Ethan (game): Difference between revisions

Hibiki redirects here. For the character of the day in Beauty and the Breeder, see Zane.

Gold (game) redirects here. For the game titled "Pokémon Gold Version", see Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions.

This article is about the male protagonist whose default name is クリス in the Japanese version of Pokémon Crystal. For the female player character in Pokémon Crystal with the same Japanese name, see Kris (game).

Ethan ヒビキ Hibiki
Art from HeartGold and SoulSilver
Gender	Male
Eye color	Gray
Hair color	Black
Hometown	New Bark Town
Region	Johto
Relatives	Mom (as player) Grandparents, unnamed father (as NPC)
Trainer class	Pokémon Trainer, Player character
Generation	II, IV
Games	Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver, Masters
Anime counterpart	Jimmy, Ethan (M13)
Counterpart debut	The Legend of Thunder!
Manga counterpart(s)	Gold, Gold, Gold, Jō, Takashi, Soul

Ethan (Japanese: ヒビキ Hibiki) is the main playable character in Pokémon Gold and Silver and is the male choice in Pokémon Crystal, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. In Crystal, his female counterpart is Kris, while in HeartGold and SoulSilver, his female counterpart is Lyra.

In the games

As the protagonist

Ethan's journey as a Trainer begins when Professor Elm asks him to run an errand for Mr. Pokémon, who lives north of Cherrygrove City on Route 30. Because he may encounter dangerous wild Pokémon along the way, Elm gives him a choice between three Pokémon to protect him: Cyndaquil, Totodile or Chikorita.

Ethan spots another boy his age watching Elm's Lab from outside. When Ethan tries to talk to him, the boy abruptly shoves him away. This boy, Silver, will become Ethan's rival.

Ethan continues onward and finally meets Mr. Pokémon and completes his errand. While there he meets Professor Oak who, upon realizing Ethan's bond with his new Pokémon, gives him a Pokédex. On his way back home, Ethan again meets Silver, who has stolen one of Elm's remaining Pokémon. After defeating the boy in battle, the boy tells Ethan his name^GSC/Ethan learns the boy's name from his dropped Trainer Card^HGSS, and Ethan relays it to the police in New Bark Town. Professor Elm allows Ethan to keep the Pokémon he chose earlier, and also encourages him to compete in the Johto League.

Ethan begins on a Pokémon journey in the Johto region, facing off against its eight Gym Leaders, defeating and disbanding the revived Team Rocket, and becoming Pokémon League Champion by defeating the Elite Four and its previous Champion, Lance at Indigo Plateau. Along the way he also teaches Silver to respect Pokémon as living creatures and not just as tools for battle.

After being declared the Pokémon League Champion, Ethan then journeys by ship from Olivine City to Vermilion City in Kanto. Traveling around that region, he battles against another set of eight Gym Leaders. Upon getting permission from Professor Oak in Pallet Town, Ethan heads for Mt. Silver via Route 28. His journey comes to a close when, deep in Mt. Silver's cave, he faces the Champion from Pallet Town, Pokémon Trainer Red, who had been training there since shortly after he became Pokémon League Champion three years prior.

As a non-playable character

In Pokémon Crystal, if Kris is selected, then the male player character will not appear in the game at all (although his sprite will be used in a link battle with another game from Generation II as well as opponents in Viridian City's Trainer House).

In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, if Lyra is selected to be the player character, Ethan meets her in New Bark Town at the start of the game. In this particular scene, he is seen with a Marill. He will always have Marill even if another starter Pokémon is selected. In addition, he doesn't appear to take the remaining starter Pokémon. His role in the storyline of HeartGold and SoulSilver is similar to that of Lucas/Dawn in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum if they are not chosen as the player character, while Lyra takes this place if he is selected as the player. He teaches the player how to catch Pokémon on Route 29 (replacing the Dude from Gold, Silver, and Crystal).

While playing as Lyra, his grandparents run the Pokémon Day Care on Route 34. He also gives the player the Fashion Case in Goldenrod Tunnel and the Vs. Recorder on Route 31. Naturally, this role is given to Lyra if he is the player character.

Pokémon

Ethan uses this party to show the player how to catch Pokémon when Lyra is selected as the player character in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.

PKMN Trainer Ethan Route 29 HeartGold and SoulSilver Reward: N/A
Type: Water Unknown Ability: Unknown Held item: None Marill♂ Lv.5 Tackle Normal Physical   --       Defense Curl Normal Status   --       Curse Unknown Status   --       Curse Unknown Status   --

Caught in tutorial

	Type: Normal Unknown Ability: Run Away or Guts Held item: None
Rattata♂/♀ Lv.2
Tail Whip Normal Status   --       Curse Unknown Status   --       Curse Unknown Status   --       Curse Unknown Status   --

Mentioned

When called with the Pokégear at different locations, Ethan will mention he owns certain Pokémon.

Tauros♂*

Bulbasaur*

Porygon*

Tangela*

Quotes

This article is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this article to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Missing quotes

New Bark Town

• After the player gets a starter

"<Player>! So you picked... a Chikorita/Cyndaquil/Totodile! That's a cute Pokémon you have! When you walk with it, it'll become more friendly. You should turn around and talk to it sometimes, too. Oh, that's right! Why don't you show it to your mom? See ya!"

• After receiving a Master Ball from Elm

"I wonder what a Kimono Girl wants from you..."

• If the player speaks to his Marill

"Hmm... My Pokémon may be putting on some weight lately...

• If the player attempts to walk to Route 27 before battling Ho-Oh/Lugia

"Hey, <player>! Where do you think you're going, <player>?"

• In his house

• If the player hasn't yet gotten a starter Pokémon

"<Player>! Professor Elm was looking for you. Did you go to his lab?"

• If the player has a starter Pokémon

"My Marill is super cute... But your Chikorita/Cyndaquil/Totodile looks pretty good, too, <player>!"

• Later in the game (if no Shiny Leaf is present on the walking Pokémon)

"Isn't it strange that when we are with Pokémon, going out is just so much more fun! <player>! Try going to different places and talk to your Pokémon! I bet you'll find out so many things about them!"

Professor Elm's lab

• After battling Silver

"Hold on a second! She has nothing to do with it! I saw it. There was a red-haired boy looking into the building!"

"<Player>! I'm glad they understand you are innocent. See you later!"

• After earning the Rising Badge

"<Player>! Did you already collect eight Badges? That's so cool! The professor is waiting for you."

"<Player>, people are talking about you! I heard you helped Kimono Girls? You've been helping all these people! You make me proud to be your friend."

Route 29

"There you are! <Player>! You can catch wild Pokémon with Poké Balls. Follow me!"

"See? Just like that! It's better to lower your target's HP more than I did, or make it sleep or something. You can try all kinds of things to see what works. I'll give you these. Good luck! See ya!"

• During the capture tutorial

"All right! I got its HP down! Time to throw a Poké Ball!

Route 31

"I knew it was you, <player>! How did you get past me? Here is something neat for surprising me, <player>!"

"The Vs. Recorder can record all your Pokémon battles. I have to go now! I won't let you pass me again! Come on, Marill!"

Route 34

"Grandpa! Good work, Grandpa! The Pokémon you raised for me has been as healthy as can be! You look fit, too!"

"Hi, <player>! Let me introduce you. This is <player>. She's a Trainer. She seems to be getting better at raising Pokémon. Well, not as good as you, Grandpa, of course! Follow me, <player>!"

"Grandma! Let me introduce my friend. This is <player>!"

"What? Grandma...! What are you talking about? She just happens to live nearby..."

"Well, I better go now... See ya! Oh! I almost forgot! Here! This is my Pokégear number!"

"You know you can talk to your Pokémon as they follow you? They do all sorts of cute stuff on the road and in towns. I'm taking notes every time they do funny things. Give me a call and I'll share some of them with you."

"Grandma! Don't you say anything. We are both Trainers, and we are supposed to exchange numbers. That's all."

Celebi event

• Ilex Forest

"Hi, <player>. Have you heard of the legend of the shrine? They say that people disappear when they tamper with it."

"... What was that?"

• Route 22

"Where are we...? Ilex Forest has disappeared! ...That's not it. It's more like we have been transported somewhere else...? <Player>, something is strange! I heard the radio mentioning the date from three years ago!"

"Is that...am I looking at...Celebi? That explains it! Celebi must have caused all this! My grandpa once told me that Celebi can travel through time using its mystic power called Time Travel! Celebi must have taken us back in time! Literally!"

"<Player>, there is someone else here besides us! Let's go find out who!"

"Who does he think he is? That was unnecessary! But what were they talking about? The revival of Team Rocket...? They say that Team Rocket was removed from the Kanto region by a child three years ago. So this really is three years ago!"

"Oh no! It's happening again...! It's Celebi's Time Travel!"

• Tohjo Falls

"Huh? That's the guy we just saw arguing with that boy!"

"Three years ago...? Goldenrod City...? Could this be the one the radio was trying to reach? Giovanni, their boss? Do you hear it, <player>? The radio is saying something strange! Team Rocket has occupied the Radio Tower at Goldenrod City! It can't be! <Player>, you solved this case already!"

"They keep calling for their boss. I feel sorry they don't know he's not coming. After this, <player>, you will defeat them! ...Wait a second! <Player>, you're still here. Then, who will defeat Team Rocket...?"

"Not again...! I've had enough! Please let me go back to my time!"

• Ilex Forest

"Traveling through time sure doesn't feel good."

"Hey, my Marill! I thought I would never see you again! Wait a sec... So we must be back to our time! It was all so bizarre. But now that we are safely back to our time and Team Rocker's terrible design fell through, we can say... all's well that ends well, right? <Player>, you never cease to inspire great adventures! It sure was an exhausting day, though. I better get going. See you!"

Artwork

Official artwork from Gold and Silver	Official artwork from Crystal	Running	Checking his Pokégear	Approaching a Time Capsule
Artwork from the Game Freak website	In front of the Ruins of Alph	Encountering a Shiny Pokémon	In the Sinjoh Ruins	Walking with Pokémon
File:Ethan and Cyndaquil artwork.png
Ethan and Cyndaquil concept artwork for Kotobukiya ArtFx J figurines

Sprites

Sprite from Gold and Silver	Sprite from Crystal	Sprite from Generation IV	Intro sprite from Generation IV	Pokéathlon sprite from Generation IV	Backsprite from Generation II	Backsprite from Generation IV	VS Model from Masters
Overworld sprite from Generation II	Overworld sprite from Generation IV	Overworld sprite, when disguised as a Team Rocket Grunt from Generation IV	Overworld Pokéathlon sprite from Generation IV	VS sprite from Generation IV	Sprite from the opening of HeartGold and SoulSilver	VS sprite from the opening of HeartGold and SoulSilver	Model from Masters

Optional names

Counterparts

In the anime

In the main series

Main article: Jimmy (Johto)

Jimmy, Ethan's first anime counterpart

Jimmy, the main protagonist of The Legend of Thunder!, is the first anime counterpart of Ethan, and seems to be based on him in the most basic sense, much more than Ash was based on his game counterpart, Red. Jimmy follows Ethan's design from Pokémon Gold and Silver. Much like Ethan, Jimmy is from New Bark Town and receives a starter from Professor Elm. He also encounters the counterparts of Silver and Kris on his journey.

Ethan's second counterpart has a cameo appearance at the beginning of Zoroark: Master of Illusions, where he had a battle against Ash. This counterpart follows Ethan's updated design from Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. It has been argued that this is Jimmy in an updated look, rather than a different counterpart, but this counterpart is identified as "Hibiki" (Ethan's Japanese name) in the Japanese DVD of the movie.

Pokémon

This is a listing of Ethan's known Pokémon in the anime:

		Donphan
		Ethan used Donphan in a battle against Ash at the beginning of the thirteenth movie. During the battle, it fought Pikachu. It was not shown who won the battle. Donphan's only known move is Rollout.
Debut	Zoroark: Master of Illusions

In Pokémon Generations

Ethan in Pokémon Generations

Ethan made two brief appearances in The Lake of Rage. First, he and Lance infiltrated the Team Rocket HQ separately. He then communicated with Lance through his Pokégear about updates on their mission, and acted as a decoy for Lance's attacks.

Much like the other player characters depicted in Pokémon Generations, Ethan doesn't have any lines of dialogue.

In the manga

Ethan, like most player characters, also has several counterparts in the various Pokémon manga series.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Ethan's Pokémon Adventures counterpart, Gold

Main article: Gold (Adventures)

Gold from Pokémon Adventures is based on Ethan.

In the Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys manga

Main article: Gold (Golden Boys)

Gold from Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys is based on Ethan.

In the Pokémon HeartGold SoulSilver: Pokédex Completion Comic manga

Main article: Soul (PCC)

Soul from Pokémon HeartGold SoulSilver: Pokédex Completion Comic is based on Ethan.

In the Pocket Monsters HeartGold & SoulSilver Go! Go! Pokéathlon manga

Main article: Takashi

Takashi from Pocket Monsters HeartGold & SoulSilver Go! Go! Pokéathlon is based on Ethan.

In the Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure manga

Main article: Jō

Jō from Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure is based on Ethan.

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga

Main article: Gold (Pocket Monsters)

Gold from Pokémon Pocket Monsters is based on Ethan.

Trivia

Ken Sugimori's design for the anime.

• The Gold and Silver artwork was originally presented in the Official Guidebook of Nintendo Space World '97 (Japanese: NINTENDOスペースワールド'97オフィシャルガイドブック), along with Silver, Oak, Schoolboy, Lass, Firebreather, Kimono Girl, Fisher, Ho-Oh, Slowking, Ampharos, Donphan, and the new Pokédex.
• Ethan is 4'11" (1.50 m) tall and weighs 88.2 lbs (40 kg) in HeartGold and SoulSilver.
  • Alolan Sandshrew, Clefable, Latias, Gurdurr, Greninja, Ash-Greninja, and Meteor Form Minior are all the same weight as Ethan.
• Before he received an official name in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, most fans called him Gold (Japanese: ゴールド Gold).
• Ethan is the only male player character to have two female counterparts; Kris and Lyra.
• The majority of his Japanese default names from HeartGold and SoulSilver are shared with Red and Lucas. The same holds true for their respective female counterparts.
• A 1997 pamphlet describing Gold and Silver mentions that the protagonist has a brother three years his senior. However, this aspect of his character was discarded by the time of the final release.
• On the "Area" map on the Pokédex in HeartGold and SoulSilver, Ethan's headshot sprite shows his hat from Gold and Silver. An earlier, unused version of this sprite is also found within other scrapped Pokégear graphics data, in which Kris appears instead of Lyra.
• One of Pokémon Trainer's palette swaps in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has a color scheme based on Ethan's appearance in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal.
• The Japanese optional name カケル Kakeru, along with the English optional name Chase, were eventually given to the male protagonist of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.
• Ethan's first anime counterpart having a different name, Jimmy, likely stems from the fact that Ethan did not become his canon name until HeartGold and SoulSilver.
• Ethan is the only game protagonist to have two anime counterparts.

Names

Capture tutors Old man • Primo • Professor Oak • Dude • Ethan/Lyra • Wally • Lucas/Dawn • Professor Juniper Bianca • Calem/Serena • Professor Kukui • Leon • Professor Laventon • Nemona

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.