Hugh is the player's childhood friend. He is described as feeling passionately for Pokémon battles and Pokémon strength. He is also a doting older brother to his sister; he hates Team Plasma because they stole a Purrloin his late grandfather had caught for his sister. He battles with and against the player many times throughout the game.
"Hi, <player>! Hey! You get a Pokémon yet? There aren't any Pokémon Trainers around here, and I'm getting bored!"
"What's that? ... A person named Bianca is giving you a Pokémon? Really?!"
"Yeah..."
"OK! Let's go get your Pokémon! There's something I have to do! And to do that, I need someone I can trust besides my partner Pokémon. A person I can trust! That's right! I'm talking about you! You seem like you've got good instincts!"
"You head on home."
"All riiight! Let's go find that person named Bianca!"
"Let's go!"
When walking
"Still... You're really lucky to get a Pokémon!"
"Once you get a Pokémon, you leave on a journey right away. When you do that, I'm gonna have you help me out!"
"Hurry up already! Let's look for that Bianca person!"
Outside Trainers' School
"The Trainers' School was just finished! No one is allowed inside until a Teacher, or better said, a Gym Leader, starts working there"
Outside Pokémon Center
"Wait! I was just in the Pokémon Center, and there wasn't anyone like that there."
Outside Aspertia Gate
"That goes to Route 19. If we don't find Bianca here in town, I'll go check for you! 'Cause I already have a Pokémon!"
At outlook
"Oh, I get it! The outlook is Aspertia's most famous spot! I'll bet Bianca is up there looking at the scenery! C'mon! Go get your Pokémon already!"
Attempting to leave outlook
"Listen, there's no way I got this wrong!"
"See! Bianca was here, right? Now c'mon! Go and get your Pokémon!"
After meeting Bianca
"Heeey! How long are you planning on keeping me waiting, anyway? Hey! What's that?"
"So that's your partner, huh? That's great! My sister already said so, but take really, really good care of your Pokémon! Got it? What's that you're holding there?"
"Please give me a Pokédex, too! I want to get stronger! If I have a Pokédex, I can learn more about Pokémon... That'll make me tougher, right?"
"I'm Hugh! I'm going to travel the Unova region with my Pokémon partner in order to search for something very important!"
Before battle
"Let's see how good a Trainer you are! I'll use my <Pokémon> that I raised from an Egg!"
After first move
"I won't forget the pain you just put my partner through!"
When defeated
"I couldn't achieve victory for my partner... I won't let myself forget this frustration!"
After being defeated
"I lost... This is different than battling with wild Pokémon! Well, whatever. I'm just happy to know you're a Trainer I can count on!"
"You didn't do anything. Not to me, at least... But I can never forgive Pokémon thieves like you! Just to let you know... You're about to feel my rage!"
"<player>! Cover me!"
After the grunts are defeated and leave
"Five years ago... Team Plasma stole my little sister's Purrloin. It had been given to her as a present. I was only a little kid... I couldn't do anything... So... So that's why I have to get stronger!" (walks up to you) "Good work! I knew you had good instincts! Well then..." (he heals your party) "Listen up! You fill up that Pokédex. Keep getting stronger and stronger, and back me up! I'll be counting on you from here on out, too!"
"You guys are all Team Plasma too, right? Tell me, what makes you different from the Team Plasma back there?!"
"I'm Hugh. From Aspertia City... Five years ago, Team Plasma--I mean you--stole my little sister's Pokémon. I'm the pathetic trainer who wasn't able to stop you. "Separated"? What a joke! YOU were the thieves who STOLE them!"
"Just an apology? That's it?! Where's my sister's Pokémon?! Purrloin! WHERE'S PURRLOIN?"
"Enough already! Apologizing isn't going to get my sister's Pokémon back! <player>! I'm going to the Pokémon Gym! I'll get stronger and crush every single member of Team Plasma!"
"Not with me around, you won't! Thanks for removing the barrier! That was a big help!W2"
After they are defeated
"I'm not going to lose to Team Plasma! By the way, what is this place? That Pokémon... It's so icy... Could that be the source of the attack on Opelucid City?"
"That should be obvious! I'll do whatever it takes to get my sister's Pokémon back! Are YOU the one who stole a Purrloin in Aspertia five years ago?"
"That's the ONLY Purrloin in the world that my late grandpa caught for my little sister!"
"You're already here, huh? Anyone who tries to block us will go running away with their tail between their legs!"
"You're all alone now... So, which one of us are you gonna tackle?"
"Oh, yeah... I remember you. Being ex-Team Plasma is really rough, eh?"
"Well, I suppose... If we don't crush Team Plasma, then guys like you and that N guy will always be treated like villains. OK! I'm outta here, <player>!"
In the Crater Forest
"Come here. Wait a sec. He said he wants to talk to them so his old allies won't get hurt."
"Well, that didn't work. Hey!" (all the Team Plasma members turn to him) "Let me through!"
"I'm going to get a stolen Pokémon back! I'm not gonna listen to villains like you! Rood! Ex-Team Plasma! Why do you have Pokémon by your sides? To protect what's important to you, right? Even if your precious Pokémon are hurt, even if your ideals are damaged, the time to fight is NOW!"
"<player>! As usual, take the other one!"
After defeating the grunts
(to Rood) "Thanks..." (to you) "I'm passing through! Oh, it looks like their backup has arrived."
"Got it! If I rescue it, that helps you absolve your guilt, doesn't it? Guess I'll help you out!"
Upon entering the Shadow Triad's room
"Wait... You're one of the Shadow Triad, right? Tell me about the Purrloin that was stolen in Aspertia."
"Wh-what? Don't mess with me... That's someone else's Pokémon!"
After the Shadow Triad are defeated
"... ... Hey... <player>... If we let Team Plasma do whatever we want... There'll be more sad Pokémon like Purrloin and Kyurem..."
After Ghetsis is defeated
"Team Plasma's ship flew away... Is it over?"'
No: "I suppose... You have to be the one who decides when it's over."
Yes: "I see... So it's finally over."
"More importantly, you rescued Kyurem from Team Plasma, right? You're really something! I'm...gonna make sure Purrloin gets back to my little sister! Still can't take it out of the Poké Ball yet, though..."
"What are you gonna do? ... ... He said to go to the Pokémon League? That's a good idea! I mean, now you're the strongest in Unova, right? Go prove it! Do you remember where we first met up in the Giant Chasm? If you follow the path from there, it goes out onto Route 23. Victory Road and the Pokémon League are just past there!
"Wait up!" (catches up to you) "I'll battle with you before you take on the Pokémon League. The more Pokémon battles you have, the stronger you get, right?"
During battle (the first non-KO HP loss)
"I saw that move coming from miles away!"
Upon being defeated
"...Phew! You're really something!
"<player>! Thanks to you, I accomplished what I set out to do during my journey! I wish I could've shown you my little sister's huge smile! This is my thanks!" (gives you TM24) "I think you're really amazing! So become the Champion! Get the proof that you're a Trainer your Pokémon can be proud of! See you!"
In the manga
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
Hugh as a child in Pokémon Adventures
Hugh first appears in Aspertia City as a child, getting a Pidove, a Tynamo and a Purrloin from his grandfather, an Artist. From the three Pokémon, Hugh decides to give the Purrloin as a birthday gift for his sister. Because it refuses to listen to him, Hugh is forced to wrap the Purrloin itself rather than wrap its Poké Ball.
Later, he gives the Purrloin to his sister, which listens to her. When he tries to train his Trapinch with her Purrloin, they are attacked by two Team Plasma Grunts. Though he tries to defend, Hugh is easily defeated and his sister's Purrloin is stolen by the escaping Grunts. Angered, Hugh swears revenge on Team Plasma.
Purrloin is a Pokémon Hugh got for his sister's birthday. Although it wouldn't listen to him, the Purrloin listened to his sister perfectly. Later, it was stolen by Team Plasma, fueling Hugh's hatred for the group.
During the Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 playthrough on the April 15, 2012 episode of Pokémon Smash!, they chose the name "Hihihiroshi" for Hugh. The name was initially a backstage in-joke originating from when the Smash! cast was passing time by practicing singing Can You Name All the Pokémon? BW.[1] Following the Japanese naming conventions of the Klink family, it was determined that Hihihiroshi was the final evolved form of Hiroshi Yamamoto.
In Challenge Mode, it is possible for his team to level down, with his starter and elemental monkey being Level 45 and 43 respectively when battled in Undella Town, but both two levels lower when battling alongside the player in Lacunosa Town.
A Team Plasma Grunt claims Hugh has a Qwilfish-like hairstyle.