Viola

Viola ビオラ Viola
"The camerawoman who never lets a single smile escape her focus."
Artwork from X and Y
Age	Unknown
Gender	Female
Eye color	Dark green
Hair color	Sandy blonde
Hometown	Santalune City
Region	Kalos
Relatives	Alexa (older sister)
Trainer class	Gym Leader Marchioness (Battle Chateau) Duchess (Battle Chateau; Series)
Generation	VI, VII, VIII, IX
Counterpart(s)	Viola (Masters)
Games	X and Y, Masters EX
English voice actor	Brianna Knickerbocker (Masters EX)
Japanese voice actor	Aya Endō (Masters EX)
Member of	Kalos League
Rank	Gym Leader
Leader of	Santalune Gym
Badge	Bug Badge
Specializes in	Bug-types
Animated series	Pokémon the Series
Debut	A Blustery Santalune Gym Battle!
English voice actor	Lori Gardner
Japanese voice actor	Noriko Shitaya
Manga series	Pokémon Adventures
Debut	An X-cuse to Come Out and Play

Viola (Japanese: ビオラ Viola) is a professional photographer who is the Gym Leader of Santalune City's Gym, known officially as the Santalune Gym. She specializes in Bug-type Pokémon. She gives the Bug Badge to Trainers who defeat her.

In the core series games

Pokémon X and Y

Viola challenging the player

Viola is the first Gym Leader to be challenged by the player. Trainers who defeat her will be given the Bug Badge, along with TM83 (Infestation). She is the younger sister of Alexa, a reporter based in the Kalos region. She is also seemingly good friends with fellow Gym Leader Valerie, who gifted her the barrette that her hair is tied in for her birthday.

As well as being a Gym Leader, Viola is a professional photographer. According to the television show Gym Freaks, Viola's camera was a birthday gift from Alexa. She seems to massively enjoy photography, often speaking with analogies surrounding cameras or photography in general. Her work, such as "To be Evolved" and "Nectar's Siren Song" can be found on the first floor of the Santalune Gym. Viola also has a habit of saying "Fantastic" many times, both in Pokémon X and Y, as well as in Pokémon Masters EX.

Appearance

Viola's concept art

Viola is a slim woman of seemingly average height. She has sandy blonde hair, which she wears in a rather unique hairstyle; being loosely tied into a barrette at the back, with two strands at the front left untied, which have rounded ends, making them resemble antennae. Viola wears a slightly cropped white tank top, green cargo pants that have a white waistband, and grey boots. She carries two cameras - one around her neck, and one to her side.

Her official concept artwork depicts an alternate outfit for her, consisting of what seems to be a more formal top, and her hair more neatly tied into a ponytail. While this outfit does not appear in Pokémon X and Y, she was portrayed with the same ponytail in Pokémon the Series: XY, as well as in her Holiday 2023 Outfit in Pokémon Masters EX.

Pokémon

Pokémon X and Y

Gym battle

Leader Viola Santalune Gym X and Y Reward: $1,920

Types: Bug Water Ability: Swift Swim Held item: None Surskit♀ Lv.10 Quick Attack Normal Physical   --       Bubble Water Special   --       Water Sport Water Status   --       Curse Unknown Status   --       Types: Bug Flying Ability: Shield Dust Held item: None Vivillon♀ Lv.12 Harden Normal Status   --       Infestation Bug Special   --       Tackle Normal Physical   --       Curse Unknown Status   --

Battle Chateau

Marchioness Viola Battle Chateau X and Y Reward: $6,400*

Types: Bug Flying Ability: Intimidate Held item: None Masquerain♀ Lv.40 Aqua Jet Water Physical   --       Bug Buzz Bug Special   --       Quiver Dance Bug Status   --       Air Slash Flying Special   --       Types: Bug Flying Ability: Compound Eyes Held item: None Vivillon♀ Lv.40 Psychic Psychic Special   --       Bug Buzz Bug Special   --       Energy Ball Grass Special   --       Powder Bug Status   --

Battle Chateau - Blue Writ of Challenge

Marchioness Viola Battle Chateau X and Y Reward: $4,800*

Types: Bug Flying Ability: Intimidate Held item: None Masquerain♀ Lv.30 Water Sport Water Status   --       Scary Face Normal Status   --       Sweet Scent Normal Status   --       Gust Flying Special   --       Types: Bug Flying Ability: Compound Eyes Held item: None Vivillon♀ Lv.30 Psybeam Psychic Special   --       Struggle Bug Bug Special   --       Draining Kiss Fairy Special   --       Supersonic Normal Status   --

Battle Chateau - Writ of Challenge

Marchioness Viola Battle Chateau X and Y Reward: $7,200*

Types: Bug Flying Ability: Intimidate Held item: None Masquerain♀ Lv.45 Scary Face Normal Status   --       Silver Wind Bug Special   --       Stun Spore Grass Status   --       Gust Flying Special   --       Types: Bug Flying Ability: Compound Eyes Held item: None Vivillon♀ Lv.45 Safeguard Normal Status   --       Bug Buzz Bug Special   --       Aromatherapy Grass Status   --       Quiver Dance Bug Status   --

Battle Chateau - Red Writ of Challenge

Marchioness Viola Battle Chateau X and Y Reward: $8,000*

Types: Bug Flying Ability: Intimidate Held item: None Masquerain♀ Lv.50 Stun Spore Grass Status   --       Silver Wind Bug Special   --       Scary Face Normal Status   --       Air Slash Flying Special   --       Types: Bug Flying Ability: Compound Eyes Held item: None Vivillon♀ Lv.50 Safeguard Normal Status   --       Bug Buzz Bug Special   --       Hurricane Flying Special   --       Quiver Dance Bug Status   --

Battle Chateau - Black Writ of Challenge

Marchioness Viola Battle Chateau X and Y Reward: $9,600*

Types: Bug Flying Ability: Intimidate Held item: None Masquerain♀ Lv.60 Whirlwind Normal Status   --       Silver Wind Bug Special   --       Stun Spore Grass Status   --       Air Slash Flying Special   --       Types: Bug Flying Ability: Compound Eyes Held item: None Vivillon♀ Lv.60 Hurricane Flying Special   --       Quiver Dance Bug Status   --       Safeguard Normal Status   --       Powder Bug Status   --

Battle Chateau rematch

Marchioness Viola Battle Chateau X and Y Reward: $8,000*

Types: Bug Flying Ability: Intimidate Held item: None Masquerain♀ Lv.50 Quiver Dance Bug Status   --       Bug Buzz Bug Special   --       Air Slash Flying Special   --       Aqua Jet Water Physical   --       Types: Bug Flying Ability: Shield Dust Held item: None Vivillon♀ Lv.50 Psychic Psychic Special   --       Bug Buzz Bug Special   --       Energy Ball Grass Special   --       Powder Bug Status   --

Battle Chateau rematch - Blue Writ of Challenge

Viola Battle Chateau X and Y Reward: $6,400*

Types: Bug Flying Ability: Intimidate Held item: None Masquerain♀ Lv.40 Stun Spore Grass Status   --       Silver Wind Bug Special   --       Gust Flying Special   --       Scary Face Normal Status   --       Types: Bug Flying Ability: Unknown Held item: None Vivillon♀ Lv.40 Draining Kiss Fairy Special   --       Supersonic Normal Status   --       Bug Buzz Bug Special   --       Aromatherapy Grass Status   --

Battle Chateau rematch - Writ of Challenge

Viola Battle Chateau X and Y Reward: $8,800*

Types: Bug Flying Ability: Intimidate Held item: None Masquerain♀ Lv.55 Air Slash Flying Special   --       Whirlwind Normal Status   --       Silver Wind Bug Special   --       Stun Spore Grass Status   --       Types: Bug Flying Ability: Unknown Held item: None Vivillon♀ Lv.55 Safeguard Normal Status   --       Quiver Dance Bug Status   --       Hurricane Flying Special   --       Powder Bug Status   --

Battle Chateau rematch - Red Writ of Challenge

Marchioness Viola Battle Chateau X and Y Reward: $9,600*

Types: Bug Flying Ability: Intimidate Held item: None Masquerain♀ Lv.60 Whirlwind Normal Status   --       Silver Wind Bug Special   --       Stun Spore Grass Status   --       Air Slash Flying Special   --       Types: Bug Flying Ability: Compound Eyes Held item: None Vivillon♀ Lv.60 Hurricane Flying Special   --       Quiver Dance Bug Status   --       Safeguard Normal Status   --       Powder Bug Status   --

Battle Chateau rematch - Black Writ of Challenge

Viola Battle Chateau X and Y Reward: $11,200*

Types: Bug Flying Ability: Intimidate Held item: None Masquerain♀ Lv.70 Air Slash Flying Special   --       Whirlwind Normal Status   --       Bug Buzz Bug Special   --       Quiver Dance Bug Status   --       Types: Bug Flying Ability: Unknown Held item: None Vivillon♀ Lv.70 Safeguard Normal Status   --       Quiver Dance Bug Status   --       Hurricane Flying Special   --       Powder Bug Status   --

Gym Freaks

April: "Hello! It's time for Gym Freaks, your source for the hottest news about hot Gym Leaders in Kalos. So... I'm now in front of the Santalune City Gym! ... Hooray! Viola has arrived! She's fabulous! So fabulous! I'm so crazy about those eyebrows! The barrette that Viola always wears is a birthday gift from Valerie! Awww. I want to have someone who celebrates my birthday. Oh... She went inside the Gym... That's all for the on-site report. Good-bye for now, everyone."

April: "Hello! It's time for Gym Freaks, your source for the hottest news about hot Gym Leaders in Kalos. So... I'm now in front of the Santalune City Gym! ... Oooh... Ahhh... Viola has arrived! She's fabulous! So fabulous! I'm so crazy about those eyebrows! The camera that Viola always has is a birthday gift from her sister, Alexa. Awww. If I was born again, I'd like to be the camera. Oh... She went inside the Gym... That's all for the on-site report. Good-bye for now, everyone."

In the spin-off games

Pokémon Masters EX

Main article: Viola (Masters)

Viola forms a sync pair with Surskit and its evolved form Masquerain, along with Icy Snow Pattern Vivillon in Pokémon Masters EX. Viola joins the player after completing the fourteenth chapter of the PML Arc.

Viola also made notable appearances later in the PML Arc

Dex	Trainer		NDex	Pokémon		Type	Weakness	Role	EX role	Base potential	Availability
#060		Viola	#0284		Surskit → Masquerain♀	Bug	Rock			★★★★☆☆EX	Story Chapter 14
#060		Holiday 2023 Viola	#0666		Vivillon♀ Icy Snow Pattern	Bug	Rock			★★★★★☆EX	Seasonal Sync Pair Scout

Gallery

Artwork

Official artwork from Pokémon the Series: XY	Concept artwork

Sprites and models

VS portrait from X and Y
Overworld model from X and Y	PSS icon from X and Y

Quotes

Main article: Viola/Quotes

In the anime

Main series

Viola in the anime

Pokémon the Series: Black & White

Viola was first mentioned in The Dream Continues!, albeit not by name, when Alexa revealed to Ash that her sister was a Gym Leader from the Kalos region.

Pokémon the Series: XY

When Ash arrived in Kalos in Kalos, Where Dreams and Adventures Begin!, he learned that Viola was absent from her Gym at Santalune City. However, Ash decided to head to Santalune Gym anyway after his challenge at Lumiose Gym was declined.

He arrived there just as Viola, who was revealed to a professional photographer known for her excellent shots of Bug-type Pokémon, was returning and she accepted Ash's challenge. Viola's Surskit and Vivillon had a type disadvantage against Ash's Fletchling and Pikachu, however Viola's strategy was to immobilize both Pokémon using Ice Beam and Sticky Web. This worked and Ash lost the battle.

In Battling on Thin Ice!, Ash challenged Viola to a rematch. Thanks to the training Ash had with his friends between the battles, he was able to counter Viola's strategies and defeat her, winning himself the Bug Badge. She later reappeared in a flashback in To Catch a Pokémon Smuggler!.

In Breaking Titles at the Chateau!, Viola reunited with Ash and his friends at the Battle Chateau. There, she and Surskit battled Grant and his Onix, and lost.

In Master Class is in Session! and Performing a Pathway to the Future!, Viola watched Serena's Master Class Pokémon Showcase along with Alexa.

She appeared in a fantasy in A League of His Own!, when Ash was talking to Everett about the Gym Leaders that he had defeated in Kalos, in order for him to be able to compete in the Lumiose Conference.

In A Towering Takeover!, Viola was seen watching Lysandre's broadcast from Lumiose City along with Alexa.

In Rocking Kalos Defenses! and Forming a More Perfect Union!, Viola and Vivillon were among those who helped destroy the Giant Rock.

She appeared again in flashbacks in Till We Compete Again!.

Character

Like her sister, Viola is very cheerful and friendly but has an unwavering focus in battle. According to Alexa, her trips away from Santalune Gym often last for some time. She helps Alexa with her work at times and she shares a friendship with Grant, though she is shown to get easily annoyed whenever Grant falls from the walls he is climbing on.

Pokémon

の	This article is missing information on this character's Japanese voice actor. You can help by adding this information.

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

Surskit

Debut	A Blustery Santalune Gym Battle!
Voice actors
Japanese
English	Eileen Stevens

Surskit is Viola's first known Pokémon. It was first used against Ash's Pikachu in their first Gym battle. Surskit defeated Pikachu by freezing the battlefield with Ice Beam, which prevented him from moving properly and left him unable to escape Surskit's Signal Beam. Next, it fought Fletchling, who quickly defeated Surskit due to its ability to fly. In Battling on Thin Ice!, Surskit battled Pikachu again in a rematch, where its previous tactics failed due to Pikachu using his tail to balance himself on the ice. It was eventually defeated by Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

Surskit reappeared in Breaking Titles at the Chateau!, where it battled Grant's Onix but lost.

It appeared in flashbacks in A PokeVision of Things to Come! and Coming Back into the Cold.

Surskit's known moves are Protect, Ice Beam, Signal Beam, Sticky Web, and Bubble Beam.

Vivillon

Debut	A Blustery Santalune Gym Battle!
Voice actors
Japanese	Aya Endō
English	Eileen Stevens

Vivillon is Viola's second known Pokémon. It was first used against Ash in their first Gym battle. It was sent out to battle Fletchling after it defeated Surskit. It won the battle by using Psychic to trap Fletchling in Surskit's Sticky Web, leaving it defenseless to Vivillon's Solar Beam. In Battling on Thin Ice!, Vivillon faced Fletchling again in a rematch, where it beat Fletchling again by hitting it with Sleep Powder, leaving it defenseless to Solar Beam once more. Then it fought Pikachu, where Vivillon was defeated after its wing was frozen by the ice surrounding the Gym, hindering its ability to fly and leaving it an easy target for Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

It reappeared in a flashback in To Catch a Pokemon Smuggler!.

It appeared again in Rocking Kalos Defenses! and Forming a More Perfect Union!, where it helped destroy the Giant Rock.

It reappeared in a flashback in Till We Compete Again!.

Vivillon's known moves are Psychic, Gust, Solar Beam, and Sleep Powder.

Achievements

Viola as a Duchess

Battle Chateau

Viola achieved the following ranks in Battle Chateau:

• Duchess (prior to Breaking Titles at the Chateau!)

Voice actors

Language Voice actor Japanese 下屋則子 Noriko Shitaya English Lori Gardner Dutch Lizemijn Libgott Finnish Henni-Liisa Stam (XY005-XY006, XY020) Unknown voice actress (XY135-XY136) European French Claire Tefnin Hebrew עינת אזולאי Einat Azulay Indonesian Tuti Pinkan Italian Ludovica De Caro (XY005-XY020) Polish Marta Dobecka (XY005-XY006, XY020) Martyna Kowalik (XY135-XY136) Brazilian Portuguese Kate Kelly Spanish Latin America Andrea Orozco Spain Catherina Martínez Turkish Seda Özelsoy Vietnamese Kim Ngọc (XY005-XY020) Cao Thụy Thanh Hồng (XY135-XY136)

GOTCHA!

Viola briefly appeared in GOTCHA!.

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Viola in Pokémon Adventures

Viola makes her first appearance in the X & Y arc, where she goes to Vaniville Town with Alexa to interview up-and-coming Sky Trainer Y. Y angrily reveals her hatred for reporters after they caused her friend X to become a shut-in and refuse to leave his house despite his friends' constant efforts. Before they can continue, the Legendary Pokémon Xerneas and Yveltal appear and begin destroying the town while fighting each other. When Viola wonders if the two are actually even Pokémon, Alexa states that she isn't sure either but notes that according to a 3,000 year old legend, Xerneas and Yveltal appear every 1,000 years.

When X's group arrives in Santalune City, Viola meets up with them again. Although previous encounters with Team Flare made X and his friends wary of adults, Viola reveals her position as a Gym Leader and offers to help the group by letting them see her photos of the Vaniville Town incident and offers sanctuary at her Gym. X and his friends agree to trust her, except for Shauna who runs off after getting mad at everyone for disregarding their earlier pact to not trust adults. At the Gym, Viola challenges X to a battle, which she ends up losing. They are interrupted by Celosia of Team Flare, who possesses Shauna and uses her to attack Y. Viola pushes Y out of the way, but ends up getting hit as a result. Viola reveals herself to still be conscious and reveals that he saw X's attempt to use Mega Evolution earlier and called fellow Gym Leader Korrina to help him learn more about it. When Celosia attempts to run off, Viola has her Surskit stop Celosia in her tracks with Sticky Web. Once Celosia was driven away, everyone regrouped back at the Gym where Viola had her head injury bandaged up.

Later, Viola calls Alexa to inform her that Team Flare is the ones behind the incidents happening in various places. She also informs her sister that Y and her friends have also left to go to Lumiose City.

Later, Viola and Alexa witness Lysandre announcing to the entire Kalos region about his plans to end all life with the power of the ultimate weapon. Afterward, they, along with Clemont, Bonnie, and Yvette, confront Team Flare at Route 10 in order to free the captured Pokémon there. Together, the group manages to defeat all the members of Team Flare and rescue the captured Pokémon. After Team Flare is fully defeated, Viola and her allies meet with X and his friends at Lumiose City to congratulate them on their victory.

Pokémon

Vivillon

Debut	Kangaskhan...Kangascan't

Vivillon debuted in Kangaskhan...Kangascan't. It was first seen with its Trainer in Santalune City. Later, it faced X's Kanga in the Santalune Gym, where it lost. In Zygarde Agitated, Vivillon helped Viola, Yvette, and the Sky Trainers free the captive Pokémon at Route 10, by working together with the Sky Trainers' Vivillon.

Vivillon has a Meadow Pattern.

Vivillon's known moves are Supersonic and Powder.

Surskit

Debut	Lucky Lucario Was Here

Surskit is Viola's second known Pokémon. It was first used to prevent Celosia from escaping with a stolen Kangaskhanite with its Sticky Web. Later, Surskit was defeated by Celosia's Honedge.

Surskit's only known move is Sticky Web.

Trivia

• Viola's Japanese Leader title is 笑顔を見逃さないカメラガール.
• Viola is the first notable female Bug-type specialist of the core series games.
• Both Viola and her sister share their Japanese voice actresses with Sinnoh Gym Leaders. In Viola's case, it is Candice.
• In the Battle Chateau initial battle, Viola's Masquerain knows Air Slash at level 40, even though it can only learn it at level 47 in Pokémon X and Y. Its pre-evolution, Surskit, cannot learn this move.
• In her anime debut, Viola is shown to be just as tall as her sister, Alexa. However, in later episodes, Viola's height only reaches to her sister's shoulders.
• Viola was originally meant to have a ponytail, as evidenced in her concept art. She is however seen with this hairstyle in several episodes in the anime.
• At the release of the games, Viola's name could not be set as the player's name, as her name contains viol, a French word meaning "rape", which was blocked by the 3DS's built-in word filter. A December 2014 patch to the 3DS updated the filter, allowing "Viola" to be entered.

Names

Language	Name	Origin
Japanese	ビオラ Viola	From the plant genus Viola and skipper genus Viola
English, German	Viola	Same as her Japanese name
Spanish	Violeta	From violeta (violet)
French	Violette	From violette (violet)
Italian	Violetta	From violetta (violet)
Korean	비올라 Viola	From her Japanese name
Chinese (Mandarin)	紫羅蘭 / 紫罗兰 Zǐluólán	From 紫羅蘭 / 紫罗兰 zǐluólán / jílòhlàahn (violet)
Chinese (Cantonese)	紫羅蘭 Jílòhlàahn
Vietnamese	Biora	Transcription of her Japanese name

References

Gym Leaders of the Kalos region
Santalune Gym Viola	Cyllage Gym Grant	Shalour Gym Korrina	Coumarine Gym Ramos
Lumiose Gym Clemont	Laverre Gym Valerie	Anistar Gym Olympia	Snowbelle Gym Wulfric

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.