members (Karen,Sidney, andGrimsley), as well as anisland kahuna (Nanu), who specialize in Dark types. The other seventeen types have at least one Gym associated with them, with the new types,Steel andFairy, getting Gyms in their respective debut generations.
- As of Generation VIII, every other type has been specialized in by at least two Gym Leaders.
- Every Gym Leader that specializes inSteel-type Pokémon usesSteelix in battle.
- Generation I andGeneration II is the only pair of generations where Gym Leaders share no type in common.
- InPokémon the Series: Gold and Silver, none of the Gym Leaders had exactly the same lineups as they do in the games.
- Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl is the only series in theanimated series where all Gym Leaders in a region have used exactly the same teams as in the games.
- However, Volkner only used three of his four Pokémon in his battle withAsh.
- In the games, every Gym Leader has at least one Pokémon in their party that knows theTM move they give out upon defeat. Former Gym Leaders do not count in this, as Wallace when he is faced as Champion and Giovanni when he is faced in Generation IV do not have Pokémon that know the move they gave out as TMs when they were faced as Gym Leaders in previous games. Koga, despite not being a Gym Leader in Generation IV, has several Pokémon that know Toxic, the move he last gave out as a TM.
- SinceGeneration IV, there has consistently been aGrass-type and anIce-type Gym Leader in eachregion.
- From Generations I to V (not counting remakes), every move that was in a TM given out by a Gym Leader was a new move for that generation, and many of them were rarely (if ever) seen on any other Pokémon in the generation they were introduced. This trend has been broken in Generation VI, where only three Gym Leaders—Viola, Korrina, and Valerie—hand out TMs with moves new to the generation.
- Most of thecore series Gym Leaders have Japanese names consisting of three katakana. This includes allKanto Gym Leaders inGeneration I andIII games, allJohto Gym Leaders, and at least half of the Gym Leaders in every game.
- Blue (Japanese: グリーンGreen) is the only core series Kanto Gym Leader with a Japanese name longer than three characters.
- In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, the player can continue the game without defeatingWinona ofFortree City until attempting to battle the Elite Four.
- The Orange League is the only one so far in which Ash has successfully defeated all the Gym Leaders without a rematch.
- InPocket Monsters: The Animation, it was mentioned that the position of Gym Leaders was very unforgiving, as it had a three-strike rule stating that if a Gym Leader lost three times in a row, the Gym will be disqualified. It also revealed that being a Gym Leader was costly, leaving little pay, and the government can't provide for them. It also revealed that the rather brutal nature of Gym leading was one of the reasons whyMisty's andBrock's parents ended up abandoning them to Gym duties.
- Prior to the release ofPokémon Sword and Shield, Gym Leaders were referred to as Gym Masters in a since-deleted tweet by the official Nintendo of America account. This term was also used byBlaine in thePokémon the Series episodeRiddle Me This.
- Gyarados andPelipper are the most common Pokémon found amongst Gym Leaders, being used by seven each.
- Marnie is the only Gym Leader who doesn't use theTrainer class "Leader" or "Gym Leader" when battled at aGym.
- Up toGeneration VI, all the Gym Leader's English names are puns based on their respective specialized types. FromGeneration VIII onward, they all possess flora-based names similar to thePokémon Professors, following the conventions of their Japanese names. The same applies to each Elite Four member of those generations.
- InPokémon GO, "Gym Leader" is the name of an achievementmedal awarded for defendingGyms for at least 10 hours.
In other languages
| Language | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese | Cantonese | 道館館主Dougún Gúnjyú* 道館掌門人Dougún Jéungmùhnyàhn* 練功場場主Lihngūngchèuhng Chèuhngjyú* 競技場的掌門人Gihnggeihchèuhng dīk Jéungmùhnyàhn* |
| Mandarin | 道館館主 / 道馆馆主Dàoguǎn Guǎnzhǔ* 道館訓練家 / 道馆训练家Dàoguǎn Xùnliànjiā* 練功場首領Liàngōngcháng Shǒulǐng* 訓練館首領 / 训练馆首领Xùnliànguǎn Shǒulǐng* 道馆首领Dàoguǎn Shǒulǐng* | |
| Czech | Trenér stadionu (♂) Trenérka stadionu (♀) | |
| Danish | Styrkecenterleder Salleder | |
| Dutch | Gym Leider | |
| Finnish | Salipäällikkö Salijohtaja Salivalmentaja (Animated series) Salinjohtaja (Pokémon Adventures) | |
| French | Champion d'Arène (♂) Championne d'Arène (♀) | |
| German | Arenaleiter (♂) Arenaleiterin (♀) | |
| Greek | Αρχηγός ΣταδίουArchegós Stadiou | |
| Hebrew | מנהיג מכוןManhig Makhon (♂) מנהיגת מכוןManhigat Makhon (♀) | |
| Hindi | Gym Leader | |
| Hungarian | Teremvezető | |
| Icelandic | Stjórnaði Pokémon-ræktinni Pokémon-ræktastjóri Ræktastjóri Pokémon-leiðbeinandi | |
| Italian | Capopalestra | |
| Korean | 체육관 관장Cheyukgwan Gwanjang | |
| Malaysian | Ketua Gim | |
| Norwegian | Treningsleder* Gymleder | |
| Polish | Lider Sali (♂) Liderka Sali (♀) | |
| Portuguese | Brazil | Líder de Ginásio Líder da Academia (The Official Pokémon Handbook) |
| Portugal | Líder de Ginásio | |
| Romanian | Șef de Arenă | |
| Russian | Лидер стадионаLider stadiona Гим-лидерGim-lider Лидер СпортзалаLider Sportzala | |
| Spanish | Líder de gimnasio | |
| Swedish | Gymledare Gymtränare* Gymmästare* | |
| Thai | ยิมลีดเดอร์Yim Leader | |
| Turkish | Salon Lideri | |
| Vietnamese | Thủ lĩnh nhà thi đấu | |
Notes
- ↑"Here inPewter City, you'll face aJr. Trainer before you do battle with thegym leader,Brock." (page 21)
References
Related articles
- Justy, the "Leader" of anunofficial Gym inOrre
- Kantonian Gym Leader
- Frontier Brain
- Trial Captain
- Island kahuna
 | This Trainer Class article is part ofProject CharacterDex, aBulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in thePokémon games. |
