Kurt

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If you were looking for the character with the Japnese name Kurt from the thirteenth movie, see Karl.

Kurt
ガンテツ Gantetsu
HeartGold SoulSilver Kurt.png
Artwork from HG/SS
Gender Male
Eye color Black
Hair color Gray
Hometown Azalea Town
Region Johto
Relatives Maisy (granddaughter)
Generation II, IV
Games Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver
Anime debut Shadow of a Drought
English voice actor Jimmy Zoppi
Japanese voice actor Masashi Hirose

Kurt (Japanese: ガンテツ Gantetsu) is a Poké Ball smith who lives in Azalea Town. In addition to making his own custom Balls out of apricorns, he studies Poké Ball mechanics, and is known far and wide as a Poké Ball expert. He is Maisy's grandfather.

In the games

File:Kurt House HGSS.png
Kurt's house in Generation IV
File:Inside Kurt House HGSS.png
The inside of Kurt's house in Generation IV

Kurt lives in a house in the northwest corner of Azalea Town. After Team Rocket is cleared out of Slowpoke Well, he will give players a Lure Ball in Generation II, or a Fast Ball in Generation IV. After this, he will offer to make his Apricorn Balls as long as he is brought an Apricorn. By the next day, he will have crafted it into one of his custom Poké Balls, depending on the color of the Apricorn. In HeartGold, SoulSilver, and Crystal, he allows players to give him multiples of one kind of Apricorn, resulting in gaining more than one of his special Poké Balls per day. Additionally, in Pokémon Crystal, when the player obtains the GS Ball, Kurt will examine for a day it if it is brought to him. Finding Ilex Forest restless after this, he asks the player to check things out. After that, Celebi can be caught in the forest. In his house there is a picture of Kurt, Professor Oak, and a lady with determined eyes.

Quotes

Azelea Town
"Hm? Who are you? <Player>, eh? You want me to make some Balls? Sorry, but that'll have to wait. Do you know Team Rocket? Ah, don't worry. I'll tell you anyhow. Team Rocket's an evil gang that uses Pokémon for their dirty work. They're supposed to have disbanded three years ago. Anyway, they're at the Well, cutting off Slowpoke Tails for sale! So I'm going to give them a lesson in pain! Hang on, Slowpoke! Old Kurt is on his way!"
Slowpoke Well
"Hey there, <player>! The guard up top took off when I shouted at them. But then I took a tumble down the Well. I slammed down hard on my back, so I can't move. Rats! If I were fit, my Pokémon would've punished them... Ah, it can't be helped. <Player>, show them how gutsy you are in my place!"
"Thank you so much, <player>! Now the town's Slowpoke are safe!"
"<Player>! Thank you for saving the Slowpoke from Team Rocket! If you bring me apricorns, I can make Poké Balls like this! I am glad to give you my service! Do you have any Poké Balls for me to make?"

Artworks

Gold Silver Kurt.png HeartGold SoulSilver Kurt.png
Official artwork from
Gold and Silver
Official artwork from
HeartGold and SoulSilver.

In the anime

Kurt in the anime

Ash was sent by Professor Oak to Johto to deliver the GS Ball to Kurt for study and found Azalea Town suffering through a drought.

Ash accidentally stepped on the tail of a local Slowpoke, and he was chased by an angry mob, but Kurt disguised him and his friends in Slowpoke costumes and saved them.

Kurt lived in Azalea Town, a town that considered Slowpoke sacred for their mythical abilities to cause rainfall. Ash and his friends met him while investigating Slowpoke Well because he heard strange noises coming from within. It turned out that Team Rocket was trying to steal the Slowpoke. Ash helped recover the Slowpoke and defeated Team Rocket.

Later, Kurt received the GS Ball. Ash wanted to see if Kurt would make him special Poké Balls. Kurt gave Ash, Brock, and Misty each a Fast Ball as thanks for helping them.

Ash and his friends gathered Apricorns and Kurt made Ash and Misty Lure Balls, and made Brock a Heavy Ball.

Voice actors

Language Voice actor
Japanese 広瀬正志 Masashi Hirose
English Jimmy Zoppi
Brazilian Portuguese Sílvio Giraldi
European Spanish Luis Gaspar


In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Kurt

Silver got a Heavy Ball from Kurt, intending to catch an Ursaring with it. Kurt cautioned Silver that only experienced trainers could wield his special Poké Balls.

Later, Gold met Maisy and Kurt. Kurt explained that once, his ancestors were the only ones capable of creating Poké Balls until companies started to mass produce them. Kurt then carried a slight grudge against Gold for making fun of his Apricorn Balls, saying that Gold wasn't experienced enough to use his special Balls, something that annoyed Gold. He then challenged Gold to catch a Pokémon using one of his balls and if he couldn't by dusk, he would have to become his apprentice, which he accepted.

Kurt made a Friend Ball for Gold, and later Gold and Silver were able to use their custom Poké Balls to capture a Teddiursa and Ursaring. Silver kept Ursaring for himself while Gold gave Teddiursa to Maisy. Kurt then appeared at Slowpoke Well, to see a mass of Team Rocket Grunts tied up and defeated, everyone wondering who did it.

Later, the Masked Man forced Kurt to turn over his plans for the GS Ball.

Both Kurt and Maisy made a cameo appearance in Epilogue on a ship to the Battle Frontier.

In their youth, Professor Oak, Agatha, Kurt, Pryce, and the old couple who run the Goldenrod City Pokémon Day Care were all close friends. To try to cheer Pryce up, Kurt helped write the lyrics of "Riding On The Stars," which was also sung by DJ Mary after that.

Pokémon

This listing is of Kurt's Pokémon in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Kurt's Shuckle
Shuckle
Shuckle is Kurt's only known Pokémon. It was assisting Kurt on making the special Poké Balls from the apricorns given to him.

None of Shuckle's moves are known.

Debut Teddiursa's Picnic

Names

Language Name Origin
Japanese ガンテツ Gantetsu 頑固一徹 Ganko-ittetsu, obstinate.
English, German Kurt "Curt", a synonym of obstinate.
French Fargas
Italian Franz
Spanish César
Korean 강집 Gangjip
Chinese (Mandarin) 鋼鐵/钢铁 Gāngtiě *
嚴鐵/严铁 Yán​tiě​ *
鋼鐵 means steel.
嚴鐵 literally means "strict iron".



Non-player characters in the core series games
Johto Professor ElmProfessor OakMomEthanLyraSilverMr. PokémonEusineLanceRedKiyoBaobaMagnusEarlKurtCarrieDude
MaryBuenaRadio DirectorHaircut brothersWebsterMasterLiWilmaPrimoMaximoJetCaitlinCynthiaCameronMr. GameFelicityTeala
Team RocketGym guideGym LeadersFrontier BrainsKimono GirlsWeek SiblingsName RaterPoké SeerDay-Care CoupleProfessors' aides
Project CharacterDex logo.png This game character article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games.