The first rivals in the Pokémon franchise, Red and Blue.
- For the anime theme song, see The Rivals.
Rival (ライバル, Raibaru?) is both a Trainer class and title of certain characters. Rival appear in as early as Generation I.
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Description[]
A rival is a formidable competitor to the player, often originating from the same area as them, and both have a similar endeavor of wanting to become a Pokémon Master. The player encounters their rival during certain parts of their journey, and what usually occurs is a Pokémon battle, since the rival wants to review the player's progress. The most recurring rival is Blue, introduced in Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Blue Version as the rival of Red. In every generation barring the ninth, at least one of the player's rivals can be fought at either the local Pokémon League or Victory Road, or sometimes both.
A rival can range from being a childhood friend to a recently met neighbor. Regardless, a rival is often related to a notable character, like how Blue is the grandson of Professor Oak; Silver is the son of Giovanni; Brendan/May is the child of Professor Birch; and Barry is the son of one of the Gym Leaders, Palmer.
Many rivals and semi-rivals exhibit rudeness and arrogance, namely Blue, Silver, Gladion, Bede, Clara, Avery, Arven, Carmine, and Kieran, but few have ever had a purely antagonistic relationship with the player, those being only Silver and Bede.
In games of the core series prior to Generation V, when the player is choosing from either a Grass, Fire, or Water-type first partner Pokémon, their sole rival always chooses the Pokémon of a superior type: The rival chooses the Grass type if the player has chosen a Water type; a Water type if the player has chosen a Fire type; and a Fire type if the player has chosen a Grass type. With the player having two rivals in later games, a specific rival chooses the Pokémon with a type advantage, while the other chooses the disadvantaged Pokémon.
List[]
| Image | Name | Region | Generation | Games | Relation to player |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Blue/Green | Kanto | I, III | Childhood friend | |
|
Silver | Johto | II, IV | Antagonist | |
|
Brendan | Hoenn | III, VI | Recently met | |
|
May | Hoenn | III, VI |
|
Recently met |
|
Wally | Hoenn | III, VI |
|
Recently met |
|
Barry | Sinnoh | IV, VIII | Childhood friend | |
|
Cheren | Unova | V | Childhood friend | |
|
Bianca | Unova | V |
|
Childhood friend |
|
Hugh | Unova | V | Childhood friend | |
|
Calem | Kalos | VI | Recently met | |
|
Serena | Kalos | VI |
|
Recently met |
|
Hau | Alola | VII | Recently met | |
|
Gladion | Alola | VII |
|
- |
|
Trace | Kanto | VII | Childhood friend | |
|
Hop | Galar | VIII | Childhood friend | |
|
Bede | Galar | VIII |
|
Antagonist |
|
Marnie | Galar | VIII |
|
- |
|
Klara | Galar | VIII | - | |
|
Avery | Galar | VIII | - | |
|
Nemona | Paldea | IX | Recently met | |
|
Kieran | Kitakami Unova |
IX | - | |
|
Urbain | Kalos | IX | Recently met | |
|
Taunie | Kalos | IX |
|
Recently met |
Semi-rival[]
A semi-rival (半ライバル, hanraibaru?) has less of a role than a rival and battles the player less often.
| Image | Name | Region | Generation | Games | Relation to player |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
N | Unova | V | - | |
|
Shauna | Kalos | VI | Recently met | |
|
Tierno | Kalos | VI |
|
Recently met |
|
Trevor | Kalos | VI |
|
Recently met |
|
Arven | Paldea | IX | Recently met | |
|
Carmine | Kitakami Unova |
IX | - | |
|
Naveen | Kalos | IX | Recently met | |
|
Lida | Kalos | IX |
|
Recently met |
Pseudo-rival[]
Pseudo-rival (擬似ライバル, Giji Raibaru?), while being one of the main protagonists in a game of the core series, is even less of a rival than semi-rivals. They provide useful information, sometimes give useful items, and assist in Double Battles. Pseudo-rivals are more competitive in terms of a shared goal, usually of completing a Pokédex, instead of participating in Pokémon battles.
| Image | Name | Region | Generation | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ethan | Johto | IV | |
|
Lyra | Johto | IV |
|
|
Lucas | Sinnoh | IV | |
|
Dawn | Sinnoh | IV |
|
|
Nate | Unova | V | |
|
Rosa | Unova | V |
|
|
Rei | Hisui | VIII | |
|
Akari | Hisui | VIII |
|
Appearances[]
Core series[]
Certain games allow the player to name their rival. Those rivals being Blue, Silver, Barry, Hugh, and Trace.
Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition is the first game where a rival does not choose a Pokémon with a type advantage. Instead, they choose Eevee, while Oak catches a Pikachu on the player's behalf.
Uniquely, in the Generation III games, it appears that the player character's nominal rival, Brendan/May, has stopped being a Trainer, with Wally taking the title of being the true rival, facing the player character before they can leave Victory Road and staying there to have rematches with the player later. In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, Brendan/May's role is slightly expanded, acting in a post-credits battle in which they gain access to Mega Evolution for their first partner Pokémon.
Wally is the first rival whose first partner Pokémon is not from the trio of first partner Pokémon available, excluding Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition, since neither the player nor their rival can choose a Pokémon from the trio. Wally's first partner is Ralts instead, after catching it on Route 103.
In Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version and Pokémon Platinum Version, the player's pseudo-rival, Lucas/Dawn, chooses the last of the Sinnoh first partner Pokémon, more specifically the one with a type disadvantage against the player's, since the player and their rival both choose earlier on, the latter always choosing the first partner Pokémon that has a type advantage.
In Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version, the player's two rivals, Cheren and Bianca, always choose the first partner Pokémon with a type advantage over the player's and the one at a disadvantage, respectively.
In Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, Shauna's first partner Pokémon is disadvantaged against the player's Pokémon, while Calem/Serena choose the Pokémon with a type advantage.
In the Generation VII games, Hau chooses the disadvantaged Pokémon. Later on, Gladion has a Pokémon that always has a type advantage over the player, but it is not one of the Alola first partner Pokémon.
In Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, Hop always chooses the Pokémon at a type disadvantage. Marnie's first partner is not from the available trio of Galar first partner Pokémon, similarly to Wally in the Hoenn games.
In Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, Nemona always chooses the Pokémon with a type disadvantage.
Spinoffs[]
In Pokémon Trading Card Game and its Japan-only sequel, Pokémon Card GB2 Here Comes Team Great Rocket!, Ronald is the player's rival.
In Pokémon Duel, the rivals are Luca and Sharon.
In Pokémon Masters EX, the rivals are Paulo and Lear.
In New Pokémon Snap, the player's rival is Phil.
Anime[]
In Pokémon the Series, many rivals for the main characters have appeared. The rivals in the anime can be compared to that in the video games. The main characters also learns a lot from their rivals during their competitions. Even some of the main characters' Pokémon have a rivalry with another Trainer's Pokémon.
Trainers[]
Ash has a lot of rivals during his travels, but his major rivals were: Gary Oak, Paul, Trip, Alain, Gladion and Bea — with the first three once unfriendly to Ash. Gary was a rival during Kanto and Johto, Paul during Sinnoh, Trip during Unova, Alain during Kalos, Gladion during Alola, and Bea and Leon during Galar. He also battles Cross in the I Choose You! movie, and Hodge in "Serving Up the Flute Cup!".
Ash also had a lot of semi-rivals in the anime series. However, they are mostly more in collecting badges and holding friendly battles, which some of them achieved in competing with each other in the Pokémon League. Prominent minor rivals include Ritchie during Kanto, Harrison during Johto, Morrison and Tyson during Hoenn, Barry, Conway, Nando and Tobias during Sinnoh, Bianca, Stephan, Cameron and Virgil during Unova, Korrina, Sawyer, Tierno, Trevor during Kalos, and Kiawe and Hau during Alola.
Jessie and James both have had unfriendly rivalries with two other members of Team Rocket, Butch and Cassidy. Jessie's rivalry with Cassidy goes back to childhood years, while the rivalry between James and Butch can be because of the times that they were assigned to capture a red Snorlax. James was chosen as Jessie's last-chance partner due to a history of not getting along with the preceding ones while Butch got along with Cassidy easily. Butch and Cassidy are both popular and Mid-Class Agents, while Jessie and James are both losers and Low-Class Agents. The characters' rivalry ended when Cassidy and Butch left Team Rocket for better lives.
May has a friendly rivalry with her fellow coordinators Drew and Solidad and an unfriendly rivalry with Harley.
Dawn has a rivalry with her fellow coordinators Zoey, Nando, Kenny and an unfriendly rivalry with Ursula and Jessilina.
Iris has an unfriendly rivalry with Georgia, which comes from the fact that Iris wants to become a Dragon Master while Georgia focuses on defeating Dragon-type Pokémon.
Cilan has an unfriendly rivalry with a fellow Connoisseur Burgundy. Cilan is an A-class, while Burgundy is only a C-class (which is the beginner and an assistant to A-class and S-class).
Serena has friendly rivalries with Shauna, Miette, Nini and Aria (Kalos).
Sophocles has a rivalry with Horacio. Both of them have Vikavolt and they competed on making their Pokémon stronger.
Goh has a rivalry with Gary, since both of them are competing to get a spot on Project Mew. Goh is treated by Gary similarly to how Ash had been treated by Gary in Pokémon the Series: The Beginning. Since he was ill-treated, Goh joined Project Mew, where he has an unfriendly rivalry with Quillon.
Pokémon[]
Ash's Pikachu has a rivalry with its evolved form, Raichu, because of its first fight against Lt. Surge's Raichu. Unlike Meowth (Team Rocket), Pikachu is willing to work with a Raichu, as seen during the Summer Camp arc of Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl. Ash's Pikachu also has a rivalry with Paul's Electivire, which includes during the Pokémon's Elekid and Electabuzz stages. Ash's Pikachu had a rivalry with a Sunglasses Krokorok (even when it was a Sandile). Krokorok believed he was superior to Pikachu, due to type advantage. It had been following Ash and the others to battle Pikachu again. After it lost to Pikachu for the last time, it ended its rivalry with Pikachu and agreed to joined Ash. Ash's Pikachu has a rivalry with Jessie's Mimikyu. Mimikyu harbors great hatred against Pikachu and its kind will stop at nothing to take him down.
Ash's Snivy has a rivalry with Iris' Emolga, both of them are females, and Emolga is a mischievous Pokémon who likes to be naughty, while Snivy watches her to stop her mischief.
Ash's Greninja has a rivalry with Sawyer's Sceptile (even during their evolution lines). Greninja's powers of Bond Phenomenon rivals the powers of Sceptile's Mega Evolution. Ash's Greninja has a rivalry with Alain's Charizard, whose Mega Evolution rivals Greninja's Bond Phenomenon, and their respective trainers.
Ash's Incineroar has a rivalry with Professor Kukui's Incineroar. Ash's Incineroar want to become stronger than Professor Kukui's Incineroar and does not stop until he defeats him, even when Ash's Incineroar was in its previous forms, Litten and Torracat.
Serena's Pancham and Clemont's Chespin has a rivalry with each other.
Dawn's Piplup and Ash's Oshawott has a rivalry with each other. Both of them are Water-type First partner Pokémon and had a crush for Meloetta, but they eventually make amends with one other.
Meowth has a rivalry with its evolved form Persian (including Giovanni's), mostly because of the fact that the Persian is Giovanni's favorite (which Meowth dislikes because, according to his stories, he was the former favorite of Giovanni).
Tyson's Meowth has a rivalry with its evolved form Persian, because its story of battling a Persian in a snowing forest and lost the battle. Tyson's Meowth has an unfriendly rivalry with Meowth (Team Rocket), Tyson's Meowth called Meowth (Team Rocket) a pathetic and embarrassment to other Meowth. Both of them shared the pain for their hatred toward their evolve form Persian.
Ash's Rowlet, Ash's Lycanroc and Ash's Incineroar have a rivalry with their evolutions (Hau's Decidueye, Gladion's Lycanroc and Professor Kukui's Incineroar) respectively. The latter two have more antagonistic rivalry than the former two.
Ash's Lucario has a rivalry with Bea's Grapploct, because it lost to it once in a battle in the World Coronation Series and wanted to battle again it someday (Even when Ash's Lucario was a Riolu). Lucario got to defeat Grapploct during Ash and Bea's third battle.
Manga[]
Pokémon Adventures[]
Rivalries between major characters exist throughout Pokémon Adventures.
In the Red, Green & Blue Chapter, Red and Blue become rivals since meeting one another in Viridian Forest, with each of them trying to outdo the other.
In the Gold & Silver Chapter, Gold and Silver become rivals when Gold discovers that Silver had stolen a Totodile from Professor Elm, but they later befriend one another after the events of the Masked Man.
In the Crystal Chapter, Crystal and Eusine become rivals since both of them want to catch Suicune.
In the Ruby & Sapphire Chapter, Ruby and Sapphire are rivals.
In the Black & White Chapter, Black and Cheren rival one another during the Pokémon League in Unova, although they grew up being childhood friends.
Pokémon Pocket Monsters[]
In Pokémon Pocket Monsters, there are a few characters who are rivals to Red and seek to win Pokémon battles against him, let alone aim to outdo Red in general.
Red's main rival is Green, which originates back to their childhood. Whenever both character meet up, each of them try to prove himself as being better than the other.
Blue has been a rival of Red's since PPM007, when Red got rid of the Haunter that had possessed Blue.
Yellow, who first appears in PPM044, rivals Red mainly from trying to outdo him in training a Pikachu.
Gold is also one of Red's rivals. He is an arrogant trainer who tries to humiliate Red, which is unlike Gold's counterparts in other media.
Silver is another of Red's rivals, particularly when it comes to showing off his Pokémon.
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure![]
In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure!, Hareta's two rivals are Jun and Koya, while Mitsumi's rival is Jupiter.
Pokémon Journeys[]
In Pokémon Journeys, Ash and Bea are rivals in the World Coronation Series. Meanwhile, Goh and Gary are rivals mainly from having differences of opinion.
Trivia[]
- Gladion and Hop are the only rivals who have a Legendary Pokémon. While Kieran has caught a Legendary, he allows the player to catch it after losing control of it.
- Ash has at least one species of Pokémon from the same evolutionary line as each of his major rivals.
| Kanto | |
|---|---|
| Johto | |
| Hoenn | |
| Sinnoh | |
| Unova | |
| Kalos | |
| Alola | |
| Galar | |
| Paldea | |