May (anime): Difference between revisions

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: ''Gary's sister, [[Daisy Oak]], is also sometimes known as May.''
{{Character Infobox
: ''There's a character in in Pokémon G/S/C that's named May''
|color={{ruby color}}
: If you were looking for the [[Pokémon game]] character, see [[May (game)]].
|bordercolor={{ruby color dark}}
----
|corecolor={{ruby color light}}
[[Image:May_Anime_Artwork.jpg|thumb|A picture of May]]
|name=May
'''May''' (Japanese: '''ハルカ''' ''Haruka'', German: ''Maike'', French: ''Flora'', Italian: ''Vera'', Spanish: ''Aura'') is a ten-year-old girl travelling through [[Hoenn]] with [[Ash]], [[Brock]], and her little brother [[Max]]. She is the daughter of [[Norman]] and [[Caroline]], and her first [[Pokémon]] was a {{p|Torchic}}.
|jname=ハルカ
|tmname=Haruka
|text=fff
|image=May AG.png
|size=170px
|caption=May in ''[[Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire]]''
|age=10<ref>''([[AG001]]) May: "Hi. My name's May and I'm '''10 years old'''.''"</ref>
|gender=Female
|eyes=Blue
|hair=Light brown
|hometown=[[Petalburg City]]
|region=[[Hoenn]]
|relatives=[[Max]] (brother)<br>[[Norman]] (father)<br>[[Caroline]] (mother)
}}
{{Character Infobox/Anime
|color={{ruby color light}}
|series=''[[Pokémon the Series]]''
|debut=''[[AG001|Get the Show on the Road!]]''
|enva=[[Veronica Taylor]] <small>([[AG001]]-[[AG145]])</small><br>[[Michele Knotz]] <small>([[AG146]]-[[DP079]], [[The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon|MoMP]])</small>
|jpva=[[KAORI.]]
}}
{{Character Infobox/Game
|color={{ruby color light}}
|gen={{gen|III}}
|counterpart={{ga|May}}
|games={{pkmn|Advanced Generation: I've Begun Hiragana and Katakana!}}, {{pkmn|Advanced Generation: Pico for Everyone Pokémon Loud Battle!}}, {{pkmn|Team Rocket Blast Off}}, {{pkmn|Poké Ball Launcher}}, {{pkmn|Seek & Find}}
|trainer={{pkmn|Coordinator}}
}}
{{Character Infobox/Manga
|color={{ruby color light}}
|series=''[[Ash & Pikachu]]''
|debut=''[[SP17|Let's Save Pikachu!!]]''
}}
|}


May is a [[Pokémon Coordinator]] who enters her Pokémon in [[Pokémon Contests]] to win [[ribbons]].
'''May''' (Japanese: '''ハルカ''' ''Haruka'') is a [[Pokémon Coordinator]] from [[Petalburg City]] and a former {{ashfr|traveling companion}} of {{Ash}}. She is the daughter of [[Norman]] and [[Caroline]], and her [[first partner Pokémon]] was a {{TP|May|Torchic}} given to her by [[Professor Birch]].


May is the first person in the Pokémon [[anime]] to catch a [[Generation IV]] Pokémon -- she caught [[May's Munchlax|Munchlax]] in the episode ''[[AG117|Berry Berry Interesting!]]''.
Initially on a {{pkmn|journey}} to meet new places, May found her true calling in [[Pokémon Contest]]s and made it her goal to become a [[Top Coordinator]]. She traveled through [[Hoenn]] and [[Kanto]] with Ash, {{an|Brock}}, and her little brother, [[Max]].


May also has an image song, ''[[I won't lose! ~Haruka's theme~|I won't lose! ~May's theme~]]'', performed by [[KAORI]]. It was first used as the background music in the episode ''[[AG166|The Red Inazuma of Skyscrapers!]]'' and again in next episode, ''[[AG167|Decisive Game! May VS Brock!]]''.
==In the anime==
===History===
====Pre-series====
[[File:Younger May.png|thumb|220px|May during her childhood]]
May grew up in [[Petalburg City]] in the [[Hoenn]] region with her parents, [[Caroline]] and Petalburg [[Gym Leader]] [[Norman]], and brother, [[Max]]. As revealed in ''[[AG103|A Cacturne for the Worse]]'', May, when she was younger, was playing in the water with some {{p|Tentacool}}, but found herself surrounded by a horde of them. However, when her parents saw this, Caroline tried to catch her because she had mistaken her for a Tentacool. Ever since that experience, May developed a dislike and fear of {{OBP|Pokémon|species}}.


She is voiced by KAORI in the original, and [[Veronica Taylor]] in the English-language dub.
====''[[Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire]]''====
Years later in ''[[AG001|Get the Show on the Road!]]'', May was old enough to become a [[Pokémon Trainer]], but she used it as an excuse just so she could travel, even though everyone expected her to follow in her father Norman's footsteps. However, after seeing a [[Pokémon Contest]] in ''[[AG013|All Things Bright and Beautifly!]]'', she decided to become a [[Pokémon Coordinator]] instead. Since May initially knew almost nothing about Pokémon or [[move|attack]]s, Ash assumed the role of her mentor. She gradually gained experience through her {{pkmn|journey}} and practice with Ash.


==Pokémon==
As a Coordinator, May was able to learn more about Pokémon and form stronger bonds with them. In ''[[AG051|Come What May!]]'', after winning the {{to|Fallarbor}} Contest, May told her {{TP|May|Beautifly}} that she loved it. This is an example of her growth — from someone who initially disliked Pokémon to someone who cared deeply for them.
This listing is of May's Pokémon as of the most recent Japanese episode:


===On Hand===
With her {{cat|May's Pokémon|Pokémon}}, May was able to come up with different [[Contest combination|attack combinations]] to use during her [[Contest Battle]]s. For instance, she would use her {{TP|May|Combusken}}'s {{m|Fire Spin}} and her {{TP|May|Squirtle}}'s {{m|Bubble}} to create a combination of fire and water, dubbed "Fire and Water Whirlwind" by [[Lilian Meridian|Lilian]], after witnessing [[Tucker]] use it against Ash with a combination of {{m|Water Pulse}} and {{m|Fire Blast}}. This even made a [[Harley|rival]] of hers angry, thinking she thought he was not worthy of the move as May did not use it against him.
* {{p|Torchic}} &rarr; [[May's Combusken|Combusken]]
* [[May's Munchlax|Munchlax]]
* [[May's Squirtle|Squirtle]]
* [[May's Eevee|Eevee]] (Recently hatched)


===At Home===
She also developed a love for making her own [[Pokéblock]]s with recipes that she thought up, including ones called "May's Purple Surprise" and "May's Pink Surprise" (Japanese: ''Haruka's Delicious'' and ''Haruka's Delicious 2''). Unfortunately, the only ones who liked her "Purple Surprise" were her {{TP|May|Munchlax}} and [[Jessie]]. Her "Pink Surprise" came from the recipe {{an|Professor Oak}} uses to make [[Ash's Snorlax]]'s {{pkmn|food}}. Thus, after May [[AG118|first fed]] it to her Munchlax, it was automatically made full. This Pokéblock was regularly used to feed Munchlax in order to prevent it from eating the food of others.
* [[May's Skitty|Skitty]]
* {{p|Wurmple}} &rarr; {{p|Silcoon}} &rarr; [[May's Beautifly|Beautifly]]


===With Professor Oak===
[[File:Drew and May.png|thumb|left|220px|May and Drew]]
* [[May's Bulbasaur|Bulbasaur]]
During her journey, she found a [[rival]] in [[Drew]], a skilled and sometimes arrogant Coordinator. Drew became one of her main inspirations to try harder to sharpen her skills as a Coordinator. At first, Drew had claimed that May had "no style" as a Coordinator, but by the end of May's second Contest campaign, when she defeated him in the [[Kanto Grand Festival]], he recognized her growth and skill. Another rival of hers, [[Harley]], is a flamboyant man who goes to extremes to beat May and has no qualms about cheating or using unfair tactics. An example of Harley's depravity was seen in ''[[AG103|A Cacturne for the Worse]]'', when he recorded Max telling him a story from May's childhood. May had been wearing a blue swimming cap in the ocean, and her mother had mistaken her for a {{p|Tentacool}} from afar and attempted to {{pkmn2|caught|catch}} May with one of her {{i|Poké Ball}}s. Harley played the recording of this story during the [[Izabe Island]] Pokémon Contest to embarrass May into losing. May was able to beat Harley in the end, but she claimed that she had never been more humiliated. Another example is when Harley joined forces with {{TRT}} in an attempt to sabotage May's performance with Combusken, which ended up contributing to a more dazzling appeal.


=Ribbons=
At the Kanto Grand Festival, May also competed against [[Solidad]], an experienced Coordinator to whom she lost in the semifinals. At the end of ''[[Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire]]'', she left to compete with Drew, Harley, and Solidad in the [[Johto]] [[region]], aiming to find her own battling style. The decision to stop traveling with Ash was an important one for May's character. Because Ash played the role of a mentor to her through most of the series, she was largely influenced by his offensive battle style. By the end of their journey through Kanto, May had realized that an offensive style was not necessarily the best for her and for Contests. Her constant use of dazzling attacks ultimately proved to be her downfall at the Kanto Grand Festival, when Solidad was able to recognize and counter these moves by leading May to attack and then successfully dodging. Her goal to find her own style was therefore also a goal to improve her Contest Battle skills and ultimately become a [[Top Coordinator]].
These are May's ribbons:
 
<h4>Hoenn Ribbons</h4>
May has [[Contest Pass]]es to compete in Hoenn, Kanto and Johto. She also has a personal [[List of Japanese ending themes|theme song]], ''[[I Won't Lose! ~Haruka's Theme~]]'', performed by [[KAORI.]]. It was first used as background music in ''[[AG166|Curbing the Crimson Tide]]'' and was used multiple times after that during May's Contest [[Appeal|performances]] and [[Contest Battle|battles]]. The song became the ending theme of the show between ''[[AG172|Pokémon Ranger - Deoxys' Crisis! (Part 2)]]'' and ''[[AG192|Home is Where the Start Is!]]''.
* Fallarbor Town Ribbon
[[File:May DP series.png|thumb|220px|May in ''[[Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl]]'']]
* Verdanturf Town Ribbon
====''[[Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl]]''====
* Lilycove City Ribbon
May reappeared from ''[[DP075|Our Cup Runneth Over!]]'' to ''[[DP079|Strategy With a Smile!]]'' to participate in the [[Wallace Cup]]. During this period, she wore her {{ga|May|game counterpart}}'s outfit from {{game|Emerald}}. She shared that many of her Pokémon had [[Evolution|evolved]] and that she had already won three Johto [[Ribbon]]s. {{an|Dawn}} recognized May upon meeting her and said that some people in the [[Sinnoh]] region called her the "Princess of Hoenn", causing May to blush.
* Purika Island Ribbon
 
* Pacifidlog Island Ribbon
In ''[[DP076|A Full Course Tag Battle!]]'', May spoke with Ash and Brock about her journey in Johto, and revealed that her {{p|Eevee}} had evolved into {{TP|May|Glaceon}} shortly before meeting them. Before starting training for the Wallace Cup, May suggested everyone go to the [[Seven Stars Restaurant]] on the [[Valor Lakefront]]. where they participated in a series of Tag Battles to earn a right to an exclusive meal. Before May and Dawn started their battles, {{TRT}} had stolen the food supply, this motivated May to help find the food and when they found it, May and Dawn battled [[Jessie]] and [[James]], defeating them easily.
<h4>Kanto Ribbons</h4>
[[File:Ash May Split Ribbon.png|left|thumb|220px|May and Ash holding their halves of the Terracotta Ribbon]]
* Saffron City Ribbon
Once everything was resolved, May and Dawn had their battles against [[Roman]] and [[Kylie]], winning using a combination of [[Water-type|Water]] and [[Fire-type]] moves. At the end of the night, May remembered with Ash the moment they both competed for the [[Ribbon]] of [[Terracotta Town]], and together with Dawn, May discovered that Ash was also interested in the competition.
* Silver Town Ribbon
 
* Yuzuriha Ribbon
During the Wallace Cup, May showed the new battle style that she had come up with after leaving Ash, battling against Dawn's rival [[Zoey]] and winning using her Beautifly. She made it all the way to the finals but narrowly lost to Dawn in the end. Afterwards, May returned to Johto to resume competing in Contests there.
* Abelia Ribbon
 
{{animestub}}
May reappeared in a picture on {{an|Brock}}'s memory wall in the special episode [[DPS02]].
[[Category:Anime characters]]
 
[[de:Maike]]
====''[[Pokémon the Series: Black & White]]''====
[[File:May Max JN.png|thumb|250px|May in ''[[Pokémon Journeys: The Series]]'']]
May reappeared in a fantasy in ''[[BW142|The Dream Continues!]]''.
 
====''[[Pokémon Journeys: The Series]]''====
May reappeared in a flashback of the Wallace Cup in ''[[JN105|Reuniting for the First Time!]]'', alongside Dawn. In the same episode, [[Chloe]] wore a [[Contest Costume]] that {{an|Serena}} mentioned was worn by the "Princess of Hoenn", referencing May's nickname.
 
In ''[[JN132|Partners in Time!]]'', May was revealed to have returned to [[Hoenn]] when she appeared alongside Max, Serena, and [[Lisia]], watching Ash's [[Masters Eight Tournament]] match against {{an|Leon}}. Soon after, when {{AP|Pikachu}} was at the limit of his strength, May, Max, and Serena were shown to be anxious about the state of the battle, each holding on to another for comfort.
 
====''[[M20|I Choose You!]]''====
May made a cameo appearance in the ending credits of ''[[M20|I Choose You!]]'' alongside with Max.
 
===Character===
[[File:May and Max BW.png|thumb|220px|left|May and Max]]
May is generally a very sweet and optimistic girl. She enjoys feminine and cute things as well as shopping. In fact, she and Brock occasionally went on shopping trips together throughout ''Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire''. May cares about her appearance, sometimes spending so much time in front of the mirror that it caused her traveling companions to become frustrated with her, such as in ''[[AG072|The Bicker the Better]]''. May also is interested in helping other people with their romantic problems.
 
Though she is generally kind, she occasionally argues with her little brother, [[Max]]. The two had arguments since Max's debut episode, but one of their most notable was in ''[[AG081|Take This House and Shuppet]]''. May's harsh words to Max made him declare that he hated May and he ran away for a portion of the episode. Even though she had been angry, May quickly felt guilty for hurting Max's feelings and became very worried that he would be hurt on his own. In ''[[AG114|Date Expectations]]'', when Max again went missing, May revealed that she had promised her mother to always take care of Max on their journey, and was prepared to miss her last chance of qualifying for the [[Hoenn Grand Festival]] in order to find him. Though the siblings had many quarrels over their joint travels, May deeply cares for her brother and would go to great lengths to protect him.
[[File:May rage.png|thumb|220px|May's rage at her loss of food]]
In ''[[AG004|You Never Can Taillow]]'', May heard Brock used to act as a cook during Ash's journeys. As she, Max and Ash were hungry, she was the one who asked Brock if he could prepare some food for them. If a person or a Pokémon were to steal her food she would become extremely angry, which was demonstrated numerous times. Food was one of the few things May would become angry about, so it was an important tool to show a different side to her usually cheerful character. When May returned for ''Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl'', she expressed excitement over the chance to eat at the [[Seven Stars Restaurant]], but having her meal stolen made her enraged. She was later shown enjoying a large cookie, once again affirming her love of food and sweets.
 
[[File:May shopping bags.png|thumb|left|220px|May after shopping]]
When May first left her home, she was only interested in the traveling aspect of a [[Pokémon journey]]. This sparked one of May's most memorable quirks in Hoenn, "May's Expeditions". Starting from ''[[AG025|A Mudkip Mission]]'', May would occasionally make a camera lens with her fingers, pretending she was the host of a traveling show. Uniquely for one of {{Ash}}'s {{ashfr|friends}}, May originally didn't like Pokémon and was afraid of them, due to the [[AG103|trauma]] of being swarmed by a group of {{p|Tentacool}} when she was little. However, after seeing Ash risking his life to save his {{AP|Pikachu}} on the day they [[AG001|met]] and later upon forming close bonds with her first two Pokémon, {{TP|May|Torchic}} and {{TP|May|Wurmple}}, May grew to care about Pokémon, which helped her overcome her dislike and fear of them.
 
As mentioned, May also enjoys making [[Pokéblock]]. She first learned about making Pokéblock in the episode ''[[AG090|Pokéblock, Stock and Berry]]'' when she met {{ho|Kelly}}. She learned that Kelly's mother owned a Pokéblock shop, and May was curious about it. Kelly then taught her how to use a [[Berry Blender]]. May's first attempt of making a Pokéblock was not successful, but that didn't stop her from trying. In the episode ''[[AG117|Berry, Berry Interesting]]'', May continued to make Pokéblock, calling the result '''"May's Purple Surprise"'''. However, only her {{TP|May|Munchlax}} had taken a liking to it. Later on, {{an|Professor Oak}} had created a Pokéblock recipe for May, which May calls '''"May's Pink Surprise"''', that is specially made for Munchlax, similarly to the recipe used to feed [[Ash's Snorlax]]. May uses it to stop her Munchlax from causing too much trouble on many occasions.
[[File:DP076.png|220px|thumb|May and Dawn]]
May was unsure on what path and goal to pursue, even though she was expected to become a Pokémon Trainer like her father. However, after witnessing Pokémon Contests in ''[[AG013|All Things Bright and Beautifly!]]'', May decided to become a Pokémon Coordinator, and has been training both herself and her Pokémon since then. In ''[[AG121|Hi Ho Silver Wind!]]'', May revealed that she stayed in contact with many of the friends she made through competing in Pokémon Contests, using emails, phone calls and letters. This included Kelly, [[Savannah]], [[Sandra]], [[Timmy Grimm|Timmy]], [[Dr. Abby]], and [[Janet]]. May also said that being friends with the people she met throughout her journey, and knowing they were cheering for her, gave her the confidence to overcome any nervousness she could face.
[[File:May catches Skitty.png|thumb|220px|left|May after catching a Pokémon]]
Throughout her journey with Ash, Brock, and Max, May has changed remarkably as a person and Trainer, but maintains her habit of finding popular food spots and her sweet nature. May has also learned to not take her Pokémon for granted, as seen in ''[[AG078|Cruisin' for a Losin']]'', when she realized how hard she pushed her {{TP|May|Bulbasaur}} in the [[Rubello Town|Rubello]] [[Pokémon Contest]] and that the first [[AG051|two]] [[AG062|ribbons]] that she won were because her Pokémon came through for her. In addition, May has exceptionally improved her battling skills, as shown in her battle against [[Drew]] in the [[Kanto Grand Festival]]. As time passed, May became a well-known coordinator and received the nickname "Princess of Hoenn", which was stated by {{an|Dawn}} in ''[[DP076|A Full Course Tag Battle!]]'' and {{an|Serena}} in ''[[JN105|Reuniting for the First Time!]]''.
 
May's Contest cry is '''"Take the stage!"''' (Japanese: '''ステージ・オン!''' ''Stage On!''). In the English dub, she also uses variations, such as "On stage!". In the Japanese version, May usually ends her sentences with (Japanese: '''~かも''' ''~kamo''), a word often used to express uncertainty.
{{-}}
 
===Pokémon===
[[File:May Party.png|thumb|220px|May and her Pokémon in ''[[Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire]].]]
The Pokémon she acquired on the course of her journey appear to resemble the Pokémon that Ash had obtained at some point at the beginning of his own journey. At first, she preferred cute {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} and dazzling techniques, but over the course of her journey, she was able to obtain Pokémon outside that preference. She has a tendency to rely on luck, often using her {{TP|May|Skitty}}'s {{m|Assist}} or her {{TP|May|Munchlax}}'s {{m|Metronome}} to win. Most of May's Pokémon were not caught through battle. Unlike many of [[Ash's friends]], May has never had a consistently [[Obedience|disobedient]] Pokémon.
 
Throughout her journey, May has used combinations with her Pokémon, as she used her Blaziken, while it was a Combusken, and Wartortle's, while it was a Squirtle, {{t|Fire}} and {{type|Water}} attacks to form the fusion of Fire and Water. Some of May's Pokémon have shown to be naturally inclined to Pokémon Contests, such as her Beautifly, Skitty, and Wartortle. Her Blaziken is usually used in battle as her strongest Pokémon, but it has also been used in the appeal rounds in Pokémon Contests.
 
This listing is of May's {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} that are listed as "in rotation" in the {{pkmn|anime}}.
 
====In rotation====
{| width="100%"
|-
| {{ActivePoké|May|Blaziken|May Blaziken.png|fire|fighting|fir=Torchic|mid=Combusken}}
| {{ActivePoké|May|Beautifly|May Beautifly.png|bug|flying|fir=Wurmple|mid=Silcoon}}
| {{ActivePoké|May|Skitty|May Skitty.png|normal}}
|-
| {{ActivePoké|May|Venusaur|May Venusaur.png|grass|poison|fir=Bulbasaur|mid=Ivysaur}} ♀
| {{ActivePoké|May|Munchlax|May Munchlax.png|normal}}
| {{ActivePoké|May|Wartortle|May Wartortle.png|water|fir=Squirtle}}
|-
| {{ActivePoké|May|Glaceon|May Glaceon.png|ice|fir=Egg|mid=Eevee}}
|}
 
====Temporary====
{{MissingInfo|1|java}}
{{TrainerPoké
|trainer=Professor Birch
|pkmn=Mudkip
|type1=Water
|img=May Mudkip.png
|epnum=AG001
|epname=Get the Show on the Road!
|vajp=
|vaen=Lindsey Warner
|desc=When [[Professor Birch]] was attacked by {{p|Poochyena}}, May borrowed {{p|Mudkip}} from his bag to fight the wild Poochyena. However, May's lack of experience in commanding Pokémon led to Mudkip attacking her instead, resulting in Professor Birch having to fend off the Poochyena himself. Later, it reappeared as one of the possible [[first partner Pokémon]] for May, but the previous bad experience led her to not choose it.
 
It reappeared in a flashback in ''[[AG025|A Mudkip Mission]]'', when May wanted to catch another one.
 
Mudkip's only known move is {{m|Water Gun}}.}}
 
{{TrainerPoké
|trainer=Kyle Hamm
|pkmn=Hitmonchan
|gender=male
|type1=Fighting
|img=May Hitmonchan.png
|epnum=AG145
|epname=Pasta La Vista
|vajp=Katsuyuki Konishi
|vaen=Michael Haigney
|desc=May borrowed {{p|Hitmonchan}} from [[Kyle Hamm]] after [[Master Hamm]] broke his back.
 
Hitmonchan's known moves are {{m|Comet Punch}}, {{m|Mach Punch}}, {{m|Agility}}, {{m|Focus Punch}}, and {{m|Sky Uppercut}}.}}
 
====Befriended====
<!--Do not put in that Manaphy was befriended by May.-->
{{TrainerPoké
|trainer=May
|pkmn=Swablu
|type1=Normal
|type2=Flying
|img=May Swablu.png
|epnum=AG064
|epname=True Blue Swablu
|vajp=List of Japanese voice actors{{!}}Konami Yoshida
|vaen=
|desc=May befriended a {{p|Swablu}} after its wing was injured during a lightning storm in a nature preserve. After finding it, she nursed it back to health over several days with the support of {{an|Brock}} and the others, and she also taught it how to fly again.
 
May intended to return Swablu to its flock, but when the group arrived at the lakeside nesting spot, they couldn't find the flock. May offered Swablu a place on her team, seeing as they had become good friends. However, just then, its flock reappeared, and Swablu reluctantly left with them.
 
Swablu's only known move is {{m|Sing}}.}}
 
===Contests===
[[File:May Hoenn ribbons.png|thumb|220px|May's Hoenn Ribbons]]
[[File:May Kanto ribbons.png|thumb|220px|May's Kanto Ribbons]]
[[File:May Johto ribbons.png|thumb|220px|May's Johto Ribbons]]
====Hoenn Ribbons====
This listing is of the [[Ribbon]]s May has obtained in the [[Hoenn]] [[region]]:
* {{to|Fallarbor}} Ribbon (''[[AG051|Come What May!]]'')
* {{to|Verdanturf}} [[a:File:Verdanturf Ribbon.png|Ribbon]] (''[[AG062|Disguise Da Limit]]'')
* {{ci|Lilycove}} [[a:File:Lilycove Ribbon.png|Ribbon]] (''[[AG091|Lessons in Lilycove]]'')
* {{ci|Purika}} Ribbon (''[[AG103|A Cacturne for the Worse]]'')
* {{to|Pacifidlog}} Ribbon (''[[AG116|Pacifidlog Jam]]'')
 
====Kanto Ribbons====
This listing is of the [[Ribbon]]s May has obtained in the [[Kanto]] [[region]]:
* {{ci|Saffron}} [[a:File:Saffron Ribbon.png|Ribbon]] (''[[AG144|A Hurdle for Squirtle]]'')
* {{ka|Silver Town|Silver}} Ribbon (''[[AG151|Weekend Warrior]]'')
* {{isl|Chrysanthemum}} Ribbon (''[[AG162|Spontaneous Combusken!]]'')
* {{to|Gardenia}} Ribbon (''[[AG167|What I Did for Love!]]'')
* {{ci|Mulberry}} [[a:File:Mulberry Ribbon.png|Ribbon]] (''[[AG175|Going for Choke!]]'')
 
====Johto Ribbons====
This listing is of the [[Ribbon]]s May has obtained in the [[Johto]] [[region]]:
* Three unknown Ribbons (prior to ''[[DP076|A Full Course Tag Battle!]]'')
 
====Grand Festival ranking====
May has competed in the following [[Grand Festival]] tournaments:
* [[Hoenn Grand Festival]] - Top 8 (''[[AG123|Rhapsody in Drew]]'')
* [[Kanto Grand Festival]] - Top 4 (''[[AG182|Channeling the Battle Zone!]]'')
 
====Other achievements====
May has competed in the following [[Pokémon Contest]]s:
* {{ci|Slateport}} Contest - Top 8 (''[[AG035|Win, Lose or Drew!]]'')
* {{to|Rubello}} Contest - Top 4 (''[[AG078|Cruisin' for a Losin']]'')
* {{to|Wisteria}} Contest - Runner-up (''[[AG160|Harley Rides Again'']])
* Unofficial {{to|Terracotta}} Contest - Winner (tied with {{Ash}}; ''[[AG192|Home is Where the Start Is!]]'')
* [[Wallace Cup]] - Runner-up (''[[DP079|Strategy with a Smile!]]'')
====Outfits====
<gallery>
File:May Wallace Cup.png|May's outfit in the Wallace Cup
</gallery>
 
===Pokémon competitions===
May has competed in the following {{cat|Pokémon competitions}}:
* [[Trick House#In the anime|Trick House Contest]] - N/A (''[[AG039|A Poké-BLOCK Party!]]'')
* [[Crossgate PokéRinger]] - Group stage (''[[AG080|That's Just Swellow]]'')
* [[Pokémon Orienteering]] - N/A (''[[AG159|Off the Unbeaten Path]]'')
 
===Voice actors===
{{vatable|color={{ruby color}}|bordercolor={{ruby color light}}
|ja=[[KAORI.]] (credited as 鈴木カオリ ''Kaori Suzuki'' in ''[[Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl]]'')
|en=[[Veronica Taylor]] ([[AG001]]-[[AG145]], [[M06]]-[[M08]])<br>[[Michele Knotz]] ([[AG146]]-[[DP079]], [[M09]], [[The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon]])
|ar=إيمان بيطار ''Iman Bitar''<br>Unknown voice actress ([[M06]]-[[M07]])
|ru=Жанна Никонова ''Janna Nikonova'' ([[AG001]]-[[AG192]]; [[M08]]-[[M09]])<br>Ольга Шорохова ([[DP075]]-[[DP079]])
|zh_cmn=傅曼君 ''Fù Mànjūn''
|da=Annevig Schelde Ebbe
|cs=Klára Šumanová ([[DP075]]-[[DP079]])<br>Jana Páleníčková ([[M06]]-[[M07]])
|nl=Nicoline van Doorn<br>Unknown voice actress ([[M06]]-[[M07]])
|fr_eu=Maia Baran
|el=Στέλλα Μπονάτσου ''Stella Bonatsou''
|fi=Aksa Korttila ([[AG001]]-[[AG138]], [[The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon]])<br>Henni-Liisa Stam ([[AG139]]-[[AG145]])<br>Marjut Heikkinen ([[AG146]]-present)<br>Hanna Salonen ([[M06]]-[[M07]])
|de=Nicola Grupe<br>Stephanie Kellner ([[M06]]-[[M07]])
|he=דון לני-גבאי ''Dawn Lanny-Gabay''
|hi=नेश्मा चेम्बुरकर ''Neshma Chemburkar'' (Hungama dub)
|hu=Márta Talmács
|id=Dewi Arifiani
|it=Serena Clerici
|ko=서혜정 ''Seo Hyejeong'' (''[[Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire]]'')<br>지미애 ''Ji Mi-ae'' ([[Pokémon movie|original movies]])<br>김현지 ''Kim Hyeonji'' ([[Pokémon movie|redubbed movies]])
|pl=[[Julita Kożuszek-Borsuk]] (Julita Kożuszek)
|pt_br=Tatiane Keplmair ([[AG001]]-[[DP079]], [[M06]]-[[M09]], [[M06]]-[[M07]] second dub)<br>Amanda Tavares ([[M06]] third dub)
|pt_eu=Carla ([[AG001]]-[[AG108]])<br>Sara Marques ([[M07]])<br>Isabel Ribas ([[AG109]]-[[AG192]])<br>Marta Mota ([[DP075]]-[[DP079]])
|es_eu=Cristina Yuste
|es_la=Ana Lobo ([[AG001]]-[[AG044]], [[AG055]]{{tt|*|redub}})<br>Liliana Barba ([[AG033]]-[[AG034]])<br>Mariana Ortiz ([[AG045]]-present)<br>Agustina Priscila ([[M06]]-[[M07]])
|fil=Charmaine Cordoviz
|sv=Maria Rydberg
|th=อรุณี นันทิวาส ''Arunee Nuntiwass''
|tr=Pınar Erengil
|ta=Sowmiya Kumar(Hungama dub)
|vi=Nguyễn Thụy Thùy Tiên ([[DP076]]-[[DP079]])
}}
 
===Artwork===
{| style="margin:auto; text-align:center; {{roundy|20px}} border: 2px solid #{{ruby color}}; background: #{{ruby color light}}; font-size:80%;"
|-
| style="{{roundy|20px}} border: 2px solid #{{ruby color}}; background: #FFF; width:80px"| [[File:May AG.png|120px]]
| style="{{roundy|20px}} border: 2px solid #{{ruby color}}; background: #FFF; width:80px"| [[File:May AG 2.png|120px]]
| style="{{roundy|20px}} border: 2px solid #{{ruby color}}; background: #FFF; width:80px"| [[File:May AG 3.png|125px]]
| style="{{roundy|20px}} border: 2px solid #{{ruby color}}; background: #FFF; width:80px"| [[File:JN132 AS.png|250px]]
|-
| Official artwork from<br>''{{color2|000|Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire}}''{{tt|*|Note that this artwork lacks shading.}}
| colspan=2 | Alternative artwork from<br>''{{color2|000|Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire}}''
| Artwork from "After the story" <ref>https://twitter.com/anipoke_PR/status/1591672205040943105</ref>
|}
 
==In the manga==
[[File:May AP.png|thumb|200px|May in Ash & Pikachu]]
===Ash & Pikachu===
May first appeared in ''[[SP17|Let's Save Pikachu!!]]'', where she became {{Ash}}'s traveling companion like in the anime.
 
====Pokémon====
{| width="74%"
|-
| {{InactivePoké|May|Combusken|May Combusken AP.png|fire|fighting|fir=Torchic}}
| {{InactivePoké|May|Beautifly|May Beautifly AP.png|bug|flying}}
| {{InactivePoké|May|Skitty|May Skitty AP.png|normal}}
|-
| {{InactivePoké|May|Munchlax|May Munchlax AP.png|normal}}
|}
 
===Movie adaptations===
As May appeared all of the ''[[Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire]]'' movies, she has appeared in each manga adaptations of them.
 
==In the spin-off games==
{{incomplete|section|Add sprites of May from all the Pico and Perdue games}}
 
May appears in some games based on the {{pkmn|anime}}.
 
===Sega Pico series===
May appears in [[Pokémon Advanced Generation: I've Begun Hiragana and Katakana!|I've Begun Hiragana and Katakana!]] and [[Pokémon Advanced Generation: Pico for Everyone Pokémon Loud Battle!|Pico for Everyone Pokémon Loud Battle!]].
 
===Perdue series===
In [[Pokémon Team Rocket Blast Off]], [[Pokémon Poké Ball Launcher]], and [[Pokémon Seek & Find]], the female player character is May. Her male counterpart in these games is [[Ash Ketchum]].
 
==In the TCG==
This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring May or her Pokémon in the [[Pokémon Trading Card Game]].
 
{{cardlist/header|May's Pokémon|Fire|char=yes}}
{{cardlist/entry|cardname={{TCG ID|ADV-P Promo|May's Torchic|37}}|type=Fire|jpset=ADV-P Promotional cards|jpnum=037/ADV-P}}
{{cardlist/entry|cardname={{TCG ID|Movie VS Pack|May's Munchlax|8}}|type=Colorless|jpset=Movie Commemoration VS Pack: Aura's Lucario|jpnum=008/020}}
{{cardlist/entry|cardname={{TCG ID|Movie VS Pack|May's Combusken|2}}|type=Fire|jpset=Movie Commemoration VS Pack: Sea's Manaphy|jpnum=002/019}}
{{cardlist/footer|Fire}}
 
==Trivia==
* May is the first:
** Main character other than {{Ash}} to own a [[first partner Pokémon]].
** Female character to own a [[Pokédex]].
** Traveling companion to be based on a [[player character]] from the {{pkmn|games}}.
** Main character to do a rotation with her [[party]].
* May is the only main character other than Ash to wear gloves as part of her character design.
** She is also the only main character other than Ash to leave a Pokémon at [[Professor Oak's Laboratory]].
*** She's also the only known character who's not from [[Pallet Town]] to have left a Pokémon with {{an|Professor Oak}}.
* May has competed in at least one [[Pokémon Contest]] in each region where they are known to be held in the anime, with the exception of the [[Unova]] region.
* May has never failed to get past the [[Appeal|Appeals Round]] of an on-screen Contest, making her the only female main character with this distinction.
* May is the only main character to, upon her introduction, [[Breaking the fourth wall|introduce herself to the audience]] rather than be introduced by the narrator or first appear without an introduction at all.
* Both of May's unevolved Pokémon are of the {{t|Normal}} [[type]].
* May is Ash's only traveling companion to have traveled with him in every single episode of a series, namely ''[[Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire]]''. While they did separate from each other briefly in ''[[AG132|The Scheme Team]]'', she rejoined him in [[AG133|the following episode]].
* May is Ash's first female traveling companion to encounter, battle, and defeat {{TRT}} on multiple occasions without Ash being present to aid her.
* May was the first character to own a {{cat|Generation IV Pokémon}}, with {{p|Munchlax}}.
* Not counting temporary Pokémon, May is the first main character to catch {{TP|May|a Pokémon|Bulbasaur}} that Ash {{AP|has also caught|Bulbasaur}}.
* May has not made any speaking appearances since ''[[Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl]]''. This could be because her Japanese voice actress, KAORI, came down with a variation of the debilitating disease called {{wp|spasmodic dysphonia}}, as early as 2007 (a year before her reappearances in DP), and hitting its peak by May 2012. This forced her to retire from the anime.<ref>https://dogasu.bulbagarden.net/features/miscellaneous/kaori_hiatus.html</ref>
** Because of this, she is the only one of Ash's female companions who did not reunite with him during ''[[Pokémon Journeys: The Series]]'', and the only one who has not met [[Goh]].
 
==Names==
{| class="roundy" style="float:left; background: #{{ruby color light}}; border: 3px solid #{{ruby color}}"
|- style="text-align:center"
! style="{{roundytl|5px}}" | Language
! Name
! style="{{roundytr|5px}}" | Origin
|-  style="background:#FFF"
|Japanese
| ハルカ<br>''Haruka''
| From 春花 ''haruka'', spring flower
|- style="background:#FFF"
|English, Brazilian Portuguese
| May
| Could be a reference to her Japanese name, as May is a month in spring
|- style="background:#FFF"
|French
| Flora
| Similar to ''fleur'', flower
|- style="background:#FFF"
|German
| Maike
| From ''Mai'', May
|- style="background:#FFF"
|Italian
| Vera
| From ''primavera'', spring
|- style="background:#FFF"
| Spanish
| Aura
| From ''aura'', a figure of speech that means "gentle breeze" and is commonly associated to spring, as in ''aura primaveral'' (spring breeze)
|- style="background:#FFF"
|Korean
| 봄이 ''Bom'i''
| 봄 ''bom'', spring
|- style="background:#FFF"
|Chinese<br>({{tt|Mandarin|Taiwan and Mainland China}})
| 小遙 /<br> 小遥<br>''Xiǎo Yáo''
| 遙 (distant) is taken from 遥か ''haruka''
|- style="background:#FFF"
|Chinese<br>({{tt|Cantonese|Hong Kong}})
| 小遙<br>''Síu Yìuh''
| Same as Mandarin name.
|- style="background:#FFF"
|Thai
| ฮารุกะ<br>''Haruka''
| Same as her Japanese name
|- style="background:#FFF"
|Russian
| Мэй ''Mey''
| Transcription of the English name
|- style="background:#FFF"
| Swedish
| May<br>Maj{{tt|*|AG035, DVD release descriptions}}
| Same as English name<br>Similar to English name
|- style="background:#FFF"
| Turkish
| May
| Same as English name
|}
{{-}}
 
==References==
<references />
 
==See also==
* {{Cat|Episodes focusing on May}}
* [[a:Category:May (anime)|Images on the Bulbagarden Archives]]
* [[May (game)]]
 
{{-}}
{{May's Pokémon}}
{{Animecharacters|Ruby}}<br>
{{Ash and Pikachu characters}}
{{-}}
{{Project Anime notice|no}}
 
[[Category:Animation characters]]
[[Category:Ash's friends]]
[[Category:Ash & Pikachu characters]]
[[Category:Coordinators]]
 
[[de:Maike (Animecharakter)]]
[[es:May/Aura]]
[[fr:Flora (dessin animé)]]
[[it:Vera (serie animata)]]
[[ja:ハルカ]]
[[zh:小遙(動畫)]]

Latest revision as of 05:54, 18 September 2024

May
ハルカ Haruka
May AG.png
May in Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire
Age 10[1]
Gender Female
Eye color Blue
Hair color Light brown
Hometown Petalburg City
Region Hoenn
Relatives Max (brother)
Norman (father)
Caroline (mother)
Animated series Pokémon the Series
Debut Get the Show on the Road!
English voice actor Veronica Taylor (AG001-AG145)
Michele Knotz (AG146-DP079, MoMP)
Japanese voice actor KAORI.
Trainer class Coordinator
Generation III
Counterpart(s) May
Games Advanced Generation: I've Begun Hiragana and Katakana!, Advanced Generation: Pico for Everyone Pokémon Loud Battle!, Team Rocket Blast Off, Poké Ball Launcher, Seek & Find
Manga series Ash & Pikachu
Debut Let's Save Pikachu!!

May (Japanese: ハルカ Haruka) is a Pokémon Coordinator from Petalburg City and a former traveling companion of Ash. She is the daughter of Norman and Caroline, and her first partner Pokémon was a Torchic given to her by Professor Birch.

Initially on a journey to meet new places, May found her true calling in Pokémon Contests and made it her goal to become a Top Coordinator. She traveled through Hoenn and Kanto with Ash, Brock, and her little brother, Max.

In the anime

History

Pre-series

May during her childhood

May grew up in Petalburg City in the Hoenn region with her parents, Caroline and Petalburg Gym Leader Norman, and brother, Max. As revealed in A Cacturne for the Worse, May, when she was younger, was playing in the water with some Tentacool, but found herself surrounded by a horde of them. However, when her parents saw this, Caroline tried to catch her because she had mistaken her for a Tentacool. Ever since that experience, May developed a dislike and fear of Pokémon.

Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire

Years later in Get the Show on the Road!, May was old enough to become a Pokémon Trainer, but she used it as an excuse just so she could travel, even though everyone expected her to follow in her father Norman's footsteps. However, after seeing a Pokémon Contest in All Things Bright and Beautifly!, she decided to become a Pokémon Coordinator instead. Since May initially knew almost nothing about Pokémon or attacks, Ash assumed the role of her mentor. She gradually gained experience through her journey and practice with Ash.

As a Coordinator, May was able to learn more about Pokémon and form stronger bonds with them. In Come What May!, after winning the Fallarbor Contest, May told her Beautifly that she loved it. This is an example of her growth — from someone who initially disliked Pokémon to someone who cared deeply for them.

With her Pokémon, May was able to come up with different attack combinations to use during her Contest Battles. For instance, she would use her Combusken's Fire Spin and her Squirtle's Bubble to create a combination of fire and water, dubbed "Fire and Water Whirlwind" by Lilian, after witnessing Tucker use it against Ash with a combination of Water Pulse and Fire Blast. This even made a rival of hers angry, thinking she thought he was not worthy of the move as May did not use it against him.

She also developed a love for making her own Pokéblocks with recipes that she thought up, including ones called "May's Purple Surprise" and "May's Pink Surprise" (Japanese: Haruka's Delicious and Haruka's Delicious 2). Unfortunately, the only ones who liked her "Purple Surprise" were her Munchlax and Jessie. Her "Pink Surprise" came from the recipe Professor Oak uses to make Ash's Snorlax's food. Thus, after May first fed it to her Munchlax, it was automatically made full. This Pokéblock was regularly used to feed Munchlax in order to prevent it from eating the food of others.

May and Drew

During her journey, she found a rival in Drew, a skilled and sometimes arrogant Coordinator. Drew became one of her main inspirations to try harder to sharpen her skills as a Coordinator. At first, Drew had claimed that May had "no style" as a Coordinator, but by the end of May's second Contest campaign, when she defeated him in the Kanto Grand Festival, he recognized her growth and skill. Another rival of hers, Harley, is a flamboyant man who goes to extremes to beat May and has no qualms about cheating or using unfair tactics. An example of Harley's depravity was seen in A Cacturne for the Worse, when he recorded Max telling him a story from May's childhood. May had been wearing a blue swimming cap in the ocean, and her mother had mistaken her for a Tentacool from afar and attempted to catch May with one of her Poké Balls. Harley played the recording of this story during the Izabe Island Pokémon Contest to embarrass May into losing. May was able to beat Harley in the end, but she claimed that she had never been more humiliated. Another example is when Harley joined forces with Team Rocket in an attempt to sabotage May's performance with Combusken, which ended up contributing to a more dazzling appeal.

At the Kanto Grand Festival, May also competed against Solidad, an experienced Coordinator to whom she lost in the semifinals. At the end of Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire, she left to compete with Drew, Harley, and Solidad in the Johto region, aiming to find her own battling style. The decision to stop traveling with Ash was an important one for May's character. Because Ash played the role of a mentor to her through most of the series, she was largely influenced by his offensive battle style. By the end of their journey through Kanto, May had realized that an offensive style was not necessarily the best for her and for Contests. Her constant use of dazzling attacks ultimately proved to be her downfall at the Kanto Grand Festival, when Solidad was able to recognize and counter these moves by leading May to attack and then successfully dodging. Her goal to find her own style was therefore also a goal to improve her Contest Battle skills and ultimately become a Top Coordinator.

May has Contest Passes to compete in Hoenn, Kanto and Johto. She also has a personal theme song, I Won't Lose! ~Haruka's Theme~, performed by KAORI.. It was first used as background music in Curbing the Crimson Tide and was used multiple times after that during May's Contest performances and battles. The song became the ending theme of the show between Pokémon Ranger - Deoxys' Crisis! (Part 2) and Home is Where the Start Is!.

Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl

May reappeared from Our Cup Runneth Over! to Strategy With a Smile! to participate in the Wallace Cup. During this period, she wore her game counterpart's outfit from Pokémon Emerald. She shared that many of her Pokémon had evolved and that she had already won three Johto Ribbons. Dawn recognized May upon meeting her and said that some people in the Sinnoh region called her the "Princess of Hoenn", causing May to blush.

In A Full Course Tag Battle!, May spoke with Ash and Brock about her journey in Johto, and revealed that her Eevee had evolved into Glaceon shortly before meeting them. Before starting training for the Wallace Cup, May suggested everyone go to the Seven Stars Restaurant on the Valor Lakefront. where they participated in a series of Tag Battles to earn a right to an exclusive meal. Before May and Dawn started their battles, Team Rocket had stolen the food supply, this motivated May to help find the food and when they found it, May and Dawn battled Jessie and James, defeating them easily.

May and Ash holding their halves of the Terracotta Ribbon

Once everything was resolved, May and Dawn had their battles against Roman and Kylie, winning using a combination of Water and Fire-type moves. At the end of the night, May remembered with Ash the moment they both competed for the Ribbon of Terracotta Town, and together with Dawn, May discovered that Ash was also interested in the competition.

During the Wallace Cup, May showed the new battle style that she had come up with after leaving Ash, battling against Dawn's rival Zoey and winning using her Beautifly. She made it all the way to the finals but narrowly lost to Dawn in the end. Afterwards, May returned to Johto to resume competing in Contests there.

May reappeared in a picture on Brock's memory wall in the special episode DPS02.

Pokémon the Series: Black & White

May reappeared in a fantasy in The Dream Continues!.

Pokémon Journeys: The Series

May reappeared in a flashback of the Wallace Cup in Reuniting for the First Time!, alongside Dawn. In the same episode, Chloe wore a Contest Costume that Serena mentioned was worn by the "Princess of Hoenn", referencing May's nickname.

In Partners in Time!, May was revealed to have returned to Hoenn when she appeared alongside Max, Serena, and Lisia, watching Ash's Masters Eight Tournament match against Leon. Soon after, when Pikachu was at the limit of his strength, May, Max, and Serena were shown to be anxious about the state of the battle, each holding on to another for comfort.

I Choose You!

May made a cameo appearance in the ending credits of I Choose You! alongside with Max.

Character

May and Max

May is generally a very sweet and optimistic girl. She enjoys feminine and cute things as well as shopping. In fact, she and Brock occasionally went on shopping trips together throughout Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire. May cares about her appearance, sometimes spending so much time in front of the mirror that it caused her traveling companions to become frustrated with her, such as in The Bicker the Better. May also is interested in helping other people with their romantic problems.

Though she is generally kind, she occasionally argues with her little brother, Max. The two had arguments since Max's debut episode, but one of their most notable was in Take This House and Shuppet. May's harsh words to Max made him declare that he hated May and he ran away for a portion of the episode. Even though she had been angry, May quickly felt guilty for hurting Max's feelings and became very worried that he would be hurt on his own. In Date Expectations, when Max again went missing, May revealed that she had promised her mother to always take care of Max on their journey, and was prepared to miss her last chance of qualifying for the Hoenn Grand Festival in order to find him. Though the siblings had many quarrels over their joint travels, May deeply cares for her brother and would go to great lengths to protect him.

May's rage at her loss of food

In You Never Can Taillow, May heard Brock used to act as a cook during Ash's journeys. As she, Max and Ash were hungry, she was the one who asked Brock if he could prepare some food for them. If a person or a Pokémon were to steal her food she would become extremely angry, which was demonstrated numerous times. Food was one of the few things May would become angry about, so it was an important tool to show a different side to her usually cheerful character. When May returned for Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl, she expressed excitement over the chance to eat at the Seven Stars Restaurant, but having her meal stolen made her enraged. She was later shown enjoying a large cookie, once again affirming her love of food and sweets.

May after shopping

When May first left her home, she was only interested in the traveling aspect of a Pokémon journey. This sparked one of May's most memorable quirks in Hoenn, "May's Expeditions". Starting from A Mudkip Mission, May would occasionally make a camera lens with her fingers, pretending she was the host of a traveling show. Uniquely for one of Ash's friends, May originally didn't like Pokémon and was afraid of them, due to the trauma of being swarmed by a group of Tentacool when she was little. However, after seeing Ash risking his life to save his Pikachu on the day they met and later upon forming close bonds with her first two Pokémon, Torchic and Wurmple, May grew to care about Pokémon, which helped her overcome her dislike and fear of them.

As mentioned, May also enjoys making Pokéblock. She first learned about making Pokéblock in the episode Pokéblock, Stock and Berry when she met Kelly. She learned that Kelly's mother owned a Pokéblock shop, and May was curious about it. Kelly then taught her how to use a Berry Blender. May's first attempt of making a Pokéblock was not successful, but that didn't stop her from trying. In the episode Berry, Berry Interesting, May continued to make Pokéblock, calling the result "May's Purple Surprise". However, only her Munchlax had taken a liking to it. Later on, Professor Oak had created a Pokéblock recipe for May, which May calls "May's Pink Surprise", that is specially made for Munchlax, similarly to the recipe used to feed Ash's Snorlax. May uses it to stop her Munchlax from causing too much trouble on many occasions.

May and Dawn

May was unsure on what path and goal to pursue, even though she was expected to become a Pokémon Trainer like her father. However, after witnessing Pokémon Contests in All Things Bright and Beautifly!, May decided to become a Pokémon Coordinator, and has been training both herself and her Pokémon since then. In Hi Ho Silver Wind!, May revealed that she stayed in contact with many of the friends she made through competing in Pokémon Contests, using emails, phone calls and letters. This included Kelly, Savannah, Sandra, Timmy, Dr. Abby, and Janet. May also said that being friends with the people she met throughout her journey, and knowing they were cheering for her, gave her the confidence to overcome any nervousness she could face.

May after catching a Pokémon

Throughout her journey with Ash, Brock, and Max, May has changed remarkably as a person and Trainer, but maintains her habit of finding popular food spots and her sweet nature. May has also learned to not take her Pokémon for granted, as seen in Cruisin' for a Losin', when she realized how hard she pushed her Bulbasaur in the Rubello Pokémon Contest and that the first two ribbons that she won were because her Pokémon came through for her. In addition, May has exceptionally improved her battling skills, as shown in her battle against Drew in the Kanto Grand Festival. As time passed, May became a well-known coordinator and received the nickname "Princess of Hoenn", which was stated by Dawn in A Full Course Tag Battle! and Serena in Reuniting for the First Time!.

May's Contest cry is "Take the stage!" (Japanese: ステージ・オン! Stage On!). In the English dub, she also uses variations, such as "On stage!". In the Japanese version, May usually ends her sentences with (Japanese: ~かも ~kamo), a word often used to express uncertainty.

Pokémon

The Pokémon she acquired on the course of her journey appear to resemble the Pokémon that Ash had obtained at some point at the beginning of his own journey. At first, she preferred cute Pokémon and dazzling techniques, but over the course of her journey, she was able to obtain Pokémon outside that preference. She has a tendency to rely on luck, often using her Skitty's Assist or her Munchlax's Metronome to win. Most of May's Pokémon were not caught through battle. Unlike many of Ash's friends, May has never had a consistently disobedient Pokémon.

Throughout her journey, May has used combinations with her Pokémon, as she used her Blaziken, while it was a Combusken, and Wartortle's, while it was a Squirtle, Fire and Water-type attacks to form the fusion of Fire and Water. Some of May's Pokémon have shown to be naturally inclined to Pokémon Contests, such as her Beautifly, Skitty, and Wartortle. Her Blaziken is usually used in battle as her strongest Pokémon, but it has also been used in the appeal rounds in Pokémon Contests.

This listing is of May's Pokémon that are listed as "in rotation" in the anime.

In rotation

May Blaziken.png
Torchic → Combusken → Blaziken
May Beautifly.png
Wurmple → Silcoon → Beautifly
May Skitty.png
Skitty
May Venusaur.png
Bulbasaur → Ivysaur → Venusaur
May Munchlax.png
Munchlax
May Wartortle.png
Squirtle → Wartortle
May Glaceon.png
Egg → Eevee → Glaceon

Temporary


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


Mudkip
Professor Birch's Mudkip
Debut Get the Show on the Road!
Voice actors
Japanese
English Lindsey Warner

When Professor Birch was attacked by Poochyena, May borrowed Mudkip from his bag to fight the wild Poochyena. However, May's lack of experience in commanding Pokémon led to Mudkip attacking her instead, resulting in Professor Birch having to fend off the Poochyena himself. Later, it reappeared as one of the possible first partner Pokémon for May, but the previous bad experience led her to not choose it.

It reappeared in a flashback in A Mudkip Mission, when May wanted to catch another one.

Mudkip's only known move is Water Gun.

Hitmonchan
Kyle Hamm's Hitmonchan
Debut Pasta La Vista
Voice actors
Japanese Katsuyuki Konishi
English Michael Haigney

May borrowed Hitmonchan from Kyle Hamm after Master Hamm broke his back.

Hitmonchan's known moves are Comet Punch, Mach Punch, Agility, Focus Punch, and Sky Uppercut.

Befriended

Swablu
May's Swablu
Debut True Blue Swablu
Voice actors
Japanese Konami Yoshida

May befriended a Swablu after its wing was injured during a lightning storm in a nature preserve. After finding it, she nursed it back to health over several days with the support of Brock and the others, and she also taught it how to fly again.

May intended to return Swablu to its flock, but when the group arrived at the lakeside nesting spot, they couldn't find the flock. May offered Swablu a place on her team, seeing as they had become good friends. However, just then, its flock reappeared, and Swablu reluctantly left with them.

Swablu's only known move is Sing.

Contests

May's Hoenn Ribbons
May's Kanto Ribbons
May's Johto Ribbons

Hoenn Ribbons

This listing is of the Ribbons May has obtained in the Hoenn region:

Kanto Ribbons

This listing is of the Ribbons May has obtained in the Kanto region:

Johto Ribbons

This listing is of the Ribbons May has obtained in the Johto region:

Grand Festival ranking

May has competed in the following Grand Festival tournaments:

Other achievements

May has competed in the following Pokémon Contests:

Outfits

Pokémon competitions

May has competed in the following Pokémon competitions:

Voice actors

Language Voice actor
Japanese KAORI. (credited as 鈴木カオリ Kaori Suzuki in Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl)
English Veronica Taylor (AG001-AG145, M06-M08)
Michele Knotz (AG146-DP079, M09, The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon)
Arabic إيمان بيطار Iman Bitar
Unknown voice actress (M06-M07)
Mandarin Chinese 傅曼君 Fù Mànjūn
Czech Klára Šumanová (DP075-DP079)
Jana Páleníčková (M06-M07)
Danish Annevig Schelde Ebbe
Dutch Nicoline van Doorn
Unknown voice actress (M06-M07)
Filipino Charmaine Cordoviz
Finnish Aksa Korttila (AG001-AG138, The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon)
Henni-Liisa Stam (AG139-AG145)
Marjut Heikkinen (AG146-present)
Hanna Salonen (M06-M07)
European French Maia Baran
German Nicola Grupe
Stephanie Kellner (M06-M07)
Greek Στέλλα Μπονάτσου Stella Bonatsou
Hebrew דון לני-גבאי Dawn Lanny-Gabay
Hindi नेश्मा चेम्बुरकर Neshma Chemburkar (Hungama dub)
Hungarian Márta Talmács
Indonesian Dewi Arifiani
Italian Serena Clerici
Korean 서혜정 Seo Hyejeong (Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire)
지미애 Ji Mi-ae (original movies)
김현지 Kim Hyeonji (redubbed movies)
Polish Julita Kożuszek-Borsuk (Julita Kożuszek)
Portuguese Brazil Tatiane Keplmair (AG001-DP079, M06-M09, M06-M07 second dub)
Amanda Tavares (M06 third dub)
Portugal Carla (AG001-AG108)
Sara Marques (M07)
Isabel Ribas (AG109-AG192)
Marta Mota (DP075-DP079)
Russian Жанна Никонова Janna Nikonova (AG001-AG192; M08-M09)
Ольга Шорохова (DP075-DP079)
Spanish Latin America Ana Lobo (AG001-AG044, AG055*)
Liliana Barba (AG033-AG034)
Mariana Ortiz (AG045-present)
Agustina Priscila (M06-M07)
Spain Cristina Yuste
Swedish Maria Rydberg
Tamil Sowmiya Kumar(Hungama dub)
Thai อรุณี นันทิวาส Arunee Nuntiwass
Turkish Pınar Erengil
Vietnamese Nguyễn Thụy Thùy Tiên (DP076-DP079)


Artwork

May AG.png May AG 2.png May AG 3.png JN132 AS.png
Official artwork from
Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire*
Alternative artwork from
Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire
Artwork from "After the story" [2]

In the manga

May in Ash & Pikachu

Ash & Pikachu

May first appeared in Let's Save Pikachu!!, where she became Ash's traveling companion like in the anime.

Pokémon

May Combusken AP.png
Torchic → Combusken
May Beautifly AP.png
Beautifly
May Skitty AP.png
Skitty
May Munchlax AP.png
Munchlax

Movie adaptations

As May appeared all of the Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire movies, she has appeared in each manga adaptations of them.

In the spin-off games

050Diglett.png This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
Reason: Add sprites of May from all the Pico and Perdue games

May appears in some games based on the anime.

Sega Pico series

May appears in I've Begun Hiragana and Katakana! and Pico for Everyone Pokémon Loud Battle!.

Perdue series

In Pokémon Team Rocket Blast Off, Pokémon Poké Ball Launcher, and Pokémon Seek & Find, the female player character is May. Her male counterpart in these games is Ash Ketchum.

In the TCG

This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring May or her Pokémon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

May's Pokémon
Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format.
Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Card Type English
Expansion
Rarity # Japanese
Expansion
Rarity #
May's Torchic Fire       ADV-P Promotional cards   037/ADV-P
May's Munchlax Colorless       Movie Commemoration VS Pack: Aura's Lucario   008/020
May's Combusken Fire       Movie Commemoration VS Pack: Sea's Manaphy   002/019
 


Trivia

  • May is the first:
  • May is the only main character other than Ash to wear gloves as part of her character design.
  • May has competed in at least one Pokémon Contest in each region where they are known to be held in the anime, with the exception of the Unova region.
  • May has never failed to get past the Appeals Round of an on-screen Contest, making her the only female main character with this distinction.
  • May is the only main character to, upon her introduction, introduce herself to the audience rather than be introduced by the narrator or first appear without an introduction at all.
  • Both of May's unevolved Pokémon are of the Normal type.
  • May is Ash's only traveling companion to have traveled with him in every single episode of a series, namely Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire. While they did separate from each other briefly in The Scheme Team, she rejoined him in the following episode.
  • May is Ash's first female traveling companion to encounter, battle, and defeat Team Rocket on multiple occasions without Ash being present to aid her.
  • May was the first character to own a Generation IV Pokémon, with Munchlax.
  • Not counting temporary Pokémon, May is the first main character to catch a Pokémon that Ash has also caught.
  • May has not made any speaking appearances since Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl. This could be because her Japanese voice actress, KAORI, came down with a variation of the debilitating disease called spasmodic dysphonia, as early as 2007 (a year before her reappearances in DP), and hitting its peak by May 2012. This forced her to retire from the anime.[3]
    • Because of this, she is the only one of Ash's female companions who did not reunite with him during Pokémon Journeys: The Series, and the only one who has not met Goh.

Names

Language Name Origin
Japanese ハルカ
Haruka
From 春花 haruka, spring flower
English, Brazilian Portuguese May Could be a reference to her Japanese name, as May is a month in spring
French Flora Similar to fleur, flower
German Maike From Mai, May
Italian Vera From primavera, spring
Spanish Aura From aura, a figure of speech that means "gentle breeze" and is commonly associated to spring, as in aura primaveral (spring breeze)
Korean 봄이 Bom'i bom, spring
Chinese
(Mandarin)
小遙 /
小遥
Xiǎo Yáo
遙 (distant) is taken from 遥か haruka
Chinese
(Cantonese)
小遙
Síu Yìuh
Same as Mandarin name.
Thai ฮารุกะ
Haruka
Same as her Japanese name
Russian Мэй Mey Transcription of the English name
Swedish May
Maj*
Same as English name
Similar to English name
Turkish May Same as English name


References

See also


Pokémon the Series characters
Protagonists Ash Ketchum (Pikachu) • Misty (Togetic) • BrockTracey SketchitMayMaxDawn (Piplup) • Iris (Haxorus) • CilanSerenaClemontBonnie (Dedenne) • LanaKiaweLillieSophoclesMallowRotom PokédexGoh (Grookey)
Rivals GaryRitchieHarrisonDrewHarleyMorrisonTysonSolidadPaulNandoZoeyKennyConwayBarryUrsulaTripBiancaBurgundyStephanGeorgiaCameronAriaAlainMietteTiernoShaunaTrevorNiniSawyerGladionHoracioHauLeonRaihanHoraceBeaLeague Conference participantsCoordinatorsPerformersWorld Coronation Series participants
Antagonists Jessie (Wobbuffet) • JamesMeowthGiovanniButchCassidyDr. NambaMatoriPierceDr. ZagerGozuTabithaMaxieShellyArchieHunter JSaturnCyrusMarsJupiterCharonColressAldithGhetsisBarretMalamarLysandreMableCelosiaAlianaXerosicBryonyTuppZippRappPlumeriaGuzmaVirenRoseOleana
Professors Professor OakProfessor IvyProfessor ElmProfessor BirchProfessor RowanProfessor CarolinaProfessor JuniperDr. FennelCedric JuniperProfessor SycamoreProfessor KukuiProfessor BurnetProfessor CeriseProfessor MagnoliaSoniaProfessor Amaranth
Relatives Delia KetchumDaisyVioletLilyJames's parentsFlintLolaForrestBrock's siblingsNormanCarolineJohannaChiliCressGraceMeyerLana's fatherLana's motherHarper and SarahRangoSimaMimoKiawe's grandfatherMohnLusamineGladionSophocles's parentsMolayneAbeMallow's motherUluWalkerCamilleHalta
Supporting Officer JennyNurse JoyMagikarp salesmanTodd SnapCharles GoodshowCaseyLizaSakuraLanceClairRaoul ContestaMr. SukizoSteven StoneVivian MeridianRobertScottLilian MeridianSolanaBrandonMarianYuzoRhondaCynthiaReggieAngieLookerIzzy and CaraLyraKhouryTobiasDon GeorgeElderAlderLukeFreddy O'MartianIngoEmmetJervisVirgilNAnthea and ConcordiaPorterAlexaSophieCosetteClembotSanpeiMairinAstridDianthaKorrinaGurkinnMonsieur PierrePalermoKeananMalvaSamson OakAnelaHobbesNinaAnnaLakiDanaYansuWickeFabaIlimaAcerolaDiaChloeChrysaRenParkerTaliaLeiDanikaQuillonHopGym LeadersElite FourFrontier BrainsIsland kahunasMany temporary characters
Supporting Pokémon FearowHo-OhSquirtle SquadPink ButterfreeHaunterJigglypuffMewtwoMimeyLapras herdGranbullPichu BrothersLugiaSilverDelibirdWynautLarvitarKyogre and GroudonArticunoDeoxysLake guardiansForces of natureMeloettaReshiramSuper-ancient PokémonWooperFlorgesSquishyZ2Guardian deitiesBewearToucannon's flockStoutlandOranguruNebbyStuffulUltra BeastsGrandpa ForestNecrozmaLunalaShayminMewRotom PhonesPelipperThievul trioEternatusDrone RotomLegendary heroesLatiasRecurring wild Pokémon
See also: Pokémon Horizons characters


Ash & Pikachu characters
Main characters
Ash KetchumPikachuMistyTogepiBrockMayMaxJessieJamesMeowth
Rivals
Gary OakDrewMorrison
Gym Leaders and Frontier Brains
WhitneyClairRoxanneNormanNolandGretaLucy
Other
AnnaAzusaProfessor BirchCalistaCarolineProfessor CozmoDrakeEriko
Eriko's grandmotherMrs. GrimmHirotoJack PollocksonKaburagiKiyoLilyProfessor Oak
OliverRobertShellySolanaSusieTabithaTeam Rocket ScientistTimmy
Whitney's grandmotherWinstrate family


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