Pearl (Japanese: パール) is one of the two rival characters in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, along with either Lucas or Dawn.

The character Pearl from the Pokémon Special manga is based off of this Pearl.

A version of the character also appears in the Pocket Monsters DP manga.

Pearl is always in a hurry, and because of this, often crashes into other people or misses important details. He is incredibly determined and it is very difficult to discourage him; the only thing that has done this so far was his crushing loss to the Team Galactic Commander, Jupiter. He is also quite the braggart, often boasting about his battling prowess or how cool his Pokémon are. Pearl does have a soft side however, as seen after the wild Starly attack.

Pearl is also one to take risks and quickly jump into action; it was this behavior that caused the player and himself to be attacked by wild Starly, setting off the chain reaction that would result in the player receiving his/her first Pokémon.

After becoming the Sinnoh League Champion, the player can find him training at Stark Mountain during the week, and at the Fight Area on weekends, ready to battle. Unlike the player and Lucas/Dawn, Pearl did not receive a Pokédex, due to him rushing out of Professor Rowan's lab before Rowan could give him one.

Pokémon

This listing is for Pearl's Pokémon in the video games in which he has appeared.

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl

First battle (As partner)

• Level 5 Turtwig/Piplup/Chimchar

Second battle

• Level 9 Turtwig/Piplup/Chimchar
• Level 7 Starly

Third battle

• Level 21 Grotle/Prinplup/Monferno
• Level 20 Buizel (Absent if Rival has Prinplup)
• Level 20 Roselia (Absent if Rival has Grotle)
• Level 20 Ponyta (Absent if Rival has Monferno)
• Level 19 Starly

Fourth battle

• Level 28 Grotle/Prinplup/Monferno
• Level 25 Buizel (Absent if Rival has Prinplup)
• Level 25 Roselia (Absent if Rival has Grotle)
• Level 25 Ponyta (Absent if Rival has Monferno)
• Level 26 Starly

Fifth battle

• Level 35 Grotle/Prinplup/Monferno
• Level 32 Buizel (Absent if Rival has Prinplup)
• Level 32 Roselia (Absent if Rival has Grotle)
• Level 32 Ponyta (Absent if Rival has Monferno)
• Level 31 Staravia
• Level 30 Heracross

Sixth battle (As partner)

• Level 43 Torterra/Empoleon/Infernape
• Level 41 Buizel (Absent if Rival has Empoleon)
• Level 41 Roselia (Absent if Rival has Torterra)
• Level 41 Ponyta (Absent if Rival has Infernape)
• Level 40 Staraptor
• Level 40 Munchlax

Seventh battle

• Level 53 Torterra/Empoleon/Infernape
• Level 49 Floatzel (Absent if Rival has Empoleon)
• Level 49 Roserade (Absent if Rival has Torterra)
• Level 49 Rapidash (Absent if Rival has Infernape)
• Level 48 Staraptor
• Level 51 Snorlax
• Level 50 Heracross

Optional names for Pearl

If player doesn't give the name for Rival, in the Japanese Diamond the name パール Pearl is automatically given. In Pearl at the same situation, the name ダイヤ Dia is automatically given. In English version, the same thing happens. However, Pearl the automatically-given name is Diamond, not Dia.

Trivia

• The song that plays when battling against Pearl is a remix of the "Neo Tokyo" theme from Pulseman

• Strangely, among the default names for him in the Japanese version of Pokémon Diamond is Shigeru, one of the names that are default in both Pokémon Red and Pokémon FireRed for Blue. Another point of similarity can perhaps be found in the fact that a relative of theirs is well-known in the Pokémon world, being the leader of Sinnoh's Battle Tower in Pearl's case, and being a Pokémon professor in the case of Blue. Furthermore, both rivals are childhood acquaintances of the playable characters who go on to compete against them in collecting Gym badges, unlike Silver and Wally. Finally, Pearl uses the Starly line, while Blue uses the Pidgey line; they both use Heracross at some point in their respective games.

• All Japanese default names for Pearl come from game staff members' first names. They are all listed in the game's credits. Jun is from Jun'ichi Masuda, production director and music composer. Shigeru is from Shigeru Ōmori, game design leader. Kōji comes from Kōji Nishino, a game designer. Toshinobu is from Toshinobu Matsumiya, game scenario author. Hisashi is from Hisashi Sogabe, battle system programmer. Sōsuke is from Sōsuke Tamada, field system programmer. Akito is from Akito Mori, communication system programmer and Nozomu is from Nozomu Saito, also one of programmers.

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