View source for Pokémon Champion

{{incomplete|needs=in the anime and in the manga information}}
[[File:Champion Room B2W2.png|frame|right|A Champion's Room, where Trainers may defeat the Champion and win the Pokémon League]]
A '''Pokémon League Champion''' (Japanese: '''リーグ{{tt|優勝者|ゆうしょうしゃ}}''' ''League Champion''), normally referred to as simply '''Champion''' or '''Pokémon Champion''' (Japanese: '''チャンピオン''' ''Champion''), is the highest known level of rank for a [[Pokémon Trainer]]. The title is also colloquially referred to as '''League Champ''' (Japanese: '''ポケモン リーグの ちょうてん''' ''Pokémon League's Greatest'').

It usually refers to a Trainer who has completed a [[Pokémon League]] by collecting all the necessary [[Badge]]s, and either winning a regional Pokémon tournament or defeating the [[Elite Four]] and the previous Pokémon Champion (if there is one). There is usually only one Pokémon Champion per region at a time. [[Kanto]] and [[Johto]] share a Champion, while other regions have their own. If a Champion is defeated, they must relinquish their title to the victor; however, the victor can refuse the title, as [[N]] did in {{game|Black and White|s}}. It is assumed that the Champion must defend their title against challengers, although this is never explicitly stated.

==In the games==
Champion is a [[Trainer class]] that first debuted in the [[Generation I]] {{pkmn|games}}. It is the title held by the Trainer who last defeated the [[Elite Four]] and the previous Pokémon Champion. Each Champion is always stronger than the Elite Four members and most other Trainers, and has a party of six Pokémon to test their opponents' strength. To challenge the Champion, Trainers must defeat all four Elite Four members without leaving the Pokémon League area, and cannot access the Pokémon League [[Pokémon Center]] and [[Poké Mart]] until after defeating the Champion or losing at any point during the challenge. If a challenger is defeated by the Champion, just like the Elite Four, they are sent back to the Pokémon League and must start over.

Since in every [[main series]] game the player goes on to defeat the standing Champion, every [[player character]] could be considered a Champion. However, for players, becoming the Champion is mostly a symbolic honor, as they are unable to battle challengers or take up any other league duties. In addition, the former Champion will still remain at the [[Pokémon League]], retaining the title of Pokémon Champion.

In {{2v2|Black|White}}, Cynthia tells the player that once every few years, the Champions from all the regions come together and battle to find the strongest among them. In the [[Pokémon World Tournament]] in {{2v2|Black|White|2}}, which takes place 2 years later, all the Champions the player battles in previous games participate in the [[Champions Tournament]].

The following are known Champions in the games:

{| class="roundy" style="margin:auto; text-align:center; background: #88a; border: 5px solid #88a"
|-
! colspan = "3" style="background:#{{kanto color light}}; {{roundytl|5px}}" | {{color2|{{kanto color dark}}|Indigo League}}
! colspan = "2" style="background:#{{hoenn color light}}" | {{color2|{{hoenn color dark}}|Hoenn League}}
! rowspan = "2" style="background:#{{sinnoh color light}}" | {{color2|{{sinnoh color dark}}|Sinnoh League}}
! colspan = "2" style="background:#{{unova color light}}" | {{color2|{{unova color dark}}|Unova League}}
! rowspan = "2" style="background:#{{kalos color light}}; {{roundytr|5px}}" | {{color2|{{kalos color dark}}|Kalos League}}
|- style="background:#fff"
| style="background:#{{kanto color light}}" | <small>{{color2|{{kanto color dark}}|Generation I|Gen I}}{{color|{{kanto color dark}}| and }}{{color2|{{kanto color dark}}|Generation III|III}}</small> 
| style="background:#{{johto color light}}" | <small>{{color2|{{johto color dark}}|Generation II|Gen II}}{{color|{{johto color dark}}| and }}{{color2|{{johto color dark}}|Generation IV|IV}}</small>
| style="background:#{{kanto color light}}" | <small>{{color|{{kanto color dark}}|Storyline}}{{tt|*|Player character in Generations I and III; former Champion in Generations II, IV and V}}</small> 
| style="background:#{{hoenn color light}}" | <small>{{color2|{{hoenn color dark}}|Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Versions|Ruby and Sapphire}}</small>
| style="background:#{{hoenn color light}}" | <small>{{color2|{{hoenn color dark}}|Pokémon Emerald Version|Emerald}}</small>
| style="background:#{{unova color light}}" | <small>{{color2|{{unova color dark}}|Pokémon Black and White Versions|Black and White}}</small>
| style="background:#{{unova color light}}" | <small>{{color2|{{unova color dark}}|Pokémon Black and White Versions 2|Black 2 and White 2}}</small>
|- style="background:#fff"
| {{color2|000|Blue (game)|Blue}} 
| {{color2|000|Lance|Lance}} 
| {{color2|000|Red (game)|Red}} 
| {{color2|000|Steven Stone|Steven}}
| {{color2|000|Wallace|Wallace}}
| {{color2|000|Cynthia|Cynthia}}
| {{color2|000|Alder|Alder}}
| {{color2|000|Iris|Iris}}
| {{color2|000|Diantha|Diantha}}
|-  
| style="background:#fff; {{roundybl|5px}}" | [[File:Spr B2W2 Blue.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Spr B2W2 Lance.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Spr B2W2 Red.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Spr B2W2 Steven.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Spr B2W2 Wallace.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Spr B2W2 Cynthia.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Spr B2W2 Alder.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:Spr B2W2 Iris.png]]
| style="background:#fff" | [[File:XY_Diantha.png|80x80px]]
|}

==In the anime==
[[File:Virgil Winning.png|right|thumb|[[Virgil]] being awarded as Unova's Champion]]
The path to becoming Champion differs between the anime and the games. In the anime, instead of fighting the Elite Four, there is a [[Pokémon League Conference|tournament]] among accomplished Trainers; however, [[Lucian]] [[DP035|mentioned]] that the winner of the Sinnoh League has the opportunity to battle the Elite Four and their Champion. Even an Elite Four member can usurp the Champion by battling them.

The following are the Champions known in the anime:

{| style="float:left; background: #{{alder color light}}; {{roundy|10px}}; border: 3px solid #{{cynthia color}}"
! Name
! Hometown
! League
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| [[Lance]] 
| [[Blackthorn City]]
| [[Indigo League]]
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| [[Jon Dickson]] 
| [[Sento Cherry Town]]
| [[Silver Conference]]
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| {{ho|Tyson}} 
| [[Mauville City]]
| [[Ever Grande Conference]]
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| {{si|Tobias}}
|
| [[Lily of the Valley Conference]]
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| [[Virgil]]
|
| [[Vertress Conference]]
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| {{oi|Captain}}
|
| [[Orange League]]
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| {{OBP|Drake|Orange League}}
| [[Pummelo Island]]
| [[Orange League]]
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| [[Ash Ketchum]]
| [[Pallet Town]]
| [[Orange League]] and {{Gdis|Battle Frontier|III}}
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| [[Cynthia]]
| [[Celestic Town]]
| [[Sinnoh League]]
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| [[Wallace]]
| [[Sootopolis City]]
| [[Hoenn League]]
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| [[Alder]]
| [[Floccesy Town]]
| [[Unova League]]
|}{{-}}

==In the manga==
===In the Pokémon Adventures manga===
[[File:PS265.png|thumb|right|Wallace wearing the "Champion's Cloak"]]
In the [[Pokémon Adventures]] manga, the Champion of each region is the winner of an elimination tournament held every three years in each region. In the {{chap|Ruby & Sapphire}}, it was the determined that the winners of each tournament would have to face the [[Elite Four]] before challenging the Champion. The main characters that took part in a Pokémon League tournament so far are {{adv|Blue}}, {{adv|Green}}, {{adv|Black}}, and {{adv|Red}}—who won it and became a Champion.

The following are the known Champions in the Pokémon Adventures manga:

{| style="float:left; background: #{{alder color light}}; {{roundy|10px}}; border: 3px solid #{{cynthia color}}"
! Name
! League
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| {{adv|Professor Oak}}
| First Triennial [[Indigo League]]
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| {{adv|Red}}
| Ninth Triennial [[Indigo League]]
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| [[Steven Stone]]
| [[Hoenn League]]
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| [[Wallace]]
| [[Hoenn League]], awarded by {{Steven}}
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| [[Cynthia]]
| [[Sinnoh League]] 
|- style="background: #FFF;"
| [[Alder]]
| [[Unova League]]
|}{{-}}

==Trivia==
* The player has always met the Champion before challenging the Elite Four.
* In French localizations, Gym Leader is translated to ''Champion'', while Champion is translated to ''Maître'', meaning "master".
* The Sinnoh and Kalos Leagues are the only League that have only one known Champion (besides the {{player}}).

==In other languages==
{{langtable|color={{alder color light}}|bordercolor={{cynthia color}}
|de=Champ
|el=Πρωταθλητής
|es=Campeón / Campeona
|fi=Mestari
|fr=Maître
|it=Campione
|ja=チャンピオン
|ko=챔피언 ''Champion''
|pl=Czempion
|nl=Kampioen
|pt=Campeão / Campeã
|zh_cmn=冠軍 ''Guànjūn''
|ro=Campion
}}

{{-}}
{{Champions}}<br>
{{TrainerNav|Alder|kanto=yes|johto=yes|hoenn=yes|sinnoh=yes|unova=yes|kalos=yes}}
{{League}}<br>
{{Project CharacterDex notice|tc}}

[[Category:Pokémon League]]
[[Category:Terminology]]
[[Category:Champions|*]]
[[Category:Trainer classes]]

[[de:Champ]]
[[es:Campeón]]
[[it:Campione]]
[[ja:チャンピオン]]
[[pl:Mistrz (klasa trenerów)]]
[[zh:冠军]]