Ethan (game)
| Ethan ヒビキ Hibiki | |
 Art from HeartGold and SoulSilver | |
| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Hometown | New Bark Town |
| Region | Johto |
| Relatives | Mom (as player) Daycare Couple (as NPC) |
| Trainer class | Pokémon Trainer, Player character |
| Generation | II, IV |
| Games | Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver |
| Anime 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 and 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. In Generation II, he was known 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. 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 meets another boy his age watching Elm's Lab from outside. When he tries to talk to him, the boy abruptly shoves him away. The boy, Silver, will become Ethan's rival, analagous 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, he learns his name due to a 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 encourages him to compete in the Johto League.
From there 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 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 League Champion, Ethan then takes a short trip on a ship, the S.S. Aqua, from Olivine City to Vermilion City in Kanto. Journeying across that region, he battles against its own 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 he faces the legendary trainer Red deep in Mt. Silver's cave, who had been training there since shortly after he became League Champion three years prior.
When not selected as the player character
In Pokémon Crystal, HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions, there is a choice between two player characters. If Kris, Ethan's female counterpart in Crystal is selected as the player, then Ethan 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 the fourth generation games, Ethan will appear in a number of cameo roles as a non-player character when the player opts to use Lyra. In this capacity he will teach the player how to catch Pokémon; it is later revealed that his grandparents are the Day Care couple who live on Route 34. Naturally, when the roles are reversed and Ethan is the player character, this role is given to Lyra.
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.
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Artwork
Artwork from the Pokémon Gold and Silver manual and player's guide:
- Gold1.png
Ethan holds his backpack.
- Crystal Gold.png
Artwork from Pokémon Crystal.
- Hiro2.png
Ethan running.
- Gold3.png
Ethan checks his PokéGear.
- Gold4.png
Ethan approaches a Time Capsule.
Sprites:
| File:GS Gold.png | File:Gold crystal.png | File:GS Gold Back.png | 
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File:HibikiChallenge.png | File:HGSS Gold Back.png | File:HGSS Hibiki Pokéthlon Jersey.png |
| Ethan's sprite from Gold and Silver |
Ethan's sprite from Crystal |
Ethan's backsprite from Generation II |
Ethan's sprite from HeartGold and SoulSilver |
Ethan's Challenge sprite from HeartGold and SoulSilver |
Ethan's backsprite from HeartGold and SoulSilver |
Ethan's Pokéathlon sprite from HeartGold and SoulSilver |
Optional names for Ethan
| Language | Gold | Silver | Crystal | HeartGold/SoulSilver |
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Counterparts
Jimmy from the special episode The Legend of Thunder, seems to be based off of Ethan in the most basic sense, much more than Ash was based off his counterpart, Red. However, like Ash and Red aren't interchangeable, neither are Jimmy and Ethan, nor Marina and Kris or anime Lyra and game Lyra.
Other counterparts of Ethan include Gold from Pokémon Adventures manga, Gold from Golden Boys manga and Kinnosuke from Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga.
Names
| Language | Name | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ヒビキ Hibiki | From 響き hibiki, "echo". |
| English | Ethan | Possibly derived from "echo". |
Trivia
- Ethan is the only male player character who does not wear long pants, instead opting for shorts.
- Ethan is the only male player character to have two different female counterparts.
- 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.
- Ethan's sprite in HeartGold and SoulSilver is positioned the same as Lucas's in Platinum.
| Player characters | ||||||
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Professor Elm • Professor Oak • Mom • Ethan • Lyra • Silver • Mr. Pokémon • Eusine • Lance • Red • Kiyo • Baoba • Magnus • Earl • Kurt • Carrie • Dude
Mary • Buena • Radio Director • Haircut brothers • Webster • Master • Li • Wilma • Primo • Maximo • Jet • Caitlin • Cynthia • Cameron • Mr. Game • Felicity • Teala
Team Rocket • Gym guide • Gym Leaders • Frontier Brains • Kimono Girls • Week Siblings • Name Rater • Poké Seer • Day-Care Couple • Professor's aides
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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. |
