Ethan (game)

From Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia.
Revision as of 02:56, 21 March 2012 by Reign (talk | contribs) (→‎Trivia: Red has both Ash and Richie.)
Jump to navigationJump to search
Hibiki redirects here. For the character of the day in Beauty and the Breeder, see Zane.
Ethan
ヒビキ Hibiki
HeartGold SoulSilver Ethan.png
Art from HeartGold and SoulSilver
Gender Male
Hometown New Bark Town
Region Johto
Relatives Mom (as player)
Grandparents, unnamed father (as NPC)
Trainer class Pokémon Trainer, Player character
Generation II, IV
Games Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver
Anime counterpart Jimmy,
Ethan (M13)
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, 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. He had no official name in Generation II, but was unofficially known by fans as Gold (Japanese: 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 on Route 30. 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 spots another boy his age watching Elm's Lab from outside. When Ethan tries to talk to him, the boy abruptly shoves him away. This boy, Silver, will become Ethan's rival, analogous 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, Ethan learns his name from his 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 also encourages him to compete in the Johto League.

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 Pokémon 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 Pokémon League Champion, Ethan then journeys by ship from Olivine City to Vermilion City in Kanto. Traveling around that region, he battles against another 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, deep in Mt. Silver's cave, he faces the Champion from Pallet Town, Pokémon Trainer Red, who had been training there since shortly after he became Pokémon League Champion three years prior.

When not selected as the player character

In Pokémon Crystal, if Kris is selected, then the male player character 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 Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, if Lyra is selected to be the player character, Ethan meets her in New Bark Town at the start of the game. In this particular scene, he is seen with a Marill. He will always have Marill even if another starter Pokémon is selected. In addition, he doesn't appear to take the remaining starter Pokémon. His role in the storyline of HeartGold and SoulSilver is similar to that of Lucas/Dawn in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum if they are not chosen as the player character, while Lyra takes this place if he is selected as the player. He teaches the player how to catch Pokémon on Route 29 (replacing the Dude from Gold, Silver, and Crystal).

While playing as Lyra, his grandparents run the Pokémon Day Care on Route 34. He also gives the player the Fashion Case in Goldenrod Tunnel and the Vs. Recorder on Route 31. Naturally, this role is given to Lyra if he is the player character.


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.



Caught in tutorial

Spr 4h 019 m.png
Type:
Normal Unknown
Ability:
Unknown
Held item:
None
Rattata Lv.2
Tail Whip
Normal Status
  --  
   
  --  
   
  --  
   


Artwork

Gold Silver Ethan.png Crystal Ethan.png Gold Silver Ethan running.png Gold Silver Ethan Pokégear.png
Artwork from
Gold and Silver
Artwork from
Crystal
Running Checking his Pokégear
Gold Silver Ethan Time Capsule.png Game Freak Whitney Ethan.jpg Ruins of Alph.jpg Pokémon Gallery Encounter with Shining.png
Approaching a Time Capsule Artwork from the Game Freak website. In front of the Ruins of Alph. Encounter with a Shining Pokémon

Sprites

File:GS Ethan.png File:C Ethan.png GSC Ethan Back.png EthanGSCwalkdown.png File:HGSS Ethan.png HGSS Ethan Back.png EthanChallenge.png
Ethan's sprite from
Gold and Silver
Ethan's sprite from
Crystal
Ethan's backsprite from
Gold, Silver, and Crystal
Ethan's overworld
sprite from
Gold, Silver, and Crystal
Ethan's sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Ethan's backsprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Ethan's VS sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
EthanHGSSwalkdown.png EthanTRHGSSwalkdown.png File:HGSS Ethan Pokéathlon Jersey.png EthanAthUnusedHGSSwalkdown.png Ethan walking.png Ethan opening.png Spr EthanHGSSstart.png
Ethan's overworld sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Ethan's overworld sprite, when disguised as a Team Rocket Grunt from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Ethan's Pokéathlon
sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Ethan's unused overworld Pokéathlon sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Ethan's sprite from
the opening of
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Ethan's VS sprite from
the opening of
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Ethan's starting sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver


Optional names for Ethan

Counterparts

Jimmy from the special episode The Legend of Thunder seems to be based on Ethan in the most basic sense, much more than Ash was based off of his counterpart, Red. However, as with the other game player characters, Ethan and Jimmy are not interchangeable.

Other counterparts of Ethan include Gold from the Pokémon Adventures manga, Gold from the Golden Boys manga and Kinnosuke from the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga.

Ethan has a cameo appearance at the beginning of Zoroark: Master of Illusions, in a battle against Ash. This counterpart follows Ethan's design from Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, and is actually identified as "Hibiki" (Ethan's Japanese name) in the Japanese DVD of the movie.

Pokémon

This is a listing of Ethan's known Pokémon in the anime:

Donphan
Ethan's Donphan

Ethan used Donphan in a battle against Ash at the beginning of the thirteenth movie. During the battle, it fought against Pikachu. It was not shown who won the battle.

Donphan's only known move is Rollout.

Names

Language Name Origin
Japanese ヒビキ Hibiki From 響き hibiki, "sound" or "echo".
English Ethan Biblically, Ethan/Eitan is believed to be the author of Psalm 89 and/or a harp or cymbal player in King David’s court.
French Luth From luth, lute.
German Klarin From Klarinette, clarinet.
Italian Armonio From armonia, harmony, or armonio, harmonium.
Spanish Eco From eco, echo.
Korean 심향 Simhyang From 심 (心) sim, heart, and 響 (향) hyang, echo.


Trivia

  • Ethan is the only male player character who does not wear long pants, instead opting for shorts in Gold and Silver and knickerbockers in HeartGold and SoulSilver.
  • Ethan is the only male player character to have two different female counterparts.
  • 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.
  • A 1997 pamphlet describing Gold and Silver mentions that the protagonist has a brother three years his senior, and seems to imply the possibility of that brother being the first-generation protagonist. However, this aspect of his character was discarded by the time of the final release, as Red's mother still lives in Pallet Town.
  • Ethan is 4'11" (1.50 m) tall and weighs 88.2 lbs (40 kg).


Poké Ball battle V.png Capture tutors Poké Ball battle V.png
Old manPrimoProfessor OakDudeEthan/LyraWallyLucas/DawnProfessor Juniper
BiancaCalem/SerenaProfessor KukuiLeonProfessor LaventonNemona


Player characters
Core series RedLeafEthanKrisLyraBrendanMayLucasDawn
HilbertHildaNateRosaCalemSerenaElioSelene
ChaseElaineVictorGloriaReiAkariFlorianJuliana
Side series WesMichaelNateCyndy
Spin-off games MarkMintTodd SnapLucy Fleetfoot
LunickSolanaKellynKateBenSummer
HeroHeroineTim GoodmanScottieBettie
Non-player characters in the core series games
Johto Professor ElmProfessor OakMomEthanLyraSilverMr. PokémonEusineLanceRedKiyoBaobaMagnusEarlKurtCarrieDude
MaryBuenaRadio DirectorHaircut brothersWebsterMasterLiWilmaPrimoMaximoJetCaitlinCynthiaCameronMr. GameFelicityTeala
Team RocketGym guideGym LeadersFrontier BrainsKimono GirlsWeek SiblingsName RaterPoké SeerDay-Care CoupleProfessor's aides


Project CharacterDex logo.png 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.