Paulo

Paulo キリヤ Kiriya
Art from Pokémon Masters
Gender	Male
Eye color	Gray
Hair color	Blonde
Hometown	Unknown
Region	Pasio
Trainer class	Pokémon Trainer
Generation	VII
Games	Masters EX
Game animation debut	Pokémon Masters Animated Trailer
English voice actor	Khoi Dao
Japanese voice actor	Ryōhei Kimura

Paulo (Japanese: キリヤ Kiriya) is one of the player's rivals and later as the primary antagonist in Pokémon Masters EX.

In the games

Paulo is a Trainer who grew up in the same town as Tina. When they were young, he and Tina found a wild Dratini that they started taking care of in secret. However, one day, a Collector chanced upon them and caught the Dratini. When he found out that the Collector only caught it for the money, Paulo grew furious, but because he wasn't a Trainer yet, he couldn't do anything to stop the Collector from taking Dratini. From then on, he vowed to get stronger so that he would never have to lose anything important to him again.

In the present day, Paulo comes to Pasio to challenge the Pokémon Masters League. He initially forms a sync pair with his Rockruff, but after an encounter with Team Rocket where he and Tina nearly have their Pokémon stolen, he stops battling with Rockruff in favor of using other, stronger Pokémon.

Described as an exceptional student, Paulo is thoughtful and studious, though his pursuit of strength often gets the best of him and causes him to make hasty decisions. He exhibits a strong sense of justice, often being seen battling against Team Break and other organizations. Paulo puts immense pressure on himself; he consistently expresses frustration towards his lack of strength and often stubbornly insists on taking on difficult tasks, even after being told they're dangerous. He occasionally demonstrates a lack of self-confidence, tending to downplay his accomplishments and focusing on his weaknesses. However, he shows great perseverance and bravery in his pursuit of strength and taking down villainous organizations and he is open to trying different approaches towards Pokémon training.

Paulo grows increasingly self-reliant over the course of his journey, eventually rejecting outright the notion that relying on others can help him grow stronger. He is determined to become stronger on his own so that he can protect himself and everyone he cares about, no matter what it takes.

PML Arc

The player first encounters Paulo near the end of Chapter 2, where their team runs into him in a cave. After being mistaken for a Team Break member by Barry, he introduces himself and helps the player's team fight off some actual members of Team Break. He thanks the player for their help and is invited to join their team for the Pokémon Masters League, to which he denies, revealing his plan to form his own team. He then advises the player to search for more teammates in the volcano area.

Paulo is next seen in Chapter 7, having lost to Norman in an attempt to earn the Patience Badge. Upon finding out Team Break is in the area, he assists in fighting them off again. Afterwards, Norman gives him the Badge despite his loss, and Paulo vows to grow stronger before leaving.

In Chapter 10, the player once again encounters Paulo, this time having lost to Hapu. Team Break is in the area once again, and Paulo runs off to defeat them in hopes of getting permission to battle Hapu again. He is defeated instead, and the player comes to his rescue. Once Hapu leaves, he explains he needs to figure out his issues, wishes the player luck in their next battle, and walks off.

In Interlude 1, Paulo is seen at the opening ceremony for the PML tournament, revealing that he had formed a team and obtained every Badge to qualify for the tournament. He promises to see the player in the finals.

Paulo is briefly seen in Chapter 21. Brock and Rosa comment on him having made it to the finals.

At the beginning of Chapter 22, Paulo is defending a Youngster from having his Pokémon stolen by some Team Break thugs, but they manage to corner him. Fortunately, Wikstrom and Wulfric show up to drive them off. After thanking them for their help, Paulo asks them to join his team for the PML tournament. In the present, Paulo makes good on his promise to the player by battling them in the second round of the finals. To his dismay, he loses the battle. He forces a smile before walking off to the beach. With no tournament to continue in, he disbands his team. After Wikstrom and Wulfric leave, Paulo breaks down, expressing his frustration and inability to understand why he lost, and walks into a cave.

Paulo appears in Chapter 24 alongside other reinforcements to allow the player to battle Elesa as he helps to fight off Team Break.

Paulo briefly appears in Chapter 29, where he walks past Lear. Lear notices a weird look in his eyes, but doesn't say anything to him about it.

Paulo's final appearance in the PML arc has him overhearing some former Team Break members talking about forging their own path in Chapter 30. He mentions seeing a path of his own and leaves once again. He then appears a few times in the ending montage.

Villain Arc

Paulo appears in every chapter of the Villain Arc, usually helping to take down whatever evil organizations are causing trouble. He is the titular character of the Paulo Interlude chapter, in which he reflects on the things he's learned and decides what the path forward will be for him now that the PML is over until he control Lear's Hoopa to punish selfish people because Team Plasma has kill his Rockruff as the last evil.

Pokémon

On hand

These Pokémon were all loaned to Paulo by Lear as part of an experiment to explore the potential of sync pairs.

Alakazam

Tyranitar

Gyarados

Hydreigon

Metagross

Controlled via sync stone

Hoopa (Hoopa Unbound)

Status unknown

Rockruff

Quotes

Main article: Paulo/Quotes

Gallery

VS model from Masters EX	Model from Masters EX	Paulo's sync move mindscape	Artwork from the Paulo Interlude chapter of the Villain Arc

In the anime

Paulo in the Pokémon Masters Animated Trailer

Pokémon Masters Animated Trailer

Paulo briefly appeared in the Pokémon Masters Animated Trailer in a montage alongside his Rockruff.

Pokémon

		Rockruff
		Rockruff is Paulo's only known Pokémon. None of Rockruff's moves are known.
Debut	Pokémon Masters Animated Trailer

Names

Language	Name	Origin
Japanese	キリヤ Kiriya	From 桐 kiri (princesstree)
English	Paulo	From Paulownia, the genus that contains the princesstree
German	Kilian	From Kiribaum (princesstree)
Spanish	Paolo	From Paulownia
French	Kyrill	From kiri (Japanese for princesstree)
Italian	Owen	From Paulownia
Korean	고상 Gosang	From 고상 (高尚) gosang (noble, refined), referring to the symbolic meaning of the princesstree in the language of flowers
Chinese (Mandarin)	梧桐 Wútóng	From 梧桐 wútóng / ǹgh-tùhng (Chinese parasol tree)
Chinese (Cantonese)	梧桐 Ǹgh-tùhng

References

Rival characters
Core series Blue • Silver • Brendan/May • Wally • Barry • Cheren • Bianca • N • Hugh Calem/Serena • Shauna • Tierno • Trevor • Hau • Gladion • Trace Hop • Bede • Marnie • Klara • Avery • Nemona Spin-off games Ronald • Paulo • Lear • Tina

Characters appearing in Pokémon Masters EX

Pasio Scottie • Bettie • Lear • Rachel • Sawyer Kanto Brock • Misty • Lt. Surge • Erika • Blaine • Lorelei • Bruno • Agatha • Janine • Koga • Blue • Giovanni • Leaf • Lance • Professor Oak • Red • Sabrina • Jessie • James • Ash Johto Kris • Bugsy • Whitney • Pryce • Clair • Will • Karen • Lyra • Ethan • Silver • Jasmine • Morty • Falkner • Eusine Hoenn Brendan • Roxanne • Brawly • Flannery • Norman • Winona • Tate • Liza • Phoebe • Drake • Noland • Glacia • Zinnia • Steven • Wallace • Wally • Lucy • Lisia • May • Maxie • Archie • Sidney • Courtney Sinnoh Barry • Roark • Gardenia • Maylene • Crasher Wake • Candice • Flint • Thorton • Cheryl • Marley • Cynthia • Fantina • Dawn • Cyrus • Volkner • Darach • Lucas • Aaron • Bertha • Lucian • Looker • Adaman • Irida Unova Rosa • Clay • Skyla • Brycen • Iris • Roxie • Marlon • Shauntal • Marshal • Cheren • Hilbert • Hilda • Elesa • Caitlin • Grimsley • Burgh • Alder • Nate • Bianca • N • Ghetsis • Ingo • Emmet • Hugh • Colress Kalos Grant • Korrina • Ramos • Wulfric • Siebold • Wikstrom • Viola • Calem • Valerie • Clemont • Serena • Lysandre • Professor Sycamore • Diantha • Evelyn • Nita • Helena • Kali • Shauna • Emma Alola Hau • Sophocles • Mina • Olivia • Hapu • Kahili • Nanu • Acerola • Kukui • Plumeria • Guzma • Lusamine • Gladion • Lillie • Molayne • Mallow • Selene • Elio • Lana • Kiawe • Hala • The Masked Royal • Naomi • Anabel Galar Gloria • Piers • Leon • Marnie • Raihan • Nessa • Bea • Hop • Allister • Sonia • Bede • Gordie • Melony • Victor • Ball Guy NPCs Paulo • Professor Bellis • Trista • Tricia • Trinnia • Tina Meowth • Ryuki • Tabitha • Matt • Shelly • Mars • Jupiter • Saturn • Cilan • Chili • Cress • Archer • Ariana • Petrel • Proton • Chuck • Tierno • Trevor • Malva • Drasna • Faba • Team Break

This article is part of both Project CharacterDex and Project Sidegames, Bulbapedia projects that, together, aim to write comprehensive articles on characters in the spin-off games.