Pokémon Trainer

Pokémon Trainer
Official artwork of Red, the male Pokémon Trainer, from Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions.
Universe	Pokémon
Debut	Pokémon Red and Green Versions (1996)
Smash Bros. appearances	Brawl (male only) SSB4 Ultimate
Most recent non-Smash appearance	Pokémon Black and White Versions 2 (Red, 2012) Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire (Player trainers generally, 2014)
Console/platform of origin	Game Boy
Species	Human
Gender	Varies
Place of origin	Kanto
English voice actor	Michele Knotz
Japanese voice actor	Tomoe Hanba
Article on Bulbapedia	Red (game)

A Pokémon Trainer (ポケモントレーナー, Pokémon Trainer) is a human in the fictional world of Pokémon whose hobby, pastime, or profession is the collecting, caretaking, and competitive battling of any of the eponymous Pokémon creatures. The humans being the commanders of their custom-trained Pokémon in battles is as important as the abilities of the Pokémon themselves in all forms of Pokémon media.

Profession description

From the very outset of the Pokémon franchise, the world of Pokémon had been established as an Earth-like world populated by humans and, notably, an infinitely diverse biomass of magical creatures called Pokémon (short for Pocket Monsters). 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, officially sponsored and otherwise. Other Pokémon-related hobbies and professions exist in the world, such as Pokémon breeding, and a wholly different activity is undertaken by Pokémon coordinators who groom their Pokémon for use in Pokémon contests more closely resembling dog shows, but by far the path of the Pokémon trainer is the "primary" sporting activity in the franchise. This is the main activity/quest that the main Pokémon RPGs feature; as such, a player of a Pokémon RPG is considered a Pokémon trainer himself or herself.

All main Pokémon games cast the player as a young Pokémon trainer ready to set out on a Pokémon journey across that game's region of the Pokémon world, on a quest to capture many species of Pokémon and, from them, train a team of Pokémon proficient enough in the sport of Pokémon battling that they may carry the trainer to victory against that region's Pokémon League. The trainer's traditional tool for capturing Pokémon is the Poké Ball, which is sold at Poké Marts in the game's various cities and comes in many distinctive varieties, and a new trainer receives a piece of high-tech equipment called the Pokédex, which functions as an encyclopedia for the Pokémon in that region which the trainer must fill up, among other adventuring gear.

Throughout each journey, the trainer will battle hundreds of other trainers as well as encounter countless Pokémon in the wild, and the trainer will be involved in subplots involving thwarting the schemes of criminal organizations of trainers, such as the first and second generation's Team Rocket, the third generation's Team Magma and Team Aqua (which one was battled depended on the game), the fourth generation's Team Galactic, the fifth generation's Team Plasma, and the sixth generation's Team Flare. While the Pokémon Trainers have been depicted as boys in every installment, from the Crystal version of the second generation onwards, the player has had the option to choose the gender of the trainer; from then on, each new set of installment has introduced a new pair of standard Pokémon trainer designs, such as a pair each for Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, the GBA remake of the original (featuring a new redesign of the playable trainer from the original Red and Blue versions, called "Red" in the second generation and their remakes), and Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. A small concession made by the franchise to the changing times is the gradual change from the "rivals to the death" image of the first series (Red, Blue, and Yellow), to the now very casual friendly talk between the protagonist and their neighbor of Diamond and Pearl. In the third generation games (Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald) and Generation VI games (X and Y), the rival took the gender opposite to the one chosen by the player.

In Super Smash Bros.

In the original Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 64, a human character, potentially a Pokémon Trainer, can be seen walking in the background during Pikachu's portion of the opening movie.

In Super Smash Bros. Melee

No player trainers from the Pokémon games appear in this game, although there is a trophy of Misty, a Gym Leader.

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Pokémon Trainer in Brawl

The Pokémon Trainer makes an official appearance as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The Trainer used in Brawl is Red, the protagonist of the Red, Blue, and Yellow versions and the male protagonist of FireRed and LeafGreen versions, though he is simply referred to as Pokémon Trainer to reflect how players can name their trainers within each of the Pokémon games. Additionally, he uses his updated design from FireRed and LeafGreen. 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 a Zelda/Sheik-style character with three switchable forms, which are the three Pokémon the Pokémon Trainer has in his collection: Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard. The Trainer visually issues commands in the background of the stage to the Pokémon in the foreground, corresponding with the actions input by the player to the current Pokémon as the real fighter. Conversely, one can say that the player controls the Trainer, who in turn commands the Pokémon.

Pokémon Trainer is ranked 29th on the current tier list in E tier. His tournament results have been surprisingly high due to the efforts of TheReflexWonder, but when he is excluded, he has had barely any tournament success.

Trophy Info

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.

: Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

Sticker

Name	Game	Effect	Character(s)
Pokémon Trainer	Pokémon series	Attack +13

Pokémon Trainer (Pokémon series)

In Super Smash Bros. 4

Pokémon Trainer's trophy in Super Smash Bros. 4

As the game does not support mid-match character changes, Pokémon Trainer does not return as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4. While Charizard became a standalone playable character, Squirtle and Ivysaur did not make such a transition. However, Red, under the name Pokémon Trainer, makes a cameo as a collectible trophy alongside both Squirtle and Ivysaur. Calem and Serena, the playable trainers from Pokémon X and Y, also appear together as a singular trophy under the name Pokémon Trainer (Pokémon X & Y).

Trophy

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!

: 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 and Pokémon Blue (09/1998)

: Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen (09/2004)

Trivia

• Pokémon Trainer is one of only two characters that has a custom name in their original series to not be given a default name, and is instead given a generic name, with the other being Villager. It is clear from the character design that the suitable default name would be "Red" as he is named as such in Pokémon Gold and Silver, and again in the remakes which were released after Brawl. The reason this was done is unknown.
• Pokémon Trainer is the only playable character from the Pokémon series who is not a Pokémon.
• Pokémon Trainer, Roy, and Lucas are the only cut veterans with a trophy in any game that acknowledges them as being a playable character in previous installments (however, Roy and Lucas's trophies only acknowledge that in their DLC fighter trophies).
  • Additionally, Pokémon Trainer, Ice Climbers, and Lucas's non-fighter trophy are the only cut veterans whose trophies use their models from the previous Smash Bros. game they were in.
• The last lines in the description of the Pokémon Trainer's trophy in SSB4 reference the first theme song from the Pokémon animated series.
  • In addition to that, his description also has a reference to Ash, Red's counterpart in the anime.
• Pokémon Trainer is one of two starter characters to be cut. The other being Ice Climbers.
  • Lucas was also a cut starter character, but he was brought back as a DLC fighter.