Ethan (game)

Hibiki redirects here. For the character of the day in Beauty and the Breeder, see Zane.

This article is about the male protagonist whose default name is クリス in the Japanese version of Pokémon Crystal. For the female player character in Pokémon Crystal with the same Japanese name, see Kris (game).

This article is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this article to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Quotes (as NPC)

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Ethan ヒビキ Hibiki
Art from HeartGold and SoulSilver
Gender	Male
Eye color	Gray
Hair color	Black
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, Gold, Gold, Jō, Takashi

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 Mom in New Bark Town. In Generation II, he had no official name, and he was unofficially known by many 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 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 as well as opponents in Viridian City's Trainer House).

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.

PKMN Trainer Ethan Route 29 HeartGold and SoulSilver Reward: N/A
Type: Water Unknown Ability: Unknown Held item: None Marill♂ Lv.5 Tackle Normal Physical   --       Defense Curl Normal Status   --       Curse Unknown Status   --       Curse Unknown Status   --

Caught in tutorial

	Type: Normal Unknown Ability: Run Away or Guts Held item: None
Rattata♂/♀ Lv.2
Tail Whip Normal Status   --       Curse Unknown Status   --       Curse Unknown Status   --       Curse Unknown Status   --

Artwork

Official artwork from Gold and Silver	Official artwork from Crystal	Running	Checking his Pokégear	Approaching a Time Capsule
Artwork from the Game Freak website	In front of the Ruins of Alph	Encountering a Shiny Pokémon	In the Sinjoh Ruins	Walking with Pokémon

Sprites

Sprite from Gold and Silver	Sprite from Crystal	Sprite from Generation IV	Intro sprite from Generation IV	Pokéathlon sprite from Generation IV	Backsprite from Generation II	Backsprite from Generation IV
Overworld sprite from Generation II	Overworld sprite from Generation IV	Overworld sprite, when disguised as a Team Rocket Grunt from Generation IV	Overworld Pokéathlon sprite from Generation IV	VS sprite from Generation IV	Sprite from the opening of HeartGold and SoulSilver	VS sprite from the opening of HeartGold and SoulSilver

Optional names

Game	Japanese	English	French	German	Italian	Spanish	Korean
Gold	ゴールド Gold ヒロキ Hiroki テツオ Tetsuo タカシ Takashi	Gold Hiro Taylor Karl	Gold Julien Jean Jacques	Gold Daniel Fritz Karl	Oro Paolo Diego Carlo	Oro Hiro Tomás Carlos	골드 Gold 수호 Suho 인철 Incheol 강산 Gangsan
Silver	シルバー Silver カモン Kamon トオル Tōru マサオ Masao	Silver Kamon Oscar Max	Silver Daniel Pierre Paul	Silber Thomas Oscar Hans	Argento Luca Paolo Max	Plata Kamon Óscar Max	실버 Silver 청운 Cheong'un 지겸 Jigyeom 찬호 Chanho
Crystal	クリス Chris ヨウスケ Yōsuke タケヒロ Takehiro タカオ Takao	Chris Mat Allan Jon	Chris Benji Nicolas Jean	Chris Arnold Gert Jon	Chris Sergio Giacomo Manuele	Cris Antonio Álex Emilio
HeartGold SoulSilver	ハート HeartHG ソウル SoulSS サトシ Satoshi ケン Ken カケル Kakeru ジャック Jack ジャン Jean ジョン John カモン Kamon タカシ Takashi テツオ Tetsuo トオル Tōru ヒロキ Hiroki マサオ Masao タカオ Takao タケヒロ Takehiro トウゴ Tōgo ヒトシ Hitoshi ヨシナオ Yoshinao	HeartHG SoulSS Ash Nic Dion Duncan Jude Ross ShaeHG / SheaSS Darrell Terell Chris Brad Dwight Talon Lonny Jess Eric Chase	Heart Soul Dilan Gurvan Gabriel Allane Zack Marc Loris Max Damien Tom Greg Kamel Franck Ralph Seb Daniel Thomas	HeartHG SoulSS Karsten Gerd Hans Jack Jan John Daniel Helge Uhland Tobit Ugo Berno Jon Rafik Boris Thomas Silvio	HeartHG SoulSS Ash Nico Elmo Mattia Silvano Rossano Kamon Karl Gabry Oscar Dino Daniel Manuele Ralph Lucio Paolo Marco	HeartHG SoulSS Ash Llamin Casio Job Chechu Juande Javi Ral Marino Toilo Nahum Max Morel Ralph Russ Erminio Quinn	하트 HeartHG 소울 SoulSS 지우 Jiu 캔 Ken 호진 Hojin 상우 Sang'u 쟝 Jyang 재범 Jaebeom 청운 Cheong'un 강산 Gangsan 인철 Incheol 지겸 Jigyeom 숙호 Sukho 찬호 Chanho 지훈 Jihun 윤호 Yunho 케이 Kay 다인 Dain 상현 Sanghyeon

Counterparts

In the anime

Main article: Jimmy (Johto)

Jimmy, Ethan's first anime counterpart

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 on his counterpart, Red. Jimmy follows Ethan's design from Pokémon Gold and Silver. However, as with the other game player characters, Ethan and Jimmy are not interchangeable.

Ethan's second counterpart has a cameo appearance at the beginning of Zoroark: Master of Illusions, in a battle against Ash. This counterpart follows Ethan's updated design from Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. It is argued that this is Jimmy rather than a different counterpart but this counterpart is 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

Debut	Zoroark: Master of Illusions

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.

In the manga

Ethan, like most player characters, also has several counterparts in the various Pokémon manga series.

In Pokémon Adventures manga

Main article: Gold (Adventures)

Gold from the Pokémon Adventures is based on Ethan.

In Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys manga

Main article: Gold (Golden Boys)

The main character, Gold, in Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys manga is based on Ethan.

In the Pocket Monsters HeartGold & SoulSilver Go! Go! Pokéathlon manga

Main article: Takashi

Takashi from Pocket Monsters HeartGold & SoulSilver Go! Go! Pokéathlon is based on Ethan.

In the Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure manga

Main article: Jō

Jō from Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure is based on Ethan.

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga

Main article: Gold (Pocket Monsters)

Gold from the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga is based on Ethan.

Trivia

Ken Sugimori's design for the anime.

• The Gold and Silver artwork was originally presented in the Official Guidebook of Nintendo Space World '97 (Japanese: NINTENDOスペースワールド'97オフィシャルガイドブック), along with Silver, Oak, Schoolboy, Lass, Firebreather, Kimono Girl, Fisher, Ho-Oh, Slowking, Ampharos, Donphan, and the new Pokédex.
• Ethan is 4'11" (1.50 m) tall and weighs 88.2 lbs (40 kg) in HeartGold and SoulSilver.
• Kris and Lyra are both Ethan's female counterparts. This makes Ethan the only male player character to have this trait.
• 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.
• On the "Area" map on the Pokédex in HeartGold and SoulSilver, Ethan's headshot sprite shows his hat from Gold and Silver. An earlier, unused version of this sprite is also found within other scrapped Pokégear graphics data, in which Kris appears instead of Lyra.

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 향 (響) hyang, echo.

Capture tutors Old man • Primo • Professor Oak • Dude • Ethan/Lyra • Wally • Lucas/Dawn • Professor Juniper Bianca • Calem/Serena • Professor Kukui • Leon • Professor Laventon • Nemona

Player characters
Core series Red • Leaf • Ethan • Kris • Lyra • Brendan • May • Lucas • Dawn Hilbert • Hilda • Nate • Rosa • Calem • Serena • Elio • Selene Chase • Elaine • Victor • Gloria • Rei • Akari • Florian • Juliana Side series Wes • Michael • Nate • Cyndy Spin-off games Mark • Mint • Todd Snap • Lucy Fleetfoot Lunick • Solana • Kellyn • Kate • Ben • Summer Hero • Heroine • Tim Goodman • Scottie • Bettie

Non-player characters in the core series games

Johto 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 See also: Kanto 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 Hoenn 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 Sevii Celio • Bill • Lostelle • Lorelei • Selphy • Teala Team Rocket • Day-Care Couple Sinnoh 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 Unova Professor Juniper • Mom (BW) • Mom (B2W2) • Cheren • Bianca • Bianca's father • Hugh • Hugh's sister • Cedric Juniper • Fennel • Amanita Cilan • Chili • Cress • Lenora • Hawes • Loblolly • Charles • Iris • Drayden • Alder • Benga • Curtis • Yancy • Brycen • Sabrina • Pop Roxie Hilbert • Hilda • Nate • Rosa • Ingo • Emmet • Cynthia • Looker • N • Colress • Morimoto • Nishino • Pokémon Fan Club Chairman Team Plasma • Clyde • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • PWT participants • Name Rater • Day-Care Couple • Judge • Magikarp salesman Kalos Professor Sycamore • Grace • Calem • Serena • Shauna • Tierno • Trevor • Alexa • Cassius • Inver • Sina • Dexio • Gurkinn Bonnie • Diantha • AZ • Looker • Emma • Mr. Bonding • Phil the Photo Guy • Memory Girl • Pokémon Fan Club Chairman Team Flare • Gym guide • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • Battle Chatelaines • Name Rater • Day-Care Couple • Judge Alola Professor Kukui • Mom • Lillie • Nebby • Hau • Rotom • Professor Burnet • Molayne • Samson Oak • Ryuki • Mohn Red • Blue • Wally • Cynthia • Grimsley • Colress • Sina • Dexio • Looker • Anabel • Necrozma • Morimoto • Iwao Team Skull • Aether Foundation • Ultra Recon Squad • Team Rainbow Rocket Trial Captains • Island kahunas • Elite Four • Name Rater • Judge • Mr. Hyper • Gester Galar Professor Magnolia • Mum • Hop • Bede • Marnie • Sonia • Leon Sordward • Shielbert • Mustard • Klara • Avery • Honey • Hyde • Peony • Peonia • Calyrex • Ball Guy Watt Traders • Ingredients Sellers • Digging Duo • Camping King Team Yell • Macro Cosmos • Dan • Gym Leaders • Morimoto • Cara Liss • Jack Hisui Cogita • Arceus • Choy • Anthe • Miss Fortunes (Charm • Clover • Coin) • Vessa Galaxy Team • Diamond Clan • Pearl Clan • Ginkgo Guild Paldea Professor Sada • Professor Turo • Mom • Nemona • Koraidon • Miraidon • Geeta • Arven • Penny • Heath Clavell • Jacq • Dendra • Miriam • Raifort • Saguaro • Salvatore • Tyme • Harrington Carmine • Kieran • Briar • Cyrano • Terapagos • Billy and O'Nare Team Star • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • Pokémon League representatives Kitakami Carmine • Kieran • Briar • Caretaker • Yukito and Hideko • Ogerpon • Pecharunt • Perrin • Billy and O'Nare Koraidon • Miraidon • Jacq • Nemona • Arven • Penny • Terapagos • Professor Sada • Professor Turo Blueberry Cyrano • Briar • Carmine • Kieran • Koraidon • Miraidon • Geeta • Rika • Clavell • Perrin • Snacksworth • Synclaire BB Elite Four • Special Coaches • Guidance counselors

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.