Pokémon Champion
A Pokémon champion or League champion (Japanese: リーグ優勝者 League champion or simply チャンピオン Champion) is the highest known level of rank for a Pokémon trainer. It usually refers to a trainer who has completed a Pokémon League by collecting all the necessary gym badges, and either winning a regional Pokémon tournament or defeating the Elite Four and the previous Pokémon champion. There is usually only one Pokémon champion per region at a time. It is assumed that the champion must defend their title against challengers, although this is never explicitly stated.
In the games, Kanto and Johto share a League champion, while the other regions with a Pokémon league have their own.
Players who become the Pokémon Champion will notice that it is mostly a symbolic honor, (a sign of beating the game), as they are unable to battle challengers or take up any other league duties, seeing as the player cannot remain at the League's headquaters to await a challenger. In addition, the former champion will still remain at the Pokémon League and can be battled again even after being deposed. Hopefully, in future games, some type of "challenger system" will be implemented that allows players to regularly battle NPC's that have overcome the Elite Four to defend their Champion title.
The path to becoming Champion differs between the anime and the games. Instead of fighting the Elite Four, there is an inter-trainer tournament between acomplished trainers that have collected all eight gym badges; however Lucian mentioned that the winner of the Sinnoh League has the opportunity to battle the Elite Four and their Champion.
List of Champions
In the games
- Blue of Pallet Town - Indigo League
- Lance of Blackthorn City - Johto League
- Steven Stone of Mossdeep City - Hoenn League
- Wallace of Sootopolis City- Hoenn League
- Cynthia of Celestic Town - Sinnoh League
- The player - All games, once defeating the previous Champion
In the anime
- Jon Dickson of Sento Cherry Town - Silver Conference
- Tyson of Mauville City - Ever Grande Conference
- Drake of Pummelo Island - Orange League
- Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town - Orange League and Battle Frontier
- Cynthia of Celestic Town - Sinnoh League
In the Pokémon Special manga
- Red of Pallet Town - Ninth Annual Pokémon League competition
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The Pokémon League | 
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|---|---|---|---|
| Participation Trainer • Battle • Gym Leaders Gyms • Badges • Referee Championship matches Elite Four • Orange League Champion League Pokémon League Conferences Indigo • Silver • Ever Grande • Lily of the Valley Vertress • Lumiose • Manalo |
Regional Pokémon Leagues Indigo • Orange* • Johto • Hoenn • Sinnoh Unova • Kalos • Alola • Galar • Paldea Areas of jurisdiction Pokémon League Reception Gate • Hall of Fame Palace of Victory • Cerulean Cave Others Pokémon Association • PIA World Coronation Series (Masters Eight Tournament) | ||
