Gary Oak
| Gary Oak オーキド・シゲル Shigeru Okido | |
 Gary in Pokémon Journeys: The Series | |
| Age | 10 (as of debut) |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Eye color | Black*, Dark Viridian* |
| Hair color | Auburn*, Mahogany* |
| Hometown | Pallet Town |
| Region | Kanto |
| Relatives | Professor Oak (grandfather), May Oak (older sister, EToP only) Samson Oak (grandfather's cousin) |
| Trainer class | Researcher; formerly a Trainer |
| Game counterpart | Blue |
| Member of | Project Mew |
| Rank | Chaser |
| Anime debut | Pokémon - I Choose You! |
| English voice actor | Carter Cathcart |
| Japanese voice actor | Yūko Kobayashi |
| Manga counterpart(s) | Blue, Green |
Gary Oak (Japanese: オーキド・シゲル Shigeru Okido) is a recurring character who appeared in the Pokémon anime. He is a Pokémon Researcher from Pallet Town and grandson of Professor Oak. He is a childhood friend of Ash Ketchum and his main rival in the original series. In Pokémon Journeys: The Series, he serves as Goh's rival in Project Mew. His Japanese name is derived from Shigeru Miyamoto.
In the anime
Main series
History
Pre-series
Gary has been a neighbor of Ash Ketchum since they were both young. At one time, they seemed to be friends and went to see movies together, as seen in Lights, Camerupt, Action!.
Shortly before beginning their journeys, Gary and Ash found an old Poké Ball while fishing. The two boys began fighting over who would get to keep the Poké Ball but ended up breaking it in half. Since then, they decided to keep the two separate pieces for themselves. It was revealed in The Ties That Bind that they still carried the pieces with them.
Original series
Gary debuted in Pokémon - I Choose You!, where he went to Professor Oak's Laboratory along with two other Pokémon Trainers before Ash did. After choosing his starter Pokémon, he left Pallet Town with his cheerleaders on a sporty red convertible, refusing to tell Ash which Pokémon he had chosen.
Gary made quick progress through his Pokémon journey, much to Ash's annoyance. He breezed through the Pewter and Cerulean Gyms prior to Showdown in Pewter City and The Water Flowers of Cerulean City. It was also revealed in Challenge of the Samurai that Gary had also defeated Samurai in a battle.
Gary made a brief appearance in Here Comes the Squirtle Squad, where he exited a town store, accidentally knocking Ash out in the process. In Mystery at the Lighthouse, Professor Oak revealed to Ash that Gary had already caught 45 Pokémon, compared to Ash's team of seven. Professor Oak also revealed that Gary's Pokémon included a much larger Krabby than the Krabby that Ash caught that episode.
In Beauty and the Beach, Gary hopped onstage during the Beach Beauty and Pokémon Costume Contest and attempted to insult Ash in front of the gathered crowd.
In Dig Those Diglett!, Gary was one of the Trainers who decided to help out the foreman in getting rid of the Diglett affecting construction at Gaiva Dam. Gary attempted to send out a Pokémon to battle the Diglett, but it did not exit the Poké Ball, and a Diglett returned it to him. He tried to send out his other Pokémon, though they also did not leave their Poké Balls and were returned to him by the Diglett. Realizing that his Pokémon did not want to battle the Diglett, he deemed it pointless to stay and left with his cheerleaders in their convertible.
In Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon, Gary went digging for Fossils in Grampa Canyon. As soon as Gary starts, he finds something he thinks is a Fossil. However, when one of the members of the excavation team takes a closer look, he realizes that it is a Pokémon's dung. Later, when an Aerodactyl gets out of control, Gary is one of those affected by Jigglypuff's song that puts everyone to sleep. At the end of the day, when Officer Jenny decides to close the archaeological site, Gary is suspicious of the excuse given for the presence of the Fossil Pokémon that were out of control.
In Riddle Me This, Gary was on vacation rather than bothering to challenge the local Cinnabar Gym. When Gary is confronted by Ash, he reveals to his rival that there has been no Gym in Cinnabar Island for several years. Later, Gary finds Ash again while Ash's group was looking for a place to stay, trying to humiliate Ash, Gary offers food in exchange for Ash to do what he asks. Soon after, Jigglypuff appears and thinking it's a show, Gary and the cheerleaders end up falling asleep, which makes the Balloon Pokémon angry.
In The Battle of the Badge, he revealed that he had already received ten Badges. He then went to the challenge the Viridian Gym Leader, Giovanni. At first he seemed to be winning, knocking out his Golem and Kingler with his Nidoking and Arcanine, respectively. However, the tide of the battle turned when Giovanni sent out Mewtwo (disguised in armor). Though Gary was allowed to use both his Pokémon against him, Mewtwo made quick work of Gary's team, and he lost the battle. When Ash and his friends later entered the Gym, they found Gary and his cheerleaders lying unconscious on the floor. Once Ash revived him, Gary warned Ash about that Pokémon's power. He asserted that Giovanni's mysterious Pokémon was not only powerful, but also evil—and that no Trainer would ever beat it. Gary then watched Ash battle Team Rocket, who had appeared as the temporary Gym Leaders and invited Ash to challenge them. During the battle, he tackles Meowth to prevent him from using a remote to detonate the platform where Ash stood. He also admits that Ash is a good Trainer after watching his team defeating all the Pokémon that Team Rocket used. Following the battle, Gary flees the collapsing Gym with the others.
In Showdown at the Po-ké Corral, Gary returned to Pallet Town and headed to the lobby of Professor Oak's Laboratory. The grandfather mentioned to both Ash and Gary that they were the top Trainers, noting the other two couldn't compare with their battling skills. Professor Oak then showed Gary's collection of Pokémon to Ash. Although he had seen more Pokémon, Gary had managed to catch a far greater amount. After Team Rocket was defeated, he promised Ash that they would have their battle at the Pokémon League.
In All Fired Up!, Gary met up with Ash in the Pokémon League in Indigo Plateau. He departed the area after claiming he would get Loseritis. The next day, he was seen in the stadium with the other Trainers and Ash. Gary did not stay that long as his opponent, Melissa, defeated his Nidoking using her Golem, which eliminated him from the Pokémon League. Following the loss, he left on another journey.
Gary eventually returned from that journey in A Tent Situation. Much unlike his former self, he congratulated Ash on his victory in the Orange League. Ash challenged him to a battle in the next episode with Pikachu as his choice. Gary in turn used his Eevee. Gary managed to defeat Ash and then left on his journey through Johto.
Ash and his friends encountered Gary on their way to Violet City in Illusion Confusion!. Gary recommended they find themselves a Hoothoot to avoid becoming lost in the particularly disorientating forest before leaving to continue catching more Pokémon.
In Power Play, he battled a Trainer named Alex Davis with his Umbreon, which had evolved from his Eevee prior. Gary was able to defeat Alex and his Alakazam. The battle made Ash want to challenge Gary next, but he refused and walked off. Ash sent out his other Pokémon to battle Umbreon, but Gary had already left. From their campsite, Gary and Umbreon noticed a blackout in a town Ash and his friends were in. The two jumped into the rescue of the Power Plant when it was attacked by the Team Rocket trio with their Robo-Mecha Wobbuffet. Following the mecha's defeat, Gary worked with Ash and his friends to get the power back on.
In Extreme Pokémon!, he was practicing with Arcanine for the Extreme Pokémon Race. He then entered the race and competed against Ash and his Bayleef. They were both in the lead, though Ash was able to narrowly win the event.
Gary arrived in Silver Town in A Claim to Flame! to compete in the Silver Conference. He greeted Ash and exchanged pleasantries, promising to get to the top and defeat him. Gary was able to get past the screening round along with Ash and Harrison.
In The Ties That Bind and Can't Beat the Heat!, he battled Ash in an intense Full Battle. In the final round, Ash ended up winning the battle when his Charizard defeated Gary's Blastoise, eliminating him from the tournament. Afterwards, Gary continued to support Ash's campaign from the sidelines.
By Johto Photo Finish, Gary decided that he didn't want to be a Pokémon Trainer anymore, but instead a Pokémon researcher like his grandfather. Gary managed to reach Pallet Town a few days before Ash, and as he was preparing to leave for his next venture with just his Blastoise, Ash encountered him in Gotta Catch Ya Later. Gary's fresh start approach inspired Ash's desire to travel to Hoenn.
Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire
Gary appeared in a flashback to Ash's childhood in Lights, Camerupt, Action!.
In Putting the Air Back in Aerodactyl!, Gary was revealed to be working on Sayda Island as a Fossil researcher with Dora, head of the Sayda Lab. There, he revived an Aerodactyl from an Old Amber. At first, the Aerodactyl was afraid of him and every other person on the island. However, Gary gained its trust after he fed it some fruit that Aerodactyl used to eat. Afterwards, Dora announced that Gary could now work full-time at the Sayda Lab.
Eventually, he moved to the Sinnoh region, where he was conducting his research. He sent a postcard to Ash from there in The Unbeatable Lightness of Seeing!, which motivated him to not to get himself down after a loss and keep fighting, much like he did during their rivalry.
In Home Is Where The Start Is!, Gary reunited with Ash. He battled him with his Electivire and defeated Ash's Pikachu once more.
Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl
During his time in Sinnoh, Gary became an assistant of Professor Rowan. As before, Gary conducts his research on rare Pokémon, including Fossil Pokémon and Legendary Pokémon. Gary demonstrated more maturity and more respect for other people, especially Ash. Upon meeting him, Dawn thought that he was a poet like his grandfather.
In Ill-Will Hunting!, he was taking care of a group of Shieldon and protected them from J and her minions. Gary and Ash were forced to join forces to defeat the enemy, even though Ash had been against it. However, thanks to the efforts of the two they managed to save Shieldon from the hands of J.
He appeared again in Fighting Fear With Fear!, where he helped Ash and Gligar by giving a Razor Fang to Ash. This caused Gligar to evolve later on. He was in the area after hearing rumors of Azelf, whom Ash had seen earlier at Lake Valor.
Gary later appeared in The Needs of the Three! and The Battle Finale of Legend!, working alongside Professor Rowan at Valor Lakefront where he attempted to protect Azelf from J and Team Galactic; however, he was unable to defeat Saturn in battle. He later monitored the changes around Mt. Coronet caused by Cyrus's attempts to summon Dialga and Palkia. Gary and Professor Rowan later arrived to collect the Adamant and Lustrous Orbs after Ash's group and Cynthia handled Team Galactic.
It's later revealed that Gary followed Ash's attendance at the Lily of the Valley Conference, in particular, the battle between him and Paul in Battling a Thaw in Relations!.
Pokémon the Series: Black & White
Gary later reappeared in a fantasy in The Dream Continues!.
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
Gary reappeared in Advice to Goh!, using his Blastoise to save Ash and Goh from an Onix that Goh failed to catch. While reuniting with Ash, Gary revealed that he had left Sinnoh to travel the world to research Pokémon. After being introduced to Goh, he let both of them know that he is pursuing the Legendary Pokémon Moltres, while Ash told him that he was looking for his lost Infernape. They both agreed to help each other with their respective tasks.
After a bit of journeying, they arrived in a valley, where they found both Infernape and Moltres, and proceeded to battle the latter. After an intense match, they managed to damage Moltres enough to force it to retreat, while Gary retrieved a burning feather that it had dropped. Back at Professor Oak's Laboratory, Gary was revealed to be participating in Project Mew, with retrieving a Moltres feather having been his Trial Mission. Gary subsequently left to continue his research.
Gary reappeared in Leaping Toward the Dream!, where he briefly met Ash and Goh as they arrived in Sinnoh for Goh's first Project Mew mission.
In Battling in the Freezing Raid!, Gary was seen at the Seafoam Islands in search of an Articuno. On finding Articuno, Gary took part in a Raid Battle with Ash, Goh, and Horace, using Tyranitar, Umbreon, and Arcanine, only for Articuno to eventually fly away. Despite this, Gary managed to obtain Tokens for the mission and an extra Token for leading the battle, a short time later, before going his way Gary had a brief conversation with Goh about the posture a Challenger should have.
In Narrowing the Chaser Chase!, Goh was informed that Gary was on another mission led by Quillon. Shortly after the conclusion of the Sea Mauville battle royale, Quillon informed Danika that Gary had successfully completed his mission. In the display of the current Project Mew Challenger placings, Gary was revealed to be the highest-ranked Challenger in Project Mew with a total of 12 tokens.
In Chasing to the Finish!, Gary assisted Goh in the final Trial Mission at the Split-Decision Ruins. After defeating Lyla and Sterling, they teamed up to take on Regieleki and Regidrago, with both of them successfully catching one of them and officially becoming Chasers afterwards.
In A Flood of Torrential Gains!, Gary met with the other members of Project Mew in Slateport City to begin the final expedition. During the meeting, Gary talked to Goh about Ash's final battle in the Masters Eight Tournament. In Partners in Time!, he was briefly seen together with the other members of Project Mew during the climax of Ash's battle against Leon.
In The Mew from Here! and In the Palms of our Hands!, Gary and the other members of Project Mew explored Faraway Island in their search for Mew, eventually succeeding in finding it. After this, Project Mew was disbanded.
In This Could be the Start of Something Big!, Gary and Horace were seen being greeted by Professor Oak at the entrance to his Laboratory.
Gary reunited with Ash again in The Rainbow and the Pokémon Master!. After rescuing a trapped Charmander, Gary congratulated Ash on winning the World Coronation Series. After questioning Ash about what his next step would be from now on, Gary went off on a new journey alongside Umbreon.
Character
The day he started out on his Pokémon journey, he came off as an arrogant Trainer, much like his game counterpart, Blue. His chosen starter Pokémon was Squirtle, which was actually the same Pokémon that Ash originally wanted to start with. He even had a group of cheerleaders who cheered him on in all his battles and would go so far as crying whenever he lost. He didn't walk on his journeys like most Trainers did; instead, he had his own sporty red convertible with a chauffeur. Gary loved when he got a chance to make fun of Ash by bragging about how far behind Ash was compared to him. He also gave Ash the pet name of "Ashy-boy" (Japanese: "Satoshi-kun"), which occasionally seems to annoy him. His style of training at this point was to capture many Pokémon and to use the strongest, as a stark contrast to Ash, who focused on developing a bond with his Pokémon.
His arrogance continued over time during Ash's journey in Kanto until he challenged the Viridian City Gym Leader, Giovanni, to a Pokémon battle for his final (but unnecessary) Badge in The Battle of the Badge, where he was brutally defeated by Mewtwo. However, this still didn't change his arrogance. It would take a loss at the Pokémon League way later on against Melissa for him to finally realize that he greatly needed to change himself. Following his loss, Gary would become more polite and respectful of others, no longer showing any of his arrogant and extravagant tendencies from the past. This change in attitude would continue to be apparent throughout his few appearances during the Johto season.
As Ash's first and longest rival, his relationship and rivalry with Ash would prove to play a pivotal role on the latter's outlook as a Trainer. Despite his low opinion of Ash, Gary would make a point to show off his superiority in every way he could during his earlier appearances. The duo's dynamic would see a major change once Gary was abruptly eliminated in the Indigo Plateau Conference, with Gary growing humble and ceasing his arrogance and antagonistic attitude towards Ash, though he would still tease him at times. By the time of the Silver Conference, Ash and Gary would have a more amiable relationship with one another while still maintaining a sense of rivalry. After his defeat against Ash, Gary would graciously accept his defeat and gave him his half of the Poké Ball, symbolizing the end of their rivalry and the renewal of their friendship. Even after ending his rivalry with Ash, Gary would continue to have an impact on Ash and his journey moving forward, continuing to serve as a motivation towards him while at times lending him a helping hand.
Pokémon
Since the very start of his own journey, Gary has shown exceptional skill as a Pokémon Trainer, catching and training an astonishing number and variety of strong Pokémon in a short period of time and losing battles very infrequently. Despite the huge amount of Pokémon he owns, Gary takes very good care of them all, as noticed by Brock and Tracey when they first saw his Eevee. As revealed by himself in Showdown at the Po-ké Corral, Gary often rotated the Pokémon in his party to suit the needs of the battles he would participate in. During his journey in Johto, Gary however was seen training and focusing only on specific members of his team such as Umbreon and Arcanine.
In Johto Photo Finish!, Gary chose to leave his Pokémon with his grandfather with the exception of Blastoise, but over time he recruited some of the Pokémon to help with various tasks and research.
As of Showdown at the Po-ké Corral, Gary had captured more than 200 Pokémon from 60 different species.
Gary's current party is made up of Pokémon that he has used in Trial Missions for Project Mew. This listing is for Gary's Pokémon as of Pokémon Journeys: The Series.
In rotation
| Debut | Challenge of the Samurai |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | Unshō Ishizuka (EP269-DP045) Tsuguo Mogami (JN068) |
| English | Eric Stuart (EP269-DP045) Tom Wayland (BW116) Billy Bob Thompson (JN068) |
- Main article: Gary's Blastoise
Blastoise is Gary's starter Pokémon, given to him as a Squirtle by his grandfather. It made a cameo appearance as a Squirtle in Challenge of the Samurai in a flashback, but it wasn't until The Ties That Bind that appeared in the flesh. Since then, it has been a staple of Gary's team.
| Debut | The Battle of the Badge |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | Katsuyuki Konishi |
| English | Katsuyuki Konishi |
- Main article: Gary's Arcanine
| Debut | The Rivalry Revival |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | Mika Kanai (EP116 - EP171) Satomi Koorogi (HS15 - present) |
| English | Mika Kanai (EP116) Kayzie Rogers (EP116 - present) |
- Main article: Gary's Umbreon
Umbreon debuted as an Eevee, and was the first Pokémon Gary used in his first battle against Ash. By its next appearance, Power Play!, it had evolved into Umbreon.
| Debut | Home is Where the Start Is! |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | Unshō Ishizuka (AG192 - DP151) Kenta Miyake (JN068) |
| English | Bill Rogers |
- Main article: Gary's Electivire
Gary caught this Electivire while conducting research in the Sinnoh region. In its debut appearance, it had a battle with Ash's Pikachu and won.
Tyranitar appeared as a Pokémon that Gary used during a Raid Battle against an Articuno at the Seafoam Islands, but it was quickly defeated.
None of Tyranitar's moves are known.
| Debut | Chasing to the Finish! |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | |
| English | Jenny Yokobori |
Hatterene was used by Gary in the Split-Decision Ruins. After helping free him from the ice that Lyla and Sterling surrounded him with, she was used to battle Regieleki and Regidrago, but was eventually defeated.
Hatterene's known moves are Psycho Cut and Dazzling Gleam.
| Debut | Chasing to the Finish! |
|---|
Regidrago was caught by Gary in the Split-Decision Ruins as part of his last Project Mew Trial Mission.
Regidrago's known moves are Dragon Energy, Hammer Arm, and Twister.
Traveling with
 Rotom Phone |
In storage
| の | This article is missing information on this character's English voice actor and Japanese voice actor. You can help by adding this information. |
| Debut | Mystery at the Lighthouse |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | Rikako Aikawa |
| English | Rikako Aikawa |
The first Pokémon that Gary was revealed to caught was his Krabby, which was seen for the first time after Ash had caught his own Krabby and he called for Professor Oak to see that it was okay as it had been teleported to his laboratory right after the capture. Oak then also showed Ash Gary's Krabby, which was way bigger than Ash's.
Gary's Krabby was briefly seen again in Showdown at the Po-ké Corral, where Gary compared its size to Ash's Krabby's size.
None of Krabby's moves are known.
| Debut | The Battle of the Badge |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | Katsuyuki Konishi |
| English | Katsuyuki Konishi |
Gary was first shown to use his Nidoking during his Gym battle against Giovanni. Despite defeating Giovanni's Golem, he lost to the Psychic powers of Mewtwo.
Gary also used Nidoking during the Indigo Plateau Conference in The Fourth Round Rumble. He battled Melissa's Golem, but was defeated. This loss meant that Gary was eliminated from the tournament.
Nidoking's known moves are Tackle and Horn Attack.
Dodrio was for the first time briefly seen as a Doduo in at Professor Oak's Laboratory.
It later appeared as a fully evolved Pokémon in Putting the Air Back in Aerodactyl!, where Gary used it to stop Butch and Cassidy from stealing an Aerodactyl.
Dodrio's only known move is Drill Peck.
| Debut | A Tent Situation |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | Katsuyuki Konishi |
| English | Katsuyuki Konishi |
Nidoqueen was seen for the first time when Gary used her to defeat Team Rocket, who were attacking Professor Oak's Laboratory. She was seen again in the Silver Conference, where she easily defeated Ash's Tauros in The Ties That Bind, but was later taken out by his Snorlax's Ice Punch in the next episode.
Nidoqueen's known moves are Mega Punch, Strength, Rock Smash, Hyper Beam, and Double Kick.
| Debut | The Ties That Bind |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | |
| English | Eric Stuart |
Gary used his Magmar during his Silver Conference battle against Ash, sending it to battle against Ash's Heracross. It managed to engulf the Single Horn Pokémon in flames from Fire Blast and a point-blank Flamethrower, but Heracross proved to be extremely tough as it beat the flames away and managed to beat the Spitfire Pokémon with its powerful Megahorn.
Magmar's known moves are Flamethrower and Fire Blast.
| Debut | Can't Beat the Heat! |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | Katsuyuki Konishi |
| English | Eric Stuart |
Gary used his Scizor during his Silver Conference battle against Ash. Utilizing its fast speed, it made quick work of Ash's Snorlax and then proceeded to also defeat Muk, whose slimy body had provided some trouble for Blastoise. It was subsequently taken out by Charizard's Flamethrower.
Scizor's known moves are Quick Attack, Metal Claw, Swift, and Steel Wing.
| Debut | Can't Beat the Heat! |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | |
| English | Eric Stuart |
Golem was the sixth Pokémon Gary used against Ash at the Silver Conference, sending it out against Ash's Charizard. Despite stunning Charizard with Magnitude and being too heavy for Charizard's Seismic Toss, the Megaton Pokémon was knocked out by Charizard's Dragon Rage.
Unseen Pokémon
Before his battle against Gary in The Ties That Bind, Ash was seen checking Gary's page on the Silver Conference website, where Gary's Pokémon were listed with pictures. Among them, there were several Pokémon that Gary hasn't been seen using.
 Pinsir |
Houndoom |
Fearow |
Alakazam |
 Skarmory |
Kingdra |
Temporary
| Debut | Illusion Confusion! |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | Yūji Ueda |
| English | Yūji Ueda |
Gary rented this Hoothoot from Hagatha in Illusion Confusion!, when he was traveling through a forest full of illusion-creating Ghost Pokémon.
Hoothoot's only known move is Foresight.
| Debut | Putting the Air Back in Aerodactyl! |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | Shin-ichiro Miki |
Gary took part in a project where this Aerodactyl was resurrected in Putting the Air Back in Aerodactyl!. After he had saved it from being stolen by Butch and Cassidy, he left it to Crystal to take care of.
Aerodactyl's known moves are Whirlwind, Hyper Beam, and Gust*.
| Debut | Ill-Will Hunting! |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | |
| English | Billy Beach |
Gary helped Ash and his friends in protecting these four wild Shieldon from being stolen by J and her henchmen in Ill-Will Hunting!.
None of these Shieldon's moves are known.
Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle are starter Pokémon that Gary brought for his grandfather to give to new Trainers.
None of their moves are known.
Achievements
Badges obtained
Kanto Badges
During his journey through Kanto, Gary collected ten Gym Badges. Of the Badges he received, he already had five by Primeape Goes Bananas, and he showed off the whole set in The Battle of the Badge. This listing is of the Badges Gary has obtained in the Kanto region:
- Cascade Badge (prior to The Water Flowers of Cerulean City)
- Rainbow Badge (prior to Primeape Goes Bananas)
- Two unknown Badges (prior to Primeape Goes Bananas)
- Boulder Badge (prior to The Battle of the Badge)
- Five unknown Badges (prior to The Battle of the Badge)
Johto Badges
This listing is of the Badges Gary has obtained in the Johto region:
- At least eight Badges (prior to A Claim to Flame!)
Pokémon League
Gary has competed in the following Pokémon League Conferences:
- Indigo Plateau Conference - Top 32 (The Fourth Round Rumble)
- Silver Conference - Top 16 (Can't Beat the Heat!)
Project Mew
Gary has completed the following Trial Missions:
- Collect a Moltres feather - 1 Project Mew Token (Advice to Goh!)
- Raid Battle against Articuno - 4 Project Mew Tokens (Battling in the Freezing Raid!)
- Unknown Trial Mission(s) - 7 Project Mew Tokens (prior to Narrowing the Chaser Chase!*)
- Catch Regieleki and Regidrago - 3 Project Mew Tokens (Chasing to the Finish!)
Pokémon competitions
Gary has competed in the following Pokémon competitions:
- Beach Beauty and Pokémon Costume Contest - N/A (Beauty and The Beach)
- Extreme Pokémon Race - Runner-up (Extreme Pokémon!)
Voice actors
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Artwork
|
|
|
| Official artwork from the original series |
Artwork from Pokémon Journeys: The Series |
Artwork from Pokémon Journeys: The Series [1] |
|
|
|
| Artwork from Pokémon Journeys: The Series |
Official artwork from the PASH Magazine[2] |
Artwork from "After the story" [3] |
In the movies
I Choose You!
Gary appeared in a brief, non-speaking flashback in I Choose You!, which is set in a timeline separate from the main series. In the flashback, he was seen choosing Squirtle as his starter Pokémon, much to the dismay of Ash, who had wanted Squirtle as his own starter.
Pokémon
| Debut | I Choose You! |
|---|
- Main article: Gary's Squirtle
Squirtle made a brief appearance in a flashback in I Choose You!, where Gary chose it to be his starter Pokémon.
Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution
Gary appeared in a cameo in Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution, a remake of Mewtwo Strikes Back. Like in the original movie, he was seen losing his Gym battle against Giovanni from The Battle of the Badge.
Pokémon
| Debut | The Battle Of The Badge |
|---|
Nidoking was a Pokémon Gary used in his Gym battle against Giovanni, where he was overwhelmed by Mewtwo's Psychic powers.
None of Nidoking's moves are known.
In the core series games
Gary Oak is based on Blue Oak, his counterpart from the games. Additionally, "Gary" is one of the suggested names for Blue in the games Pokémon Red, Yellow, and FireRed, and for the player character Red in the games Pokémon Blue (international), FireRed, and LeafGreen.
In the spin-off games
Pokémon Puzzle League
In Pokémon Puzzle League, Gary is one of the characters available in the 2P Stadium mode. He also appears as a hidden boss, where he uses evolved versions of his playable Pokémon.
Pokémon
- As a playable character
 Nidoran♀ |
 Growlithe |
 Krabby |
- As a hidden boss
 Nidoqueen |
 Arcanine |
 Kingler |
Pokémon Zany Cards
Gary is one of the opponents in Pokémon Zany Cards.
In the manga
Ash & Pikachu
Gary appeared in One Half Of A Poké Ball, where he faced off against Ash during the Silver Conference.
Pokémon
 Blastoise |
 Nidoqueen ♀ |
 Magmar |
Arcanine |
Scizor |
Nidoking ♂ |
Pokémon competitions
Gary has competed in the following Pokémon League Conferences:
The Electric Tale of Pikachu
Gary is a recurring character in The Electric Tale of Pikachu. In the manga, Gary is a childhood friend and rival of Ash and frequently appears when Ash does something wrong. He has a sister named May, who has no equivalent in the anime.
Gary is still condescending and arrogant to Ash as he was in the anime at the start. However, he comes to respect Ash a lot quicker and earlier compared to the anime where he was respectful to him during the Indigo League.
At the Pokémon League, he is defeated by Ritchie, but confronts Ash at the end of the series. In the epilogue, he and Ash are shown traveling together on their journey.
Pokémon
This listing is of Gary's known Pokémon in the manga:
| Debut | Ash vs. Gary |
|---|
- Main article: Gary's Arcanine
Arcanine is Gary's main Pokémon. It was usually relied on as a mode of transportation.
| Debut | Ash vs. Gary |
|---|
Gary sent out Rhydon along with his other Pokémon to battle the giant Slowpoke after Arcanine became hypnotized by it. However, it wasn't long before it fell victim to the giant Pokémon.
None of Rhydon's moves are known.
| Debut | Ash vs. Gary |
|---|
Gary sent out Gyarados along with his other Pokémon to battle the giant Slowpoke after Arcanine became hypnotized by it. However, it wasn't long before it fell victim to the giant Pokémon. Later, Gary sent it out as a way of traveling on water so he can catch it after Team Rocket came by and tried to steal it with their net.
None of Gyarados's moves are known.
| Debut | Ash vs. Gary |
|---|
Gary sent out Venusaur along with his other Pokémon to battle the giant Slowpoke after Arcanine became hypnotized by it. Similar to Arcanine, it wasn't able to battle the Slowpoke.
None of Venusaur's moves are known.
| Debut | Ash vs. Gary |
|---|
Pidgeot was sent out along with Gary's other Pokémon to battle the giant Slowpoke. It fell victim to the Slowpoke's laziness.
None of Pidgeot's moves are known.
| Debut | Ash vs. Gary |
|---|
Ash and his rival, Gary, both battled for a giant Slowpoke. Even though Ash was able to catch it, he gave it to Gary instead so he could get a picture of his sister, May. After this, they found out that Slowpoke had evolved into a Slowbro.
Slowbro's known moves are Disable, Ice Beam, Growl, Surf and Headbutt.
Pokémon competitions
Gary has competed in the following Pokémon League Conferences:
Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution
Gary appeared in Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution. Like in the movie, he lost his Gym battle against Giovanni.
Pokémon
Arcanine |
 Nidoking |
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
Gary appeared in Advice to Goh!.
Pokémon
 Blastoise |
 Electivire |
Pokémon Newspaper Strip
|
This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. |
Gary is a recurring character in the Pokémon Newspaper Strip. He debuted in Strip 7, showing off his Rapidash to his cheerleaders. Ash's Metapod deflected Rapidash's fire move, defeating Rapidash. In Strip 9, Gary's Beedrill battled Brock's Vulpix at school, but their match was interrupted once a teacher told everyone to return their Pokémon to their Poké Balls. In Strip 13, Gary challenged Ash to a battle, with Gary's Charizard going up against Ash's Pikachu. Ash was confident he would win, but he was ultimately unable to battle when he became trapped under his Snorlax.
Pokémon
| Debut | Strip 7 |
|---|
Gary's cheerleaders wanted Gary to show off Rapidash's powers. However, Ash's Metapod deflected Rapidash's fire move, defeating it.
| Debut | Strip 9 |
|---|
Beedrill battled Brock's Vulpix at school, but their battle was interrupted once the principal told everyone to return their Pokémon to their Poké Balls.
Trivia
- Gary is one of the few characters from the original series, who appeared during both dubs of the anime, to have his English dub voice remain unchanged; he is always voiced by Carter Cathcart.
- Gary is one of the few characters to have a surname in the Japanese version of the anime.
- Furthermore, Gary is the only rival in the anime to have a surname.
- In the original series, Gary's attire is similar to Blue's during Generations I and II. In his Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire and Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl appearances, Gary wears Blue's outfit from Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. In his appearance in Pokémon Journeys: The Series, Gary wears Blue's outfit from Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. Interestingly, the cape he adorns in OK!, its equivalent Pokémon Johto and in A Tent Situation resembles the one worn by his cross-canon manga counterpart Blue in the Yellow arc.
- Gary owns the final evolutionary forms of each of the special Pokémon that can appear on Route 201 via dual-slot mode, swarming, or the Poké Radar (Arcanine, Nidoking, Nidoqueen, and Dodrio).
- In Pokémon Stickers series 1, a sticker depicting Gary identified him as "Bailey". The same error occurred in the Polish dub of Challenge of the Samurai. The occurrence of the same error in two apparently unrelated sources might indicate an early-planned name, much like how Ash was initially known as "Casey".
- Although Ash's flashback in Lights, Camerupt, Action! seems to suggest that Gary and Ash were childhood friends, this is contradicted by Gary's conversation with Ash in Pokémon - I Choose You!, when they first started off on their Pokémon journeys; it indicated that was the first time they met.
- This is further contradicted in The Ties that Bind, where Ash and Gary interacted with each other mere days before they set out on their journeys, with the two already knowing each other for sometime beforehand based on their exchange.
- It is to be noted that Gary's exchange with Ash in Pokémon - I Choose You! was a mistranslation. In the Japanese version of the episode, Gary instead makes comments to Ash that indicate he knew him beforehand, such as 「痛いのは こっちだ！ん…！？ お前は サトシだな！はいはい サ～トシさんだよ。サトシ君は最初から遅刻かい？」("Hey, that's my line! Huh? Well if it isn't Satoshi! Yeah, I remember you. It's Mr. Sa~toshi himself! So you got a late start, Lil' Satoshi?") and 「“シゲル君”だよ。“君”をつけてくれよ。しかし今日 遅刻するようじゃ。ボクのライバルとしてすでにキミは初めからコケってる」("That's 'no, sir' to you. Don't forget the 'sir' at the end there. But it looks like you're already running late. Ugh, to think my rival's getting off to such a pitiful start").
- This is further contradicted in The Ties that Bind, where Ash and Gary interacted with each other mere days before they set out on their journeys, with the two already knowing each other for sometime beforehand based on their exchange.
- Gary is the only character from Ash's fantasy sequence in The Dream Continues! to not be one of his traveling companions at the time.
- Gary is the only character whose game counterpart is a Champion, but hasn't been a Champion at any point in the anime.
- Excluding Ash, Gary is the only character to have participated in more than one on-screen League Conference.
- According to Pocket Monsters: The Animation, aside from his being Professor Oak's grandson, he is also the grandnephew of Pallet Town's mayor. It also explains that his girlfriends are the mayor's electoral staff.
- Gary is the first rival to capture a Legendary Pokémon on-screen, his Regidrago.
- Although Gary's primary inspiration was Blue from the games, elements of his characterization were derived from the character Mitsuru Hanagata from the Baseball anime Star of the Giants, such as his owning a car that carried allies of his (Gary's Cheerleaders in Pokémon; Hanagata's teammates in Star of the Giants).
Names
| Language | Name | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | オーキド・シゲル Okido Shigeru |
Derived from Shigeru Miyamoto. |
| English, Italian | Gary Oak | Possibly taken from Garry Oak, a type of oak tree. Also, Gary is a default name for Blue in Pokémon Red and Blue. Also possibly derived from Shigeru. |
| French | Régis Chen | Chen is an Asian name that looks like the word "chêne" (oak). |
| German | Gary Eich | Direct translation. Eiche means Oak. |
| Brazilian Portuguese | Gary Carvalho | Carvalho means Oak; Carvalho is also an actual surname. |
| Korean | 오바람 O Baram | 오 O is from the first syllable in "Okido", while his first name, Baram is native Korean for wind. |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 小茂 Xiǎo Mào 大木・茂 (full name) |
茂 (luxuriant) is from 茂る shigeru. 大木 (big wood/tree) is from 大木戸 Ōkido. |
| Chinese (Cantonese) | 小茂 Síu Mauh | Same as Mandarin name. |
| Indonesian | Shigeru | Same as Japanese. |
| Russian | Гэри Оук Geri Ouk | Transliteration of the English name. |
References
Related articles
| Gary's Pokémon | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In rotation: | ||||||
| Traveling with: | ||||||
| In storage: | ||||||
| Temporary: | ||||||
| Electric Tale only: | ||||||
| Newspaper Strip only: | ||||||
| Trainers in League Conferences | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
|
This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |
- Characters
- Characters with confirmed ages
- Male characters
- Articles needing more information
- Characters with an unknown English voice actor
- Characters with an unknown Japanese voice actor
- League Conference participants
- Project Mew
- Anime characters
- Manga characters
- Ash & Pikachu characters
- Electric Tale of Pikachu characters
- Scientists
- Trainers with Legendary Pokémon
- Characters named after real people
- Pokémon Newspaper Strip characters
