Gym guide
The gym caretaker is a character in the main series Pokémon games. The title actually belongs to at least four characters, each corresponding to a different region. In each case, the caretaker is usually found at the front of a Pokémon Gym, ready to offer tactical advice to novice Trainers. He can often be sarcastic in nature.
Some gyms are unique, in that their caretaker seemingly roams outside its walls. The Celadon Gym caretaker is not seen in his gym, and appears instead at the Rocket Game Corner, where he plays the slot machines. Similarly, the Cianwood Gym caretaker is found in the city's Pokémon Center instead of the gym. The Petalburg Gym caretaker will vanish after the player has defeated his or her father, and, in Generation II only, the Cinnabar Gym caretaker will arrive after Blaine has been defeated.
No official name has been released for the gym caretaker. This has given rise to the fan-designated name "Jim Gai"—a pun on "gym guy".
Quotes
Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow
"Hiya! I can tell you have what it takes to become a Pokémon champ! I'm no trainer, but I can tell you how to win! Let me take you to the top!"
"Just as I thought! You're Pokémon champ material!"
"Yo! Champ in making! Here's my advice! The Leader, Misty, is a pro who uses water Pokémon! You can drain all their water with plant Pokémon! Or, zap them with electricity!"
"You beat Misty! What'd I tell ya? You and me kid, we make a pretty darn good team!"
"Yo! Champ in making! Lt.Surge has a nickname. People refer to him as the Lightning American! He's an expert on electric Pokémon! Birds and water Pokémon are at risk! Beware of paralysis too! Lt.Surge is very cautious! You'll have to break a code to get to him!"
"Whew! That match was electric!"
"Hey! You have better things to do, champ in making! Celadon Gym's Leader is Erika! She uses grass-type Pokémon! She might appear docile, but don't be fooled!"
"Yo! Champ in making! Sabrina's Pokémon use psychic power instead of force! Fighting Pokémon are weak against psychic Pokémon! They get creamed before they can even aim a punch!"
"Psychic power, huh? If I had that, I'd make a bundle at the slots!"
"Yo! Champ in making! The hot-headed Blaine is a fire Pokémon pro! Douse his spirits with water! You better take some Burn Heals!"
"<player>! You beat that fire brand!"
"Yo! Champ in making! Even I don't know Viridian Leader's identity! This will be the toughest of all the Gym Leaders! I heard that the trainers here like ground-type Pokémon!"
"Blow me away! Giovanni was the Gym Leader here?"
"Yo! Champ in making! At Pokémon League, you have to face the Elite Four in succession. If you lose, you have to start all over again! This is it! Go for it!"
Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal
"Hey! I'm no trainer but I can give some advice! Believe me! If you believe, a championship dream can come true. You believe? Then listen. The grass-type is weak against the flying-type. Keep this in mind."
"Nice battle! Keep it up, and you'll be the champ in no time at all!"
"Yo, challenger! Bugsy's young, but his knowledge of bug Pokémon is for real. It's going to be tough without my advice. Let's see... Bug Pokémon don't like fire. Flying-type moves are super-effective too. Well done! That was a great clash of talented young trainers."
"With people like you, the future of Pokémon is bright!"
"Yo! Champ in making! This Gym is home to normal-type Pokémon trainers. I recommend you use fighting-type Pokémon."
"You won? Great! I was busy admiring the ladies here."
"The trainers here have secret motives. If you win, they may tell you some deep secrets about Ecruteak."
"Whew, <player>. You did great! I was cowering in the corner out of pure terror!"
"Jasmine, the Gym Leader, is at the Lighthouse. She's been tending to a sick Pokémon. A strong trainer has to be compassionate. Jasmine uses the newly discovered steel-type. I don't know very much about it."
"That was awesome. The steel-type, huh? That was a close encounter of an unknown kind!"
"Pryce is a veteran who has trained Pokémon for some 50 years. He's said to be good at freezing opponents with ice-type moves. That means you should melt him with your burning ambition!"
"Pryce is something, but you're something else! That was a hot battle that bridged the generation gap!"
"Yo! Champ in making! It's been a long journey, but we are almost done! Count on me! Clair uses the mythical and sacred dragon-type Pokémon. You can't damage them very easily. But you know, they're supposed to be weak against ice-type moves."
"You were great to beat Clair! All that's left is the Pokémon League challenge. You're on the way to becoming the Pokémon Champion!"
"Yo! Champ in making! You lucked out this time. Lt.Surge is very cautious. He has traps set all over the Gym. But--he-heh--the traps aren't active right now. You'll have no problem getting to Lt.Surge."
"Whew! That was an electrifying bout! It sure made me nervous."
"Yo, Champ in making! A trainer as skilled as you doesn't need to be told how to deal with psychic-type Pokémon , right? I expect great things from you! Good luck!"
"That was another fantastic battle!"
"Yo! Champ in making! Since Misty was away, I went out for some fun too. He-he-he."
"Hoo, you showed me how tough you are. As always, that was one heck of a great battle!"
"Yo, Champ in making! Whoops! Take a good look around you. The trainers all look like the Leader, Janine. Which of them is the real Janine?"
"That was a great battle, trainer from Johto!"
"Yo! Champ in making! You're really rocking. Are you battling the Gym Leaders of Kanto? They're strong and dedicated people, just like Johto's Gym Leaders."
"Yo! Champ in making! That Gym didn't give you much trouble. The way you took charge was really inspiring. I mean that seriously."
"Yo! ... Huh? It's over already? Sorry, dude! Cinnabar Gym was gone, so I didn't know where to find you. But, hey, you're plenty strong even without my advice. I knew you'd win!"
"A Pokémon Gym can be anywhere as long as the Gym Leader is there. They're no need for a building."
"Yo, Champ in making! How's it going? Looks like you're on a roll. The Gym Leader is a guy who battled the Champion three years ago. He's no pushover. Give it everything you've got!"
"Man, you are truly tough... That was a heck of an inspirational battle. It brought tears to my eyes."
Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald
Note: In Pokémon Emerald, 'WALLACE' is replaced by 'JUAN'. Also, 'TRAINER's CARD', which is not in fact possessive, is corrected to 'TRAINER CARD'.
"Whoa! What a breathtaking victory! My cheering must've worked! Great! Check your TRAINER CARD. The STONE BADGE you got should be properly recorded on it. In other words... You've climbed the first step on the stairs to the CHAMPIONSHIP! That's got to feel awesome!"
"Whoah! It's turned too bright in here! Your future is bright, too!"
"Whoa, you're electrifying! You've powered the door open!"
"Yow! That was a scorching hot battle!"
"Hey, how's it going, CHAMPION-bound <player>? The doors in this GYM open when you beat the awaiting TRAINERS. Whoops! The doors in this room are already open, so don't attack me! The TRAINERS of PETALBURG GYM use all kinds of items. The door at the left leads to the SPEED ROOM. The door at the right leads to the ACCURACY ROOM. The room's name will be on the door, so choose carefully. Once you've chosen the door... Well, hey, go for it!"
"<player>! Woah! You've overcome even your own father! Like, whoa! What a stunning turn of events!"
"Yo, how's it going, CHAMPION-bound <player>? FORTREE GYM LEADER WINONA is a master of FLYING-type POKéMON. She's waiting at the back of this GYM, behind the rotating doors. She's waiting for new challengers who are trying to take wing! Okay, go for it!"
"You did it! You've achieved liftoff!"
"Yo, how's it going, CHAMPION-bound <player>? The GYM LEADERS here use PSYCHIC-type POKéMON. If you go up against them with FIGHTING-type or POISON-type POKéMON, they'll inflict horrible damage! Plus, they'll come at you with outstanding combination attacks. If you want to win, you'll need to show them how tight you are with your POKéMON. Go for it!"
"Wow, you're astounding! You're one great TRAINER!"
"Yo! How's it going, CHAMPION-bound <player>? SOOTOPOLIS's GYM LEADER WALLACE is a master of WATER-type POKéMON. And, to get to WALLACE, an icy floor will hamper your progress... Listen, I'm sorry, but that's all the advice that I have for you. The rest of the way, you have to go for it yourself!"
"Yow! You've beaten even WALLACE, who was supposedly the best in all HOENN! Okay! Check out your TRAINER's CARD. If you've gotten all the BADGES, you're set for the POKéMON LEAGUE challenge!"
Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
"Howdy! How's it going, Champ-to-be? That's what I said to a really impatient boy earlier, too. The Gym Leader is a user of Rock-type Pokémon. Well, listen. Rock-type Pokémon really hate water, all right? They're also weak to Grass-type moves. Gee, they sure have weaknesses! But don't think it will be easy. You don't get to be a Gym Leader without covering for weaknesses. Going after a Rock-type Pokémon with a Fire-type Pokémon won't be easy, either. That's all the advice I can give. Thanks for listening!"
"Oh! <player>! You've taken care of the Gym Leader! So, did my advice come in handy or what? If my advice was useful, it'd be great if you'd become my fan!"
"Hey, there! How's it going, Champ-to-be? Actually, that's what I said to some boy who zipped in here earlier, too! The Gym Leader, Gardenia, is a user of Grass-type Pokémon. It should be obvious, but Grass-type Pokémon really hate fire. They're also at a huge disadvantage against the Flying type, too. Oh, wait a second. I should tell you about the Gym itself first. You can't challenge the Gym Leader until you beat all the Gym's Trainers. It's a bit challenging, but just think of it as good training and go for it!"
"Oh! <player>! You've beaten the Gym Leader! Your Pokémon look much tougher than when they went in, too! At least that's how I see it!"
"Hey, there! How's it going, Champ-to-be? This Gym is some kind of wicked! What's wicked about it? I'll tell you! First, it's pitch-black! Oh, no worries, though! I have a flashlight right for you. Also, there are the usual Gym Trainers. They have flashlights, too. If you cast a light on one, or they catch you in the light, the battle's on! OK, now this is really important! It's about the tiles on the floor. First, find the one blue tile in the room, and memorize the mark on it. Next, head for the red door with the same mark on it. Advance through the correct red doors to reach the Gym Leader. If you choose a wrong red door, you get sent back here, though. That's how this place is. Go get 'em, Champ-to-be!"
"Oh! <player>! You've beaten the Gym Leader! There seems to be no end to how tough you are getting! At least that's how I see it! ...You do realize I say that to everyone, right?"
"Hey, there! How's it going, Champ-to-be? The Gym Leader is a user of Fighting-type Pokémon. She'd be a terror against Normal-type Pokémon. But! And it's a big but! Just between you and me... Maylene, the Gym Leader, said Flying- and Psychic-type Pokémon could be real trouble for her! If you want to battle her, smack the punching bags along the rails. You have to hit those bags hard!"
"Oh! <player>! You've beaten the Gym Leader! Of course, I thought you'd win."
"The Gym Leader Wake... Uh, I mean Crasher Wake, is a master of Water-type Pokémon. I'd say you've got guts if you try to face down Water types with Fire- or Ground-type Pokémon! But that part I'll leave up to you! Go and have some good battles!"
"Oh! <player>! You've beaten the Gym Leader! So, how was it? Did you enjoy your battle against Wake... I mean Crasher Wake? Sure, winning is important, but don't forget to have fun, too! I think Wake... I mean Crasher Wake, showed you what I mean by fun."
"Hey, there! Champ-to-be! The Gym Leader here uses Steel-type Pokémon. Steel-type Pokémon have high Defense, so you'd have to hit them hard!"
"Oh! <player>! You've beaten the Gym Leader! Good going! That makes it six Gym Badges! I tell you what, you're really turning into one fine Trainer. If you were to say you're going to try to become the Pokméon Champ... No one'd laugh at you now! I'm in your corner, kiddo!"
"Hey, there! How's it going, Champ-to-be? Do you see the big snowballs placed here and there? You need to slide on the ice with enough momentum to crush them. The Gym Leader is a user of Ice-type Pokémon. Melt her defenses with scorching-hot Fire-type moves! It's all about focus with this Gym! Bear down and focus!"
"Oh! <player>! You've beaten the Gym Leader! You were more focused than her, and your Pokémon picked up on it!"
"Hey, there! How's it going, Champ-to-be? Let me check out your Trainer Case. Let's see how many Badges you have. One, two, three... Woah! Wow! You've already got seven! That means if you can beat this Gym Leader, you're on your way to the Pokémon League next. That also means this is the last time I get to give you advice. This is it, kiddo! Listen carefully... one last time! The Gym Leader here is a master of Electric-type Pokémon! That's all I have to say! The rest is up to you!"
Trivia
- All of the caretakers before Generation IV were known for saying, "Yo! Champ-in-the-making!"
- In HeartGold & SoulSilver, in Kanto (having beaten the Elite Four) he refers to the player as "Legend in the making!"
- The character only appears in the games, having not so much as a cameo in the anime or manga.
- The Kanto Caretaker seems to be the same as the Johto Caretaker in Gold, Silver, and Crystal as referenced in the Pewter Gym when the Caretaker there seems to recognize the character.
Professor Oak • Mom (Kanto) • Mom (LGPE) • Red • Blue • Green • Trace • Daisy • Old man • Bill • Celio • Mr. Fuji • Safari Zone Warden • Copycat • Primo • Koichi
Pokémon Fan Club Chairman • Erik and Sara • Teala • Mina • Cal • Steven Stone • Maylene • Cameron • Mr. Game • Morimoto
Team Rocket • Gym guide • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • Professor's aides • Magikarp salesman • Name Rater • Day-Care Person • Mr. Hyper
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
Professor Birch • Mom • May • Brendan • Wally • Wanda • Steven Stone • Wallace • Scott • Mr. Briney • Mr. Stone • Gabby and Ty • Lanette
Brigette • Professor Cozmo • Pokémon Fan Club Chairman • Rydel • Winstrate family • Captain Stern • Trick Master • Treasure Hunter • Dock
Apprentice • Pokémon Center Ladies • Old guys • Mr. Bonding • Teala • Aarune • Lisia • Zinnia • Looker • Inver • Chaz • Fossil Maniac • Kiri • Memory Girl
Team Aqua • Team Magma • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • Frontier Brains • Battle Chatelaines • Gym guide • Name Rater • Day-Care Couple • Stats judge
Professor Rowan • Professor Oak • Johanna • Barry • Lucas • Dawn • Cynthia • Looker • Stat Trainers (Cheryl • Riley • Mira • Buck • Marley)
Bebe • Teala • Felicity • Roseanne • Rad Rickshaw • Eldritch • Wilma • Jasmine • Caitlin • Julia • Jordan • Dexter • Keira • Mr. Backlot • Morimoto
Underground Man • Mr. Goods • Mr. Fuego • Pokétch Co. President • Dr. Footstep • Pokémon Fan Club Chairman • Helena • Ketch Appy
Team Galactic • Gym guide • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • Frontier Brains • Name Rater • Day-Care Couple • Professor's assistants • Stats judge
