User:Pie/Signature Pokémon

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A signature Pokémon is the Pokémon which is most commonly associated with a trainer. It will be the standout member of their team, typically being more rare and higher level than any other Pokémon they own, and often held in reserve in the final slot. If the trainer appears in multiple games, the rest of their team may be subject to change, but their signature Pokémon will always be a part of it.

For some trainers, it's clear which Pokémon is their signature, while for other trainers it can be disputable. In some instances, rather than a single signature Pokémon, a trainer may have several from the same evolutionary family. Most commonly, this is seen when the trainer returns with a stronger team, such as Falkner's Pidgeotto appearing as its evolved form, Pidgeot, in any appearance outside of his own gym. This might also be used as a way to showcase new evolutions, such as Erika switching between Gloom, Vileplume and Bellossom depending on the adaptation. In early games, this tends to show up as a symptom of type experts specializing in a type with few options, such as Agatha only having the Gastly line to choose for Ghost-types, and Lance facing the same problem with the Dratini line for Dragon-types.

Trainers tend to have a special connection with their signature Pokémon. It may be the first Pokémon they ever trained, or one that they encountered through special circumstances. These Pokémon will have been with their trainers for a long time, and the two will have built a strong bond of friendship. Pokémon Connoisseurs have a particular fascination with signature Pokémon defined by these bonds, which they refer to as a premium brand.

Some trainers will take things a step further, and will wear clothes modeled off of their signature Pokémon. For example, Pike Queen Lucy dresses in clothes with the same patterns as her Seviper, and the Gym Leader Fantina wears a dress that looks like her Drifblim.

List of signature Pokémon

In theory, any trainer may have a signature Pokémon. For example, one of the first characters of the day, A.J., had a Sandshrew as the standout and favorite of his team. However, this list is only concerned with notable trainers, such as Gym Leaders, Elite Four and Frontier Brains. Rivals are also unlisted, as their signature Pokémon is the starter they picked based on the player's choice.

In the games

Generation I

Due to the sheer number of games that these trainers appeared in, as well as the anime's influence seeping into Pokémon Yellow and the Stadium series, some of these trainers have had numerous Pokémon which could qualify as their signature.

• Koga's strongest Pokémon has changed from game to game. In Red and Blue, it was Weezing; in Yellow, it was Venomoth; and when he returned as an Elite Four member in Gold and Silver, it was Crobat. On the other hand, the Pokémon which has appeared on his team most consistently, Muk, has never been the highest level member of his team.
• Even more puzzling is Blaine, whose strongest Pokémon has rotated between Rapidash, Arcanine and Magmar depending on the game. Black 2 and White 2 split the difference by putting all three on his World Tournament team.

Trainer Pokémon Brock Onix Misty Starmie Lt. Surge Raichu Erika Gloom family Sabrina Alakazam Giovanni Rhydon

Generation II

Trainer Pokémon Falkner Pidgeotto

Generation III

Trainer Pokémon Roxanne Nosepass

Generation IV

Trainer Pokémon Roark Cranidos

Generation V

Trainer Pokémon Cilan Pansage Chili Pansear Cress Panpour

Generation VI

Trainer Pokémon Viola Vivillon

Side games

Colosseum and XD

Trainer Pokémon Miror B. Ludicolo

In the anime

In most instances, any trainer who appears in both the games and anime will have the same signature Pokémon in each. In fact, while some Gym Leaders will have different Pokémon in their parties in the anime than in the games, the signature Pokémon is usually preserved in this adaptation, particularly in later seasons.

However, there are some notable exceptions:

• Since Ash started with Pikachu, it became his signature Pokémon, rather than the Kanto starters which a player would be expected to use as their signature Pokémon.
• Misty left her signature Starmie at the Cerulean Gym for the majority of the original series. By this point she had already caught Togepi, which would become the Pokémon most commonly associated with her in the anime.
• Brock carried his Onix with him throughout the original series, but gave it to his little brother prior to his rejoining the main cast for the Advanced Generation series. In the Diamond & Pearl series, Croagunk arguably took its place as his new signature Pokémon.
• Gary, despite having a powerful starter Pokémon like his game counterpart, was usually featured with his Umbreon. This was likely to match Ash and his Pikachu, as well as to keep his choice of starter secret until the end of the original series.
• Giovanni is rarely seen battling, and thus the only time his signature Rhydon appears is when he loans it to Jessie. Instead, he is never seen without his Persian.
• Iris, despite having a signature Haxorus in the games, only has a Axew in the anime. It is not her first or strongest Pokémon, and it has not yet evolved.

A number of other characters have signature Pokémon in the anime who either had none in the games or do not appear in the games at all:

• Since Professor Oak captured his Rotom, it has appeared every time that the Professor has.
• The Nurse Joys have had several, differing by nation: Chansey in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh, Audino in Unova, and Wigglytuff in Kalos.