A Badge (Japanese: バッジ Badge) is an item which denotes a Pokémon Trainer having defeated a Gym Leader. Trainers need to collect a certain number of Gym Badges in order to qualify for a region's Pokémon League. Young Trainers usually begin their initial Pokémon journey by travelling from city to city in order to collect them. Badges are small enough to fit easily between one's thumb and index finger, and can be pinned to a shirt.

Badges affect a Pokémon's behavior. A symbol of competence on the Trainer's part, Badges force Pokémon under a certain level to obey. Additionally, Trainers cannot teach a Pokémon an HM without the appropriate Badge.

List of Badges

Indigo League

Trainers must collect eight Gym Badges from around the Kanto region in order to participate in the Indigo League. It is said that there was a translation mistake on Nintendo of America's part, and the Marsh Badge should have been the Fuschia Gym's Badge and the Soul Badge should have been Saffron Gym's Badge instead of the other way around.

Boulderbadge

The Boulderbadge (Japanese: グレーバッジ Gray Badge) from Pewter Gym enables the use of Flash outside of battle and increases the Trainer's Pokémon's Attack stat.

Cascadebadge

The Cascadebadge (Japanese: ブルーバッジ Blue Badge) from Cerulean Gym enables the use of Cut outside of battle and forces all Pokémon up to Level 30 to obey the Trainer.

Thunderbadge

The Thunderbadge (Japanese: オレンジバッジ Orange Badge) from Vermilion Gym enables the use of Fly outside of battle and increases the Trainer's Pokemon's Speed stat.

Rainbowbadge

The Rainbowbadge (Japanese: レインボーバッジ Rainbow Badge) from Celadon Gym enables the use of Strength outside of battle and forces all Pokémon up to Level 30 to obey the Trainer.

Marshbadge

The Marshbadge (Japanese: ゴールドバッジ Gold Badge) from Saffron Gym forces all Pokémon up to Level 70 to obey the Trainer.

Soulbadge

The Soulbadge (Japanese: ピンクバッジ Pink Badge) from Fuchsia Gym enables the use of Surf outside of battle and increases the Trainer's Pokemon's Defense stat.

Volcanobadge

The Volcanobadge (Japanese: クリムゾンバッジ Crimson Badge) from Cinnabar Gym increases a Trainer's Pokémon's Special stats.

Earthbadge

The Earthbadge (Japanese: グリーンバッジ Green Badge) from Viridian Gym forces all Pokémon to obey the Trainer.

Orange League

Trainers must collect only four Badges from the Orange Crew in order to participate in the Orange League.

Coral Eye Badge

The Coral Eye Badge (Japanese: サクラバッジ Sakura Badge) from Mikan Gym.

Sea Ruby Badge

The Sea Ruby Badge (Japanese: シラナミバッジ Shiranami Badge) from Navel Gym.

Spike Shell Badge

The Spike Shell Badge (Japanese: リンボウバッジ Rinbou Badge) from Trovita Gym.

Jade Star Badge

The Jade Star Badge (Japanese: ルリバッジ Ruri Badge) from Kumquat Gym.

Johto League

Trainers must collect eight Gym Badges from around the Johto region in order to participate in the Johto League.

Zephyrbadge

The Zephyrbadge (Japanese: ウイングバッジ Wing Badge) from Violet Gym enables the use of Flash outside of battle and increases the Trainer's Pokémon's Attack stat.

Hivebadge

The Hivebadge (Japanese: インセクトバッジ Insect Badge) from Azalea Gym enables the use of Cut outside of battle and forces all Pokémon up to Level 30 to obey the Trainer.

Plainbadge

The Plainbadge (Japanese: レギュラーバッジ Regular Badge) from Goldenrod Gym enables the use of Strength outside of battle and increases a Trainer's Pokemon's Speed stat.

Fogbadge

The Fogbadge (Japanese: ファントムバッジ Phantom Badge) from Ecruteak Gym enables the use of Surf outside of battle and forces all Pokémon up to Level 50 to obey the Trainer.

Stormbadge

The Stormbadge (Japanese: ショックバッジ Shock Badge) from Cianwood Gym enables the use of Fly outside of battle and forces all Pokémon up to Level 70 to obey the Trainer.

Mineralbadge

The Mineralbadge (Japanese: スチールバッジ Steel Badge) from Olivine Gym increases a Trainer's Pokemon's Defense stat.

Glacierbadge

The Glacierbadge (Japanese: アイスバッジ Ice Badge) from Mahogany Gym enables the use of Whirlpool outside of battle and increases a Trainer's Pokemon's Special stats.

Risingbadge

The Rising Badge (Japanese: ライジングバッジ Rising Badge) from Blackthorn Gym enables the use of Waterfall outside of battle and forces all Pokémon to obey the Trainer.

Hoenn League

Trainers must collect eight Gym Badges from around the Hoenn region in order to participate in the Hoenn League.

Stonebadge

The Stonebadge (Japanese: ストーンバッジ Stone Badge) from Rustboro Gym enables the use of Cut outside of battle and increases the Trainer's Pokémon's Attack stat.

Knucklebadge

The Knucklebadge (Japanese: ナックルバッジ Knuckle Badge) from Dewford Gym enables the use of Flash outside of battle and forces all Pokémon up to Level 30 to obey the Trainer.

Dynamobadge

The Dynamobadge (Japanese: ダイナモバッジ Dynamo Badge) from Mauville Gym enables the use of Rock Smash outside of battle and increases the Trainer's Pokémon's Speed stat.

Heatbadge

The Heatbadge (Japanese: ヒートバッジ Heat Badge) from Lavaridge Gym enables the use of Strength outside of battle and forces all Pokémon up to Level 50 to obey the Trainer.

Balancebadge

The Balancebadge (Japanese: バランスバッジ Balance Badge) from Petalburg Gym enables the use of Surf outside of battle and increases the Trainer's Pokémon's Defense stat.

Featherbadge

The Featherbadge (Japanese: フェザーバッジ Feather Badge) from Fortree Gym enables the use of Fly outside of battle and forces all Pokémon up to Level 70 to obey the Trainer.

Mindbadge

The Mindbadge (Japanese: マインドバッジ Mind Badge) from Mossdeep Gym enables the use of Dive outside of battle and increases the Trainer's Pokémon's Special stats.

Rainbadge

The Rainbadge (Japanese: レインバッジ Rain Badge) from Sootopolis Gym enables the use of Waterfall outside of battle and forces all Pokémon to obey the Trainer.

In the Anime

The Anime has a few different rules for Badges than in the games. Primarily, Badges seem to do nothing beside signify the defeat of a given Gym Leader. A Pokémon may choose not to obey its Trainer even if he or she has gained all eight Badges, such as Ash's Charizard.

Gym Leaders are quite lenient about giving out Badges in the Anime. Additionally, Trainers do not necessarily have to win a battle with the Gym Leader in order to earn a Badge. The Orange Crew, for example, all have entire Gym matches devoted to unconventional battling styles and Ash Ketchum was awarded several Badges because of his kind heart and determination.

Gary Oak acquired more than the standard eight Kanto League Badges, thus leading to confusion as to whether or not there is a finite number of Badges that can be given out in a given region.

Moving up a grade in Pokémon Tech is the equivalent of winning two Gym Badges. Upon graduation, students may immediately apply for entry in the Pokemon League.

Trainers can take a three-part test that awards a single Badge which allows entry into the Pokémon League.

In the Pokémon Special manga

In Pokémon Special, Badges have mystical and mysterious qualities that can somehow increase the power of the Pokémon owned by the Trainer who wields the Badges.

It is not known what sort of material Badges are made of, but they have been used for other purposes. The Mask of Ice, for instance - made an armored mask out of crushed Badges.

Team Rocket also used the eight Kanto Gym Badges to power a machine that combined three different Legendary Pokémon into a single beast.

Badges are not required to enter the Pokémon League tournament, however without eight Badges, a trainer must battle their way in to qualify for the finals.

In the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga

In the Electric Tale of Pikachu, Badges work in a way similar to the anime, however, there are some minor differences. All Badges have the Pokémon League logo printed on them.

In addition, Pokémon Trainers are organized by class, much like Pokémon Tech "Class D", "Class C" and so forth. Badges increase the the rank of the trainer who owns them. Ash once believed that he could increase his rank by capturing rare wild Pokémon, however this was not the case.