This is a list of recurring characters in the Pokémon video game series. Characters may appear in multiple continuities within the Pokémon franchise, such as the various animated adaptations, films, manga, or books. In these spin-offs of the video games, the characters may take on the same basic role (such as with Professor Oak and Giovanni in the long-running Pokémon TV series) and sometimes in very different roles (such as with Misty and Brock).
Each main-series Pokémon game features a player character protagonist or set of protagonists, one or more rival characters, a hometown "Pokémon professor" who introduces the mechanics of the game, and a large selection of fellow Pokémon trainers, "Gym leaders," and villainous teams to battle against.
Kanto
Characters that were introduced in the video games Pokémon Red, Green, Blue (1996), Yellow (1998), FireRed, LeafGreen (2004), Let's Go, Pikachu!, or Let's Go, Eevee! (2018). These video games are all set in the fictional Kanto region. Many of these characters recur throughout the Pokémon franchise.
Protagonists
is the only protagonist of Pokémon Red, Green, Blue and Yellow and the male protagonist of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. Red later appears in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal as a secret boss fight on Mt. Silver, and makes further reappearances in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, Pokémon Sun and Moon, and Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, as well as in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, reprising his role from the originals. In Pokémon Adventures, he is the champion of Kanto.
is the female protagonist of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.
and are the male and female protagonists of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.
Rivals
is the rival character of Pokémon Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen. He is pushy and competitive, but is generally a good Pokémon Trainer. He is the grandson of Professor Oak and the player character's childhood friend. He briefly precedes the player character as the Champion of the Kanto region, waiting for the player to challenge him. Blue is the basis for Gary Oak in the anime. IGN listed Blue as the 98th best villain in video games, though they stressed that it was difficult to view him as a villain. He reappears in Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal and their remakes as the Viridian City Gym Leader. He again acts as Kanto's Champion in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2's Pokémon World Tournament, and alongside Red in Pokémon Sun and Moon and their Ultra versions.
is the rival character of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!. He eventually becomes Champion of Kanto, and acts in a similar vein to Blue.
Professor Oak
Professor Samuel Oak () is a Pokémon researcher and the grandfather of Blue in all the Kanto-based games. He is described as the leading Pokémon expert, specializing in Pokémon behavioral science. Alongside his research, he is also authorized by the Pokémon League to give new Pokémon trainers one of the three starter Pokémon: Bulbasaur, Squirtle, or Charmander. In the anime, he gives Ash Ketchum his Pikachu after Ash arrives too late to receive one of the usual three starter Pokémon. In Pokémon Yellow, he gives Red a Pikachu after Blue takes an Eevee. A younger version of the character has a major supporting role in the movie Pokémon 4Ever.
Gym leaders and Elite Four
Each main-series Pokémon game (with the exception of Pokémon Sun and Moon and their remakes) includes a group of eight "Gym leaders", who award the player character a badge upon defeat. Each Gym leader possesses a team of several Pokémon of similar type or theming, such as electricity-themed Gym or a greenhouse-themed Gym. Particularly notable Gym leaders of the Kanto-based games include: Brock (): Gym Leader of Pewter City and an expert on Rock-type Pokémon. In the Pokémon anime, he joins protagonist Ash on his adventure, leaving his post to his father, Flint. However, in Pokémon Chronicles, he returns to find his mother leading the gym, using Water-type Pokémon. Misty (): Gym Leader of Cerulean City and an expert in Water-type Pokémon. In the anime, she leaves this post for a time to join protagonist Ash on his adventure. In Pokémon Chronicles, Misty returns to take over as the Gym Leader from her sisters and becomes one of the main characters, often co-starring with Tracey Sketchit, Casey or one of her sisters: Daisy, Lily, and Violet.
In addition to Brock and Misty, the remaining gym leaders are Lt. Surge, Erika, Sabrina, Koga, Blaine, and Giovanni.