Professor Rowan

Professor Rowan ナナカマドはかせ Dr. Nanakamado
Art from Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
Age	60
Gender	Male
Hometown	Sandgem Town
Region	Sinnoh
Relatives	Unknown
Class	Former Champion Trainer, Pokémon Professor
Generation	IV
Games	Diamond, Pearl,
First episode	Following a Maiden Voyage
English voice actor	Jimmy Zoppi
Japanese voice actor	Iemasa Kayumi

Professor Rowan (Japanese: ナナカマドはかせ Dr. Nanakamado) is the resident professor of Sinnoh. He specializes in Pokémon evolution.

Professor Rowan is an old friend of Professor Oak, and Rowan's assistant claims that Oak is Rowan's junior in terms of seniority.

In the anime

Prof. Rowan in the anime.

In the anime, he first appeared in Following a Maiden's Voyage to give Dawn her Piplup. His Japanese voice actor is 家弓家正 Iemasa Kayumi and his English voice actor is Billy Beach.

Pokémon

Starly

Staraptor

He also has these Pokémon to give to new trainers:

Turtwig

Chimchar

Piplup

Trainers with his starter Pokémon

Piplup (to Dawn)

In the games

Professor Rowan works in Sandgem Town with Dawn/Lucas and their family. This makes him the only Professor from the handheld games that does not live in the player's hometown. He has a stern personality that makes him seem intimidating, but he is actually very kind. Rowan says he still feels a thrill whenever he travels anywhere with his Pokémon. He apparently has a sweet tooth, as the refrigerator in his laboratory is full of nothing but sweets and candy.

Rowan's particular field of study is Pokémon evolution, having discovered that 90% of all Pokémon are connected in some way to others through evolution. He is also interested in determining if evolution is supposed to be a form of Pokémon reaching maturity, or a way for an "incomplete" being to become "more complete", and the implications that the process has on Legendary Pokémon, which don't evolve. At the Hall of Fame, Professor Rowan and Cynthia reveal to the player that it was Professor Rowan who gave Cynthia a Pokédex when young, and later on, witnessed her becoming a Champion.

In the manga

In Pokémon Special, he gave Berlitz three Pokétches, three Pokédexes and Turtwig (for Diamond), Chimchar (for Pearl), and Piplup (for herself)

In Pokémon DP, Professor Rowan adopted Hareta as a grandson. However, on seeing Hareta's ability to understand the souls of Pokémon, he felt it was best to leave him out in the forest with his Pokémon friends to care for him. He did not see Hareta again for four years. Deciding it would help the boy to travel and see the world, the Professor decided he should be a Pokémon Trainer and travel with his assistant, Mitsumi, and one of his Pokémon, Piplup.

In the TCG

Professor Rowan appears on his own card in the Diamond & Pearl and Secret Wonders expansions, much like the other professors have.

Trivia

• Rowan's Japanese name is actually the word for the rowan tree, breaking the pattern set by Professors Oak, Elm, and Birch, all named for flowers. After much speculation that it would be a direct translation, it was revealed that his name would be Rowan in the English translation, continuing the long-standing pattern of professors named for trees.
• Rowan's studies naming 90% of all Pokémon as related through evolution are only close to true even as of Generation IV, as there are 77 Pokémon that do not evolve into or from any others, 35 being legendary Pokémon, giving a total of 84% that are related by evolution.

Name

External links

• Nanakamado's Profile on Pokeani (Japanese)