Stephan

Stephan ケニヤン Kenyan
Stephan
Gender	Male
Eye color	Blue
Hair color	Red
Hometown	Unknown
Region	Unova
Trainer class	Trainer
Anime debut	Oshawott's Lost Scalchop!
English voice actor	Darren Dunstan
Japanese voice actor	Tomohiro Waki

Stephan (Japanese: ケニヤン Kenyan) is a recurring character of the Pokémon anime and a rival of Ash that first debuted in Oshawott's Lost Scalchop!.

History

Stephan challenged Ash to a Pokémon battle and chose Blitzle as his partner. Ash planned to battle him with Pikachu but ultimately chose Oshawott. The battle ended up being postponed because Oshawott lost his scalchop. Cilan politely asks Stephan to wait until the next day to have another battle with Ash, but he was disappointed and stomped off in anger.

Ash and the gang found Stephan up in the mountains the next day, powering up his Blitzle using a bike-powered generator. Shortly after, he had his second battle with Ash. He ended up losing but was greatly impressed by Ash's skills. The two shook hands and he bid farewell.

In Reunion Battles In Nimbasa!, Stephan met up with Ash again in Nimbasa Town riding on his Zebstrika which had since evolved from Blitzle. He also entered the Club Battle tournament. In the next episode, he went up against Bianca who was his first opponent. Using his powerful Zebstrika, he managed to defeat Bianca's Minccino and advance to the next round.

Stephan battled Iris and her Emolga with his Sawk in The Club Battle Hearts of Fury: Emolga Versus Sawk!. Even with his special strategy of using Sawk's Close Combat to deflect Emolga's Attract, he still lost the battle and was knocked out of the tournament. In Club Battle Finale: A Hero's Outcome! he acted as a judge for Cilan and Burgundy's Connoisseur battle to see how well they could evaluate Ash and Iris's battle. At the end of the day of Ash and Iris's battle, he left Nimbasa Town with the other rivals.

Stephan is set to reappear in BW069.

Character

Stephan and his rival, Ash

Like many of Ash's rivals, Stephan has an intense passion for battling and is always willing to take on any opponent. He can be both stubborn and impatient. His impatience is seen right before he was to battle Iris in The Club Battle Hearts of Fury: Emolga Versus Sawk! where he ran onto the battlefield before their names were called. He also can be extremely competitive as seen when he got into an eating contest with Ash in Cilan Versus Trip, Ash Versus Georgia!. Still he always wants his rivals to get stronger and encourages them to do their best when witnessing them battle.

Nothing annoys Stephan more than when others mispronounce his name as 'Stephen' or 'Steven' (Japanese: Keniyan) and has become a running gag in the anime similar to Butch.

Pokémon

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

Blitzle → Zebstrika

Debut	Oshawott's Lost Scalchop!
Voice actors
Japanese	Kiyotaka Furushima
English	Marc Thompson

Stephan used Zebstrika as a Blitzle in a battle against Ash's Oshawott, but it kicked off Oshawott's scalchop, which ultimately caused the battle to be postponed. Blitzle re-battled him the next day after being powered up. It managed to destroy the stone scalchop that Cilan's Dwebble had made for him with Shock Wave. However, because of Oshawott's training with the heavy scalchop, Oshawott's speed increased dramatically. Blitzle was then defeated after they both crashed into a rock while their Flame Charge and Aqua Jet moves combined into a huge wave of steam. I

In Reunion Battles In Nimbasa!, it was revealed to have evolved into Zebstrika. Stephan also used it in his first battle in the Club Battle tournament against Bianca's Minccino in Cilan Versus Trip, Ash Versus Georgia!. Though hit by a barrage of DoubleSlap attacks, it defeated the Chinchilla Pokémon with Stomp and advanced its Trainer to the second round.

It will be seen in BW069

Zebstrika's known moves are Shock Wave, Flame Charge, Double Kick and Stomp.

Sawk ♂

Debut	The Club Battle Hearts of Fury: Emolga Versus Sawk!
Voice actors
Japanese	Kiyotaka Furushima

Sawk was used during the Don George's tournament in where he battled against Iris's Emolga. Sawk proved a troublesome opponent for Emolga, as he could use his Close Combat to block Emolga's Attract. Stephan had stated that since Sawk is a all male species, he trained him specifically to defend himself against gender based attacks. However, when attacking Emolga, her Static ability kicked in, paralyzing Sawk. When Emolga launched a barrage of Attracts, Sawk was forced to block them all with Close Combat, lowering his defenses gradually. Eventually, Sawk's paralysis rendered him immobile, allowing Emolga to defeat him with a single Volt Switch.

Sawk's known moves are Close Combat, Bulk Up and Double Kick.

Stephan has at least one other Pokémon as those who entered the Club Battle were required to enter with three Pokémon.

Pokémon competitions

• Club Battle (Top 8)

Voice actors

Language Voice actor Japanese 脇知弘 Tomohiro Waki English Darren Dunstan Spanish Latin America Luis Daniel Ramirez Spain Miguel Ángel Garzón

Trivia

• In the Taiwanese dub, Stephan was originally named 甘尼洋 Gānníyáng, but was later changed to 肯尼洋 Kěnníyáng in BW041. The change is possibly due to his original name sounding similar to a vulgar phrase in Taiwanese Mandarin.

Names

Language	Name	Origin
Japanese	ケニヤン Kenyan	Likely from Kenya, one of two countries that Grévy's Zebras inhabit, referencing his main Pokémon.
English	Stephan	Similar vowel sounds to Kenyan. Also a name with multiple pronunciations.
French	Jules	Possibly from Jules Grévy, from whom the Grévy's Zebra is named after. May also be from Joule.
German	Stefan	Similar to his English name.
Korean	케니언 Kenyan	Transliteration of his Japanese name.
Chinese (Mandarin)	肯尼洋 Kěnníyáng* 甘尼洋 Gānníyáng*	Transliteration of his Japanese name. Also from 肯亞 Kěnyǎ / 肯尼亞 Kěnníyǎ (Kenya). Rough transliteration of his Japanese name.

Pokémon the Series characters
Protagonists Ash Ketchum (Pikachu) • Misty (Togetic) • Brock • Tracey Sketchit • May • Max • Dawn (Piplup) • Iris (Haxorus) • Cilan • Serena • Clemont • Bonnie (Dedenne) • Lana • Kiawe • Lillie • Sophocles • Mallow • Rotom Pokédex • Goh (Grookey) Rivals Gary • Ritchie • Harrison • Drew • Harley • Morrison • Tyson • Solidad • Paul • Nando • Zoey • Kenny • Conway • Barry • Ursula • Trip • Bianca • Burgundy • Stephan • Georgia • Cameron • Aria • Alain • Miette • Tierno • Shauna • Trevor • Nini • Sawyer • Gladion • Horacio • Hau • Leon • Raihan • Horace • Bea • League Conference participants • Coordinators • Performers • World Coronation Series participants Antagonists Jessie (Wobbuffet) • James • Meowth • Giovanni • Butch • Cassidy • Dr. Namba • Matori • Pierce • Dr. Zager • Gozu • Tabitha • Maxie • Shelly • Archie • Hunter J • Saturn • Cyrus • Mars • Jupiter • Charon • Colress • Aldith • Ghetsis • Barret • Malamar • Lysandre • Mable • Celosia • Aliana • Xerosic • Bryony • Tupp • Zipp • Rapp • Plumeria • Guzma • Viren • Rose • Oleana Professors Professor Oak • Professor Ivy • Professor Elm • Professor Birch • Professor Rowan • Professor Carolina • Professor Juniper • Dr. Fennel • Cedric Juniper • Professor Sycamore • Professor Kukui • Professor Burnet • Professor Cerise • Professor Magnolia • Sonia • Professor Amaranth Relatives Delia Ketchum • Daisy • Violet • Lily • James's parents • Flint • Lola • Forrest • Brock's siblings • Norman • Caroline • Johanna • Chili • Cress • Grace • Meyer • Lana's father • Lana's mother • Harper and Sarah • Rango • Sima • Mimo • Kiawe's grandfather • Mohn • Lusamine • Gladion • Sophocles's parents • Molayne • Abe • Mallow's mother • Ulu • Walker • Camille • Halta Supporting Officer Jenny • Nurse Joy • Magikarp salesman • Todd Snap • Charles Goodshow • Casey • Liza • Sakura • Lance • Clair • Raoul Contesta • Mr. Sukizo • Steven Stone • Vivian Meridian • Robert • Scott • Lilian Meridian • Solana • Brandon • Marian • Yuzo • Rhonda • Cynthia • Reggie • Angie • Looker • Izzy and Cara • Lyra • Khoury • Tobias • Don George • Elder • Alder • Luke • Freddy O'Martian • Ingo • Emmet • Jervis • Virgil • N • Anthea and Concordia • Porter • Alexa • Sophie • Cosette • Clembot • Sanpei • Mairin • Astrid • Diantha • Korrina • Gurkinn • Monsieur Pierre • Palermo • Keanan • Malva • Samson Oak • Anela • Hobbes • Nina • Anna • Laki • Dana • Yansu • Wicke • Faba • Ilima • Acerola • Dia • Chloe • Chrysa • Ren • Parker • Talia • Lei • Danika • Quillon • Hop • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • Frontier Brains • Island kahunas • Many temporary characters Supporting Pokémon Fearow • Ho-Oh • Squirtle Squad • Pink Butterfree • Haunter • Jigglypuff • Mewtwo • Mimey • Lapras herd • Granbull • Pichu Brothers • Lugia • Silver • Delibird • Wynaut • Larvitar • Kyogre and Groudon • Articuno • Deoxys • Lake guardians • Forces of nature • Meloetta • Reshiram • Super-ancient Pokémon • Wooper • Florges • Squishy • Z2 • Guardian deities • Bewear • Toucannon's flock • Stoutland • Oranguru • Nebby • Stufful • Ultra Beasts • Grandpa Forest • Necrozma • Lunala • Shaymin • Mew • Rotom Phones • Pelipper • Thievul trio • Eternatus • Drone Rotom • Legendary heroes • Latias • Recurring wild Pokémon
See also: Pokémon Horizons characters

This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.