Pokémon Trainer
- For fighter info, seePokémon Trainer (SSBB) andPokémon Trainer (SSBU).
- "Leaf" redirects here. For the Mexican player, seeSmasher:Leaf. For the Japanese player, seeSmasher:Leaf (Japan).
| Pokémon Trainer | |
|---|---|
   Official artwork ofRed andLeaf, theplayable Pokémon Trainers ofPokémon FireRed andLeafGreen Versions. | |
| Universe | Pokémon |
| Debut | Pokémon Red andGreen Versions (1996, general concept and Red) Pokémon FireRed andLeafGreen Versions (2004, Leaf) |
| Smash Bros. appearances | Brawl (male only) SSB4 Ultimate |
| Most recent non-Smash appearance | Pokémon Legends: Z-A (2025, general concept) Pokémon Masters EX (2019, Red and Leaf) |
| Console/platform of origin | Game Boy (general concept and Red) Game Boy Advance (Leaf) |
| Species | Human |
| Gender | Varies Male (Red) Female (Leaf) |
| Place of origin | Pokémon world (general concept) Kanto (Red and Leaf) |
| Englishvoice actor | ♂:Michele Knotz (Brawl) Billy Bob Thompson (Ultimate) ♀:Kate Bristol |
| Japanesevoice actor | ♂:Tomoe Hanba ♀:Wakana Minami |
| Frenchvoice actor | ♂: Virginie Demians (Brawl) Emilie Guillaume (Ultimate) ♀: Elisabeth Guinand |
| Germanvoice actor | ♂: Dina Kürten (Brawl) Maximilian Belle (Ultimate) ♀: Lea Kalbhenn |
| Spanishvoice actor | ♂: Isabel Navarro (Brawl) Rodri Martín (Ultimate) ♀: Tania Ugía |
| Italianvoice actor | ♂: Francesca Giudice (Brawl) Tania De Domenico (Ultimate) ♀: Giada Bonanomi |
| Koreanvoice actor | Lee Sun |
| Articles on Bulbapedia | Pokémon Trainer Player character |
APokémon Trainer (ポケモントレーナー,Pokémon Trainer) is ahuman from thePokémon series. Theplayer characters in the series belong to the Pokémon Trainer "occupation", as do most of the other human characters. Pokémon Trainers debuted in the series'first generation. In theSuper Smash Bros. series, theplayer character in thePokémon series is represented as the fighter known simply as "Pokémon Trainer", who is represented byRed inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, and both Red andLeaf inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Origin[edit]
From the very outset of thePokémon franchise, the world of Pokémon had been established as an Earth-like world populated by humans and a diverse set of creatures called Pokémon. In this world, humans are referred to as Pokémon Trainers if they collect, take care of, and train Pokémon for use in competitive matches with those of other Trainers called Pokémon battles. All mainPokémon games cast the player as a young Pokémon Trainer ready to set out on a Pokémon journey across that game'sregion of the Pokémon world, on a quest to capture many species of Pokémon and, from there, train a team of Pokémon proficient in the sport of Pokémon battling that they may carry the Trainer to victory against that region'sPokémon League.
The Trainer's traditional tool for capturing Pokémon is thePoké Ball, which is typically purchasable atPoké Marts and comes in many distinctive varieties. New Trainers also receive a piece of high-tech equipment called thePokédex, which functions as an encyclopedia for the Pokémon in that respective region which the Trainer will fill up via new captures, among other adventuring gear.
Throughout each journey, the Trainer will battle hundreds of other Trainers, encounter countless Pokémon in the wild, and be involved in subplots involving thwarting the schemes ofcriminal organizations that consist of trainers. While the playable Pokémon Trainers were initially depicted as exclusively male, the option to choose the gender of the playable Trainer has been available as ofPokémon Crystal Version. Each game's protagonist options are similar, but they are all distinct characters in-universe. Playable Trainers also have one or morerivals, whose motivations and characterizations vary significantly.
Pokémon Black and White Versions introduced player characters slightly older than the previously established norm of 10-12 years old, whilePokémon X and Y introduced Trainer customization, allowing the player to choose from a variety of skin, hair, clothing and cosmetic options. While Pokémon Trainers have always been an integral part of thePokémon experience, the mobile gamePokémon Masters EX makes them a primary focus of the game alongside the Pokémon themselves, allowing the player to recruit Trainers from across the series' history and their single partner Pokémon (known as a "sync pair") to battle in teams.
InPokémon Red andBlue, the soleplayer character is a male, 11-year-old Pokémon Trainer who is gifted hisstarter Pokémon -Squirtle,Bulbasaur orCharmander - byProfessor Oak, whose grandson serves as the Trainer's rival. The hero then travels through theKanto region to collect the eightGym Badges and defeat the nefariousTeam Rocket, eventually becoming the Indigo League Champion after defeating his rival in one final battle. This carries through to the remakes,Pokémon FireRed andLeafGreen Versions, but with the added option of choosing a female playable character instead, as per games fromCrystal onwards.
All Pokémon Trainer protagonists can be named by the player, but the maleRed andBlue protagonist would go on to become a recurring character known asRed. Since his debut, Red has gone on to appear as the final opponent of theJohto games atopMt. Silver; an opponent in thePokémon World Tournament inPokémon Black andWhite Versions 2; and the co-leader of theBattle Tree inPokémon Sun andMoon alongside his rivalBlue.
In all cases, Red's team consists of Pokémon that were caught during major events of his original quest, withhis Pikachu serving as his signature Pokémon. However, later appearances (including theSuper Smash Bros. series) establishCharizard as another signature Pokémon for him, depending on the canon. His female counterpart, likewise, would later be codified as the characterLeaf in the games' internal data and her later appearances. Another female character exists known asGreen, who is very similar to Leaf, but it is unknown whether they are different versions of the same character, although both are conflated into a single character in thePokémon Adventures manga.
Red, Leaf, and theircross-canon counterparts have been canonically shown with various iterations of Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Charmander and their evolutionary lines, along withPikachu andEevee on occasion. In theSuper Smash Bros. series, the Pokémon Trainer "fights" by sending these starter Pokémon out to battle, with the Bulbasaur line represented byIvysaur, and the Charmander line represented byCharizard. Befitting their status as iconic Trainers, both Red and Leaf appear as Sync Pairs inPokémon Masters. While Red has no spoken dialogue (a character quirk based on his appearance as a boss in the Johto games), Charizard is his partner Pokémon, affirming it as one of his signature Pokémon. However, Leaf has fully voiced dialogue, similar to her appearance inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, and is shown withVenusaur as a possible partner Pokémon.
While most games focus on the battling aspect, other Pokémon-related hobbies and professions exist in the world, such asPokémon Breeders, who focus on raising Pokémon;Pokémon Coordinators, who train Pokémon forcontests; andPokémon Professors, who focus on studying various aspects of the Pokémon themselves. Regardless, raising and training a team of Pokémon is the main activity/quest that the mainPokémon RPGs feature, so a player of aPokémon RPG is considered a Pokémon Trainer themselves - which is reinforced in later games that allow character customization, where the playable Trainer can quite literally be turned into the player's avatar.
InSuper Smash Bros.[edit]
InSuper Smash Bros., a human, potentially a Pokémon Trainer, can be seen walking in the background during Pikachu's portion of the opening movie. Only the human's legs are fully modeled in-game.
InSuper Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]
As a playable character[edit]
A Pokémon Trainer makes an official appearance as a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl. The Trainer inBrawl isRed, the protagonist ofPokémon Red,Green,Blue andYellow Versions, and the male protagonist ofPokémon FireRed andLeafGreen Versions. However, he is simply referred to as "Pokémon Trainer" to reflect how players can name the playable Trainers within each of thePokémon games. Instead of using his original design fromGeneration I, he uses his redesign fromGeneration III.
It should be noted that it would be rather inaccurate to call the Trainer himself a playable fighter, as selecting him is akin to selecting aZelda/Sheik-style character with three interchangeable forms; in the Trainer's case, these are the three Pokémon he has in his collection:Squirtle,Ivysaur, andCharizard. The Trainer instead is purely aesthetic and exists as abackground character, with his exact location being stage-dependent. He is either standing on the ground, atop a landmark, or on a special platform if the stage design is too awkward. The trainer has unique animations corresponding with the actions input by the player to the current Pokémon as the real fighter. One can say that the player controls the Trainer, who in turn commands the Pokémon. These animations include pointing during a special move, actually performingPokémon Change by swappingPoké Balls, celebrating when the player takes a stock, looking disappointed when the player loses a stock and then throwing a Poké Ball as the nextrevival platform appears, and unique taunts. The trainer always looks at his Pokémon, shifting positions as they move around the stage, and even moving around himself to an extent on certain stages to follow the action.
Pokémon Trainer is ranked 29th out of 38 on thetier list, placing him in the E tier. Pokémon Trainer's team possesses an overall strong grab game, although Squirtle in particular is widely agreed upon as being his most effective Pokémon, thanks to its respectable damage racking potential and potent air game.
However, the Trainer's team is heavily burdened by unique mechanics:Pokémon Change islaggy to the point of being very punishable, while his team's defensive and especially offensive potentials are very inconsistent because ofstamina andtype effectiveness. Outside of these issues, Ivysaur's abysmal air game, poor recovery, unimpressive range, and heightened susceptibility to the very commonflame effect collectively render it among players as not only the Trainer's least effective Pokémon, but also one of the worst characters in the entire game.
Due to his team's weaknesses noticeably outweighing their strengths, Pokémon Trainer's representation has been almost nonexistent throughoutBrawl's lifespan. AlthoughTheReflexWonder achieved success with Pokémon Trainer at the national level on several occasions, he has been Pokémon Trainer's only representative to find any sort of success past the local level.
Trophy[edit]
- Pokémon Trainer
A person who raises Pokémon and trains them as partners in battle. In battle, a Trainer gives orders to the Pokémon and uses items. It's not an exaggeration to say battles can be won or lost on a Trainer's single strategic move. Trainers pour their hearts into their Pokémon and share anger, sadness, and joy as they adventure in hopes of becoming Pokémon Masters.
A person who raises Pokémon and trains them as partners in battle. In battle, a Trainer gives orders to the Pokémon and uses items. It's not an exaggeration to say battles can be won or lost on a Trainer's single strategic move. Trainers pour their hearts into their Pokémon and share anger, sadness, and joy as they adventure in the hope of becoming Pokémon masters.
:Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen
Sticker[edit]
| Name | Game | Effect | Fighter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pokémon Trainer | Pokémon series |   Attack +13 | Pikachu Pokémon Trainer Lucario Jigglypuff    |
.png) Pokémon Trainer (Pokémon series) |
InSuper Smash Bros. 4[edit]
Due to the limitations of theNintendo 3DS' processing power,[1] transformation-type characters were split apart and became standalone characters forSuper Smash Bros. 4. In Pokémon Trainer's case, onlyCharizard returned as a playable character, while Squirtle and Ivysaur were fully cut.[2] Charizard's previous side special move,Rock Smash, was changed to its down special move to compensate for Pokémon Change becoming completely irrelevant, withFlare Blitz being added as its new side special. However, Red (under the name "Pokémon Trainer"), Squirtle, and Ivysaur make cameos as collectible trophies. On a related note,Calem andSerena, the playable Trainers fromPokémon X andY, also appear together as a singular trophy under the name "Pokémon Trainer (Pokémon X & Y)".
Trophies[edit]
- Pokémon Trainer
Pop quiz! What do Misty, Brock, Cynthia, Iris, and Ash all have in common? That's right—they're all Pokémon Trainers! This Pokémon Master in the making is the same. Back in Super Smash Bros. Brawl,he fought to be the very best—like no one ever was. To smash them was his real test—to launch them was his cause!
Pop quiz! What do Misty, Brock, Cynthia, Iris, and Ash all have in common? That's right—they're all Pokémon Trainers! This Pokémon Master in the making is the same. Back in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, he fought to be the very best—like no one ever was. To smash them was his real test. To launch them was his cause!
:Pokémon Red & Pokémon Blue (09/1998)- :Pokémon FireRed & Pokémon LeafGreen (09/2004)
- Quiz time! What do Misty, Brock, Cynthia, Iris and Ash all have in common? That's right – they're all Pokémon Trainers! This Pokémon Master in the making is just the same. He fought to be the very best – like no one ever was – back in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. To smash them was his real test – to launch them was his cause.
- :Pokémon Red/Blue (10/1999)
- :Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen (10/2004)
- Pokémon Trainer (Pokémon X & Y)
- Trainers (Pokémon X and Y)
- We suppose it's possible you've missed out up till now, so let us explain: in Pokémon, you set out from your hometown on a Pokémon journey, catching Pokémon and fighting battles with them. In Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, you reach the next town and find yourself embroiled in a tale of... No, wait—no spoilers!
- If you've been living under a rock for some years now, let us explain. In Pokémon, you start from your home town on your own Pokémon journey, catching Pokémon and fighting battles with them. In Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, you reach the next town and find yourself embroiled in a tale of... Well, we won't spoil it for you.
InSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]
As a playable character[edit]
_SSBU.png)
Pokémon Trainer returns as a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, albeit as anunlockable character instead of astarter character. As a result,Squirtle andIvysaur also returned by default, whileCharizard was reintegrated into the team. This means that Rock Smash was replaced by Pokémon Change. In addition to Red reappearing as the default Pokémon Trainer, his female counterpart,Leaf, makes herSuper Smash Bros. series debut as analternate character.
Pokémon Trainer has been noticeably reworked in order to streamline the character's unique playstyle. The removal of bothstamina andtype effectiveness significantly improves the team's overall consistency. In addition,Pokémon Change's drastically faster speed and newfound usability in the air collectively make it much less committal, as well as allow the Trainer to rotate between Pokémon to the point of using their unique attributes to adapt to different situations at a much better pace.
Spirits[edit]
412.Pokémon Trainer (Male)
413.Pokémon Trainer (Female)
.png)
-Alt1_SSBU.png)
Gallery[edit]
Pokémon Trainer (female), as she appears inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ポケモントレーナー,Pokémon Trainer | Pokémon Trainer |
 English | Pokémon Trainer | — |
 French | Dresseur de Pokémon ♂ Dresseuse de Pokémon ♀ | Pokémon Trainer -e is a feminine suffix used for occupations |
 German | Pokémon Trainer ♂ Pokémon Trainerin ♀ | -in is a feminine suffix used for occupations |
 Spanish | Entrenador Pokémon ♂ Entrenadora Pokémon ♀ | Pokémon Trainer -a is a feminine suffix used for occupations |
 Italian | Allenatore di Pokémon ♂ Allenatrice di Pokémon ♀ | Pokémon Trainer -ice is a feminine suffix used for occupations |
 Chinese (Simplified) | 宝可梦训练家,Pokémon Trainer | Pokémon Trainer |
 Chinese (Traditional) | 寶可夢訓練家,Pokémon Trainer | Pokémon Trainer |
 Korean | 포켓몬 트레이너,Pokémon Trainer | Pokémon Trainer |
 Dutch | Pokémon Trainer | — |
 Russian | Тренер покемонов | Pokémon Trainer |
 Portuguese | Treinador Pokémon | Pokémon Trainer |
Trivia[edit]
- Leaf andZero Suit Samus are the only characters to debut in a remake.
- Pokémon Trainer is one of the few humanPokémon characters to appear as a trophy, and the only one to do so inBrawl,Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, andUltimate. Other human characters includeProfessor Oak andMisty inMelee, andProfessor Sycamore inSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.Calem andSerena appear as a trophy in the latter, but as an extension of the Pokémon Trainer player character concept.
- The male Pokémon Trainer is commonly mistaken for, and referred to as,Ash Ketchum from thePokémon anime[3]. Both characters are actually based onRed, the male protagonist fromPokémon Red andGreen and their subsequent remakes.
- Similarly, the female Pokémon Trainer was commonly referred to as both "Leaf" and “Green” (“Blue” in Asian countries) before the name Leaf was officially used inPokémon Masters.
- Pokémon Trainer,Roy, andLucas are the only cutveterans with a trophy in any game that acknowledges them as being a playable character in previous installments. However, only Roy and Lucas'DLC fighter trophies do so.
- The Pokémon Trainer's trophy description inSSB4 andBoxing Ring title inUltimate both reference the first English theme song for thePokémon anime.
- The former also has a reference to Ash Ketchum, Red's counterpart in the anime.
- In some Romance languages, Pokémon Trainer has two different names to refer to the male and female versions.Villager,Wii Fit Trainer,Inkling,Byleth and theMii Fighters also share this trait.
- As a result, all aforementioned characters have two announcer voice tracks in the announcer's voice vault, staying consistent across all languages.
- In an official poll held onSmabura-Ken (the game's official Japanese website) regarding characters for a potential sequel to the first game, aPokémon character named Satoshi (referring either to Ash Ketchum or Red, for whom "Satoshi" is one of the default names in the JapaneseRed andGreen games) was ranked 12th with 18 votes, tied withMr. Saturn and an unspecifiedFire Emblem character.[4]
References[edit]
| Playable characters | |
|---|---|
| Super Smash Bros. | Captain Falcon ·Donkey Kong ·Fox ·Jigglypuff ·Kirby ·Link ·Luigi ·Mario ·Ness ·Pikachu ·Samus ·Yoshi |
| New inMelee | Bowser ·Dr. Mario ·Falco ·Ganondorf ·Ice Climbers ·Marth ·Mewtwo ·Mr. Game & Watch ·Peach ·Pichu ·Roy ·Sheik ·Young Link ·Zelda |
| New inBrawl | Diddy Kong ·Ike ·King Dedede ·Lucario ·Lucas ·Meta Knight ·Olimar (Pikmin) ·Pit ·Pokémon Trainer (Squirtle ·Ivysaur ·Charizard) ·R.O.B. ·Snake ·Sonic ·Toon Link ·Wario ·Wolf ·Zero Suit Samus |
| New inSmash 4 | (Alph) ·Bayonetta ·Bowser Jr. (Koopalings) ·Cloud ·Corrin ·Dark Pit ·Duck Hunt ·Greninja ·Little Mac ·Lucina ·Mega Man ·Mii Brawler ·Mii Gunner ·Mii Swordfighter ·Pac-Man ·Palutena ·Robin ·Rosalina &Luma ·Ryu ·Shulk ·Villager ·Wii Fit Trainer |
| New inUltimate | Banjo &Kazooie ·Byleth ·Chrom ·Daisy ·Dark Samus ·Hero ·Incineroar ·Inkling ·Isabelle ·Joker ·Kazuya ·Ken ·King K. Rool ·Min Min ·Mythra ·Piranha Plant ·Pyra ·Richter ·Ridley ·Sephiroth ·Simon ·Sora ·Steve (Alex,Zombie,Enderman) ·Terry |
