Player character
A player character in the world of Pokémon is the protagonist of the 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
In the mainstream games, the player characters are always Pokémon Trainers beginning their Pokémon journey. At the conclusion of their journey, most will have conquered a Pokémon League's eight Gym Leaders and Elite Four, and become the 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 Pokédex, and is of the Grass-, Fire-, or Template:Type2. The region's native Pokémon professor will always give them this, as well as a Pokédex.
In Pokémon 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 generations of games has been aged ten; however the player characters in the upcoming fifth generation are expected to be older.
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 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 IV, when Ethan, Lyra, or Kris travels to Mt. Silver and reaches the deepest point of the cave, 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 (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 Pokémon Ranger series, Solana, Lunick, Kellyn, Kate, Natsuya and Minami are not Pokémon Trainers, but instead Pokémon Rangers. 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 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 featured one boy character, whose design was likely based on Red. However, for 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 Pokémon 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
| Region | Kanto | Johto | Hoenn | Sinnoh | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game | R | G | B | Y | FR | LG | G | S | C | HG | SS | R | S | E | D | P | Pt | |
| Male | Name | Red | Ethan | Brendan | Lucas | |||||||||||||
| Front | File:Red main sprite.png | File:Y Red.png | File:FRLG Red.png | File:GS Gold.png | File:C Gold.png | File:HGSS Hibiki.png | File:RS Brendan.png | File:E Brendan.png | File:DP Lucas.png | File:Pt Lucas.png | ||||||||
| Back | File:Redback.png | 
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File:GS Gold Back.png | File:HGSS Gold Back.png | 
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| Female | Name | No female player character | Leaf | No female player character | Kris | Lyra | May | Dawn | ||||||||||
| Front | File:FRLG Leaf.png | File:C Kris.png | File:KotoneHGSS.png | File:RS May.png | File:E May.png | File:DP Dawn.png | File:Pt Dawn.png | |||||||||||
| Back | 
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File:HGSS Kotone Back.png | 
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Console
| Region | Orre | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Game | Colo | XD | |
| Name | Wes | Michael | |
| Artwork | 
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File:Michael.jpg | |
Side series
Card GB series
| Game | TCG | TCG 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Mark | Mint |
| Artwork | 
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Stadium series
| Game | Stadium (Japan) | Stadium and Stadium 2 |
Stadium 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faceshot | 
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File:S S2 Player Boy.png | File:S2 Player Girl.png |
Ranger series
| Region | Fiore | Almia | Oblivia | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game | Ranger | Shadows of Almia | Locus of Light | ||||
| Male | Name | Lunick | Kellyn | Natsuya | |||
| Front | 
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File:Lol Natsuya f.png | ||
| Back | 
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File:Lol Natsuya b.png | File:Lol Natsuya b w.png | |
| Female | Name | Solana | Kate | Minami | |||
| Front | 
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File:Lol Minami f.png | ||
| Back | 
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File:Tol Minami b.png | File:Lol Minami b w.png | |
