May (Japanese: ハルカ Haruka) serves as the rival in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, should the player choose to play as the male character. She is also the female choice in the games, but May is never among the default names for the character.
The Generation III games deviated from the tradition of naming characters as their respective game names, such as Red in the Generation I and Generation II games. As such, May's counterparts include May from the anime and Sapphire in the Pokémon Adventures manga.
In the games
Story
May starts her journey moving from her home in Johto to her new home in the town of Littleroot in Hoenn. After saving Prof. Birch from a wild Pokémon, she is given one of the three starters of the Hoenn region. May develops a close bond with Brendan, and eventually Wally, who both act as her rivals. May goes on to gather the eight badges of Hoenn, stop the plans of Team Aqua and Team Magma and conquer the Pokémon League all before going off to face the Battle Frontier.
She is given a much bigger role than Red or Gold due to the fact that she has to save the world itself rather than a region.
Pokémon
In the games she appears in, May battles with the following Pokémon. Unlike other rivals (excluding Brendan), May never evolves her starter Pokémon into its final form.
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
First battle
If the player chose Treecko:
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Reward: $300
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If the player chose Torchic:
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Reward: $300
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If the player chose Mudkip:
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Reward: $300
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Second battle (on Route 110)
If the player chose Torchic:
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Reward: $1200
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If the player chose Mudkip:
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Reward: $1200
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If the player chose Treecko:
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Reward: $1200
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If the player chose Torchic:
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Reward: $1860
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If the player chose Mudkip:
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Reward: $1860
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If the player chose Treecko:
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Reward: $1860
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If the player chose Torchic:
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Reward: $2040
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If the player chose Treecko:
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Reward: $2040
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If the player chose Mudkip:
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Reward: $2040
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Pokémon Emerald
If the player chose Treecko:
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Reward: $300
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If the player chose Torchic:
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Reward: $300
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If the player chose Mudkip:
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Reward: $300
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Second battle (Optionally in Rustboro City)
If the player chose Treecko:
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Reward: $900
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If the player chose Torchic:
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Reward: $900
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If the player chose Mudkip:
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Reward: $900
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If the player chose Treecko:
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Reward: $1350
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If the player chose Torchic:
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Reward: $1350
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If the player chose Mudkip:
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Reward: $1350
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Fourth battle (on Route 119)
If the player chose Torchic:
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Reward: $2400
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If the player chose Treecko:
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Reward: $2400
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If the player chose Mudkip:
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Reward: $2400
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If the player chose Torchic:
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Reward: $2740
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If the player chose Treecko:
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Reward: $2740
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If the player chose Mudkip:
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Reward: $2740
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Other names for May
The default names for May as the female playable character in the games are as follows:
Language |
Ruby |
Sapphire |
Emerald
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English
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- Allie
- Aubree
- Bella
- Camila
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- Lianna
- Lillie
- Lucy
- Monica
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- Nadine
- Nicola
- Ruthie
- Sara
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Japanese
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- ムツミ Mutsumi
- アイコ Aiko
- マキコ Makiko
- キョウコ Kyōko
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- ナミ Nami
- アイコ Aiko
- マキコ Makiko
- キョウコ Kyōko
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- アイコ Aiko
- アヤナ Ayana
- アン Ann
- エミィ Emy
- カオリ Kaori
- カレン Karen
- キョウコ Kyōko
- サエ Sae
- スイ Sui
- ジュリ Juri
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- チエミ Chiemi
- チヨコ Chiyoko
- テルコ Teruko
- ナナエ Nanae
- ヒナ Hina
- マキコ Makiko
- ミサコ Misako
- ムツミ Mutsumi
- モニカ Monica
- ユウメ Yūme
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German
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- Martina
- Tanja
- Andrea
- Sara
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- Andrea
- Beate
- Carolin
- Claudia
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- Jasmin
- Katrin
- Kerstin
- Martina
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- Meike
- Mirjam
- Nadine
- Petra
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Spanish
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- Teresa
- Raquel
- Mariau
- Sara
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- Marina
- Raquel
- Mariau
- Sara
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French
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- Solène
- Agnès
- Claire
- Sophie
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- Marine
- Agnès
- Claire
- Sophie
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- Janyce
- Maeva
- Sophie
- Roxane
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- Claire
- Cynthia
- Agnès
- Pauline
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- Ariane
- Nadine
- Monica
- Maud
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Italian
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Counterparts
In the anime
In the anime, a character based on May was Ash's traveling companion throughout the Advanced Generation series.
In the manga
Her counterpart in the Pokémon Adventures manga is Sapphire.
A counterpart to May, Sapphire, appears in the Pokémon Ruby-Sapphire manga. Just like May's anime counterpart, she is a Coordinator who chooses Torchic as her starter Pokémon.
Although they do not look alike, she has the same Japanese default name as Haruka from the Pokémon Chamo-Chamo ☆ Pretty ♪ manga series. Likewise, Haruka is a Coordinator who also chooses Torchic as her starter Pokémon, just like May's anime counterpart.
Quotes
Match Call
Strategy -
I'm not so good at battles.
Trainer's Pokémon -
I'll use any Pokémon!
Self-Introduction -
My Pokémon and I help my father's research.
Trivia
- May is the only female rival in the games.
- When May returned in the anime in Our Cup Runneth Over!, her outfit was the one worn by her game counterpart in Pokémon Emerald.
- Both Brendan's and May's Emerald artwork feature them holding a Premier Ball.
- Curiously, Dawn's and Lucas's Platinum artwork feature them holding a Repeat Ball, causing this situation to happen with two player characters in the third version of two consecutive generations.
- As the player, May or her male counterpart Brendan are native to the Johto region.
- As the player character (along with Brendan), they are the only set of player characters that have both a mother and a father present in the games. As a rival, this trait is shared with Barry.
- As the rival, May, along with Brendan, are the only rivals to wear any sort of headgear.
- They are also the only rivals that the player cannot name, except for Wally (not including Ronald).
Language
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Name
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Origin
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Japanese
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ハルカ Haruka
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From 春花 haruka, spring flower. May also be taken as 遼 haruka, far away, in relation to her father, Senri (千里), 1000 li.
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English
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May
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Could be a reference to her Japanese name, as May is a month in spring.
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French
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Flora
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Similar to Fleur, which means "flower".
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German
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Maike
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From Mai, which means "May".
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Italian
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Vera
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From primavera, which means "spring".
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Spanish
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Aura
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Korean
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봄이 Bom'i
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봄 means "spring"
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Chinese (all versions)
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小遥 Xiǎo Yáo
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From 遥 haruka, far away.
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