Ethan (game): Difference between revisions

From Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia.
⧼bulbapediamonobook-jumptonavigation⧽⧼bulbapediamonobook-jumptosearch⧽
syncronising with Lyra
Line 416: Line 416:
* Ethan is the only male player character to have two different female counterparts.
* Ethan is the only male player character to have two different female counterparts.
* Likewise, Ethan is the only player character that has two anime counterparts (who correspond to his different designs).
* Likewise, Ethan is the only player character that has two anime counterparts (who correspond to his different designs).
** He is the only male playable character from a main series game whose anime counterpart has met Ash.
* Ethan is the main protagonist in [[Pokémon Puzzle Challenge]]'s Challenge Mode.
* Ethan is the main protagonist in [[Pokémon Puzzle Challenge]]'s Challenge Mode.
* The majority of his Japanese default names from {{2v2|HeartGold|SoulSilver}} are shared with {{ga|Red}} and {{ga|Lucas}}. The same holds true for their {{ga|Lyra|respective}} {{ga|Leaf|female}} {{ga|Dawn|counterparts}}.
* The majority of his Japanese default names from {{2v2|HeartGold|SoulSilver}} are shared with {{ga|Red}} and {{ga|Lucas}}. The same holds true for their {{ga|Lyra|respective}} {{ga|Leaf|female}} {{ga|Dawn|counterparts}}.

Revision as of 00:14, 25 January 2011

Hibiki redirects here. For the character of the day in Beauty and the Breeder, see Zane.
Ethan
ヒビキ Hibiki

Art from HeartGold and SoulSilver
Gender Male
Hometown New Bark Town
Region Johto
Relatives Mom (as player)
Grandparents, unnamed father (as NPC)
Trainer class Pokémon Trainer, Player character
Generation II, IV
Games Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver
Animated counterpart Jimmy
Counterpart debut The Legend of Thunder!
Manga counterpart(s) Gold

Ethan (Japanese: ヒビキ Hibiki) is the main playable character in Pokémon Gold and Silver and is the male choice in Pokémon Crystal, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. In Crystal, his female counterpart is Kris, while in HeartGold and SoulSilver his female counterpart is Lyra.

He is a caring young boy who lives with his mother in New Bark Town. He had no official name in Generation II, but was unofficially known by fans as Gold (ゴールド Gold).

Storyline in the games

When selected as the player character

Ethan's journey as a Trainer begins when Professor Elm asks him to run an errand for Mr. Pokémon, who lives north of Cherrygrove City on Route 30. Because he may encounter dangerous wild Pokémon along the way, Elm gives him a choice between three Pokémon to protect him: Cyndaquil, Totodile or Chikorita.

Ethan spots another boy his age watching Elm's Lab from outside. When Ethan tries to talk to him, the boy abruptly shoves him away. This boy, Silver, will become Ethan's rival, analogous to Blue in Generation I.

Ethan continues onward and finally meets Mr. Pokémon and completes his errand. While there he meets Professor Oak who, upon realizing Ethan's bond with his new Pokémon, gives him a Pokédex. On his way back home, Ethan again meets Silver, who has stolen one of Elm's remaining Pokémon. After defeating the boy in battle, Ethan learns his name from his dropped Trainer card, and relays it to the police in New Bark Town. Professor Elm allows Ethan to keep the Pokémon he chose earlier, and also encourages him to compete in the Johto League.

Ethan begins on a Pokémon journey in the Johto region, facing off against its eight Gym Leaders, defeating and disbanding the revived Team Rocket, and becoming Pokémon League Champion by defeating the Elite Four and its previous Champion, Lance at the Indigo Plateau. Along the way he also teaches Silver to respect Pokémon as living creatures and not just as tools for battle.

After being declared the Pokémon League Champion, Ethan then journeys by ship from Olivine City to Vermilion City in Kanto. Traveling around that region, he battles against another set of eight Gym Leaders. Upon getting permission from Professor Oak in Pallet Town, Ethan heads for Mt. Silver via Route 28. His journey comes to a close when, deep in Mt. Silver's cave, he faces the Champion from Pallet Town, Pokémon Trainer Red, who had been training there since shortly after he became Pokémon League Champion three years prior.

When not selected as the player character

In Pokémon Crystal, if Kris is selected, then the male player character will not appear in the game at all (although his sprite will be used in a link battle with another game from Generation II).

In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, if Lyra is selected to be the player character, Ethan meets her in New Bark Town at the start of the game. In this particular scene, he is seen with a Marill. He will always have Marill even if another starter Pokémon is selected. In addition, he doesn't appear to take the remaining starter Pokémon. His role in the storyline of HeartGold and SoulSilver is similar to that of Lucas/Dawn in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum if they are not chosen as the player character, while Lyra takes this place if he is selected as the player.

While playing as Lyra, his grandparents run the Pokémon Day Care on Route 34. He also gives the player the Fashion Case in Goldenrod Tunnel and the Vs. Recorder on Route 31. Naturally, this role is given to Lyra if he is the player character.


Pokémon

Ethan uses this party to show the player how to catch Pokémon when Lyra is selected as the player character in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.



Caught in tutorial

Type:
Normal Unknown
Ability:
Unknown
Held item:
None
Rattata Lv.2
Tail Whip
Normal Status
  --  
   
  --  
   
  --  
   


Artwork

File:GS Gold running.png File:Gold3.png File:Gold4.png
Artwork from
Gold and Silver
Artwork from
Crystal
Running Checking his Pokégear Approaching a Time Capsule

Sprites

File:GS Gold.png File:Gold crystal.png File:GS Gold Back.png File:GoldGSCwalkdown.png File:HGSS Ethan.png
Sprite from
Gold and Silver
Sprite from
Crystal
Backsprite from
Generation II
Overworld sprite from
Generation II
Ethan's sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Ethan's Challenge sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
File:HGSS Gold Back.png File:GoldHGSSwalkdown.png File:GoldTRHGSSwalkdown.png File:HGSS Hibiki Pokéthlon Jersey.png File:GoldAthHGSSwalkdown.png
Ethan's backsprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Overworld sprite from
Generation IV
Overworld Team Rocket disguise sprite from
Generation IV
Ethan's Pokéathlon sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Overworld Pokéathlon sprite from
Generation IV


Optional names for Ethan

Counterparts

Jimmy from the special episode The Legend of Thunder seems to be based on Ethan in the most basic sense, much more than Ash was based off his counterpart, Red. However, like the other game player characters, are not interchangeable.

Other counterparts of Ethan include Gold from the Pokémon Adventures manga, Gold from the Golden Boys manga and Kinnosuke from the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga.

Ethan has a cameo appearance at the beginning of Zoroark: Master of Illusions, in a battle against Ash. This counterpart follows Ethan's design from Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, and is actually identified as "Hibiki" (Ethan's Japanese name) in the Japanese DVD of the movie.

Pokémon

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

Donphan

Ethan used Donphan in a battle against Ash at the beginning of the thirteenth movie. During the battle, it fought against Pikachu. It was not shown who won the battle.

Donphan's only known move is Rollout.

Names

Language Name Origin
Japanese ヒビキ Hibiki From 響き hibiki, "sound" or "echo".
English Ethan From Hebrew, means "strong, firm, long-lived". Derivation unclear. Biblically, Ethan/Eitan is believed to be the author of Psalm 89 and/or a harp or cymbal player in King David’s court.
French Luth From luth, lute.
German Klarin From Klarinette, clarinet.
Italian Armonio From armonia, harmony, or armonio, harmonium.
Spanish Eco From eco, echo.
Korean 심향 Simhyang From 響 (향) hyang.


Trivia

  • Ethan is the only male player character who does not wear long pants, instead opting for shorts in Gold and Silver and knickerbockers in HeartGold and SoulSilver.
  • Ethan is the only male player character to have two different female counterparts.
  • Likewise, Ethan is the only player character that has two anime counterparts (who correspond to his different designs).
    • He is the only male playable character from a main series game whose anime counterpart has met Ash.
  • Ethan is the main protagonist in Pokémon Puzzle Challenge's Challenge Mode.
  • The majority of his Japanese default names from HeartGold and SoulSilver are shared with Red and Lucas. The same holds true for their respective female counterparts.
  • Ethan and Lyra are the only pseudo-rivals, along with the only rival characters in any game apart from Wally, to not appear to have a starter Pokémon from the professor in that region.
  • A 1997 pamphlet describing Gold and Silver mentions that the protagonist has a brother three years his senior, and seems to imply the possibility of that brother being the first-generation protagonist. However, this aspect of his character was obviously discarded by the time of the final release, as Red's mother still lives in Pallet Town.
  • Ethan is 4'11" (1.50 m) tall and weighs 88.2 lbs (40 kg).
  • Of the male player characters (Brendan, Lucas, and Ethan) who cameoed in the movies, Ethan is the only one who has battled Ash.
Player characters
Core series RedLeafEthanKrisLyraBrendanMayLucasDawn
HilbertHildaNateRosaCalemSerenaElioSelene
ChaseElaineVictorGloriaReiAkariFlorianJuliana
Side series WesMichaelNateCyndy
Spin-off games MarkMintTodd SnapLucy Fleetfoot
LunickSolanaKellynKateBenSummer
HeroHeroineTim GoodmanScottieBettie
Non-player characters in the core series games
Johto Professor ElmProfessor OakMomEthanLyraSilverMr. PokémonEusineLanceRedKiyoBaobaMagnusEarlKurtCarrieDude
MaryBuenaRadio DirectorHaircut brothersWebsterMasterLiWilmaPrimoMaximoJetCaitlinCynthiaCameronMr. GameFelicityTeala
Team RocketGym guideGym LeadersFrontier BrainsKimono GirlsWeek SiblingsName RaterPoké SeerDay-Care CoupleProfessor's aides
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.