Professor Samuel Oak (Japanese: オーキド ユキナリ博士 Dr. Yukinari Okido, Ookido-Hakase and Orchid are also seen) is a Pokémon Professor and has a home and research lab located in Pallet Town.

Background information

Oak gives his invention, the Pokédex, to all beginning trainers in the Generation I games, and makes a cameo appearance in the Generation II games to give the player a Pokédex. He also makes an appearance in Generation IV to upgrade the Pokédex to the National Dex.

In the animé

In the animé, Oak is most notable for his vast research facility, where he cares for and studies hundreds of Pokémon, including those owned by, but not currently traveling with, trainers from Pallet Town. His often-forgetful attitude and other antics are also notorious. His Japanese voice actor is 石塚運昇 Unshō Ishizuka, his English voice actors are Stan Hart (4Kids dub), and Billy Beach (Pokémon USA/TAJ Productions dub) and his original Brazilian-Portuguese dub voice actor is Wellington Lima, but Dráusio de Oliveira voiced him in some episodes of Pokémon Chronicles and the seventh, ninth, and tenth seasons. Since the beginning, he has been voiced by Hugo Jiménez in the Latin American Spanish dub.

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

He appears as a young boy, Sam (Japanese: ユキナリ Yukinari) in the fourth film, Pokémon 4Ever. Ash Ketchum befriends Professor Oak as Sam, when he is transported by Celebi into the future. We recognize this connection between Sam and Samuel Oak when, in the credits, Tracey Sketchit is cleaning out the closet and finds Sam's sketchbook, not knowing anything about Sam, and is impressed by the Professor's skill in art. Also, Professor Oak knew Sam's name even though Ash never told him. As Yukinari he is voiced by 戸田恵子 Keiko Toda, and as Sam he is voiced by Tara Jayne in the English dub and by Rodrigo Andreatto in the Brazilian dub.

Prof. Oak lives up the road from Ash's mother and the two often appear together as they are good friends. He currently lives with Tracey Sketchit, who became his loyal assistant in The Rivalry Revival. Tracey and Prof. Oak are very passionate about studying Pokémon and are both artists. He has confidence in his grandson, but more often joins Ash's mother and friends in cheering on Ash in his competitions.

In the novelizations written by Takeshi Shudō, Professor Oak comes from a prestigious family. He has two brothers, one is the mayor of Pallet Town and the other is the Post Master, and his grandfather was the first trainer from Pallet Town to receive widespread recognition. According to Professor Elm, Professor Oak's studies and research mostly focus on how humans and Pokémon interact with each other.

He is an old friend of many other Pokémon professors, including Ivy, Elm, Birch and Rowan.

Pokémon

This listing is of Professor Oak's known Pokémon:

• Charmeleon (possibly his starter)
• Dragonite
• Pidgey
• Seaking (dub only)
• Various Pokémon used on his Lectures, including Garchomp and Mismagius

	Spoilers end here.

He also has these Pokémon to give to new trainers:

• Bulbasaur
• Charmander
• Squirtle

Trainers with his starter Pokémon

• Two unknown Trainers (Bulbasaur and Charmander)
• Gary (Squirtle)
• Ash (Pikachu)
• May (Squirtle)
• Gilbert (Bulbasaur)

In the games

Professor Oak works in his Laboratory in Pallet Town with his aides. He gave Red, Blue and Leaf their first Starter Pokémon. He is an idol to many trainers and researchers, including Professor Elm, and always plays an important supporting role in the many games that he appears in.

He was a childhood friend of Agatha. They remained good friends (some speculate that they were a couple) and top-class Pokémon Trainers until Oak stopped battling and became interested in Pokémon research. Agatha said that he became soft and started to regard him as a fool. However, Oak still affiliates with the Pokémon League as an adviser.

Professor Oak was always well-known in Kanto but in Generation II he became more of a celebrity. He started to be famous in Johto because of his Radio Show with DJ Mary. He was going to turn down the show at first but Mary's energy and persistence wore him down. Gold/Kris first met him visiting the home of Mr. Pokémon, another of Oak's childhood friends. Later he grants the young trainer access to Mt. Silver, a place which only finest Pokémon trainers may enter.

Professor Oak has many old friends. One of them is Kurt, a Poké Ball smith from Azalea Town and another is Professor Elm who used to be Oak's assistant.

Professor Oak is also a good friend of Professor Rowan. He visits Sinnoh often, has a home in Eterna City, introduces trainers to Pal Park, and gives them the National Dex. A letter that he sends to the player in a special event allows the player to find Shaymin.

Professor Oak gained has many fans and admirers. One of them is Schoolboy Chad, who usually calls the player to give information about Oak.

He made a cameo in the TCG game for Game Boy on his own card.

Professor Oak also was one of the two human characters appearing in Pokémon Snap. He was working on a Pokémon Report for the Pokémon species of Pokémon Island, and hired Todd to take pictures for the report. He provided Todd with the ZERO-ONE and its Dash Engine upgrade, Pokémon food, Pester Balls, and a Poké Flute. When Todd took a picture of each of the Pokémon Signs, Professor Oak drew a connection between them and the constellations to determine that Mew must be on Rainbow Cloud.

In the Generation I games there is unused Trainer data for Prof. Oak. This implies that Oak was originally going to be able to be battled. In the data, Oak has Level 66 Tauros, Level 67 Exeggutor, Level 68 Arcanine, Level 70 Gyarados and one of Kanto starters at Level 69.

Fame Checker

This is a list of the Fame Checker's information on Professor Oak in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.

Pallet Town - sign

• What does this person do?

"Oak Pokémon Research Lab."

Pallet Town Research Lab - Prof. Oak

• What is this person like?

"To make a complete guide on all the Pokémon in the world...

That was my dream!"

Pallet Town Research Lab - aide

• What is this person like?

"Prof. Oak may not look like much, but he's the authority on Pokémon.

Many Pokémon trainers hold him in high regard."

Viridian City - Pokémon Journal

• Family and friends?

"Prof. Oak reportedly lives with his grandchildren, Daisy and Blue."

Pokémon League - Agatha

• Family and friends?

"I hear Oak's taken a lot of interest in you, child.

That old duff was once tough and handsome.

But that was decades ago. He's a shadow of his former self."

Pallet Town Research Lab - aide

• What does this person do?

"Prof. Oak is going to have his own radio show soon.

The program will be called Prof. Oak's Pokémon Seminar."

Message from Oak

• From: Prof. Oak
• To: [Player]

"Why do Pokémon compete and battle so hard for you?

They do so because they can see the love and trust you have towards Pokémon.

Never forget that."

Artwork

• Professor Oak GenII Sugimori.png

  Oak from Generation II

• Oak1.jpg

  A picture of Professor Oak at his laboratory.

In the Pokémon Special manga

Although Professor Oak's first mention was in A Glimpse of the Glow in a conversation between Red and some Pallet Town children, his debut was in Bulbasaur, Come Home!, where Red had wandered into his lab and was immediately accused of being a thief. In his haste, Red accidentally released all the Pokémon in the lab, including Bulbasaur, causing the two to track them down and re-capture them. After being saved by Red from a Machoke attack in Viridian City, Oak gave Red the Bulbasaur and a Pokédex. The professor also makes appearances in The Secret of Kangaskhan and Gyarados Splashes In!, talking about Team Rocket's experiments. Oak later appears in Volume 3 to battle Blue under the alias "Doctor O" and reveals Blue's phobia of Flying-type Pokémon and her theft of Squirtle. However, he shows compassion by giving her the last Pokédex and forfeiting his position in the Pokémon League.

In the GSC Saga, Oak is now known as the leading authority on Pokémon in both Kanto and Johto and has developed the three new Pokédexes. The first was stolen by Silver, the second and third he gave to Gold and Crystal. During the battle with the Mask of Ice, he gave out the titles to the six Pokédex holders and Yellow. At the end, he employed Crystal as his assistant and thanks to her, the Pokédex had been filled and he owned all non-legendary Pokémon as research.

In the FRLG Saga, Oak was captured by the The Three Beasts to lure Red, Green and Blue to the Sevii Islands; but not before he recalled their three Pokédexes. After he was freed at Trainer Tower, Oak upgraded the Pokédexes to add the National Dex capability.

One of Professor Oak's projects was a full analysis of a report holding all information on the last awakening of Jirachi. From this, he worked out that it would appear where the Battle Frontier was being built during its opening week. He immediately contacted Scott and, while he would not move the opening, Professor Oak managed to convince Scott to allow a Pokédex holder to guard Jirachi. This was Emerald. However, someone stole the disc with all the data from Professor Oak's lab.

Pokémon

He has these Pokémon, or has owned them in the past:

On hand

• Spearow → Fearow
• Doduo
• Pidgeot
• Kangaskhan (ガルっち Garu-tchi)
• Stantler (オドっち Odo-tchi)
• Ledyba (レディっち Redi-tchi)

Given away

• Chansey (ラキっち Lucky-tchi)

Given to Daisy.

• Bulbasaur

Debuted and given to Red in Bulbasaur, Come Home!.

• Charmander

Debuted and given to Green before A Glimpse of the Glow.

• Squirtle

Stolen by Blue.

In the laboratory

• Kakuna
• Pidgey
• Caterpie
• Metapod
• Rattata
• Tentacool
• Poliwag
• Weedle
• Meowth

In the TCG

Professor Oak appears on a self-named card in the TCG which when played allows the player to discard their hand and draw seven cards. This card appears in the Base Set.

He is also on the card Professor Oak's Research (shortened to Prof. Oak's Research in EX FireRed & LeafGreen), which lets the player shuffle their hand into their deck and draw five cards. This card appears in the Expedition, EX FireRed & LeafGreen, and EX Dragon Frontiers sets.

He is also on the card Professor Oak's Visit in the Secret Wonders set.

In addition, there is an impostor version which requires the opponent to shuffle their hand into his deck and draw seven cards, which also appears on a card called "Impostor Oak's Revenge" in the Team Rocket set, a card which makes one's opponent do the same with only drawing four cards, but requires one of the player's own cards to be discarded, and on a card called "Impostor Professor Oak's Invention", which allowed the player to look at the opponent's Prize cards and choose whether to let the opponent keep them or set out new ones.

Other appearances

Super Smash Bros. Melee

Professor Oak appears as a random trophy wearing his regular clothing from the animé.

Trophy information

The leading expert on the study of Pokémon. It seems there are always new and mysterious species of Pokémon being brough to light, and Professor Oak is at the heart of it all with his insightful research. The Pokédex is one of his inventions: new trainers receive one, and a Pokémon to boot, when they start out.

Trivia

• Professor Oak is the first and currently only Pokémon Professor to appear in all Generations (from Generation I through Generation IV), appearing in Generation I and Generation III as the regional professor and making occasional appearances in Generation II and Generation IV.
• Professor Oak is the only character whose name was changed for Brazilian Portuguese animé dub. His Brazilian name is Professor Carvalho.

Names

External links

• Ōkido's Profile on Pokeani (Japanese)

Professor Oak • Mom (Kanto) • Mom (LGPE) • Red • Blue • Green • Trace • Daisy • Old man • Bill • Celio • Mr. Fuji • Safari Zone Warden • Copycat • Primo • Koichi
Pokémon Fan Club Chairman • Erik and Sara • Lostelle • Teala • Selphy • Cal • Steven Stone • Maylene • Mina • Cameron • Mr. Game • Morimoto
Team Rocket • Gym guide • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • Professors' aides • Magikarp salesman • Name Rater • Day-Care Person • Mr. Hyper Template:Animécharacters