Pokémon Trainer

For fighter info, see Pokémon Trainer (SSBB) and Pokémon Trainer (SSBU).

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) (Red) Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions (2004) (Leaf)
Smash Bros. appearances	Brawl (male only) SSB4 Ultimate
Most recent non-Smash appearance	Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! (2018)
Console/platform of origin	Game Boy (Red) Game Boy Advance (Green)
Species	Human
Gender	Male (Red) Female (Leaf)
Place of origin	Kanto
English voice actor	Michele Knotz (Red, Brawl) Billy Bob Thompson (Red, Ultimate) Kate Bristol (Leaf)
Japanese voice actor	Tomoe Hanba (Red) Wakana Kingyo (Leaf)
French voice actor	Virginie Demians
German voice actor	Dina Kuerten
Spanish voice actor	Isabel Navarro
Italian voice actor	Francesca Giudice
Article on Bulbapedia	Red (game)

A Pokémon Trainer (ポケモントレーナー, Pokémon Trainer) is a human from the Pokémon series. The vast majority of human characters in the series are Pokémon Trainers, including the player characters in the main games. Trainers debuted in the series' first generation, and Red and Leaf represent them as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate under the name "Pokémon Trainer".

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 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. While most games focus on the battling aspect, other Pokémon-related hobbies and professions exist in the world, such as Pokémon Breeders, who focus on raising Pokémon; Pokémon Coordinators, who train Pokémon for contests; and Pokémon Professors, who focus on studying various aspects of the Pokémon themselves. Nevertheless, raising and training a team of Pokémon is the main activity/quest that the main Pokémon RPGs feature; as such, a player of a Pokémon RPG is considered a Pokémon trainer themselves.

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; new trainers also receive 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, known generally as villainous teams. While the Pokémon Trainers have been depicted as boys in every installment, from the Crystal Version of the second generation onward, the player has had the option to choose the gender of the trainer; while each game's protagonist options are similar, they are all distinct characters in-universe. Player trainers also have one or more rival characters, whose motivations and characterizations vary significantly.

The first playable trainer of the series is the male protagonist of the Kanto games, who, while named by the player, has since become a recurring character known as Red. He went on to appear as the final boss of the Johto games atop Mt. Silver, an opponent in the Pokémon World Tournament in Pokémon Black and White Versions 2, and as the co-leader of the Battle Tree in Pokémon Sun and Moon. In all cases, his team consists of Pokémon that were caught during major events of his original quest, with his Pikachu serving as his signature Pokémon. In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, he has a female counterpart who is named Leaf in the internal data and official merchandise, but is alternately referred to as Green in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!. Red, Leaf, and their counterparts across various media have trained the evolutionary lines of the Kanto starter Pokémon Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle; in the Super Smash Bros. series, the Pokémon Trainer "fights" by sending these starter Pokémon out to battle, with the Bulbasaur line represented by Ivysaur and the Charmander line represented by Charizard.

Nonetheless, the Pokémon Trainer in Smash solely represents the playable versions of Red, Leaf, and the concept of Pokémon Trainer protagonists in general, eschewing Red's later appearances as an NPC and his incarnations in other media. As such, the Smash Pokémon Trainer is nameless, and their dialogue lines are heavily based on the HUD dialogue that appears during Pokémon battles in the main series.

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. Brawl

Pokémon Trainer and his team as they appear in Super Smash Bros. 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, Green, 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 design from FireRed and LeafGreen Versions for his appearance in the Super Smash Bros. series. 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 interchangeable 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 trophy in Brawl.

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

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's trophy in Super Smash Bros. 4.

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)

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Pokémon Trainer (male), as he appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

As a playable character

Pokémon Trainer makes a return in Ultimate, as with all previous characters, meaning Charizard is no longer a standalone character. The Pokémon Trainer has been reworked in order to streamline his unique gameplay style. The Stamina mechanic has been removed, which means the player is no longer required to regularly switch Pokémon to fight at full effectiveness, and Pokémon Change has been sped up drastically and made available in the air, effectively allowing the Trainer to rotate between Pokémon at will and use their unique attributes to adapt to different situations without any need for resource management. This time, Pokémon Trainer will be an unlockable character instead of a starter like in Brawl.

Leaf, the female Pokémon Trainer from FireRed/LeafGreen, also makes her first appearance as an alternate costume.

Gallery

• FireRed LeafGreen Leaf.png

  Official artwork of Leaf from Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.

• 

  Render of Pokémon Trainer (female) from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Trivia

• Pokémon Trainer is the only playable Pokémon character that is not a Pokémon (although indirectly, as their three Pokémon do the fighting for them).
  • They are also the only playable Pokémon character to have a confirmed gender, due to all Pokémon (including genderless Pokémon) being referred via gender-neutral pronouns such as "it" regardless of that Pokémon's actual gender.
• The Pokémon Trainer is one of two characters to have an opposite gender alternate costume that is an entirely different character. The other being Bowser Jr..
• The male Pokémon Trainer is commonly mistaken to be Ash Ketchum from the Pokémon anime, when in actually both characters are based on Red, the male protagonist from Pokémon Red and Green.
  • Likewise, the female Pokémon Trainer's name is argued to be Leaf or Green as the name of female protagonist from Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen is inconstant.
• 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' trophies only acknowledge that in their DLC fighter trophies.
  • Additionally, Pokémon Trainer, the Ice Climbers, and Lucas' 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 Pokémon Trainer's trophy in SSB4 reference the first theme song from the Pokémon anime.
  • In addition to that, his description also has a reference to Ash Ketchum, Red's counterpart in the anime.
• Pokémon Trainer, the Ice Climbers, and Lucas are the only starter characters to have ever been cut.
  • Lucas, however, is the only one of these characters in be in SSB4 as downloadable content.
• Unlike the other playable Pokémon, none of Pokémon Trainer's Pokémon have any Normal-type moves.