Professor Birch is the Pokémon Professor of Hoenn. He is Brendan or May's father.
Appearance[]
Professor Birch is a tall, large man with fair skin, dark eyes, short and slightly wavy brown hair, and a squarish face with a beard. He wears a navy blue T-shirt under a white lab coat, khaki shorts with a black belt, and tan sandals on his feet. He is also sometimes seen with a brown bag, which he keeps his research papers in.
Personality[]
Professor Birch is a very outgoing and friendly person. Although he's fat, he's very active and often researches outside, as he doesn't like being in cramped spaces. Additionally, he is also kind and generous and doesn't hesitate to help others, like every professor in the Pokémon games. However, despite his positive traits, Professor Birch is also a goofy, cowardly man that often gets into severe trouble. He commonly needs rescuing from others due to being jumped and chased by wild Pokémon so often; in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, he even gets chased by his wife.
Etymology[]
The last name Birch could possibly originate from the "birch" tree.
His Japanese surname, Odamaki, comes from オダマキ (odamaki, the Japanese name for the columbine flower).
Biography[]
Games[]
Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version[]
Professor Birch being attacked by a Poochyena at the start of Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version.
In Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version, Birch is the first character to be seen, welcoming the player to the Pokémon World whenever they start a new save, just as Professor Oak does in earlier core games.
Birch greeting the player in his lab in Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version.
Shortly after moving into Littleroot Town at the start of the game, a boy informs the player that someone is asking for help. The player finds Birch being chased by a wild Poochyena, so he asks them to take one of the three Hoenn first partner Pokémon to battle the wild Pokémon: Treecko, Mudkip, or Torchic.
After Poochyena is defeated, the Pokémon Professor thanks the player by taking them to his laboratory, where he gives the player a Pokédex and tells the player to keep the first partner Pokémon they chose earlier. Birch asks the player to find their rival on Route 103. From here, Birch's role is to evaluate the player's progress of filling their Pokédex.
The fifth room of the Trick House features two questions relating Professor Birch. One of the questions asks which Pokémon was on the right side of his bag (particularly at the start), the answer being Mudkip. The other question asks which Pokémon was chasing Birch, with the answer being Poochyena.
In the ending, after the player enters the Hall of Fame by defeating the Pokémon Champion, Birch appears next to the player's rival.
Pokémon Emerald Version[]
In Pokémon Emerald Version, Prof. Birch is chased by a Zigzagoon. Additionally, it is a girl informs the player of Birch being chased instead of a boy.
Birch is later found near the Trick House, where he asks the player to register him in the PokéNav.
The fifth room of the Trick House does not retain the question of which Pokémon was on the right of Birch's bag, but the question of which Pokémon chased him was changed to Zigzagoon.
After completing the Hoenn Pokédex, Prof. Birch gives the player either a Chikorita, Cyndaquil, or a Totodile.
Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire[]
In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, Birch has the same role at the start as in Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version, being chased by a Poochyena, requiring the player to choose either a Treecko, Torchic, or Mudkip and defeat the Poochyena. The game now introduces a running gag where Birch often gets chased by a wild Pokémon, and the player has to rescue him using a first partner Pokémon of a different region.
After getting into the Hall of Fame, he is chased by a Shroomish and one has to choose either a Chikorita, Cyndaquil or a Totodile. Interestingly, though, he says that the Shroomish isn't a threat to him, but lets the player character keep the Pokémon anyway.
After the player completes the Delta Episode, Birch is chased by a Machoke holding some boxes. The player has to choose either a Snivy, Tepig or an Oshawott. (Interestingly though, he mistakes the Machoke as a wild one, but lets them keep the Pokémon anyway.)
After getting into the Hall of Fame twice, he is chased by his wife and the player can choose from a Turtwig, Chimchar or a Piplup. (Interestingly, though, he mistakes his wife for a wild Pokémon, but lets them keep the Pokémon anyway.)
Other appearances[]
Trivia[]
- Professor Birch is stated to be 35 years old in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire. Given that the player is known to be eleven years old, and that the rival is likely the same age, this means that Birch would have been 24 years old at the time of Brendan/May's birth.
Gallery[]
| Locations · Pokédex | |
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| Frontier BrainsE | |
| Battle ChatelainesORAS | |
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