List of characters with first partner Pokémon

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Ash with his first Pokémon, Pikachu, and his three Kanto first partner Pokémon

This page details characters who own a first partner Pokémon in different media throughout the franchise.

In the games

The list does not include characters like rivals whose usage of first partner Pokémon is dependent on the player's choice.

Core series characters

Spin-off characters

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Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
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In animation

Pokémon the Series

There are multiple Trainers in Pokémon the Series that have first partner Pokémon, with many Trainers having more than one.

Main characters

Ash with his Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charizard, and Squirtle
  • Ash started with a Pikachu, which he received from Professor Oak. In Pokémon Journeys: The Series, he was revealed to be able to Gigantamax into a Gigantamax Pikachu.
    • Ash caught a Bulbasaur in the Kanto region.
    • Ash caught a Charmander in the Kanto region, after he was released by his previous Trainer, Damian. He has since evolved into a Charizard.
    • Ash caught a Squirtle in the Kanto region.
    • Ash caught a Chikorita in the Johto region, she has since evolved into a Bayleef.
    • Ash caught a Cyndaquil in the Johto region, it has since evolved into a Quilava.
    • Ash caught a Totodile in the Johto region.
    • Ash caught a Treecko in the Hoenn region, it has since evolved into a Sceptile.
    • Ash caught a Turtwig in the Sinnoh region, he has since evolved into a Torterra.
    • Ash caught a Chimchar in the Sinnoh region, after he was released by its previoues Trainer, Paul. He has since evolved into an Infernape.
    • Ash caught an Oshawott in the Unova region, who was originally a first partner Pokémon that Professor Juniper allowed Ash to keep after he ran away to be with him.
    • Ash caught a Tepig in the Unova region, after he was released by its previoues Trainer, Shamus. He has since evolved into a Pignite.
    • Ash caught a Snivy in the Unova region.
    • Ash caught a Froakie in the Kalos region, which used to belong to several other Trainers before being abandoned or abandoning the Trainer. It has since evolved into a Greninja.
    • Ash caught a Rowlet in the Alola region.
    • Ash caught a Litten in the Alola region, after encountering it a few times before finally earning its trust. It has since evolved into a an Incineroar.
Brock, Ash, and May with their Mudkip, Treecko, and Torchic, respectively

Supporting characters

Vincent, Marina, and Jimmy with their Chikorita, Totodile, and Cyndaquil, respectively
Kenny and Dawn with their Prinplup and Piplup, respectively
Tierno, Trevor, and Shauna with their Squirtle, Charmander, and Bulbasaur, respectively

Characters of the day

Pokémon Horizons: The Series

Roy, Liko, and Dot with their first partner Pokémon in Pokémon Horizons: The Series

Pokémon movies

Mewtwo Strikes Back

Celebi: Voice of the Forest

Destiny Deoxys

The Rise of Darkrai

Arceus and the Jewel of Life

White—Victini and Zekrom / Black—Victini and Reshiram

Genesect and the Legend Awakened

Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction

Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel

Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution

I Choose You! trilogy

A series of stories, including the movie trilogy I Choose You!, The Power of Us, and Secrets of the Jungle, along with the special episode The Distant Blue Sky, features different versions of the characters and world from Pokémon the Series.

Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 Animated Trailer

Pokémon Origins

Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Animated Trailer

Brendan and May and their first partner Pokémon in the Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Animated Trailer

Pokémon Generations

Pokémon Masters Animated Trailer

Pokémon Evolutions

Pokémon: Paldean Winds

Aliquis, Hohma, and Ohara with their Meowscarada, Quaxwell, and Fuecoco


In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

In Pokémon Adventures, the first partner Pokémon featured in the games are reserved for the few people who hold a Pokédex. Professor Oak produces three Pokédexes for each region, and gives out the three first partner Pokémon in each region along with the Pokédex to Trainers he thinks are talented. He has colleagues and friends like Professor Birch do this for him in regions in which he isn't present. In the Unova region, two sets of first partner Pokémon are given out to six Trainers, but still with only three Pokédexes. Professor Oak also gave Red's Pikachu as a special first partner to Yellow.

Main characters

The Pokédex holders' first partner Pokémon from Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn

Supporting characters

  • Wally temporarily had a first partner Pokémon who was a Treecko he found in Route 131 after being separated from Professor Birch, who intended to give it to another Trainer. He later evolved into a Grovyle. When he was separated from Wally, it evolved into a Sceptile while in the wild. He was eventually caught by Emerald, the Trainer Professor Birch intended to give him to.
Three sets of Unova's first partner Pokémon, each at a different stage of their evolutionary line
  • Cheren started with a Snivy, which he received from Professor Juniper. He has since evolved into a Servine.
  • Bianca started with a Oshawott, which she received from Professor Juniper.
  • N befriended a Snivy that he liberated from Cedric Juniper, with the Snivy deciding to go with N. She has since evolved into a Servine. His Servine was with him until he sent her to White's aid.
    • N later befriends another first partner Pokémon, a Tepig whose nickname was "Gigi". Gigi was with White until she decided to leave White to follow N. Before Gigi followed N, she was going to be given out to new Trainers by Professor Cedric Juniper but was liberated by N.
  • Cedric Juniper had a Oshawott who was liberated by N, but chose to stay with Cedric. It has since evolved into a Samurott.
  • Benga is shown with a Pignite. In a flashback, it was seen as a Tepig.
  • Hugh briefly partners up with a Snivy who belonged to a Team Plasma Grunt. It was sent out to battle Hugh on the Plasma Frigate, but it refused to fight and instead sided with him.
  • Malva used a Fennekin she found by digging through collected Poké Balls that were taken from Vaniville Town by Team Flare. She has since evolved into a Delphox. Originally she was owned by Professor Sycamore and was given to Trevor in the hopes that X would pick a first partner Pokémon. After Team Flare was defeated, she was separated from Malva and her Poké Ball was found by Clemont, who gave her to Trevor. Trevor eventually gave her to Whitley, who he believed would be able to connect with Delphox.

Pokémon Pocket Monsters

Red with his first two Pokémon in Pokémon Pocket Monsters

The Electric Tale of Pikachu

Ash and Pikachu in The Electric Tale of Pikachu

Pokémon Zensho

Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys

  • Gold started with a Totodile, which he at first borrowed from Professor Elm so that he may run an errand for him, but Elm allowed Gold to keep the Totodile. It has since evolved into a Gold's.
    • Gold caught a Gold's.
    • Gold caught a Gold's, after being released by its previous Trainer, Black for Black failing to defeat Lapras.
  • Black started with a Chikorita, after he stole it from Professor Elm's lab. It has since evolved into a Gold's. Black released the Bayleef after it failed to defeat a Lapras. It has since been caught by Gold.
    • Black borrowed Quilava in a tournament.

Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire (CoroCoro Comic)

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl (manga)

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure!

Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure

Be the Best! Pokémon B+W

The fully evolved Unova first partner Pokémon in Be the Best! Pokémon B+W

Pocket Monsters BW: Meetings with the Legends

Pocket Monsters BW

Pocket Monsters BW: The Heroes of Fire and Thunder

Pocket Monsters B2 W2 ~ A New Legend ~

  • Arata started with a Oshawott, which he received from Bianca. At first he was having trouble deciding which Pokémon he should choose, only for two Team Plasma grunts to steal all three first partner Pokémon. Luckily Arata managed to swipe one of them when the grunts attacked him. This Pokémon ended up being Oshawott. It has since evolved into a Samurott.

Pocket Monsters BW: Good Partners

Pokémon Omega Ruby Crimson Passion and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Indigo Wisdom

Pokémon Horizon

Trivia

Pokémon animated series

Pokémon Adventures

  • The first partner Pokémon of each region that are given to characters based on the male protagonists in the games cycle through Grass (Red, Diamond, and X), Fire (Gold, Black, and Sun), and Water (Ruby and Blake). The pattern was broken with Henry, who has a Grass-type first partner Pokémon instead of the expected Water-type first partner Pokémon, however it has continued with Violet, who has a Fire-type first partner Pokémon.
    • This also applies to characters based on the female protagonists in the games, which cycle through Water (Green, Platinum, and Y), Grass (Crystal, White, and Moon), and Fire (Sapphire, Whitley, and Casey). The pattern was broken with Scarlet, who has a Grass-type first partner Pokémon instead of the expected Water-type first partner Pokémon.
  • The first partner Pokémon of the characters based on the male protagonists usually have the type advantage over the characters based on the female protagonists, with the only exception of the main characters of the Sword & Shield arc where Casey has the type advantage over Henry.
  • Like the Pikachu in Pokémon Yellow, Red's Pikachu, Pika, and Yellow's Pikachu, Chuchu, never evolved.
  • Emerald and Whitley are the only character to catch a first partner Pokémon that has fully evolved.
    • White and Blake are the only characters to catch their first partner Pokémon in the middle of their evolutionary line.
  • Black is the only main character to change his Pokémon's nickname.
  • White and X are the only main character to own two traditional first partner Pokémon.
    • White is the only main character to have own two first partner Pokémon from the same Generation where they debuted from.
  • Blake is the only main character to not have fully evolved their first partner Pokémon.
  • X is the only main character to own a traditional first partner Pokémon that a different main character already owns.
  • Whitley is the only main character to own a first partner Pokémon that is from a different Generation then the one they debuted from.
  • In the Black 2 & White 2 arc is the only time that that three sets of first partner of a region are shown together with each of them appearing at a different stage of their evolutionary line: A Team Plasma Grunt's Snivy, Cheren's Servine, White's Serperior, N's Tepig, Benga's Pignite, Black's Emboar, Bianca's Oshawott, Blake's Dewott, and Cedric Juniper's Samurott.
  • The X & Y arc is the first time that none of the main characters that were introduce in that Generation owns all three of the first partner Pokémon. Instead Malva owns the Kalos Fire-type first partner Pokémon.
  • Since Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon arc, no Water-type first partner Pokémon is owned by a main character with Popplio, Sobble, and Quaxly instead being owned by Hau, Marvin, and Nemona respectively.
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