Bill

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This article is about the Pokémon Researcher. For the English voice actors, see Bill Rogers, Billy Regan or Billy Beach.

Bill
ソネザキマサキ Masaki Sonezaki
FireRed LeafGreen Bill.png
Art from FireRed and LeafGreen
Gender Male
Birthday December 31st*
Eye color Brown* Black*
Hair color Brown* Green*
Hometown Goldenrod City
Region Johto
Relatives Mother, Sister, Grandpa
Trainer class Poké Maniac, Storage System developer
Generation I, II, III, IV
Games Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, Crystal, FireRed, LeafGreen, HeartGold, SoulSilver
Anime debut Mystery at the Lighthouse
English voice actor Adam Blaustein
Japanese voice actor Masaya Onosaka

Bill (Japanese: ソネザキマサキ Masaki Sonezaki) is a Pokémon Researcher, widely regarded as an expert in many fields. He has made many appearances in the games. Bill is most commonly found in his Sea Cottage, which is north of Cerulean City at the end of Route 25. He is most notable for his first appearance in the Generation I games and for his Pokémon Storage System that has been pertinent in the entire main series.

In the games

Bill is a talented and famous inventor, who invented the original Pokémon Storage System and Time Capsule. People, including himself, call him a PokéManiac because of his large collection of both common and rare Pokémon. The first one he caught was an Abra; however, his favorite Pokémon are Eevee and its evolutions. Bill also gives a free Eevee to Ethan, KrisC, or LyraHGSS in Generation II and its remakes, and another one to Bebe in Generation IV, which is later given to Lucas/Dawn.

Bill also has several friends that share his interests in computer technology. One of them is Celio, his old friend from One Island in the Sevii Islands. He is also close with Lanette and Bebe, the storage system developers of Hoenn and Sinnoh, respectively.

Bill also has some fans, like PokéManiac Brent of Generation II who calls the player with information about him. Most of his calls are trivia about Bill himself and his family, such as the fact that Bill's mother used to be a Kimono Girl and that Bill's younger sister can't wink. He also mentions that Bill might have a crush on the flower girl in Goldenrod City. Brent also revealed the fact that Bill is lactose-intolerant, which was also stated by Celio in Generation III.

Bill has been shown to have a large family. His adult sister and grandfather live in Fuschia City. In Generation II, his grandfather watches over Bill's cottage on Route 25 while he is visiting the rest of his family in Goldenrod City.

In the Japanese versions of the games, Bill speaks in Kansai dialect like most Goldenrod City natives.

Generation I

In Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow, Bill can be found at the Cerulean Cape, initially performing an experiment on Pokémon teleportation. However, Bill accidentally becomes combined with the body of a Pokémon and requires the player's help to fix the problem. In Pokémon Yellow, the player's Pikachu will be confused by the whole ordeal, and shocked among seeing Bill return back to his original form. After things are back in order, he speaks about his Pokémon Storage System and what was formerly on the PC menu as "Someone's PC" will change to "Bill's PC." He will also give away an S.S. Ticket so that the player can board the S.S. Anne. He gives the player the ticket as a gift for changing him back into a human, and also claims that the rich crowd of the S.S. Anne isn't his type. If the player exits Bill's house and goes back in, they can check his computer for information on Eevee and its three stone evolutions, his favorite Pokémon.

Quotes

"Hiya! I'm a Pokémon... ...No I'm not! Call me Bill! I'm a true blue Pokémaniac! Hey! What's with that skeptical look? I'm not joshing you, I screwed up an experiment and got combined with a Pokémon! So, how about it? Help me out there!"
"No!? Come on, you gotta help a guy in deep trouble! What do you say, chief? Please? OK? All right! When I'm in the Teleporter, go to my PC and run the Cell Separation System!"
  • After helping him
"Yeehah! Thanks, bud! I owe you one! So, did you come to see my Pokémon collection? You didn't? That's a bummer. I've got to thank you... Oh here, maybe this'll do. That cruise ship, S.S.Anne, is in Vermilion City. Its passengers are all trainers! They invited me to their party, but I can't stand fancy do's. Why don't you go instead of me?"
  • After returning to his house
"Look, bud, just check out some of my rare Pokémon on my PC!"

Generation II

In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, Bill is visiting his family in Goldenrod City. After he gets the Time Capsule up and running in Ecruteak City, players can visit him at his parents' house in Goldenrod and receive an Eevee. His sister will give the player Bill's number so they can check the storage system.

Generation III

Hoenn

While visiting Lanette in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, players can check one of her computers to find an E-mail from Bill. The English translation of the e-mail makes it seem as if Bill is crediting Lanette for upgrading his system, whereas the Japanese text clearly establishes that he and Lanette are co-developers of the original system.

English Letter:

"... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Your storage system
offers more convenience than mine.
It has a lot of user friendly features that
make it fun and useful too. It makes me
proud that I played a part in its development.
Here's hoping that you'll continue
research in Storage Systems.
From Bill
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..."

Kanto

Bill as a Clefairy in the Sea Cottage

In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions, Bill is in the same area as in the original games. However, he also appears on Cinnabar Island asking for help in the Sevii Islands shortly after Blaine is defeated. While on Knot Island, he introduces the player to Celio.

Fame Checker

This is a list of the Fame Checker's information on Bill in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.

Cerulean CityBlue
  • What does this person do?
"After all, Bill's world-famous as a Pokémaniac. He invented the Pokémon Storage System on PC, too."
Cerulean City — Little Boy
  • Favorite kind of Pokémon?
"Bill has lots of Pokémon! He collects rare ones, too!"
Fuchsia City — Bill's grandfather
  • What is this person like?
"He's my grandson! He always liked collecting things, even as a child!"
One IslandCelio
  • Favorite kind of Pokémon?
""Bill is a Pokémaniac, so he likes every kind. Apparently, the first one he caught was an Abra."
One Island — Celio
  • Family and friends?
"Bill's hometown is Goldenrod City, where his folks still live. I've heard it's quite the festive, bustling city."
One Island — Celio
  • There's a rumor…
"Apparently, Bill can't stomach milk at all."
Message from Bill
"Hey, there! Celio had nothing but praise for you. Hearing that makes me happy. When you catch some rare Pokémon, come show me, okay? Promise!"

Generation IV

Sinnoh

In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Bebe mentions that Bill invented the original PC storage system, and that she tinkered with it to make it easier to use. Upon giving the player an Eevee, Bebe refers to Bill as a friend from Johto to whom the Eevee previously belonged.

Johto and Kanto

Bill appears in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver in the same capacity as he did in Generation II. He will give the player an Eevee if he is visited at his parents' house in Goldenrod.

Artwork

Red Blue Bill.png Gold Silver Bill.png
Official artwork from
Generation I.
Official artwork from
Generation II.

Sprites

File:Bill I OD.png MS Rhydon I.png Bill II OD.png Bill III OD.png 035 III OD.png Spr FRLG Bill.png Bill OD.png
Overworld sprite from
Generation I
Transformed
sprite from
Generation I
Overworld sprite from
Generation II
Overworld sprite from
Generation III
Transformed
sprite from
Generation III
Bill's Fame Checker sprite from
Generation III
Overworld sprite from
Generation IV

In the anime

Bill talking about the world of Pokémon

Ash, Misty, and Brock met Bill at his lighthouse in Mystery at the Lighthouse.

Bill had previously been trapped in a Kabuto costume for what he claims to have been hours (in the dub only; the original didn't state how long he had been in the costume) until Ash finally comes to press the release button for him. Afterwards, Bill fulfills a request made by Professor Oak to give Ash and his friends a lesson on the basics of Pokémon, during which Bill shares the idea that there may be many more than just 150 species of Pokémon. The remainder of his appearance is spent focused on explaining to Ash and company his recent project, involving a mysterious Pokémon whose cry can be heard across the sea.

Pokémon

Studied

Bill's Dragonite
Dragonite
As Bill was reminiscing, the same sound from his memory was heard and a large figure appeared, rising from the ocean. As it came closer, it was revealed to be the outline of a Dragonite. As it came closer to the lighthouse, Team Rocket was shown scaling the cliff, and upon seeing the giant Dragonite, they began launching a barrage of missiles at it. This angered Dragonite, and it smashed the top of the lighthouse and began to walk away. Bill called out at it to stay, but to no avail.

In the morning, Bill seemed to be at peace with the fact that he didn't get to learn more about the Pokémon and was simply grateful he got to see it at all. With another life lesson from Bill, the heroes said goodbye and continued on their journey.

Debut Mystery at the Lighthouse

Voice actors

Language Voice actor
Japanese 小野坂昌也 Masaya Onosaka
English Adam Blaustein
German Dominik Auer
Polish Wojciech Majchrzak
Brazilian Portuguese Marcelo Campos
Spanish Latin America Irwin Daayán
Spain Ricardo Escobar


In the TCG

This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Bill or his services in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Bill
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 #
Bill T Base Set Common 91/102 Expansion Pack Common  
Base Set 2 Common 118/130      
      Chikorita Half Deck
Totodile Half Deck
  20
25
Legendary Collection Common 108/110      
Bill T [Su]       P Promotional cards   009/P
Bill Su HeartGold & SoulSilver Uncommon 069/070 HeartGold Collection   069/070
      Steelix Constructed Standard Deck   018/019
      Tyranitar Constructed Standard Deck   017/019
Gyarados Half Deck   5/30
18/30
     
Bill's Teleporter T Neo Genesis Uncommon 91/111 Gold, Silver, to a New World... Uncommon  
Bill's Teleporter T [Su]       Pokémon Web Common 015/048
Mail from Bill T Neo Destiny Common 105/105 Darkness, and to Light... Common  
Bill's Maintenance T [Su] Expedition Base Set Uncommon 137/165 Base Expansion Pack Uncommon 060/128
EX FireRed & LeafGreen Uncommon 87/112 Flight of Legends Uncommon 080/082
      Venusaur/Charizard/Blastoise Half Deck   052/052
      Gift Box Emerald   015/019
      Grass Quick Construction Pack
Psychic Quick Construction Pack
  010/015
      Crawdaunt Quarter Deck   009/015
EX Crystal Guardians Uncommon 71/100 Ocean's Kyogre ex Constructed Starter Deck   015/016
      Earth's Groudon ex Constructed Starter Deck   015/016
POP Series 5 Uncommon 6/17      
Bill's PC PC       Extended Sheet 3    
 


TCG artwork

Bills Maintenance.png
Artwork of Bill performing maintenance by
Ken Sugimori

In the manga

Bill makes appearances in several manga, including, How I Became a Pokémon Card, Pokémon Adventures, Pokémon Zensho, and The Electric Tale of Pikachu.

In the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga

Bill in The Electric Tale of Pikachu

Bill appears in the third chapter of The Electric Tale of Pikachu, Clefairy Tale. He works with Professor Oak researching a colony of Clefairy at Mt. Moon. He was the one to discover the colony of Clefairy and has befriended many of them. Together with Professor Oak and Ash, he assists the Clefairy with an evolution ceremony.

In the same chapter, Bill also reveals parts of his past to Ash. In the beginning, Bill only became a Pokémon Trainer because he didn't like school and wanted to take a leave of absence, but as time went on, he discovered that he deeply cared for his Pokémon. He decided to become a Pokémon researcher after witnessing his Ivysaur evolving into Venusaur.

Bill reappears with Professor Oak in Side Story: Ash vs. Gary at a Pokémon research center.

Pokémon

Bill's Venusaur
Ivysaur → Venusaur
When Bill was telling Ash his story about becoming a Pokémon Trainer, a flashback showed his Ivysaur evolving into a Venusaur. This motivated Bill into becoming a Pokémon researcher.
Debut Clefairy Tale

In the How I Became a Pokémon Card manga

Bill in How I Became a Pokémon Card

In the first chapter of How I Became a Pokémon Card, a younger Bill rescues a lost Dratini from an angry crowd and it lives with him for a couple of days, until its father, an angry Dragonite, begins to go on a rampage. Dratini returns home, promising to always be friends with Bill.

Pokémon

Befriended
Bill's Dratini
Dratini
Bill rescued this Dratini when he was young. This Dratini stayed with him until a Dragonite who was Dratini's father goes berserk. Dratini returns home promising to be with Bill again someday.
Debut The Day Dratini Grew Up

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Main article: Bill (Adventures)

Bill appears as a supporting character in Pokémon Adventures.

In the Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys manga

Bill in Golden Boys

In Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys, Bill appears in the chapter Gold and Black VS. Team Rocket. He tells Gold and Whitney all the folklore of Ecruteak City, including the legends of Ho-Oh, the legendary beasts, and the story of the Bell Tower and the Brass Tower. Later, when Bill, Gold, and the Gym Leaders are held hostage by Grey and the other Rockets, he loans his Espeon and Umbreon to Gold and Black.

Pokémon

This listing is for Bill's Pokémon in the Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys manga.

Bill's Espeon
Espeon
Espeon was one of the Pokémon that was immune to the radio waves caused by Team Rocket. It was given to Gold for the time being in order to stop Team Rocket.

Espeon's only known move is Quick Attack.

Debut Gold and Black VS Team Rocket
Bill's Umbreon
Umbreon
When Team Rocket were controlling Pokémon using the radio waves, Bill had an Umbreon that was immune to the effect. In order for Black to defeat Team Rocket, he was given Umbreon temporarily.

Umbreon's only known move is Quick Attack.

Debut Gold and Black VS Team Rocket

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga

When Red and Green were searching for the Moon Stone, they stumble across Bill and his wife who were transformed into a leopard and Mew respectively. The Moon Stone the Mew took was actually the antidote to change back into their human selves. As soon as that happened, both Red and Green ran away after noticing Bill's hideous appearance in human form.

Bill made a reappearance in Bring Down the Strongest Pokémon!! with his wife. He was forced to complete creating Mewtwo for Giovanni.

Bill made his third appearance in Find the Legendary Pokémon!! with his Time Capsule machine. His appearance is closer to his game artwork in this chapter.

Pokémon

Temporary
Bill's Mew
Mew
Mew was the wife of Bill. She was searching for a Moon Stone in order to change herself and Bill back to humans.
Debut Obtain the Moon Stone!

In the Pokémon Zensho manga

Bill appears in Vermilion City where he transformed into a Nidoran♂. Satoshi comes by and mistakens him for an actual Nidoran. He ends up catching him and Bill tells Satoshi that the Nidoran is him. He then has Satoshi place him in a machine that will separate his human self from his Pokémon self.

Pokémon

Bill's Nidoran♂
Nidoran♂
Prior to Satoshi's arrival, Bill ends up being merged into the male Nidoran's body in a Pokémon transporter. As soon as Satoshi shows up, he ends up catching Nidoran♂ but releases it after finding out that it was a human. Nidoran♂ got separates from Bill after telling Satoshi how to use the transporter to separate Bill from the Nidoran's body.
Debut Vermilion City


Trivia

  • Bill is the only male character in charge of a PC storage system, running that of the players of Kanto and Johto games. The characters in charge of the storage systems in the other three main regions are all female.
  • Bill being mixed with a Pokémon during a teleportation experiment seems to be a direct reference to the movie The Fly, where a scientist experimenting with teleportation pods ends up combined with a fly.
  • In the anime, Mewtwo is shown on his lighthouse, which may indicate he knows of its creation.
  • In FireRed and LeafGreen, if a player declines to go to the Sevii Islands after defeating Blaine, Bill will wait in Cinnabar Island's Pokémon Center. During this period, he is both back at his home on Route 25 and on Cinnabar Island at the same time.
  • In the anime, Bill has green hair, and appears to be wearing formal clothing. In the games, his appearance differs greatly.
  • Many rumors sprouted up during the time of Generation I where if the player could travel to the gap which appeared at the back of Bill's House, they would encounter Mew. This proved to be false and to stop further rumors, the gap was removed in the Generation III remakes.
  • In Generation II and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, a fan of Bill's named Brent will reveal trivia about Bill via the Pokégear. The information shared include the fact that Bill's younger sister can't wink, Bill's first Pokémon caught was Abra, his mother used to be a Kimono Girl, Bill is lactose intolerant (also claimed by Celio in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen), he isn't very good at Pokémon battles, and that Bill is attracted to the Goldenrod Flower Shop owner's daughter.
  • According to Pokémon Adventures, Bill's birthday is December 31 and his blood type is O.
  • In the anime, Bill is portrayed as having an English accent, while in the Pokémon Adventures manga, he is portrayed as having a southern American accent.
  • The Pokémon Bill is mixed with is different in each canon: in the games, he is mixed with a Clefairy, in the Pokémon Adventures manga he is mixed with a Rattata, and in the anime he is trapped in a Kabuto costume.

Names

Language Name Origin
Japanese ソネザキマサキ
Masaki Sonezaki
From 正木 masaki, Japanese Spindle. It is also similar to みさき misaki (cape), referring to where he lives.
English, German,
Italian, Spanish
Bill Possibly from Bill Gates, former head of Microsoft and developer of the Microsoft Windows operating system for PCs.
French Léo Possibly from Link Everything Online.
Korean 이수재 Lee Su-Jae
Chinese (Mandarin) 曾根崎正輝 / 曾根崎正辉
Cénggēnqí Zhènghuī
From the Japanese 曾根崎 Sonezaki and 正輝 Masaki. 輝 (radiance) is also a possible reference to his lighthouse on the cape.


Pokémon Storage System developers
Bill (Adventures) • LanetteBrigetteCelioBebeHayleyAmanitaCassiusMolayne (Masters) • Grand Oak



Non-player characters in the core series games
Kanto Professor OakMom (Kanto)Mom (LGPE)RedBlueGreenTraceDaisyOld manBillCelioMr. FujiSafari Zone WardenCopycatPrimoKoichi
Pokémon Fan Club ChairmanErik and SaraLostelleTealaSelphyCalSteven StoneMayleneMinaCameronMr. GameMorimoto
Team RocketGym guideGym LeadersElite FourProfessors' aidesMagikarp salesmanName RaterDay-Care PersonMr. Hyper


Main characters
Ash KetchumPikachuGary OakRitchieMay OakProfessor OakDelia KetchumJessieJamesMeowth
Gym Leaders
BrockMistyKogaSabrinaGiovanniRudyDrake
Other
A.J.AyaBillDamianDarioDuplicaEevee brothersGiselleJeanette FisherOfficer JennyJoeNurse Joy
Lara LaramieMahriMelanieMikeyMimiProfessor OrvillePotterFlorinda ShowersRubySamuraiTommy


RedClefairyPikachuTogepiTyrogueConkeldurrDedenneChespinFroakie
PM GreenBlueYellowGoldSilver
Professor OakBillBill's wife
BrockMistyLt. SurgeErikaSabrinaKogaBlaineGiovanniLoreleiBrunoAgathaLance
Professor ElmEarlClefairy RangersKurtDJ MaryChairmanKiyo
FalknerBugsyWhitneyMortyJasmineChuckPryceClairWillKaren
PMRS RubySapphireRedBlue
Professor BirchMr. StoneMr. BrineyMaxieTetsuyaRydelRydel's rival
Dr. TakedaScott
NormanRoxanneBrawlyWattson
PMDP DiaKazuki
Professor RowanMarsLookerCharon
Dai FugōOkane Daisukī
RoarkAaron
PMBW BlackBiancaCheren
Professor JuniperNCedric JuniperGhetsis
CilanChiliCressLenoraBurghElesaClaySkylaShauntalMarshalGrimsleyCaitlinAlder
PMXY ShaunaProfessor SycamoreSerena
PMSM HalaLillie


Project CharacterDex logo.png 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.