Larry is a serious, brooding man who works for Paldea's Pokémon League under Geeta, who assigned him the roles of both a Gym Leader and Elite Four member. He also works as a businessman on top of his Pokémon League duties. He is often unmotivated, and becomes unsettlingly still whenever he is lost in thought, much to the worry of people nearby.[1]
He uses Normal-type Pokémon at his Gym because he feels they reflect his ordinary image. In addition to the Gym Badge, Larry gives out TM025 (Facade) when defeated. During the Champion Assessment, he is the third Elite Four member to be faced and uses a team of Flying-type Pokémon per Geeta's request, much to his dismay.
Outside of his Pokémon League duties, he is known for his fixation with food, and regularly visits the Treasure Eatery of Medali, which also serves as the arena for his Gym battles.
Larry was introduced as a Supporter card in the Pokémon Trading Card Game during the English Scarlet & Violet Series (the Japanese Scarlet & Violet Era). It was first released in the Japanese Raging Surf subset and the English Paradox Rift expansion, with artwork by Akira Komayama. A Full Artultra rare version with artwork by the same artist was released in the same sets. It allows players to flip a coin and search their deck for up to 2 Pokémon of any kind if they flip heads, or 1 Basic Pokémon if they flip tails.
Trivia
Larry's Japanese Gym Leader title is 非凡サラリーマン.
As both a Gym Leader and an Elite Four member, Larry is the first character in the games to fill two different positions in the same Pokémon League simultaneously.
Larry's specialization in Flying types is hinted at by the cloud patterns on his tie and his ace Pokémon as a Gym Leader being part Flying-type.
Him specializing in both Normal and Flying types is likely a reference to how the Normal/Flying type combination is the most common type combination amongst dual-type Pokémon.
Larry is the only Paldean Gym Leader to:
Terastallize a Pokémon already of his type specialization.
Terastallize more than one Pokémon.
Battle inside a building instead of outdoors.
Names
Language
Name
Origin
Japanese
アオキ Aoki
From 青木 aoki (spotted laurel), and possibly from 気 ki “air”, alluding to his dual status as a flying-type user.
English
Larry
From spotted laurel and salaryman. The name Larry is also a diminutive form of Laurence, which comes from laurus (Latin for laurel).
German
Aoki
Transcription of his Japanese name
Spanish
Laureano
From laurel moteado (spotted laurel)
French
Okuba
From Aucuba (genus which contains the spotted laurel)
Italian
Ubaldo
From Aucuba (genus which contains the spotted laurel)
