Red
Red is the iconic player character from the Generation I Pokémon games, Pokémon Red, Pokémon Blue (Green in Japan) and Pokémon Yellow, released for the Game Boy in 1996 (1998 internationally). He’s also the protagonist in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, the enhanced remakes of the original games. In those games, his female counterpart is known as Leaf.
Gender: | Female |
Region: | |
Position: | Pokémon Trainer Player character |
Generation Appearance: | Generations I, II, III, IV, V and VII |
Debut Game | Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green Version |
Red, hailed as the Champion of Pallet Town, is a legendary figure in the Pokémon universe, celebrated for his pivotal role in thwarting Team Rocket’s schemes in the Kanto region. In the Generation II games Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, as well as their Generation IV remakes Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, and Pokémon Stadium 2, Red emerges as the ultimate adversary, marking the culmination of the player’s journey. His reputation extends to the Pokémon World Tournament’s Champions Tournament in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, where he competes at the highest level.
Furthermore, in the Generation VII games Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, Red, alongside Blue, assumes the role of a formidable boss at the Battle Tree. Notably, in Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!, Red stands as the most challenging Trainer, awaiting courageous challengers after defeating six Master Trainers.
Red is the player-controlled character, meaning the player assumes his role throughout the game. The main objective of the game is to become the Pokémon Champion by defeating the Pokémon League, and Red’s journey is central to achieving this goal.
Core series appearence
In the original games, Red is depicted as an 11-year-old boy from Pallet Town with spiky black hair and wears a red hat turned backward. He wears a white shirt with short sleeves, blue pants, and white and red shoes.
The instruction manuals of Red, Green, and Blue suggest that Red’s fascination with Pokémon blossomed after his close friend, Blue, ceased their companionship and adopted a more antagonistic persona, although in the games Professor Oak indicates that the duo has been engaged in friendly rivalry since infancy. The spark of his adventure ignites when Professor Oak summons them to his laboratory to select their inaugural Pokémon partners.
Red can choose one of three starter Pokémon from Professor Oak: Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. The choice of starter Pokémon influences Red’s journey as it determines his initial team composition. Blue’s choice of Pokémon is influenced by the type advantage over the Pokémon selected by Red. Blue serves as a recurring antagonist and friendly rival to Red, often appearing at various points in the game to challenge Red to battles.
Once Red reaches Viridian City, Professor Oak entrusts both Red and Blue with a Pokédex, tasking them with documenting all Pokémon species in the Kanto region to realize Oak’s aspiration of compiling a comprehensive Pokémon guide. Embarking on their journey, Red and Blue traverse Kanto, capturing Pokémon to fortify their teams and challenging each Gym Leader sequentially. Despite Red’s efforts, Blue consistently maintains a lead, occasionally appearing to hinder Red’s advancement.
Throughout his journey, Red confronts the notorious Pokémon thieves, Team Rocket, multiple times. Following victories over seven Gym Leaders and obtaining seven Badges, Red faces Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket, for the last time. This encounter takes place at the Viridian Gym, where Giovanni serves as the final obstacle before challenging the Elite Four at the Indigo Plateau. In a decisive battle, Red emerges victorious, claiming his eighth and ultimate Badge—the Earth Badge.
Navigating through Victory Road and arriving at the Indigo Plateau, Red bravely takes on the challenge of the Indigo League. Initially triumphing over the Elite Four, Red is taken aback to learn that Blue has already claimed victory over them, holding the title of Kanto’s Champion. Undeterred, Red confronts Blue in an epic showdown and emerges victorious, earning the esteemed title of Champion. However, instead of basking in his newfound glory, Red opts to continue honing his skills through further training, electing not to linger at the Indigo Plateau, and he fades into obscurity until some time later.
In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, Red’s journey extends to the Sevii Islands. As a wandering Trainer, he eventually finds solace in the solitude of Mt. Silver Cave, where he dedicates himself to training his Pokémon in isolation. There, he encounters Ethan, Kris, or Lyra, who challenge him simply as a Pokémon Trainer. Upon defeat, Red disappears from Mt. Silver, only to return whenever the Elite Four are conquered again by players of Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, or SoulSilver.
Subsequently, Red resurfaces in the public eye, participating in the Champions Tournament of the Pokémon World Tournament in the Unova region, eager to test his skills against other esteemed trainers. In Alola, he and Blue emerge at the Battle Tree in Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, where players cross paths with them. Red also features in Pokémon Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!, where he and Blue have already completed their journeys and defeated the Elite Four, years before the player embarks on their own adventure.
Pokémon Team
As the player character, Red has the opportunity to assemble a team comprising any of the 151 Pokémon available during Generation I. While Red’s team can vary depending on the player’s choices, in the original Pokémon Red and Blue games, his canonical team is often depicted as consisting of Pokémon such as Pikachu, Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur, Lapras, and Snorlax.
Encountered as an opponent in Generation II and Generation IV, Red showcases a predetermined team comprised of Generation I in-game event Pokémon. Upon his defeat in HeartGold and SoulSilver, all Pokémon in the player’s party are honored with the Legend Ribbon.
In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, players can challenge Red in the Pokémon World Tournament’s Champions Tournament, where he utilizes the same team as in Generation IV, albeit with modified movesets.
In Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, Red retains his Generation IV team but with adjusted movesets. When encountered in the Battle Tree, his team is randomly selected from a preset assortment of Pokémon.
In Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!, Red’s team diverges significantly from his prior core series lineups, featuring Pokémon never before seen in his NPC appearances.
Red also appeares in:
The side series games
- Pokémon Stadium 2
- Pokémon Colosseum
- Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
- Pokémon Battle Revolution
The spin-off games
- Super Smash Bros. Series
- Pokémon GO
- Pokémon Masters EX
Anime appearences
Ash Ketchum is indeed the main character of the Pokémon anime series and can be considered a loose counterpart to Red from the video games. While they share similarities in their journey to become Pokémon Masters, there are notable differences between them, including their Pokémon teams, companions, and adventures.
Rather than commencing his journey with one of the traditional three Kanto starter Pokémon, Ash embarks on his Pokémon journey from Pallet Town with his trusty Pikachu, aiming to become a Pokémon Master and compete in various Pokémon League tournaments. Throughout the anime series, Ash travels through different regions, encounters various Pokémon species, battles Gym Leaders, and foils the plans of antagonistic teams like Team Rocket.
Although Red and Ash share a similar goal of becoming the best Pokémon Trainer, their individual journeys and experiences in the anime and games are distinct. Ash’s adventures in the Pokémon anime have made him an iconic character beloved by fans worldwide.
Red has an additional anime counterpart, portrayed as an alternate version of Ash Ketchum who featured in the movies “I Choose You!”, “The Power of Us”, and “Secrets of the Jungle”. While sharing fundamental traits with the primary Ash, this alternate version embarks on a unique journey compared to the main series.
Red also had a direct counterpart in Pokémon Origins mini-series and another in Pokémon Generations.
Manga appearances
Similar to many player characters, Red is also depicted with multiple counterparts across various Pokémon manga series, each portraying his adventures and journey in unique ways.
Pokémon Adventures – Red appeares in this manga, and in Pokémon Ranger the Comic: Double Mission manga, in a fantasy.
Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys – In the second chapter of this manga, “Falkner The Bird Keeper’s Challenge!!”, Professor Oak briefly mentions Red, noting the resemblance between him and Gold, but Red’s physical appearance was never depicted in the manga.
Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō’s Big Adventure – Red made his initial appearance as a silhouette in the fifth chapter of this manga, JBA5 before physically debuting in the sixth and the final chapter, JBA6. Blue mentioned Red for the first time following Jō’s battle with the Viridian Gym Leader. Later, Jō encountered Red atop Mt. Silver, prepared to engage in battle.
The Electric Tale of Pikachu – Ash Ketchum, the anime counterpart of Red, makes appearances in this manga.
Pokémon Gotta Catch ‘Em All – Shu, a Pokémon Trainer that specializes in catching wild Pokémon, from this manga, is inspired by Red.
Pokémon Pocket Monsters – Beside this manga, in Pokémon Ruby-Sapphire, there’s a character named Red who serves as a rival to Red and possesses superior strength. This character is modeled after Red’s portrayal in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.
Pokémon Zensho – Satoshi from this manga, is inspired by Red.
Summary
Like many player characters in early RPGs, Red is a silent protagonist. He doesn’t speak in the game, and his personality is left open to interpretation by the player.
Overall, Red is an iconic character in the Pokémon universe, representing the player’s journey to become the very best Pokémon Trainer. His legacy extends beyond the Generation I games, influencing later entries in the series and various other Pokémon media.