Kurt

If you were looking for the character with the Japanese name Kurt from the thirteenth movie, see Karl.

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Kurt ガンテツ Gantetsu
Artwork from HG/SS
Gender	Male
Eye color	Black
Hair color	Gray
Hometown	Azalea Town
Region	Johto
Relatives	Maizie (granddaughter)
Generation	II, IV
Games	Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver
Anime debut	A Shadow of a Drought
English voice actor	Jimmy Zoppi
Japanese voice actor	Masashi Hirose

Kurt (Japanese: ガンテツ Gantetsu) is a Poké Ball smith who lives in Azalea Town. In addition to making his own custom Balls out of Apricorns, he studies Poké Ball mechanics, and is known far and wide as a Poké Ball expert. He is Maizie's grandfather.

In the games

Kurt's house in Generation IV

The inside of Kurt's house in Generation IV

Kurt lives in a house in the northwest corner of Azalea Town. After Team Rocket is cleared out of the Slowpoke Well, he will give players a Lure Ball in Generation II, or a Fast Ball in Generation IV. After this, he will offer to make his Apricorn Balls as long as he is brought an Apricorn. By the next day, he will have crafted it into one of his custom Poké Balls, depending on the color of the Apricorn. In HeartGold, SoulSilver, and Crystal, he allows players to give him multiples of one kind of Apricorn, resulting in gaining more than one of his special Poké Balls per day. Additionally, in Pokémon Crystal, when the player obtains the GS Ball, Kurt will examine it for a day it if it is brought to him. Finding Ilex Forest restless after this, he asks the player to check things out. After that, Celebi can be caught in the forest. In his house there is a picture of Kurt, Professor Oak, and a lady with determined eyes.

Quotes

Gold, Silver and Crystal

Azalea Town

• Before beating Team Rocket at the Slowpoke Well

"Hm? Who are you? <player>, eh? You want me to make some Balls? Sorry, but that'll have to wait. Do you know Team Rocket? Ah, don't worry. I'll tell you anyhow. Team Rocket's an evil gang that uses Pokémon for their dirty work. They're supposed to have disbanded three years ago. Anyway, they're at the Well, cutting off Slowpoketails for sale! So I'm going to go give them a lesson in pain! Hang on, Slowpoke! Old Kurt is on his way!"

• After beating Team Rocket at the Slowpoke Well

"Hi, <player>! You handled yourself like a real hero at the Well. I like your style! I would be honored to make Balls for a trainer like you. This is all I have now, but take it."

• After giving the player the Lure Ball

"I make Balls from Apricorns. Collect them from trees and bring 'em to me. I'll make balls out of them. "

• If talked to when the player has at least one Apricorn

"You have an Apricorn for me? Fine! I'll turn it into a Ball."

If an Apricorn is chosen

"It'll take a day to make you a Ball. Come back for it later."

CANCEL

"Oh... That's a letdown."

• If talked to while working on a Ball^GS

"I'm working! Don't bother me!"

• If talked to while working on a Ball^C

"Now that my granddaughter is helping me, I can work much faster."

"I'm working! Don't bother me!"

• When Ball(s) is/are finished

"Ah, <player>! I just finished your Ball. Here!"

• Immediately after giving player the Ball(s)

"That turned out great. Try catching Pokémon with it."

• If talked to after obtaining the GS Ball^C

"Wh-what is that? I've never seen one before. it looks a lot like a Poké Ball, but it appears to be something else. Let me check it for you."

• If talked to while checking the GS Ball^C

"I'm checking it now. Ah-ha! I see! So..."

• After checking GS Ball^C

"<player>! This Ball started to shake while I was checking it. There must be something to this!" [!]

• After running outside^C

"Ilex Forest is restless! What is going on? <player>, here's your GS Ball back! Could you go see why Ilex Forest is so restless?"

• If talked to before going to Ilex Forest^C

"Could you go see why Ilex Forest is so restless?"

Slowpoke Well

"Hey there, <player>! The guards up top took off when I shouted at them. But then I took a tumble down the Well. I slammed down hard on my back, so I can't move. Rats! If I were fit, my Pokémon would've punished them... Ah, it can't be helped. <player>, show them how gutsy you are in my place!"

"Way to go, <player>! Team Rocket has taken off. My back's better too. Let's get out of here."

Ilex Forest (only if Celebi is caught)^C

"Whew, wasn't that something! <player>, that was fantastic. Thanks! The legends about that Shrine were real after all. I feel inspired by what I just saw. It motivates me to make better Balls! I'm going!"

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

Azalea Town

"Hm? Who are you? <Player>, eh? You want me to make some Balls? Sorry, but that'll have to wait. Do you know Team Rocket? Ah, don't worry. I'll tell you anyhow. Team Rocket's an evil gang that uses Pokémon for their dirty work. They're supposed to have disbanded three years ago. Anyway, they're at the Well, cutting off SlowpokeTails for sale! So I'm going to give them a lesson in pain! Hang on, Slowpoke! Old Kurt is on his way!"

Slowpoke Well

"Hey there, <player>! The guard up top took off when I shouted at them. But then I took a tumble down the Well. I slammed down hard on my back, so I can't move. Rats! If I were fit, my Pokémon would've punished them... Ah, it can't be helped. <Player>, show them how gutsy you are in my place!"

"Way to go, <player>! Team Rocket has taken off. My back's better, too. Let's get out of here."

Azalea Town (After Kurt returns)

"Hi, <player>! You handled yourself like a real hero. As I mentioned before, Team Rocket was disbanded by a boy called Red three years ago. Now that they have come back... I have a bad feeling about it... In any case, it would please me greatly to make Poke Balls for a Trainer like you, <player>. This is all I have now, but take it."

Azalea Town (After Team Rocket leaves)

• When talked to before being given any Apricorns

"You have Apricorns for me? Fine! I'll turn them into Poké Balls."

• After Kurt receives the Apricorns

"It'll take a day to make you a Poké Ball. Come back for it later."

• If the player decides not to give any Apricorns

"Oh... That's a letdown."

• When talked to while in the process of making the Poké Balls

"I’m working! Don’t bother me!"

• When talked to after Kurt has finished making the Poké Balls

"Ah, <player>! I just finished your Poké Ball. Here!"

• After placing Poké Balls into player's bag

"That turned out great. Try catching Pokémon with it."

Artwork

Official artwork from Gold and Silver

Sprites

Overworld sprite from Generation II	Overworld sprite from Generation IV

In the anime

Kurt in the anime

Ash was sent by Professor Oak to Johto to deliver the GS Ball to Kurt for study and found Azalea Town suffering through a drought.

Ash accidentally stepped on the tail of a local Slowpoke, and he was chased by an angry mob, but Kurt disguised him and his friends in Slowpoke costumes and saved them.

Kurt lives in Azalea Town, a town that considered Slowpoke sacred for their mythical abilities to cause rainfall. Ash and his friends met him while investigating the Slowpoke Well because he heard strange noises coming from within. It turned out that Team Rocket was trying to steal the Slowpoke. Ash helped recover the Slowpoke and defeated Team Rocket.

Later, Kurt received the GS Ball. Ash wanted to see if Kurt would make him special Poké Balls. Kurt gave Ash, Brock, and Misty each a Fast Ball as thanks for helping them.

Ash and his friends gathered Apricorns and Kurt made Ash and Misty Lure Balls, and made Brock a Heavy Ball.

Voice actors

Language Voice actor Japanese 広瀬正志 Masashi Hirose English Jimmy Zoppi Hebrew יורם יוספסברג Yoram Yosephsberg Polish Jacek Kałucki Brazilian Portuguese Sílvio Giraldi European Spanish Luis Gaspar

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Kurt in Pokémon Adventures

Silver got a Heavy Ball from Kurt, intending to catch an Ursaring with it. Kurt cautioned Silver that only experienced Trainers could wield his special Poké Balls.

Later, Gold met Maizie and Kurt. Kurt explained that once, his ancestors were the only ones capable of creating Poké Balls until companies started to mass-produce them. Kurt then carried a slight grudge against Gold for making fun of his Apricorn Balls, saying that Gold wasn't experienced enough to use his special Balls, something that annoyed Gold. He then challenged Gold to catch a Pokémon using one of his balls and if he couldn't by dusk, he would have to become his apprentice, which he accepted.

Kurt made a Friend Ball for Gold, and later Gold and Silver were able to use their custom Poké Balls to capture a Teddiursa and Ursaring. Silver kept Ursaring for himself while Gold gave Teddiursa to Maizie. Kurt then appeared at Slowpoke Well, to see a mass of Team Rocket Grunts tied up and defeated, everyone wondering who did it.

Later, the Masked Man forced Kurt to turn over his plans for the GS Ball.

Both Kurt and Maizie made a cameo appearance in Epilogue on a ship to the Battle Frontier.

In their youth, Professor Oak, Agatha, Kurt, Pryce, and the old couple who run the Goldenrod City Pokémon Day Care were all close friends. To try to cheer Pryce up, Kurt helped write the lyrics of "Riding On The Stars," which was also sung by DJ Mary after that.

Pokémon

This listing is of Kurt's Pokémon in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

		Shuckle
		Shuckle is Kurt's only known Pokémon. It was assisting Kurt on making the special Poké Balls from the Apricorns given to him. None of Shuckle's moves are known.
Debut	Teddiursa's Picnic

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga

Kurt in Pokémon Pocket Monsters

Kurt appears in Find Slowpoke!! where a Slowpoke of his was stolen. He was able to retrieve the Slowpoke from Giovanni before he was able to get the tail for profit. However, the tail was cut of while stolen but it was able to get placed back on.

Pokémon

		Slowpoke
		Slowpoke is Kurt's only known Pokémon. It was stolen by Giovanni and Team Rocket along with the Slowpoke at the Slowpoke well in order to get their tails for profit. Kurt was able to rescue his Slowpoke before its tail was sold. Slowpoke's known moves are Rain Dance and Disable.
Debut	Find Slowpoke!!

Kurt in Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure

In the Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure manga

Kurt has appeared in Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure. When he witnessed Team Rocket stealing the Slowpoke and cutting off their tails, he came to the Slowpoke's rescue. He tried stopping Team Rocket but is pushed back by one of the members.

Names

Language	Name	Origin
Japanese	ガンテツ Gantetsu	頑固一徹 Ganko-ittetsu, obstinate.
English, German	Kurt	From curt, a synonym of obstinate.
French	Fargas
Italian	Franz	From franco, meaning frank, direct.
Spanish	César
Korean	강집 Gangjip
Chinese (Mandarin)	鋼鐵／钢铁 Gāngtiě * 嚴鐵／严铁 Yán​tiě​ *	鋼鐵 means steel. 嚴鐵 literally means "strict iron".
Vietnamese	Gantetsu	Transliteration of his Japanese name.
Russian	Курт Kurt	Transliteration of his English name.

Non-player characters in the core series games

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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.