Nessa

Nessa ルリナ Rurina
"The raging wave!"
Artwork from Sword and Shield
Gender	Female
Eye color	Blue
Hair color	Blue
Hometown	Hulbury
Region	Galar
Relatives	Unnamed mother and father
Trainer class	Gym Leader
Generation	VIII
Games	Sword and Shield
Leader of	Hulbury Stadium
Badge	Water Badge
Specializes in	Water types
Game animation debut	Letter
English voice actor	Anairis Quinones
Japanese voice actor	Sora Amamiya

Nessa (Japanese: ルリナ Rurina) is the Gym Leader of Hulbury's Gym, known officially as Hulbury Stadium. She specializes in Water-type Pokémon. She gives the Water Badge to Trainers who defeat her.

In the games

This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.

Nessa is the second Gym Leader Galar Trainers face in their Gym Challenge. Nessa's interest in Water-type may have been influenced by her parents who were a fisher and worked at marketplace. Eventually she became the Gym Leader of Hulbury Gym and a model. She also became close friends with Sonia during the Gym Challenge, often giving her fresh seafood the town has whenever she visits. She claims to be rival of Milo the Turffield Gym Leader, but the latter only sees himself as his own rival. Nessa is known to be a very popular gym Leader and model. Many people believe she acts differently depending on her role. She is known to be calm and collected, while hiding her competitive spirit and indomitable will. Given her personality and modeling career, fans were concerned with how Nessa would react to her loss against the player in the first round of the Champion Cup. Though she still gave the fans a perfect smile, things were not as peaceful within the Gym.

League Cards

This is a transcript of the back of Nessa's League Cards in Pokémon Sword and Shield.

Normal League Card

"Her father is a fisher, and her mother works in the marketplace. Perhaps because of her parents, she grew up playing with Water-type Pokémon and eventually made it all the way to being a Gym Leader. She met Sonia during their Gym Challenge, and they continue to be close friends. Nessa often gives Sonia fresh seafood from Hulbury. She has declared that Milo of Turffield is her rival, but Milo responded by saying that his rival is himself."

Rare League Card

"Nessa is incredibly popular, both as a Gym Leader and as a model. Many people even think the Gym Leader Nessa and the model Nessa are two different people, since she shows a completely different attitude in each role. She had the misfortune of being defeated in the first match of the Finals, and those who knew of her indomitable nature worried that this would impact her work as a model. Despite her loss, she was still able to give her fans a perfect smile. Things were not nearly as peaceful with her Gym, however... "

Pokémon

Nessa keeps her Pokémon in Dive Balls.

Pokémon Sword and Shield

Gym battle

Nessa will Dynamax her Drednaw at the first opportunity.

Gym Leader Nessa Hulbury Stadium Sword and Shield Reward: $3,840

Type: Water Unknown Ability: Swift Swim Held item: None Goldeen♀ Lv.22 Water Pulse Water Special   --       Whirlpool Water Special   --       Horn Attack Normal Physical   --       Agility Psychic Status   --       Type: Water Unknown Ability: Swift Swim Held item: None Arrokuda♀ Lv.23 Aqua Jet Water Physical   --       Bite Dark Physical   --       Whirlpool Water Special   --       Fury Attack Normal Physical   --       Types: Water Rock Ability: Swift Swim Held item: None Drednaw♂ Lv.24 Dynamax Razor Shell Water Physical   --       Water Gun Water Special   --       Bite Dark Physical   --       Headbutt Normal Physical   --

Second battle

Nessa will Gigantamax her Drednaw at the first opportunity.

Gym Leader Nessa Wyndon Stadium Sword and Shield Reward: $8,480

Types: Bug Water Ability: Emergency Exit Held item: None Golisopod♂ Lv.51 First Impression Bug Physical   --       Liquidation Water Physical   --       Swords Dance Normal Status   --       Shadow Claw Ghost Physical   --       Types: Water Flying Ability: Drizzle Held item: None Pelipper♂ Lv.51 Roost Flying Status   --       Air Slash Flying Special   --       Water Pulse Water Special   --       Tailwind Flying Status   --       Type: Water Unknown Ability: Swift Swim Held item: None Barraskewda♀ Lv.52 Liquidation Water Physical   --       Throat Chop Dark Physical   --       Ice Fang Ice Physical   --       Drill Run Ground Physical   --       Type: Water Unknown Ability: Swift Swim Held item: None Seaking♀ Lv.52 Smart Strike Steel Physical   --       Megahorn Bug Physical   --       Aqua Ring Water Status   --       Waterfall Water Physical   --       Types: Water Rock Ability: Shell Armor Held item: None Drednaw♀ Lv.53 Liquidation Water Physical   --       Jaw Lock Dark Physical   --       Rock Tomb Rock Physical   --       Crunch Dark Physical   --

Max Raid Battle partner

Nessa teams up with the player, Hop, and Piers to face a Dynamax Gyarados in a Max Raid Battle.

Gym Leader Nessa Hulbury Stadium Sword and Shield Reward: N/A
Types: Water Rock Ability: Shell Armor Held item: None Drednaw♂ Lv.62 Liquidation Water Physical   --       Jaw Lock Dark Physical   --       Body Slam Normal Physical   --       Rock Tomb Rock Physical   --

Champion tournament

Nessa will Gigantamax her Drednaw at the first opportunity.

Gym Leader Nessa Wyndon Stadium Sword and Shield Reward: $9,920

Types: Bug Water Ability: Emergency Exit Held item: None Golisopod♂ Lv.60 First Impression Bug Physical   --       Liquidation Water Physical   --       Swords Dance Normal Status   --       Shadow Claw Ghost Physical   --       Types: Water Flying Ability: Drizzle Held item: None Pelipper♂ Lv.60 Roost Flying Status   --       Hurricane Flying Special   --       Water Pulse Water Special   --       Tailwind Flying Status   --       Types: Water Ground Ability: Damp Held item: None Quagsire♂ Lv.61 Earthquake Ground Physical   --       Scald Water Special   --       Ice Punch Ice Physical   --       Toxic Poison Status   --       Types: Poison Water Ability: Merciless Held item: None Toxapex♂ Lv.61 Baneful Bunker Poison Status   --       Recover Normal Status   --       Venoshock Poison Special   --       Liquidation Water Physical   --       Types: Water Rock Ability: Shell Armor Held item: None Drednaw♀ Lv.62 Liquidation Water Physical   --       Jaw Lock Dark Physical   --       Rock Tomb Rock Physical   --       Crunch Dark Physical   --

Quotes

This article is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this article to add missing information and complete it.

---

Hulbury

"You must be a Gym Challenger, right?"

(Regardless of player's choice): "You're one of the ones endorsed by Leon, right?"

"You've become something of a hot topic among the Gym Leaders."

"Here you go, Mr. Famous. I already heard about you, so you should learn about me, too."

"Let's head to the stadium. I love fishing, but I love Pokémon battles even more and I'm itching for a battle with you!"

Hulbury Stadium

"Welcome, honored Gym Challenger!"

"I think you already realize, but I'm Nessa. Sorry to have made you look for me."

"I don't doubt my humble mission's difficulty... Yet you cleared it. Your mind as a Pokémon Trainer must be quite refined."

"No matter what kind of plan your refined mind may be plotting, my partner and I will be sure to sink it."

• Upon sending out last Pokémon

"Looks like I'm down to one last Pokémon. I've been saving the best for last!"

• Upon using Dynamax

"Flood the stadium and make it our ocean! Drednaw, time to Dynamax!"

• Upon being defeated

"I may proudly be the strongest member of this Gym, but I was totally washed away!"

• After being defeated

"How...? How can this be?!"

"*sigh* Now that I've battled you, I think I understand."

"Continue to seize victories in the Gym Challenge with your Pokémon."

"You have an incredible spirit that may even be strong enough to challenge the Champion."

"You'll want to challenge the Fire Gym Leader next. As you and your Pokémon are now, he'll definitely want to battle you."

Wyndon Stadium

"I can tell you've grown far stronger since you faced me in Hulbury Stadium."

"I've got to hand it to our undefeated Champion. He's got a proper eye for talent, too."

"But you're not the Champion, and you'll never become the Champion, either."

"Do you know why? Because I, Nessa, am going to defeat both you and Leon!"

"I'm not going to underestimate you again."

"I'll use Dynamax to wash you out to sea and beyond the horizon!"

• Upon sending out first Pokémon

"Sonia might be disappointed, but I'm going to wash your team away!"

• Upon sending out last Pokémon

"Looks like I'm down to one last Pokémon. I've been saving the best for last!"

• Upon using Dynamax

"Flood the stadium and make it our ocean! Drednaw, time to Gigantamax!"

• Upon being defeated

"You had no problem handling our surging might. It's no wonder that you won."

• After being defeated

"You and your Pokémon are just too much..."

"Even with my Dynamaxed partner, you weathered our waves and stood firm."

"Now that I think about it, Sonia was saying something about how amazing you were."

"I wish I'd paid more attention to what she was talking about."

"I bet everyone in Galar's got their eyes on you now."

"You defeated my team, so now you've got to ride that current all the way to the end!"

Wyndon Stadium (rematch)

"I'm sure you remember, but I'm Nessa."

"And I'm not here to chat. I'm here to win!"

• Upon being defeated

"I don't get it. What do I gotta do to beat you, huh?"

• After being defeated

"I have my best team, and we train and we train... But then you're always just one step ahead."

"Maybe that's why I can't stop thinking about you."

Artwork

Artwork of Nessa from Pokémon: Twilight Wings

League Cards

Nessa's League Card in Sword and Shield	Nessa's rare League Card in Sword and Shield

In the anime

Nessa in Pokémon: Twilight Wings

Young Nessa in Pokémon: Twilight Wings

In Pokémon: Twilight Wings

Nessa made a cameo appearance in Letter. She reappeared in another cameo in Buddy, where she was seen in the water alongside a Qwilfish.

Nessa appeared more prominently in Early-Evening Waves, where she suffered a defeat in the Champion Cup at the hands of Milo. Afterwards, she was approached by Chairman Rose, who implied the loss happened because she was distracted by her simultaneous modeling career. This agitated her, and she vented her frustrations to Sonia. Later, during a photo shoot, Nessa was reunited with a Feebas she had met as a child, which was now a Milotic. Afterwards, she decided to disregard Rose's words and continue being both a Gym Leader and a model.

She reappeared in Sky, giving her thoughts about the Champion Leon in an interview.

Character

During the time she had been defeated in battle, Nessa felt very concerned about juggling between her dual careers as a Gym Leader and a model. This conflict was amplified by Chairman Rose's implication that her modeling career was distracting her from her Gym Leader duties. She also has a great friendship with Sonia.

Pokémon

This listing is of Nessa's known Pokémon in Pokémon: Twilight Wings:

On hand

Chewtle → Drednaw

Nessa's Chewtle

Nessa's Drednaw

Debut	Early-Evening Waves

Drednaw was seen being defeated by Milo's Dynamax Eldegoss during Nessa's Champion Cup battle against him.

Drednaw's only known move is Crunch*.

Befriended

Feebas → Milotic

Feebas

Milotic

Debut	Early-Evening Waves

As a child, Nessa encountered a Feebas, and encouraged it to grow bigger. She also requested if she could ride on it once it evolved. Years later, Feebas returned as a Milotic, who fulfilled the request from earlier and let Nessa ride on it. This encounter prompted her to move forward with her goal to be both a Gym Leader and a model at the same time.

None of Milotic's moves are known.

In the manga

Nessa in Pokémon Adventures

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Nessa debuted in PASS03. She, along with various other Gym Leaders, was first seen reacting to the news that Leon had endorsed two Trainers for the Gym Challenge.

Later, Nessa faced Sōdo in a Gym battle at Hulbury Stadium.

Pokémon

Toxapex

Debut	Sword & Shield chapter

Toxapex is Nessa's first known Pokémon. It was first seen participating in a photo shoot with Nessa. Later, it was used in a battle against Sōdo's Sutikkun. Though it poisoned its opponent with Baneful Bunker, Toxapex was defeated when its body was heated up by Sutikkun's Sunny Day, leaving it wide open for Sutikkun's next attack.

Toxapex's only known move is Baneful Bunker.

Drednaw ↔ Gigantamax Drednaw

Debut	Sword & Shield chapter

Drednaw is Nessa's second known Pokémon. Nessa used it in her Gym battle against Sōdo. It is housed in a Dive Ball.

None of Drednaw's moves are known*.
As a Gigantamax Drednaw, it can use Max Strike and G-Max Stonesurge.

Trivia

• Nessa's uniform number is "049", which can be read in Japanese as goroawase for 泳ぐ oyogu, meaning "to swim".
• In Nessa's Gym battle and as a partner in a Max Raid Battle, she uses a male Drednaw. However, in her tournament battle and all future rematches, she uses a female Drednaw.
• Nessa bears a resemblance to Aqua Admin Shelly (specifically, her design from Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire), as both have long, black hair with blue-dyed accents; tanned skin; and blue eyes. They also wear outfits with blue color schemes and specialize in Water-type Pokémon.
• Nessa's rivalry with Milo, especially with Hulbury and Turffield's real world inspirations could be based on the rivalry between Lancashire and Yorkshire since the Wars of the Roses.

Names

Language	Name	Origin
Japanese	ルリナ Rurina	From 瑠璃苦菜 ruri-nigana (cupid's dart)
English	Nessa	From ness, an Old English word for a headland the piece of land that projects from a coastline into the sea. Also from Loch Ness.
German	Kate	From Catananche caerulea (cupid's dart)
French	Donna	From cupidone bleue (cupid's dart)
Italian	Azzurra	From cupidone azzurro (cupid's dart)
Spanish	Cathy	From Catananche caerulea (cupid's dart)
Korean	야청 Yacheong	From 야청 yacheong (dark blue)
Chinese (Mandarin)	露璃娜 Lùlínà	Transliteration of her Japanese name. Contains 露 lù (dew) and 璃 lí from 玻璃菊 bōlijú (cupid's dart).
Chinese (Cantonese)	露璃娜 Louhlèihnàh	Transliteration of her Japanese name. Contains 露 louh (dew) and 璃 lèih from 玻璃菊 bōlēigūk (cupid's dart).
Brazilian Portuguese	Vanessa	From her English name
Russian	Несса Nessa	Transcription of her English name

Related articles

Gym Leaders of the Galar region
Turffield Stadium Milo	Hulbury Stadium Nessa	Motostoke Stadium Kabu	Stow-on-Side Stadium Bea Allister
Ballonlea Stadium Opal Bede	Circhester Stadium Gordie Melony	Spikemuth Gym Piers Marnie	Hammerlocke Stadium Raihan

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.