If you were looking for the seventh series ofPokémon the Series, seePokémon Journeys: The Series.

APokémon journey is a quest undertaken by aPokémon Trainer to learn to live and work withPokémon. InPokémon animation, a person's Pokémon journey can begin as early as the age of 10, when they can first legally apply for aPokémon Trainer's license. It is at this point that aPokémon Professor can give them afirst partner Pokémon native to their ownregion, though many people befriend or are given other Pokémon prior to being legally able to be Trainers.

Pokémon Trainers may choose to journey alone or with friends and people they meet along the way. On their journey, Trainers can stay at aPokémon Center free of charge, where their Pokémon can be healed by the residentPokémon Center lady.

In the games

Thecore series games chronicle the Pokémon journey of an individual Trainer, theplayer, across a region that is dependent on the game being played. The player will often begin a journey around the same time as one or morerivals, whom they will meet at various points through their travels, and maybattle against oralong with them. This journey is typically focused on defeating the region's eight Pokémon Gyms, defeating theElite Four, and becoming theChampion, though there are often sidequests along the way. Avillainous team will always show up during the journey to impede the player's progress, and often, after the Pokémon League has been conquered, several post-League areas are available to continue the journey.

While sending children alone on a Pokémon journey is a normal part of life in thePokémon world, manymothers remain understandably hesitant at letting their children grow up.

Somespin-off games, likePokémon Shuffle, explicitly define their narratives as a "journey". That does not hold true for every narrative where Trainers head out into the world to meet Pokémon.

In animation

Pokémon the Series

Theanimated series initially follows the Pokémon journey ofAsh Ketchum, who started off with his first Pokémon, aPikachu, inthe first episode ofPokémon the Series, and continues to journey across theworld in order to compete in each of the regionalPokémon League competitions. His ultimate goal is to become aPokémon Master. He is joined byhis friends along the way, each with their own goals.

The animated series has established that children may apply for theirPokémon Trainer's license, obtain their first Pokémon, and set out on their journey at the age of 10. Ash and many others received their first partner Pokémon from the resident Professor, while some have received theirs from a localPokémon Center or by other means. Seven-year-oldMax, although barred from owning Pokémon, accompanied his sisterMay on her journey. Sometimes children younger than 10 have been shown to have Pokémon in their possession, notablyIris who had aDrilbur at a young age.

Starting a Pokémon journey is considered a rite of passage for children, and Ash has followed in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather. A journey can continue into adulthood, which is the case forSilver and apparently Ash's father.Mandy even views an adult on a Pokémon journey as somewhat immature, preferring that they settle down instead.

Pokémon journeys have many different possibilities, with some Trainers choosing to gather a region'sBadges from itsPokémon Gyms, their ultimate goal being the Pokémon League challenge. Other Trainers instead choose to becomeCoordinators, gatheringRibbons by competing inPokémon Contests with the goal of winning theGrand Festival to become aTop Coordinator. Some other Trainers may choose to becomePerformers and compete inPokémon Showcases with the goal of being theKalos Queen. Others journey in order to learn about and be proficient about certaintypes of Pokémon while some may choose to journey to pursue certain occupations likePokémon breeding,Pokémon watching, andPokémon styling. Regardless of the reason behind the journey, Trainers must learn to work in all sorts of circumstances to become the best in their field.

Pokémon Horizons: The Series

InPokémon Horizons: The Series, theanimated series started to showLiko's journey through thePokémon world, being joined soon byRoy andDot through thePaldea region to learn more about theTerastal phenomenon.

Some time later, the three begin a quest across the world to purgeLaquium's influence fromwild Pokémon and clear theRising Volt Tacklers's names.

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Pokémon Adventures follows the journeys of its protagonists in each of arcs:

• Red,Blue, andGreen star in theRed, Green & Blue arc.
• Yellow stars in theYellow arc with Red, Blue, and Green joining in later on.
• Gold,Silver, andCrystal star in theGold, Silver & Crystal arc.
• Ruby andSapphire star in theRuby & Sapphire arc.
• Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, and Silver return to the forefront in theFireRed & LeafGreen arc.
• Emerald stars in theEmerald arc with Ruby, Sapphire, Gold, and Crystal joining in later on.
• Diamond,Pearl, andPlatinum star in theDiamond & Pearl arc, later mainly going separate paths in thePlatinum arc.
• Gold, Silver, and Crystal star again in theHeartGold & SoulSilver arc.
• Black andWhite star in theBlack & White arc.
• Blake andWhitley star in theBlack 2 & White 2 arc with Black and White joining in later on.
• X andY star in theX & Y arc
• Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald return to the forefront in theOmega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire arc.
• Sun andMoon star in theSun, Moon, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon arc.
• Henry andCasey star in theSword & Shield arc.
• Violet andScarlet star in theScarlet & Violet arc.

In other languages

• Terminology