Pokémon Master

Pokémon Master (Japanese: ポケモンマスター Pokémon Master) is a title in the Pokémon world. It is the goal of many Pokémon Trainers, including Ash Ketchum, to become a Pokémon Master. However, exactly what this position is and how one attains it is vague and never fully explained.

In response to an email sent to Pokémon.com's mailbag, Pokémon.com posted the following:

"I'm very sorry, but the Pokémon Company does not answer questions of this nature. It is the intent of the Pokémon creators that such questions be left to the imaginations and interpretations of Pokémon fans, adding more excitement and mystery to the Pokémon universe."

Usage

• In Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen, after defeating Lance he says "I hate to admit it, but you are a POKéMON master!".
• In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, after defeating all the Electrode in the Team Rocket HQ, Lance says "The journey to becoming the Pokémon Master is long and difficult. Knowing that, will you keep going?"
  • In HeartGold and SoulSilver, he instead says "The journey to becoming the Pokémon Champion is long and difficult. Knowing that, will you keep going?"
• Extreme Pokémon: The Guide for the Ultimate Fan calls Prima a Pokémon Master.
• The Official Pokémon Handbook states that a Trainer would deserve the title of Pokémon Master upon defeating or capturing Mewtwo. The handbook also refers to the Elite Four members as "Master Trainers".
• According to A Sneak Peek at Pokémon, one of the tasks to become a Pokémon Master is to capture all Pokémon.
• The book Charizard, Go! states that a Pokémon Master must catch one of every kind of Pokémon and become a member of the Pokémon League.
• According to The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga, a Pokémon Master is simply an elite Trainer who is considered a professional and regularly takes part in Pokémon League competitions.
• In Mewtwo Strikes Back, Nurse Joy (while brainwashed) invites the Trainers to have a battle against the world's greatest Pokémon Master on New Island, who is later revealed to be Mewtwo.
• In The Legend of Thunder!, Marina called Lance a great Pokémon Master.
• In Memories are Made of Bliss!, Cynthia is defined as a "Champion Master," someone who has defeated all opponents including the Elite Four and defends their title against all opposing Trainers. In a sense, they are undefeated by any Trainer that has officially challenged them to claim their "Champion Master" title, though it is unspecific whether it is a regional or national title, it is implied to be a national foundation. Ash states that becoming a Champion Master is one step toward becoming a Pokémon Master.
• In The Name's N!, N shows displeasure in hearing that Ash dreams of becoming a Pokémon Master.

Theories

This section contains fan speculation. There is no solid evidence for or against some parts of this article.

• It has been theorized that when one becomes a Pokémon Champion of a regional Pokémon League, one attains the title of Pokémon Master.
  • This theory is supported by Lance calling the player a Pokémon Master upon his defeat in Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen, before revealing that the player must first face Blue becoming Champion.
  • It is implied in the dub of Memories Are Made Of Bliss! that this is the case. However, the Japanese version explicitly states that it is only one step to being a Pokémon Master.
• It has been theorized that, in the context of the anime, Pokémon Masters are the members of the Elite Four.
  • This theory is supported by the book Extreme Pokémon: The Guide for the Ultimate Fan calling Prima a Pokémon Master.
• After defeating Giovanni at Viridian Gym, when he gives the player the Earth Badge he says it is "evidence of your mastery as a Pokémon Trainer" which may imply that a Pokémon Master is one who has collected all of the Gym Badges in a region.
  • Yet in the context of the anime this is not the case as Ash has collected all the Gym Badges in multiple regions and still does not consider himself a Pokémon Master.
• The Official Pokémon Collector's Sticker Book implies that one is made a Pokémon Master by catching all Pokémon.
  • It has also been theorized that this, along with becoming a Pokémon Champion, is the criteria.

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 寶可夢大師 Pokémon Daaihsī * 寵物小精靈大師 Chúngmaht Síujīnglīng Daaihsī * 小精靈大師 Síujīnglīng Daaihsī * 小精靈掌門人 Síujīnglīng Jéungmùhnyàhn * 精靈掌門人 Jīnglīng Jéungmùhnyàhn * 精靈大師 Jīnglīng Daaihsī * 寵物小精靈的訓練員 Chúngmaht Síujīnglìhng-dīk Fanlihnyùhn * Mandarin 寶可夢大師 / 宝可梦大师 Pokémon Dàshī * 神奇寶貝大師 / 神奇宝贝大师 Shénqí Bǎobèi Dàshī * 精灵宝可梦大师 Jinglíng Pokémon Dàshī * 神奇宝贝超级训练师 Shénqí Bǎobèi Chāojí Xùnliànshī * 神奇宝贝专家 Shénqí Bǎobèi Zhuānjiā * 精灵掌门人 Jīnglíng Zhǎngménrén * 宠物精灵大师 Chǒngwù Jīnglíng Dàshī * 宠物小精灵的大师 Chǒngwù Xiǎojīnglíng-de Dàshī * 宠物小精灵专家 Chǒngwù Xiǎojīnglíng Zhuānjiā * Danish Pokémonmester Dutch Pokémon Meester Finnish Pokémon-mestari French Canada Maître du Pokémon* Europe Maître Pokémon German Pokémon-Meister Icelandic Pokémon-meistari Italian Maestro Pokémon Korean 포켓몬마스터 Pokémon Master Norwegian Pokémon-mester Polish Mistrz Pokémonów Portuguese Mestre Pokémon Spanish Maestro Pokémon Swedish Pokémon-mästare Thai โปเกมอนมาสเตอร์ Pokémon Master

This Trainer class article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of the Pokémon anime.