Kabu
| Kabu カブ Kabu | |
| "The ever-burning man of fire!" | |
 Artwork from Sword and Shield by take[1] | |
| Age | Unknown |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Eye color | Black |
| Hair color | Salt and pepper |
| Hometown | Motostoke (original hometown unknown) |
| Region | Galar (originally Hoenn) |
| Trainer class | Gym Leader |
| Generation | VIII, IX |
| Counterpart(s) | Kabu (Masters) |
| Games | Sword and Shield, Masters EX |
| English voice actor | Unknown (Masters EX) |
| Japanese voice actor | Kazuhiko Inoue (Masters EX) |
| Member of | Galar League |
| Rank | Gym Leader |
| Leader of | Motostoke Stadium |
| Badge | Fire Badge |
| Specializes in | Fire-types |
| Animated series | Pokémon Horizons: The Series Pokémon: Twilight Wings |
| Debut | The Bittersweet Truth (Horizons) Assistant (Twilight Wings) |
| English voice actor | Clyde Kusatsu (Horizons) |
| Japanese voice actor | Hiroki Tōchi (Horizons) N/A (Twilight Wings) |
| Manga series | Pokémon Adventures |
| Debut | Chomp!! Defeat Drednaw |
Kabu (Japanese: カブ Kabu) is the Gym Leader of Motostoke's Gym, known officially as Motostoke Stadium. He specializes in Fire-type Pokémon. He gives the Fire Badge to Trainers who defeat him.
In the core series games
Kabu is designated the third Gym Leader Galar Trainers face in their Gym Challenge. However, Kabu is also known to be the first real challenge in the Gym Challenge. Often, Trainers give up due to being unable to defeat him. Kabu was originally a Trainer from Hoenn who was invited to the Galar League. He is the current Leader of the Motostoke Gym. He lost the Gym position at one point but regained back several years later in glorious fashion.[2] He made several attempts to becoming Champion but could never reach it. He attempted a no-holds-barred approach to winning his fights but was not satisfied with the results. He even dropped to the minor division of Galar League. However, after facing off against Leon, he regained faith in his potential. He also developed a more unrelentingly positive outlook on life as a result, battling to win with every intention with his Fire-type Pokémon.
Kabu is first seen at Motostoke Stadium for the Gym Challenge's opening ceremony. The player and Hop first meet him in Galar Mine No. 2, defeating a pair of Team Yell Grunts who were disturbing the local wild Pokémon. He explains to the two young Trainers that he sometimes visits the mine to train against the Water-type Pokémon that live there, before returning to his Gym. After being defeated, Kabu is joined by Milo and Nessa at Motostoke's front gate as he recites a cheer for the player and Hop to wish them good luck for the rest of their Gym Challenge. Kabu later participates in the Champion Cup at Wyndon, but is defeated by Piers in the first round. He also participates in the post-game Champion tournaments and the Galarian Star Tournament.
After Kabu's initial defeat, the player is awarded with the Fire Badge, TM38 (Will-O-Wisp), and the Fire Uniform.
League Cards
This is a transcript of the back of Kabu's League Cards in Pokémon Sword and Shield.
- Normal League Card
- "Kabu is a Pokémon Trainer who was invited from the Hoenn region. There were a few times where he was very close to becoming Champion, but victory always seemed to elude him at the last moment. Because of this, he adopted a no-holds-barred approach to battling for a time, but even that did not bring the results he wanted. He even dropped to the minor division at one point, but after a fantastic battle with Leon, he regained faith in his own potential. His motto is to keep learning and training as long as he is alive."
- Rare League Card
- "Interview with Challenger Kabu
Q: How do you see your own battle style?
Kabu: "Just, straightforward, direct. I'm still young, so I try to keep things simple. Just burn as hot as I can, you know? Still, I've hit a bit of a losing streak, so I've tried incorporating Will-O-Wisp into my Pokémon's move set. That's one thing I want to tell everyone—experiment with every possibility of your Pokémon. Moves, Abilities, items... Try everything, and there's sure to be a path forward!"
Pokémon
Kabu keeps his Pokémon in Ultra Balls.
Pokémon Sword and Shield
Gym battle
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Max Raid Battle partner
Kabu teams up with the player, Hop, and Piers to face a Dynamax Torkoal in a Max Raid Battle.
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Champion tournament
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Galarian Star Tournament
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In the spin-off games
Pokémon Masters EX
- Main article: Kabu (Masters)
Kabu forms a sync pair with Centiskorch and Torkoal in Pokémon Masters EX. His Centiskorch is capable of Gigantamaxing. Kabu became a playable sync pair on June 16, 2024.
| Dex | Trainer | NDex | Pokémon | Type | Weakness | Role | EX role | Base potential | Availability | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #206 | 
|
Kabu | #0851 | 
|
Centiskorch♂   Gigantamax |
Fire
|
Rock
|
|
|
★★★★★☆EX | Poké Fair Sync Pair Scout |
| #206 |
|
Kabu | #0324 | 
|
Torkoal♂ |
Fire
|
Ground
|
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★★★★☆☆EX | Trainer Lodge Friendship Level 100 | |
Gallery
Artwork
|
| Concept art from Sword and Shield |
Sprites
|
| Icon from the Galarian Star Tournament menu |
League Cards
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|
| Kabu's League Card in Sword and Shield |
Kabu's rare League Card in Sword and Shield |
Quotes
- Main article: Kabu/Quotes
In animation
Pokémon Horizons: The Series
Kabu made his anime debut at the end of The Bittersweet Truth, where he was seen eating at the Motostoke Battle Café. In the next episode, he made his way to Motostoke Stadium where Liko and Roy joined him to ask about the Black Rayquaza. Wanting to assist the two young Trainers, he, Kabu had them undergo a training session that helped them find new methods of using their Pokémon's most basic attacks by using them to either light up or extinguish the flames of a group of Litwick.
After Roy had won the challenge, Kabu challenged the two to a Tag Battle, with his Gym Trainer apprentice Wakaba as his partner. Kabu's Centiskorch easily overwhelmed both Sprigatito and Fuecoco, even when the latter learned Flamethrower mid-battle. Once Fuecoco had been defeated, Kabu left the battle against Liko to Wakaba. After Liko's unexpected surrender, Kabu told her that while being kind and compassionate is a good thing, being compassionate to this degree during a battle can be disrespectful toward both the opponent and the participating Pokémon, as both Wakaba and Sprigatito were disappointed in her not finishing the battle in earnest. When Liko and Roy later left, Kabu encouraged Liko to find her own path in life.
In Fiery Galarian Moltres, Kabu went to the Galar Mine to investigate the reports of a collapse that happened there. Upon arriving there, he found Liko, Roy, and Friede, who revealed that the chaos had been caused by a Galarian Moltres. When they left, Kabu realized that Friede was trying to hide something, but simply smiled and let them go.
Kabu appeared in a flashback to Liko and Roy's journey in From So Far Away.
Pokémon
This listing is of Kabu's known Pokémon in the anime:
| Debut | Kabu's Battle Training! |
|---|
Centiskorch is Kabu's only known Pokémon. He used it in a Tag Battle against Liko and Roy, teaming up with Wakaba's Rolycoly. Centiskorch ended up defeating Roy's Fuecoco before withdrawing from the battle.
Centiskorch's known moves are Flame Wheel, Bug Bite, and Flamethrower, and its Ability is Flash Fire.
Artwork
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|
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| Official poster from Pokémon Horizons: The Series |
Key artwork of Kabu and Centiskorch |
Concept art from Pokémon Horizons: The Series | September Calendar | Eyecatch |
Voice actors
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Pokémon: Twilight Wings
In Assistant, Kabu was jogging at Wyndon Stadium.
In Sky, he gave his thoughts about Leon in an interview while working out in a gym.
In The Gathering of Stars, he was seen jogging with his Centiskorch at Motostoke after receiving an invitation letter for the Galarian Star Tournament. He was later seen at Wyndon Stadium, walking out onto the field for the tournament's opening ceremony.
Pokémon
| Debut | The Gathering of Stars |
|---|
Centiskorch is Kabu's only known Pokémon. It was seen jogging with its Trainer.
None of Centiskorch's moves are known.
GOTCHA!
Kabu briefly appeared in GOTCHA!.
In the manga
Pokémon Adventures
Kabu debuted in Chomp!! Defeat Drednaw. He, along with various other Gym Leaders, was first seen reacting to the news that Leon had endorsed two Trainers for the Gym Challenge.
In Blazing!! Bede's Feelings, Kabu was revealed to have faced Marnie in a Gym battle, but lost. He later faced Bede, Henry, Casey, and Hop in Gym battles, which he also lost. After Hop's victory, Kabu, Milo, and Nessa personally congratulated him and Casey for completing the first three Galar Gyms.
In Rumble!! The Horrific Darkest Day, the Galar Gym Leaders gathered at Rose Tower to find out if Rose intended on bringing harm to the region. While Oleana kept the Gym Leaders busy, Henry, Casey, Bede, Hop, and Marnie went up to meet Rose, only find he was elsewhere. On a video screen, Rose announced his intention to restart the Darkest Day and ensure the safety of Galar's future. Power Spot lights began appearing all over the region, causing Pokémon to start Dynamaxing at random. While some traveled to confront Rose at the Hammerlocke Energy Plant, Kabu went back to Motostoke to help deal with the rampaging Dynamax Pokémon.
In GRRR!! The Irrepairable Gears, Macro Cosmos employees were dispatched to deal with the Dynamax Pokémon, allowing Kabu's group to provide backup for the others against Eternatus. By the time they arrived, Kabu's group found Eternatus had fled, leaving those who battled it unconscious and covered in poison. The injured were taken to a hospital to recover.
By PASS40, the others had fully recovered from Eternatus's poison and were discharged from the hospital. Kabu and the others then set off to help stop the Darkest Day, which had begun once again.
Pokémon
Centiskorch is Kabu's only known Pokémon. It was first seen being defeated by Marnie's Morpeko in a Gym battle. It was later seen facing Casey's Kilo in its Gigantamaxed form, but was defeated as well. It later fought Oleana's Milotic at Rose Tower.
None of Centiskorch's moves are known.
Kabu has at least two other Pokémon, as he participated in a three-on-three Gym battle against Henry.
In the TCG
This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Kabu or his Pokémon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
| Kabu's Pokémon Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Card | Type | English Expansion |
Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion |
Rarity | # |
Centiskorch
|
|
Lost Origin | 
|
TG14/TG30 | VMAX Climax | 
|
218/184 |
Centiskorch
|
|
Lost Origin |
|
TG15/TG30 | VMAX Climax |
|
219/184 |
| Card | Type | English Expansion |
Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion |
Rarity | # |
| Kabu | Su | Darkness Ablaze | 
|
163/189 | Explosive Walker | 
|
067/070 |
| Darkness Ablaze | 
|
186/189 | Explosive Walker | 
|
077/070 | ||
| Champion's Path |
|
055/073 | |||||
| Champion's Path | 
|
077/073 | Explosive Walker | 
|
082/070 | ||
| Lost Origin | 
|
TG26/TG30 | VMAX Climax |
|
257/184 | ||
Trivia
- Kabu was designed by take.[3]
- Kabu's uniform number is "187", which can be read in Japanese as goroawase for 火花 hibana, meaning "sparks".
- Kabu's sponsor is Huo Guo Hot Pot, whose logo can be seen on his shorts.
- Kabu is the only Gym Leader in Galar to:
- Originally be from another region.
- Have their English name be the same as their Japanese name.
- Kabu was the first Gym Leader introduced before Generation IX to appear in Pokémon Horizons: The Series.
Names
| Language | Name | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | カブ Kabu | From 蕪 kabu (turnip), 兜 kabuto (a type of Japanese helmet, whose design is incorporated into Kabu's Gym logo), and 火 ka (fire) |
| English, German, French, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese |
Kabu | From his Japanese name |
| Spanish | Naboru | From nabo (turnip) |
| Korean | 순무 Sunmu | From 순무 sunmu (turnip) |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 卡蕪 / 卡芜 Kǎwú | From the transcription of his Japanese name and 蕪菁 / 芜菁 wújīng / mòuhjīng |
| Chinese (Cantonese) | 卡蕪 Kāmòuh |
Related articles
References
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This game character article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games. |
