Sapphire (Adventures)

Sapphire Birch (Japanese: オダマキ・サファイア Sapphire Odamaki) is the ninth main character of the manga series Pokémon Adventures. Her first two Pokémon are a Torchic and an Aron; she probably got them from her father, Professor Birch.

Sapphire loves to battle and is a tomboy; she has been seen swinging on vines through trees in an outfit made of leaves. However, she does have a feminine side, as she explains to Ruby in volume 19. She is in love with Ruby, yet, even after they both confess their feelings, she becomes annoyed at Ruby constantly avoiding the matter.

Character history

Past

Sapphire was born in Littleroot Town, Hoenn. Her father was Professor Birch, who was a Pokémon Researcher. As a child, she was an average fancy girl but that changed when she met Ruby. The two had a lot of fun with each other, until their playdate was interrupted by a Salamence. Acting quickly, Ruby was able to knock it out with his Pokémon. At that time, Rayquaza was being held by the Pokémon Association near the place he and Sapphire were playing and was set free by the Salamence. Sapphire ran away crying, and later came to realize she ruined Ruby's dignity, and vowed to become stronger.

Ruby & Sapphire arc

Sapphire was introduced when she saved Ruby from two wild Mightyenas. She was, at first, mistaken by Ruby as a wild animal because she wore leaves and started attacking him. This hostility escalated when she learned the two had contrasting goals. Soon, they agreed to settle their rivalry with an 80-day pact, in which Sapphire would conquer all 8 gyms in Hoenn while Ruby did the same for all contests.

In Rustboro City, Sapphire rescued Mr. Stone's Castform in a fountain, and chased after the SSS of Team Aqua. After that, she defeated Roxanne at the Rustboro Gym. After traveling to Dewford Island on Walo and training in the Granite Cave, she deafeated Brawley, before traveling with Ruby to the Abandoned Ship, where they met up with Courtney and Mitch of Team Magma.

After parting ways with the boy in Slateport City, Sapphire stumbled upon New Mauville, where helped Wattson and the Trick Master settle the underground city's generators. Sapphire then headed to Mt. Chimney, where she teamed up with Flannery to stop Team Aqua from killing the volcano. However, they failed to do so, and Sapphire went to Fortree City on Pilo, her Tropius.

Once there, Sapphire became Winona's disciple after loosing to her in a gym battle. Soon, an emergency meeting of the gym leaders brought Ruby, who had become Wallace's student, to Fortree. Unfortunately, the two had a fall out after Sapphire learned that Ruby had been hiding his true strength from her and the boy showed little care about Hoenn's fate. As the awakening of Kyogre and Groudon brought havoc to Hoenn, Sapphire went with Winona to fight, and learned, in the process, about the Seafloor Cavern.

Soon, Ruby finally decided to join the battle went and, with the help of Sapphire and her Relo, went to the Seafloor Cavern. At the bottom of the sea, the young pair squared off against Maxie and Archie but were horribly defeated. They were then taken to Mirage Island, where the trained and learned that they had absorbed the Blue and Red Orbs.

Just before leaving Mirage Island. Sapphire told a shocked Ruby that she liked him. Before Ruby could respond, they had to leave and he didn't get to tell that he felt the same way until they reached Sootopolis City, where he pushed Sapphire away in order to protect her. Ruby then left with Marge in order to fight against Maxie, Archie and the Ancient Pokémon Groudon and Kyogre.

Soon, Sapphire escaped the air car and came to the battlefield, where the two rivals charged up Plusle and Minun and finally defeated Archie and Maxie. Ruby then used Celebi to restore peace.

The next day was the eightieth day of the bet and Sapphire had succeed in her goal of getting all of the badges in Hoenn. She then ran off into the sunset with Ruby to Littleroot Town, where a party was awaiting for both of their birthdays.

Emerald arc

In the sixth chapter, Ruby and Sapphire traveled to the Battle Frontier to help save the other Pokédex holders.

Pokémon

These are all of Sapphire's Pokémon as of Volume 21.

On hand

At Sea

Status unknown

Trivia

• Like her game counterpart, she is the only female rival in the Pokémon Adventures manga.
• She is the only female Pokémon Adventures character named after a generation's second version (Blue, Silver, and Pearl are all male). Like them, however, she is the designated rival of the character with the name of the respective primary version, and based off of the rival in the respective games.
  • Likewise, she is the only Pokémon Adventures counterpart to a female player character not named for the third version (Blue, counterpart to Leaf, after Pokémon Blue; Crystal, counterpart to Kris, after Pokémon Crystal; Platinum, counterpart to Dawn, after Pokémon Platinum).
• Sapphire is the only rival whose starter's type is disadvantaged against that of her own rival (her Torchic vs Ruby's Mudkip). However, unlike other rivals in Adventures, which were all based off of in-game rivals, Sapphire's game basis is also a player character.
• Sapphire is the only character to successfully earn every gym badge in her native region. Red and Platinum challenge or challenged Gyms as well; however, although Red defeated every Gym Leader in Kanto, he didn't earn every badge, and Platinum has yet to finish her journey. Silver simply stole every Gym Badge from Johto at one point, but he didn't earn them through challenges.
• Sapphire's birthday is September 20th.
  • A sapphire is the birthstone for those born in September.
• Sapphire's bloodtype is O.
• All of Sapphire's Pokémon mirror her gender, with the exception of Toro & Minun. The same goes for Ruby (with the exception of having also owned a genderless Pokémon), with only his starter and electric rodent the same gender as him.
• Even though in Sapphire there was no version-exclusive look for May, artwork of Sapphire shows a blue variation of her attire.
• Sapphire is one of three Pokédex holders to have a known last name; the other two are Blue and Platinum.

In other languages

Related pages

• Timeline of Ruby and Sapphire's 80-day challenge

External links

• Netkun on Sapphire (Japanese)

Sapphire's Pokémon
On hand:	Rono	Chic	Troppy	Phado	Kirly
At sea:	Lorry	Relly
Released:	Minun
Borrowed:	Electrike	Rara	Mumu
Befriended:	Rayquaza

This article is part of Project Manga, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each series of Pokémon manga.