Bug Catcher (Trainer class)

A Bug Catcher (Japanese: むしとりしょうねん Bug Catcher Boy) is a type of Pokémon Trainer that first debuted in the Generation I games. Since then, they have appeared in every generation of game so far. They are generally depicted as little boys in hats, carrying nets and what appears to be their lunchboxes, or containers to keep caught bugs in, held by a strap after Generation II. Most Bug Catchers have been considered just hobbyists. Some Bug Catchers move around areas, and don't always stay in the the same place each day. Experienced Bug Catchers may become Bug Maniacs.

Bug Catchers are usually one of the first trainer classes encountered during the course of the games' storylines, mostly appearing on earlier routes. In Generation I, Bug Catchers are the first trainer class that the player encounters. They first appear in the Viridian Forest, while the last one is on Route 9. In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, Bug Catchers appear again on the Sevii Islands, in the Pattern Bush. In Generation II, Bug Catchers appear on Route 30, but they are not the first trainer class seen in the game, and are actually more uncommon in this Generation than any other. In Generation III, there are a few Bug Catchers, appearing between Routes Route 102, through Route 119. The number of Bug Catchers in Generation III surpasses each other generation except the first. In Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, Bug Catchers don't appear until Route 204, after the player defeats the first Gym Leader, which is unusually late in the game. There are only four Bug Catchers, most of them appearing in the Eterna Forest.

Appearance

Artwork

Bug Catcher Artwork Image from Stadium JP Image from Stadium 2

Trainer List

Pokémon Gold/Silver

Pokémon Crystal

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald

Pokémon Diamond/Pearl

Trainer name	Battle	Winnings	Pokémon
Bug Catcher Brandon	Initial battle	$84	Lv.7	Lv.7	-------	-------	-------	-------
	Second battle	$204	Lv.17	Lv.17	-------	-------	-------	-------
	Third battle	$348	Lv.29	Lv.29	-------	-------	-------	-------
	Fourth battle	$636	Lv.53	Lv.53	-------	-------	-------	-------
Bug Catcher Donald	Initial battle	$?	Lv.12	Lv.12	-------	-------	-------	-------
Bug Catcher Jack	Initial battle	$?	Lv.9	Lv.11	Lv.13	-------	-------	-------
Bug Catcher Philip	Initial battle	$?	Lv.9	Lv.11	Lv.13	-------	-------	-------

In the anime

• Although no main characters directly based on Bug Catchers have appeared in the anime, Ash and Samurai both own bug catching nets. Samurai is a boy appearing as the character of the day, who lives in Viridian Forest and dresses up in samurai armor. Like Bug Catchers, he specializes in Template:Type2 Pokémon and has a bug-catching net. Samurai's sole appearance came in Challenge of the Samurai.

• In The Spheal of Approval, a boy named Marius strongly resembled the Bug Catchers in the game, but did not own any Bug-types.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

In Wake Up--You’re Snorlax!, a Bug Catcher appeared during the bicycle race, alongside a Swimmer and Red. He took a shortcut through a small woods that was full of bug Pokémon. He later got stuck on Route 12 due to a sleeping Snorlax that was in the way.

His number in the race was 31.

Pokémon

This listing is of the Bug Catcher's known Pokémon:

Scyther

In other languages

• French: Scout
• German: Käfersammler
• Italian: Pigliamosche
• Korean: 곤충채집 (Gonchungchaejip)
• Spanish: Cazabichos

Trivia

• The first Bug Catchers the player battles from both Kanto in the remakes and Hoenn are both named Rick.
• Many Bug Catchers and Bug Maniacs are named Brandon.
• A kid in Pallet Town appears in the first chapter of Pokémon Adventures, who bears a resemblance to a Bug Catcher.

Template:Gen I trainers

This Trainer Class article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games.