Lance (anime)
| Lance ワタル Wataru | |
 Art from Pokémon Journeys: The Series | |
| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Eye color | Brown |
| Hair color | Carmine |
| Hometown | Unknown |
| Region | Kanto |
| Trainer class | Elite Four, Champion, Pokémon Trainer |
| Game counterpart | Lance |
| Champion of | Indigo League |
| Specializes in | Dragon types |
| Anime debut | Talkin' 'Bout an Evolution |
| English voice actor | Wayne Grayson |
| Japanese voice actor | Susumu Chiba |
Lance (Japanese: ワタル Wataru) is the Champion of the Indigo Elite Four and Johto League. He is also a member of the Pokémon G-Men detective organization.
In Pokémon Journeys: The Series, Lance becomes one of the top eight Pokémon Trainers in the world within the World Coronation Series.
In the anime
History
Pre-series
As revealed by Clair in Beauty is Skin Deep, Lance had previously trained for several months at the Blackthorn Gym in order to perfect his experience with Dragon Pokémon. This created a friendship between Lance and Clair, with both Trainers having learned a lot from each other.
Lance would later end up winning the Pokémon League, and would go on to win the Elite Four Cup as well, becoming the Champion and earning enormous respect among Trainers in the region. During this time, he joined the organization known as the Pokémon G-Men, with the aim of investigating illegal actions involving Pokémon.
The Legend of Thunder!
Lance made a cameo in Marina's fantasy in The Legend of Thunder!. Marina revealed that her goal as a Trainer is to one day be able to battle alongside Lance as a partner. She also has a notebook with several photos of Lance's deeds and actions that she showed to Jimmy.
Original series
Lance later physically debuted in Talkin' 'Bout an Evolution, where he was sent to investigate Team Rocket's scheme at the Lake of Rage. He met Ash and his friends there, saving the trio from some Team Rocket Grunts. Ash wanted to help Lance in his mission, but Lance said it was too dangerous.
Lance infiltrated Team Rocket's base and stole a Grunt uniform to remain undiscovered. He went on to learn that Team Rocket was trying to investigate the properties of a Red Gyarados so that they could force Pokémon to evolve. Ash and his friends were later captured by Professor Sebastian and Tyson after they tried to intervene in their plans. Lance remained undetected, joining Team Rocket's convoy and helping them transport the Red Gyarados away from the Lake of Rage.
In Rage of Innocence, Lance helped Ash's group escape and defeated the Team Rocket trio with his Dragonite. Lance was then able to destroy Team Rocket's machine and blow up their laboratory. Lance also battled Tyson and defeated his two Fearow. Meanwhile, Ash was able to calm the Red Gyarados at first, but it continued to go berserk. Finally, Lance used his Dragonite to paralyze Gyarados and he then caught it to keep it from destroying Mahogany Town. Before leaving, Lance promised Ash that he would take care of Gyarados.
Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire
Sometime after the incident at Lake of Rage, Lance became aware of suspicious actions in the Hoenn region. During the climax of Team Magma and Team Aqua's actions in Gaining Groudon, Lance infiltrated Team Magma's submarine and confronted Shelly, who suspected that he wasn't really a Team Magma Grunt. Shortly after the confrontation, Lance was reunited with Ash again, who had been captured by Team Magma after Pikachu absorbed the Blue Orb that controlled Groudon, and sent Gyarados to save Brock, May, and Max, who had been caught in the midst of the destruction caused by Archie's attack on Team Magma's base.
In the next episode, he participated in the final battle against Team Aqua alongside the members of Team Magma, where he soon left the battlefield to join Brock and the others. Lance freed Ash and went in search of a safe place to stay while the two Legendary Pokémon were battling each other. Afterwards, Lance helped stop the battle between Kyogre and Groudon along with Ash, May, and Brock. When Groudon and Kyogre finally calmed down, Lance and Dragonite saved Archie and witnessed the Orbs unite and finally disappear. As each of the Pokémon went its own way, Lance told Ash and the others about the legend of Groudon and Kyogre and the new world that was created after that.
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
In Flash of the Titans!, Lance was revealed to have won the Pokémon World Tournament in Driftveil City, as well as having been strong enough to reach the finals of the World Coronation Series, in which eight of the strongest Trainers from their respective regions gather to compete for the title of Monarch. During the finals at Wyndon Stadium, Lance faced the Galar League Champion Leon. Using his Dynamax Band, he was able to Dynamax his Red Gyarados and pit it against Leon's Charizard, which Leon Gigantamaxed in response. After a fierce battle, Gyarados was defeated, and Lance congratulated his opponent for becoming the Monarch. He also revealed that he had trained at Galar's Dragon-type Gym, and that he had been so impressed by the uniforms he saw there that he had chosen to base his current outfit on them.
In Ultra Exciting from the Shocking Start!, A Battle of Mega Versus Max!, and Battling Turned Up to Eleven!, Lance appeared in a fantasy along with other Trainers participating in the World Coronation Series.
During the reveal of the full Masters Eight roster in Aim For The Eight!, Lance is revealed to be ranked fourth.
In Friends, Rivals, Lend Me Your Spirit!, Lance appeared in a fantasy alongside Cynthia and Steven Stone. Paul used a team based on their aces during his battle with Ash.
In Curtain Up! Fight the Fights!, Lance attended the Masters Eight Tournament of the World Coronation Series, reuniting with Ash and Leon, and meeting Iris, Alain, and the other regional Champions. During the opening ceremony, his first opponent was selected to be Diantha. During Leon and Alain's battle, Lance talked to Steven about his history with Alain. Following the conclusion of the prior match, Lance headed to the battlefield to start his battle with Diantha. During the next episode, despite a strong performance and holding the lead for the majority of the battle, he was defeated by the Kalos Champion, making him the second person to be eliminated from the tournament. Following his loss, he briefly exchanged words with Ash, where he seemed positive despite the result.
In A Flood of Torrential Gains!, Lance watched Ash's match against Leon alongside Dragonite.
Character
Lance cares deeply for his Pokémon, and he regards them as friends. He takes his role as a part of the Pokémon G-Men seriously and maintains his conviction towards keeping the world at peace. Lance often disguises himself to infiltrate evil organizations in order to gain valuable information before leaping into action.
Lance is largely independent but still receives assistance from allies like Officer Jenny. He quickly befriended Ash and his friends in Rage of Innocence, after realizing that they were also concerned for Red Gyarados's safety. He then enlisted their assistance to deal with Team Rocket and the Lake of Rage crisis. Lance was surprised to re-encounter Ash and the others in the Hoenn region and worked with them to disrupt Team Aqua and Team Magma's plans in Gaining Groudon and The Scuffle of Legends.
Lance is a tremendously powerful Trainer. He was even able to hold his own against Leon, the undefeated Champion of Galar and managed to defeat the two Fearow of Tyson, a high-ranking Team Rocket officer, in a battle without much difficulty. His go-to approach in battle is heavy offense with almost no defense. He will even allow an opponent's attack to land if he believes his Pokémon can withstand it, such as when he had Gyarados use Dragon Dance in the face of Leon's Charizard's Flamethrower. He believes strongly in the might and stamina of his Pokémon, stating that they will break down any manner of barrier constructed by their opponents.
Lance is seen to have extensive knowledge of the mythology of legends from other regions, this is seen when he explains to Maxie about the real purposes of the Orbs that Team Magma and Team Aqua managed to capture and later when he told Ash and his friends about the story of the old stories of Groudon and Kyogre when the crisis was finally resolved.
Pokémon
This is a list of Lance's known Pokémon in the anime:
| Debut | The Legend of Thunder! |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | Katsuyuki Konishi (EP235-AG098) |
| English | Katsuyuki Konishi |
- Main article: Lance's Dragonite
In Rage of Innocence, Lance used Dragonite to defeat the Red Gyarados. In The Scuffle of Legends, it helped stop the feuding of Groudon and Kyogre.
| Debut | Talkin' 'Bout an Evolution |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | Unshō Ishizuka (EP235-AG098) |
| English | Unshō Ishizuka (EP235-AG098) |
- Main article: Lance's Gyarados
Talkin' 'Bout an Evolution and Rage Of Innocence focused on a red Gyarados. It was on a destructive rampage until Lance caught it. In Gaining Groudon and The Scuffle of Legends, Gyarados helped stop the feuding of Groudon and Kyogre.
After a long absence, it reappeared in Flash of the Titans!, where it battled Leon and his Charizard, and became the first Pokémon in the anime to Dynamax.
| Debut | Pride of a Champion! |
|---|
Hydreigon is Lance's third known Pokémon. It was used in Lance's Masters Eight Tournament battle against Diantha, managing to take out her Gourgeist before being defeated by Gardevoir.
Hydreigon's known moves are Dark Pulse, Tri Attack, and Flash Cannon.
Achievements
Pokémon League
Lance has competed in the following Pokémon League Conferences:
- Elite Four Cup - Winner (prior to Talkin' 'Bout an Evolution)
- Current Champion of Kanto and Johto (prior to Aim For The Eight!)
World Coronation Series
Lance has competed in the World Coronation Series. His rank and class are as follows:
- Masters Eight Tournament - Runner-Up (Flash of the Titans!)
- Rank: 4 (Master Class; as of Aim For The Eight!)
- Masters Eight Tournament - Top 8 (Pride of a Champion!)
Pokémon competitions
- Pokémon World Tournament - Winner (prior to Flash of the Titans!)
Artwork
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| Artwork from Pokémon Journeys: The Series[1] |
Official artwork from Pokémon Journeys: The Series |
Official artwork from Pokémon Journeys: The Series[2] |
Voice actors
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In the manga
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
Lance appeared in Flash of the Titans!, where he faced Leon in the World Coronation Series finals.
Pokémon
 Gyarados ↔ Dynamax Gyarados
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In the games
Pokémon Mezastar
Lance, in a version based on the anime, appeared in Pokémon Mezastar.[3] In this game, Lance is seen using a Shiny Gyarados, Dragonite, Lapras, and Hydreigon, with Lapras being a Pokémon that he has not been seen using in the anime. In the second Double Chain series set, Lance also appeared as an opponent in an event that recreated the Masters Eight Tournament that ran from October 27 to November 21, 2022. Upon beating the character, the player can receive a Support Pokémon Ticket based on Lance's Gyarados.[4]
Pokémon
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Disks
| Tag No. | Name | Type | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-2-024 | Gyarados |  
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Names
| Language | Name | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ワタル Wataru | From 綿 wata (cotton) and possibly from 海神 "watatsumi" |
| English, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese |
Lance | From lance, a weapon used by knights who fought dragons in legends and fairy tales |
| German | Siegfried | From Siegfried, a legendary hero who slayed a dragon named Fafnir |
| French | Peter | Possibly from petard, a medieval weapon |
| Korean | 목호 Mokho | From 목화 (木花) mokhwa (cotton) |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 阿渡 Ā Dù* | From the Japanese name 渡 Wataru |
| 渡 Dù* | ||
| 小渡 Xiǎo Dù* | ||
| 彌 Mí* | From the Japanese name 彌 Wataru | |
| 華達爾 Huádá'ěr* | Transliteration of his Japanese name. Contains 華 huá, magnificent | |
| Chinese (Cantonese) | 阿渡 A Douh* | From the Japanese name 渡 Wataru |
| Russian | Ленс Lens | Transcription of his English name |
| Thai | วาตารุ Wataru | Transcription of his Japanese name |
| Vietnamese | Wataru | Transcription of his Japanese name |
Trivia
- Lance is the only known member of the Pokémon G-Men organization.
- In his appearances in Pokémon Journeys: The Series, Lance appears wearing his Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver attire. It is based on the uniforms worn by Raihan and the Gym Trainers of Hammerlocke Stadium.
- Despite being introduced as a Champion, in Flash of the Titans!, Lance is referred to as an Elite Four member instead. In Aim For The Eight!, he's referred to as a Champion again, with Curtain Up! Fight the Fights! specifying that he's a new Champion. This implies that Lance lost his Champion title at some point before regaining it during Pokémon Journeys: The Series.
- Lance has disguised himself as a member of a villainous team twice: as a Team Rocket Grunt in Talkin' Bout an Evolution and later as a Team Magma Grunt in Gaining Groudon.
- Lance owning a Hydreigon could be a reference to Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, in which he uses one during the Pokémon World Tournament.
- Lance is the only regional Champion, current or former, whom Ash has met and but not battled.
- Lance is the only participant in the Masters Eight Tournament to represent two leagues, being the Champion of the Indigo Elite Four and Johto League. Additionally, he is the only one to enter with a Shiny Pokémon.
Lance disguised as a Team Rocket Grunt
Lance disguised as a Team Magma Grunt
References
| Pokémon Champions | |
|---|---|
| Core series | Blue • Lance • Red • Steven • Wallace • Cynthia • Alder • Iris • Diantha • Trace • Leon • Mustard • Peony • Nemona • Geeta • Kieran • Drayton • Most player characters |
| Masters EX | Blue • Lance • Red • Steven • Cynthia • Alder • Iris • Diantha • Leon • Scottie • Bettie • Ash • Nemona • Geeta • Calem • Serena • Hop • Marnie • Bede • Leaf • Nate • Rosa • Silver • Cheren • Bianca |
| Other spin-offs |
Ronald (TCG GB) • Mark (TCG GB) • Mint (TCG GB) • Glenn (Pokkén) • Master Rosé (Duel) |
| Animated series | Lance • Cynthia • Wallace • Alder • Diantha • Steven • Ash Ketchum • Leon • Iris • Nemona • Geeta |
| Other animation | Blue (Origins) • Red (Origins) • Calem (Generations) • Celestine (PttP) • Edgar Troy (PttP) • Ava (PttP) |
| Adventures | Professor Oak • Red • Sidney • Phoebe • Glacia • Drake • Steven • Wallace • Cynthia • Alder • Iris • Diantha • Leon • Mustard • Peony • Nemona |
| Other manga | Shigeru (Zensho) • Satoshi (Zensho) • Rald (Battle Frontier) |
| Lance's Pokémon | ||||||
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| Adventures only: | ||||||
| Jō's Big Adventure only: | ||||||
| Trainers in the World Coronation Series | ||||||||
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This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |
