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[[Image:RedStart.png|frame|{{ga|Red}}'s [[Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions|Pokémon journey]] is about to begin....]]
A '''player character''' in the world of [[Pokémon]] is the protagonist of the {{pkmn|games}}, the avatar of the player. Player characters are usually remarkably silent, only able to answer yes and no to questions. This is so that the player can "fill in" what they imagine the character is thinking, feeling and acting, thus immersing the player within the world of the game. 

==Gameplay==
===Main series===
[[File:PlayerCharactersGrouped.png|frame|The player characters of the first four generations of main series games (including redesigns)]]
[[File:Black White Players.png|frame|The player characters of the fifth generation of the main series games]]

In the mainstream games, the player characters are always [[Pokémon Trainer]]s beginning their [[Pokémon journey]].  While most player characters start their journey at the age of 10, the player characters in Generation V are set to be older. At the conclusion of their journey, most will have conquered a [[Pokémon League]]'s eight [[Gym Leader]]s and [[Elite Four]], and become the {{pkmn|Champion}}. Later games offer additional sidequests, although the main plot of the game is propelled by the Pokémon League challenge.

Those who do the above will most often start their journey in their hometown by getting, or shortly before getting, a [[starter Pokémon]], a Pokémon that appears very early in their native [[region]]'s [[Regional Pokédex|Pokédex]], and is of the {{t|Grass}}-, {{t|Fire}}-, or {{type2|Water}}. The region's native [[Pokémon professor]] will always give them this, as well as a Pokédex.

In {{game|Crystal}}, and each game in the [[main series]] which followed it, players were also able to pick the [[gender]] of the lead, more often than not to match their own. Each player character in the first four [[generation]]s of games has been aged ten; however the player characters in the upcoming fifth generation are expected to be older.<!--CoroCoro leak-->

Aside from the standard that many of the games' player characters take in their journey, there are also several other ways in which other player characters complete their journey, such as [[Wes]] and [[Michael]] who must defeat [[Cipher]] and free all of their [[snagged Pokémon]] from their [[Shadow Pokémon|Shadow state]].

To date, only one player character has reappeared from an older generation in a role other than that of the player. In [[Generation II]] and {{gen|IV}}, when {{ga|Ethan}} or {{ga|Kris}}/{{ga|Lyra}} travels to [[Mt. Silver]] and reaches the deepest point of the cave, {{ga|Red}} is found, utterly silent as he was under the player's control. At the time of these games' respective releases, [[Red's Pikachu]] was the highest-leveled Pokémon owned by an in-game Trainer ({{ga|Barry}}'s fully evolved starter Pokémon temporarily surpassed the standard set in Gold and Silver until the release of their remakes, HeartGold and SoulSilver).

===Side series===
In the {{ga|Pokémon Ranger}} series, [[Solana]], [[Lunick]], [[Kellyn]], {{ra|Kate}}, [[Natsuya]] and [[Minami]] are not Pokémon Trainers, but instead {{OBP|Pokémon Ranger|Ranger series}}s. They use the Pokémon they have captured with the [[Capture Styler]] to help them along the way. They also have [[partner Pokémon]] that follow them wherever they go.

In the [[Pokémon Mystery Dungeon|Mystery Dungeon series]], players play as actual Pokémon for the first time. Unlike most other Pokémon games, the player actually talks, but is given pre-generated phrases to say to questions.

In the Card GB series, [[Mark]] and [[Mint]] do not use actual Pokémon themselves, but cards instead.

Three unnamed player characters appear in [[Pokémon Stadium series]]. Japanese-only [[Pokémon Stadium (Japanese)|Pokémon Stadium]] featured one boy character, whose design was likely based on {{ga|Red}}. However, for [[Pokémon Stadium|the sequel]] a brand new boy character has been created. This player has also made it to [[Pokémon Stadium 2]], where he was given a female counterpart. She appears when a player uses a [[Pokémon Crystal]] Game Pak with the girl chosen in the saved game.

===Others===
In {{g|Snap}}, [[Todd Snap]] must strive for something different from Trainers. He must capture all the Pokémon on [[Pokémon Island]] — on film.

In [[Pokémon Trozei!]], the main protagonist is [[Lucy Fleetfoot]]. All the player has to do is tap the stage and Lucy accesses it. The player then plays the stage.

==Images==

===Main series===

====Handheld====
{| align="center" style="background: #88a; -moz-border-radius: 10px; border: 5px solid #88a"
|-
! colspan="2" style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px;" | {{color2|000|Region}}
! colspan="6" style="background:#{{kanto color}}" | {{color2|{{kanto color dark}}|Kanto}}
! colspan="5" style="background:#{{johto color}}" | {{color2|{{johto color dark}}|Johto}}
! colspan="3" style="background:#{{hoenn color}}" | {{color2|{{hoenn color dark}}|Hoenn}}
! colspan="3" style="background:#{{sinnoh color}}; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px;" | {{color2|{{sinnoh color dark}}|Sinnoh}}
|- 
! colspan="2" style="background:#bebed1" | {{color2|000|Pokémon game|Game}}
! style="background:#{{red color}}" | {{color2|{{red color dark}}|Pokémon Red and Blue Versions|R}}
! style="background:#{{green color}}" | {{color2|{{green color dark}}|Pokémon Red and Green Versions|G}}
! style="background:#{{blue color}}" | {{color2|{{blue color dark}}|Pokémon Blue Version (Japanese)|B}}
! style="background:#{{yellow color}}" | {{color2|{{yellow color dark}}|Pokémon Yellow Version|Y}}
! style="background:#{{firered color}}" | {{color2|{{firered color dark}}|Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions|FR}}
! style="background:#{{leafgreen color}}" | {{color2|{{leafgreen color dark}}|Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions|LG}}
! style="background:#{{gold color}}" | {{color2|{{gold color dark}}|Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions|G}}
! style="background:#{{silver color}}" | {{color2|{{silver color dark}}|Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions|S}}
! style="background:#{{crystal color}}" | {{color2|{{crystal color dark}}|Pokémon Crystal Version|C}}
! style="background:#{{heartgold color}}" | {{color2|{{heartgold color dark}}|Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions|HG}}
! style="background:#{{soulsilver color}}" | {{color2|{{soulsilver color dark}}|Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions|SS}}
! style="background:#{{ruby color}}" | {{color2|{{ruby color dark}}|Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Versions|R}}
! style="background:#{{sapphire color light}}" | {{color2|{{sapphire color dark}}|Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Versions|S}}
! style="background:#{{emerald color}}" | {{color2|{{emerald color dark}}|Pokémon Emerald Version|E}}
! style="background:#{{diamond color}}" | {{color2|{{diamond color dark}}|Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Versions|D}}
! style="background:#{{pearl color}}" | {{color2|{{pearl color dark}}|Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Versions|P}}
! style="background:#{{platinum color}}" | {{color2|{{platinum color dark}}|Pokémon Platinum Version|Pt}}
|- align="center"
! rowspan="3" style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Male}}
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Name}}
| colspan="6" style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Red (game)|Red}} 
| colspan="5" style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Ethan (game)|Ethan}} 
| colspan="3" style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Brendan (game)|Brendan}} 
| colspan="3" style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Lucas (game)|Lucas}} 
|- style="background:#fff"
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Front}}
| align="center" colspan="3" | [[Image:Red main sprite.png]]
| align="center" | [[Image:Y Red.png]]
| align="center" colspan="2" | [[Image:FRLG Red.png]]
| align="center" colspan="2" | [[Image:GS Gold.png]]
| align="center" | [[Image:C Gold.png]]
| align="center" colspan="2" | [[Image:HGSS Hibiki.png]]
| align="center" colspan="2" | [[Image:RS Brendan.png]]
| align="center" | [[Image:E Brendan.png]]
| align="center" colspan="2" | [[Image:DP Lucas.png]]
| align="center" | [[Image:Pt Lucas.png]]
|- style="background:#fff"
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Back}}
| align="center" colspan="3" | [[Image:Redback.png]]
| align="center" | [[Image:Y_Red_Back.png]]
| align="center" colspan="2" | [[Image:FRLG_Red_Back.png]]
| align="center" colspan="3" | [[Image:GS_Gold_Back.png]]
| align="center" colspan="2" | [[Image:HGSS_Gold_Back.png]]
| align="center" colspan="2" | [[Image:RS_Brendan_Back.png]]
| align="center" | [[Image:E_Brendan_Back.png]]
| align="center" colspan="2" | [[Image:DP_Lucas_Back.png]]
| align="center" | [[Image:Pt_Lucas_Back.png]]
|- align="center"
! rowspan="3" style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px;" | {{color|000|Female}}
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Name}}
| valign="center" rowspan="3" colspan="4" style="background:#fff" | {{color|000|No female player character}}
| colspan="2" style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Leaf (game)|Leaf}} 
| align="center" rowspan="3" colspan="2" style="background:#fff" | {{color|000|No female player character}}
| style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Kris (game)|Kris}}
| colspan="2"  style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Lyra (game)|Lyra}}
| colspan="3" style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|May (game)|May}} 
| colspan="3" style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Dawn (game)|Dawn}}
|- style="background:#fff"
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Front}}
| align="center" colspan="2" | [[Image:FRLG Leaf.png]]
| align="center" | [[Image:C Kris.png]]
| align="center" colspan="2" style="background:#fff" | [[Image:KotoneHGSS.png]]
| align="center" colspan="2" | [[Image:RS May.png]]
| align="center" | [[Image:E May.png]]
| align="center" colspan="2" | [[Image:DP Dawn.png]]
| align="center" | [[Image:Pt Dawn.png]]
|- 
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Back}}
| align="center" colspan="2" style="background:#fff" | [[Image:FRLG_Leaf_Back.png]]
| align="center" style="background:#fff" | [[Image:C_Kris_Back.png]]
| align="center" colspan="2" style="background:#fff" | [[Image:HGSS Kotone Back.png]]
| align="center" style="background:#fff" colspan="2" | [[Image:RS_May_Back.png]]
| align="center" style="background:#fff" | [[Image:E_May_Back.png]]
| align="center" style="background:#fff" colspan="2" | [[Image:DP_Dawn_Back.png]]
| align="center" style="background:#fff; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px" | [[Image:Pt_Dawn_Back.png]]
|}
{{-}}

====Console====
{| align="center" style="background: #88a; -moz-border-radius: 10px; border: 5px solid #88a"
|-
! style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px;" | {{color2|000|Region}}
! colspan="3" style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px;" | {{color2|000|Orre}}
|- 
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color2|000|Pokémon game|Game}}
! style="background:#{{colo color}}" | {{color2|{{colo color dark}}|Pokémon Colosseum|Colo}}
! style="background:#{{xd color}}" | {{color2|{{xd color dark}}|Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness|XD}}
|- align="center"
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Name}}
| style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Wes}} 
| style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Michael}} 
|- align="center"
! style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px;" | {{color|000|Artwork}}
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Colosseum Wes 3D.png|60px]]
| style="background:#fff; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px" |[[File:Michael.jpg|140px]]
|}
{{-}}

===Side series===
====Card GB series====
{| align="center" style="background: #88a; -moz-border-radius: 10px; border: 5px solid #88a"
|-
! style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px;" | {{color2|000|Pokémon game|Game}}
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color2|000|Pokémon Trading Card Game (game)|TCG}}
! style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px;" | {{color2|000|Pokémon Card GB2: Here Comes Team GR!|TCG 2}}
|- align="center"
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Name}}
| style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Mark}} 
| style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Mint}} 
|- align="center"
! style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px;" | {{color|000|Artwork}}
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Mark.png|140px]]
| style="background:#fff; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px" |[[File:Mint.png|140px]]
|}
{{-}}

====Stadium series====
{| align="center" style="background: #88a; -moz-border-radius: 10px; border: 5px solid #88a"
|-
! style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px;" | {{color2|000|Pokémon game|Game}}
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color2|000|Pokémon Stadium (Japanese)|Stadium (Japan)}}
! style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px;" | {{color2|000|Pokémon Stadium|Stadium}} and<br>{{color2|000|Pokémon Stadium 2|Stadium 2}}
! style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px;" | {{color2|000|Pokémon Stadium 2|Stadium 2}} 
|- align="center"
! style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px;" | {{color|000|Faceshot}}
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:SJP Player Boy.png]]
| style="background:#fff; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px" |[[File:S S2 Player Boy.png]]
| style="background:#fff; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px" |[[File:S2 Player Girl.png]]
|}
{{-}}

====Ranger series====
{| align="center" style="background: #88a; -moz-border-radius: 10px; border: 5px solid #88a"
|-
! colspan="2" style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px;" | {{color2|000|Region}}
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color2|000|Fiore}}
! colspan="3" style="background:#bebed1" | {{color2|000|Almia}}
! colspan="2" style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px;" | {{color2|000|Oblivia}}
|- 
! colspan="2" style="background:#bebed1" | {{color2|000|Pokémon game|Game}}
! style="background:#e04b0c" | {{color2|ffc2a2|Pokémon Ranger (game)|Ranger}}
! colspan="3" style="background:#0c1e44" | {{color2|7090e3|Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia|Shadows of Almia}}
! colspan="2" style="background:#2cb8e9" | {{color2|17607b|Pokémon Ranger: Locus of Light|Locus of Light}}
|- align="center"
! rowspan="3" style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Male}}
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Name}}
| style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Lunick}} 
| colspan="3" style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Kellyn}} 
| colspan="2" style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Natsuya}} 
|- align="center"
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Front}}
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Ra Lunick f.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Soa Kellyn st f.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Soa Kellyn ra f.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Soa Kellyn top f.png]]
| colspan="2" style="background:#fff" | [[File:Lol Natsuya f.png]]
|- align="center"
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Back}}
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Ra Lunick b.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Soa Kellyn st b.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Soa Kellyn ra b.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Soa Kellyn top b.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Lol Natsuya b.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Lol Natsuya b w.png]]<!--underwater-->
|- align="center"
! rowspan="3" style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px;" | {{color|000|Female}}
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Name}}
| style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Solana}} 
| colspan="3" style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Kate (Ranger)|Kate}} 
| colspan="2" style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Minami}}
|- align="center"
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Front}}
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Ra Solana f.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Soa Kate st f.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Soa Kate ra f.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Soa Kate top f.png]]
| colspan="2" style="background:#fff" | [[File:Lol Minami f.png]]
|- align="center"
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Back}}
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Ra Solana b.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Soa Kate st b.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Soa Kate ra b.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Soa Kate top b.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Lol Minami b.png]]
| style="background:#fff; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px;" | [[File:Lol Minami b w.png]]<!--underwater -->
|}
{{-}}

====Mystery Dungeon series====
:''See: [[Starter Pokémon#Pokémon World|Starter Pokémon]]''

===Others===
{| align="center" style="background: #88a; -moz-border-radius: 10px; border: 5px solid #88a"
|-
! style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px;" | {{color2|000|Pokémon game|Game}}
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color2|000|Pokémon Snap|Snap}}
! style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px;" | {{color2|000|Pokémon Trozei!|Trozei}}
|- align="center"
! style="background:#bebed1" | {{color|000|Name}}
| style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Todd Snap|Todd}} 
| style="background:#fff" | {{color2|000|Lucy Fleetfoot|Lucy}} 
|- align="center"
! style="background:#bebed1; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px;" | {{color|000|Image}}
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Toddsnap.png|140px]]
| style="background:#fff; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px" |[[File:LucyFleetfoot.gif|140px]]
|}
{{-}}

==In the anime==
In the {{pkmn|anime}}, five of the player characters have been given major roles, three of them in the main anime series. {{Ash}} and [[Ritchie]] represent {{ga|Red}} (their game counterpart), being based on him in appearance as well as basic history. At the beginning of {{series2|Advanced Generation}}, {{an|May}} was introduced in order to better represent [[Generation III]] to viewers, as both [[Misty]] and [[Brock]] are characters native to [[Generation I]]. Likewise, at the beginning of the {{series|Diamond & Pearl}}, {{an|Dawn}} joined Ash.

{{jo|Jimmy}} and {{jo|Marina}} appeared in ''[[The Legend of Thunder!]]'' special, taking a similar role to Ash and his companions, fighting [[Team Rocket]] members to protect [[legendary Pokémon]]. While the protagonists of [[Generation II]] were not represented in Ash's party, these two filled the roles as the anime counterparts to {{ga|Ethan}} and {{ga|Kris}}.

{{an|Lyra}} appears in ''[[DP143|An Egg Scramble!]]'', and joins the group for a brief time.

So far, {{ga|Brendan}} has only made a few select cameo appearances at the begin of some of the [[Pokémon movie|movies]], while {{ga|Lucas}} made a cameo at the beginning of ''[[M11|Giratina and the Sky Warrior]]'' battling {{ga|Brendan}}.

==Trivia==
* Despite the fact [[Generation I]] had no female playable character, there have been more female protagonists than male, with four boys and five girls throughout the main series. This is because Kris is the female protagonist in Pokémon Crystal and Lyra in Pokémon Heart Gold and Soul Silver, while Ethan is the male protagonist in each of the games.
* None of the male player characters from the [[main series]] (or their counterparts) have encountered {{Ash}}. {{jo|Jimmy}} was the only one besides Ash to have more than merely a cameo. Counting all Pokémon games, the only male player characters to have encountered Ash are [[Kellyn]] of {{g|Ranger: Shadows of Almia}}, [[Natsuya]] of {{g|Ranger: Locus of Light}} and [[Todd Snap|Todd]] of {{g|Snap}}.
* {{ga|Leaf}} is the only player character from the handheld games so far not to appear in the anime either through a cameo or a counterpart.
* [[Kellyn]], {{OBP|Kate|Ranger}}, and [[Todd Snap|Todd]] are the only player characters who do not wear any sort of headgear.
* {{ga|Red}}'s dialog during his appearance as an NPC in [[Generation II]] and [[Generation IV]] references the Pokémon games' player characters' status as silent protagonists. His dialog with the player character(s) of those games consists only of ellipses and an exclamation point when he is defeated.
* All player characters of the same gender have had the same list of default names since Generation III, with the exception of game-specific names such as Landon and Sean (for {{ga|Brendan}}) or Terra and Marina (for {{ga|May}}). The game-specific names have always been related to the title of the game, with the exception of those of the Hoenn characters' names, which are related to the powers of {{p|Groudon}} and {{p|Kyogre}}.
* In the main games, the given Japanese names of the male player characters (as NPCs) all end in ''ki'' ('''キ'''). This excludes Red's appearance in Generations II and IV, as he is not a player character during the games when he is an NPC. Inclusively, Lunick's Japanese name also ends in ''ki''.
* All the female player characters have had blue eyes in some form. {{ga|Kris}}, {{ga|May}}, {{ga|Dawn}}, and the female character from {{game|Black and White|s}} have blue eyes in all their sprites and artwork. {{ga|Leaf}} has blue eyes in her trainer sprite and {{ga|Lyra}} has blue eyes in her overworld sprites.

{{Player characters}}
[[Category:Game characters]]
[[Category:Playable characters|*]]

[[de:Protagonist]]
[[fr:Personnage jouable]]
[[ja:主人公]]