Pryce

Revision as of 16:56, 15 June 2013 by Beta Zero (talk | contribs) (→‎In the Pokémon Adventures manga: better context phrasing)
Pryce
ヤナギ Yanagi
"The Teacher of Winter's Harshness"
HeartGold SoulSilver Pryce.png
Art from HeartGold and SoulSilver
Gender Male
Eye color Black*, Brown*
Hair color White, Brown*
Hometown Mahogany Town
Region Johto
Relatives Sheila (wife), children, grandchildren
Trainer class Gym LeaderGSCHGSS
Pokémon TrainerB2W2
Generation II, IV, V
Games Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver, Black 2, White 2, Stadium 2
Leader of Mahogany Gym
Badge Glacier Badge
Specializes in Ice types
Anime debut Rage of Innocence
English voice actor Jimmy Zoppi
Japanese voice actor Motomu Kiyokawa
Kōichi Sakaguchi (young)

Pryce (Japanese: ヤナギ Yanagi) is the Gym Leader of Mahogany Town's Gym, known officially as the Mahogany Gym. He is an expert in Ice-type Pokémon. He gives the Glacier Badge to Trainers who defeat him at his Gym.

In the games

Pryce appears in Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, where he is the seventh Gym Leader to be challenged in the Johto region. A specialist of the Ice-type, Pryce is known as "The Teacher of Winter's Harshness". Pryce is the oldest Gym Leader players will face in the games: he has been training Pokémon for over fifty years, and the Pokémon he battles with have been with him since before Ethan, Kris, and Lyra were born. The secret behind his power is—like Chuck—his daily meditation under a waterfall. Pryce claims that this strengthens both his body and his mind.

Pryce's Mahogany Gym cannot be challenged the first time the player arrives in Mahogany Town. A man is blocking entry to the Gym: he will only leave once Team Rocket has been defeated at their headquarters and the Gyarados at the nearby Lake of Rage have been calmed. Once an icy maze inside the Gym has been traversed, Pryce will battle with the player. Upon defeat, he will yield both the Glacier Badge, and an Ice-type Technical Machine. This varies from generation to generation: TM16 (Icy Wind) will be given in Generation II, and TM07 (Hail) is given in Generation IV.

Like all Gym Leaders in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Pryce will often travel outside of his Gym. Every morning between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM, he will head north to the Lake of Rage's west shore. Here, he awaits the player and will give out his Pokégear phone number so the two can battle again in future. This battle will take place on Monday mornings, in Saffron City's Fighting Dojo.

Pryce also appears in Pokémon Stadium 2's Johto Gym Leader Castle. Like other Gym Leaders' teams in this game, he uses a variety of Pokémon not of his specialist type. Uniquely, Pryce uses a legendary Pokémon: the Ice/Flying legendary bird, Articuno.

Pokémon

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal



Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

Gym match



Second battle (Rematch)



Pokémon Black 2 and White 2

Pokémon World Tournament

Pryce uses three of these Pokémon in Single Battles, four in Double and Rotation Battles, and all six in Triple Battles.

Johto Leaders Tournament



Type Expert/World Leaders Tournament



Pokémon Stadium 2

Round 1



Round 2



Quotes

Pokémon Gold and Silver

  • Before battle
"Pokémon have many experiences in their lives, just like we do. I, too, have seen and suffered much in my life. Since I am your elder, let me show you what I mean. I have been with Pokémon since before you were born. I do not lose easily. I, Pryce--the winter trainer-- shall demonstrate my power!"
  • Being defeated
"Ah, I am impressed by your prowess. With your strong will, I know you will overcome all life's obstacles. You are worthy of this Badge!"
  • After being defeated
"When the ice and snow melt, spring arrives. You and your Pokémon will be together for many years to come. Cherish your time together!"

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

Mahogany Gym
  • Before battle
"Pokémon have many experiences in their lives, just like we do. I, too, have seen and suffered much in my life. Since I am your elder, let me show you what I mean. I have been training Pokémon since before you were born. I do not lose easily. I, Pryce - the Winter Trainer - shall demonstrate my power!"
  • Sending out the last Pokémon
"Humph... You are quite the Trainer."
  • During the battle
"Willow is my middle name. Willow is flexible and not easily broken. I'm not giving up yet."
  • When defeated
"Hmm. Seems as if my luck has run out."
  • After battle
"I am impressed by your prowess. With your strong will, I know you will overcome all life's obstacles. You are worthy of this Badge! That Badge will raise the Special stats of Pokémon. It also lets your Pokémon use Whirlpool to get across real whirlpools."
"And this... This is a gift from me! That TM contains Hail. It summons a hailstorm that lasts for five turns. The hailstorm damages all types except Ice."
"When the ice and snow melt, spring arrives. You and your Pokémon will be together for many years to come. Cherish your time together!"'
Fighting Dojo
  • Before battle
"Finally. No need for words. A Pokémon battle is the way for us to communicate."
  • After being defeated
"Mmm... Impressive!"
Pokégear Registering (Lake of Rage)
"The strong rain falling on the surface seems to be agitating the raging lake. This must have some purpose that we meet again. Why don't we exchange our phone numbers?"
Yes: "I make it a habit to train myself on Monday mornings to give this lazy body a spine. You could be a good training partner. I'll be waiting for your call!"
No: "That's OK, too. People ought to have their own ideas. That's the way it is."
"So? Will you exchange numbers with me?"
Pokégear Phone
  • Pryce calling the player:
"Yes, this is Pryce. How are you doing? Just like one of my children... No. You’re more like one of my grandchildren... There’s such an age difference between myself and the Trainers who defeat me nowadays... But you know, the strange thing is that when I lose, I don’t feel disappointed. I just feel happy. Just happy that such talented Trainers have come to see me. ...I just wanted to talk to someone about that, so I called you. That’s all."
"Yes, this is Pryce. How are you doing? Do you know why they call me the winter Trainer? Do you recall that my middle name is “Willow”? The willow tree looks like it withers in winter’s cold. But really, it sprouts dozens of new buds. My fighting style is also strong just like that... It’s written in old books, you know. You should look it up sometime."
  • Calling him:
"Hello... Oh, hi, how are you? I'm doing fine, thanks. You know, there are Gym Leaders out there who are stronger than me. You should try battling them. I don't think you'll lose."
"Hello... Oh, hi, how are you? I'm doing fine, thanks. I usually get up pretty early... If we're going to battle, I'm at my best in the morning... How about you give me a call on Monday morning!"
  • On Monday mornings:
"Hello... Oh, hi, how are you? I'm doing fine, thanks. Oh, perfect timing... I was starting to get bored... Do you want to battle again?"
No: "I see. Well, that's how it's got to be... If you ever change your mind, give me a call. Remember, I'm free on Monday mornings."
Yes: "Honesty is good. So I'll meet you at the Fighting Dojo in Saffron City, then?"
"What? I can’t hear you very well. I think we’ve got a bad connection. Well, if you have something you want to talk to me about, go somewhere else and try calling again."

Pokémon Black 2 and White 2

Pokémon World Tournament
  • Before battle (first round)
"I, Pryce--the Winter Trainer--shall demonstrate my power!"
  • Before battle (second round)
"I, too, have seen and suffered much in my life. Since I am your elder, let me show you what I mean."
  • Before battle (final round)
"I have been training Pokémon since before you were born. I do not lose easily. I, Pryce--the Winter Trainer--shall demonstrate my power!"
  • When defeated
"Hmm. Seems as if my luck has run out."
  • If the player is defeated
"This is winter's harshness."
  • After being defeated
"I am impressed by your prowess. With your strong will, I know you will overcome all life's obstacles."
  • After winning
"When the ice and snow melt, spring arrives. Although you lost, you and your Pokémon will be together for many years to come. Cherish your time together!"
  • In the lobby, after the tournament
"If it's someone like you, I'm sure you'll keep winning and will find something important. Keep it up."

Artwork

 
Headshot from
Generation II

Sprites

       
Pryce's sprite from
Generation II
Pryce's sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Pryce's sprite from
Black 2 and White 2
Pryce's VS sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
       
Pryce's overworld sprite from
Generation II
Pryce's overworld sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Pryce's overworld sprite from
Black 2 and White 2
Pryce's portrait from
Pokémon Stadium 2

In the anime

 
Pryce in the anime

Pryce appeared in three episodes of the Pokémon anime. He had a cameo appearance in Rage of Innocence, and he was featured as the Gym Leader of Mahogany Town in As Cold as Pryce and Nice Pryce, Baby!.

In the anime, Pryce was a champion Trainer in his youth, but was severely burned in a battle. While he was bedridden, his Piloswine went out the door during a severe snow storm and never came back. He believed it had abandoned him, and he grew bitter. He became more cold-hearted and believed that Pokémon are for battling and nothing more. Due to this, he refused to fight Ash, thinking him to be a weak Trainer. When Ash compelled him to a battle, Pryce finally accepted. Using his Dewgong, he beat Ash's Phanpy easily.

 
Pryce in his youth

Later when Ash again tried to talk Pryce into a battle, they stumbled onto a cave where they found Pryce's Piloswine frozen in ice. It had some plants that aided in the healing of burns. It was then that Pryce realized that Piloswine had gone in search of medicine for him, and only the snow storm trapping the Pokémon in ice prevented it from returning to him. Piloswine was defrosted and on being reunited with Piloswine, Pryce lost his cold-heartedness and became happy again.

The next morning, Ash battled Pryce in a Gym battle. After a fierce battle, Pryce forfeited as his Piloswine became tired and he knew it would serve no purpose to keep going.

Pokémon

On hand

This listing is for Pryce's Pokémon in the Pokémon anime:

 
Piloswine
Main article: Pryce's Piloswine

Pryce has owned his Piloswine ever since he was a young Trainer. After Pryce was hurt during a battle against a Magmar, Piloswine went looking for healing herbs, but was frozen on the way back. Years later, Ash and Pryce found it and freed it.

In Nice Pryce, Baby! Pryce used Piloswine during his Gym battle with Ash. It easily defeated Ash's Cyndaquil and fought fiercely against Ash's Pikachu until Pryce forfeited as Piloswine was becoming tired, earning Ash the Glacier Badge.

Debut As Cold as Pryce
Voice actors
Japanese Unshō Ishizuka
English Unshō Ishizuka
 
Dewgong
Dewgong is one of Pryce's main Pokémon. It was first seen preventing the Red Gyarados from entering the Mahogany Town in Rage of Innocence by freezing the river.

Pryce later used Dewgong during his Gym battle with Ash, battling with it against Ash's Cyndaquil. The Sea Lion Pokémon was eventually defeated by Cyndaquil's Flamethrower.

Dewgong's known moves are Ice Beam, Aurora Beam, and Headbutt.

Debut Rage Of Innocence
Voice actors
Japanese Yūji Ueda
English Michael Haigney

In the Gym

This is a listing for Pryce's Pokémon in the Gym:

 
Gym Pokémon
Pryce was shown to have many Lapras, Shellder, Seel and Dewgong in his Gym.

Their only known move is Ice Beam.

Debut Nice Pryce, Baby!

Voice actors

Language Voice actor
Japanese 清川元夢 Motomu Kiyokawa
坂口候一 Kōichi Sakaguchi (young)
English Jimmy Zoppi
Polish Krzysztof Zakrzewski
Brazilian Portuguese Guilherme Lopes
Spanish Latin America César Arias
Carlos Hugo Hidalgo (young)
Spain Julio Núñez
Eduardo del Hoyo (young)


In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
 
Pryce in Pokémon Adventures

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Pryce is a frail man confined to a wheelchair. He rarely leaves his Gym, and uses his Pokémon to create fantastic ice sculptures. With the use of his Pokémon, he also makes it appear like the sculptures can move and attack.

When the legendary Pokémon Suicune begins challenging the Gym Leaders, Whitney, DJ Mary, the Pokémon Association Director, and the Radio Director go to the Mahogany Gym after deducing that it will be Suicune's next target. There, they encounter Pryce, who welcomes his visitors with warm hospitality.

Suddenly, one of his ice sculptures begins moving, which turns out to be Suicune. Pryce helps battle the Suicune, but upon its defeat, the Pokémon is revealed to be nothing but an ice sculpture that had appeared to move with the use of Pryce's Pokémon. Pryce reveals that he set up the battle as training in case he was attacked by the real Suicune.

At the Pokémon League, Pryce was appointed the representative of the Johto Gym Leaders. There, he was paired up against Erika, the Kanto Gym Leader's representative, in an exhibition match between the two region's Gym Leaders. In the secomd-to-last match, Pryce faced Erika in battle, where he manages to win.

In the climax of the Gold, Silver, & Crystal arc, it is revealed that Pryce is actually the true identity of the Masked Man. After having his disguise destroyed by Gold, Pryce uses the Rainbow and Silver Wings to create a Poké Ball that can capture the Pokémon that can travel through time, Celebi.

With it, he escapes into the Crack in Time, only to be pursued by a relentless Gold. After exiting, Pryce is attacked by the other Pokédex holders, but he easily manages to fend them off. When Celebi emerges from its shrine at the Ilex Forest, Pryce captures it and forces it to send him back in time to a certain point in his life. Once they free themselves from his ice prisons, Gold, Silver, and Crystal follow Pryce back in time to stop his evil plan. There, it is revealed that in his youth, Pryce had lost his two Lapras in an avalanche, leaving their child an orphan. Pryce reveals that all along, his plan was to go back in time to reunite his Lapras, La Glace, with its long-lost parents.

Pryce fights against Gold one last time, where it ends with Gold destroying Celebi's Poké Ball, freeing it from Pryce's control. Although defeated, La Glace flies to the past, where it is reunited with its parents. Celebi helps heal Pryce's heart by playing a song from his past, bringing the man to tears in the process. Having a change of heart, Pryce expresses his envy at Gold's youth as he willingly lets himself fall into the voids of time, where he was presumed missing.

 
Pryce in the HeartGold & SoulSilver chapter

In the HeartGold & SoulSilver arc, Pryce finally returns along with Lance and Giovanni to stop the three legendary Pokémon created by Arceus. There, Pryce reveals that while he was trapped in the voids of time, he witnessed the beginning of the world, the births of legendary and mirage Pokémon, and a future that was destroyed by the three Pokémon created by Arceus. Knowing what lies ahead, Pryce called out to someone for help, and was heard by Lance.

Celebi, having sensed this beforehand, released Pryce out of the Ilex Forest Shrine, where they encountered Giovanni, who was waiting for Celebi's arrival to cure his disease. When Giovanni saw Pryce, he immediately attacked Pryce and would have killed him if it weren't for the intervention of Lance, who told them of the events going on at the Sinjoh Ruins. Although reluctant, the three Trainers formed an alliance to stop the destruction before it could begin.

While Giovanni faced Giratina and Lance faced Palkia, Pryce goes up against Dialga with his Swinub. Although Dialga had the ability to manipulate the flow of time, Pryce's past history with time gives him immunity to its attacks. After Arceus is calmed down by Gold, Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina leave to parts unknown, which finally ends the battle. After Celebi helps heal Giovanni's disease, Giovanni entrusts Pryce and Lance to train his son so that in the future, they may battle. In the meantime, Pryce decides to return to his Gym and resume his position as a Gym Leader.

Pokémon

This listing is for Pryce's Pokémon in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

 
Seel (×2)
Pryce's two Seel were some of the Pokémon he keeps in his Gym. Pryce uses them to sell his ice sculptures and do his shopping. In the battle against Suicune, the Seel were used to quickly freeze and defrost the ice sculpture's limbs, giving it the impression of being a living creature.

None of their moves are known.

Debut Irked Igglybuff and Curmudgeonly Cleffa
 
Swinub
Swinub was used to assist Whitney in battling the Suicune ice sculpture and managed to win by freezing it. During Pryce's battle against Erika, it fought against her Bellossom and won. When Pryce was lost in time, it was lost with him and returned when Pryce was freed by Celebi. In the HeartGold & SoulSilver chapter, Swinub was used to battle against Dialga. It has a Mild nature.

Swinub's known moves are Blizzard and Powder Snow, and its Ability is Oblivious.

Debut Savvy Swinub
 
Delibird
Delibird is one of the Pokémon that Pryce keeps inside of his Gym. It was used to manipulate the Suicune ice sculpture and make it appear to be a real Pokémon. It is unknown if this Delibird is the same one which he used as the Masked Man.

None of Delibird's moves are known.

Debut Irked Igglybuff and Curmudgeonly Cleffa
 
Egg → La Glace (CY: Glacier)
La Glace (Japanese: ヒョウガ Hyouga) is a Lapras that hatched from an Egg that its parents, La Prus and La Pris, created. Pryce first used La Glace to give the Suicune sculpture the appearance of attacking its opponents. After Celebi was freed from its Poké Ball, La Glace was reunited with its parents after traveling through time.

La Glace's only known move is Aurora Beam.

Debut Irked Igglybuff and Curmudgeonly Cleffa
Deceased
 
La Prus and La Pris (CY: Laprus and Lapris)
La Prus (Japanese: ラ ・ プルス La Prus) and La Pris (Japanese: ラ ・ プリス La Pris) are the father and mother of La Glace, respectively. They died after being caught in an avalanche during Pryce's youth. Pryce then decided to capture Celebi in order to travel in time and reunite with them. Although Pryce never reunited with them, they were able to reunite with their child after La Glace traveled to the past.
Debut The Last Battle XIV
Befriended
 
Celebi
This Celebi was the same one that Pryce originally sought after to reunite La Glace with its lost parents. After the events of the third chapter, Pryce waded around in the Crack in Time; only surviving due to Celebi's influence. After sensing the destruction Arceus would bring upon the Johto and Sinnoh regions, Celebi freed Pryce from his prison to help combat the threat.
Debut The Last Battle XIV

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga

 
Pryce in Pokémon Pocket Monsters

Pryce makes an appearance in Ice World where Red encounters him after he took care of Giovanni and Team Rocket at the Lake of Rage.

He was first seen looking for his Pokémon. He had a shovel in which he used to dig up certain areas in order to accomplish his goals of finding his Pokémon. Red managed to find it covered in ice, but he had trouble getting the ice off. Pryce too had trouble until it started to crack and Swinub came out, which made Pryce happy. After Swinub escaped from the ice, Pryce took them to his Gym. In the Gym, Pryce challenges Red to a battle using his Swinub. During the battle, Clefairy does everything to dazzle Swinub in order to trick it. Everything went well until it wore a Piloswine costume which caused the real Piloswine to come out and tackle Clefairy. With Piloswine around, Pryce and Swinub were able to reunite with it.

Pokémon

 
Swinub
Swinub was first seen stuck inside some ice. Red tries to break the ice but it was tough. However, Swinub manages to get itself out on its own after the ice cracked a bit. Swinub was then used in the Gym Battle against Red's Clefairy. It was a battle between gag moves until Clefairy dressed himself up as Piloswine, which caused the real Piloswine to appear, knocking Clefairy flying.

Swinub's known moves are Headbutt and Take Down.

Debut Ice World
 
Piloswine
Main article: Pryce's Piloswine

Piloswine appeared when Clefairy dressed up as it.

Debut Ice World

In the TCG

This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Pryce or his Pokémon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Pryce's Pokémon
Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format.
Cards listed with a silver background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Card Type English
Expansion
Rarity # Japanese
Expansion
Rarity #
Pryce's Dewgong         Pokémon VS   039/141
Pryce's Cloyster   Tyranitar Half Deck     Pokémon VS   040/141
Pryce's Lapras         Unnumbered Promotional cards    
      Pokémon VS   041/141
Pryce's Articuno         Pokémon VS   042/141
Pryce's Sneasel         Pokémon VS   043/141
Pryce's Piloswine         Pokémon VS   044/141
Pryce's Delibird         Pokémon VS   045/141
Other related cards
Card Type English
Expansion
Rarity # Japanese
Expansion
Rarity #
Pryce's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   115/141
Pryce's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   116/141
 


Trivia

  • His Japanese Leader title is 冬の厳しさを教える者.
  • Pryce is the only Gym Leader that forfeited to Ash.
  • Pryce is an Ice-type Gym Leader and the 7th Gym Leader of his region; he shares both of these attributes with Candice and Brycen.
  • In the games, Pryce is the only male Johto Gym Leader to have a Generation II Pokémon. Each of the other four male Johto Gym Leaders have only Generation I Pokémon.
  • He is one of two Johto Gym Leaders to have lost to Ash in a second battle; in an official Gym battle (via TKO; the first was an unofficial one-on-one battle—Dewgong vs. Phanpy); the other being Whitney in a Gym battle rematch.
  • Pryce appears as an opponent in Pokémon Puzzle Challenge. He uses a Seel in battle.
  • Pryce is the only Gym Leader whose highest-leveled Pokémon is at a lower level than the highest-leveled Pokémon of the Gym Leader before him.
  • As stated by in-battle dialogue in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, and later during random calls on the Pokégear, Pryce's middle name is Willow, which also happens to be his Japanese name's translation.
  • In Generation II, a Boarder in Pryce's Gym states that the secret to Pryce's power is his daily meditation under a waterfall. In Generation IV, this is changed to his sitting on top of "very cold ice".

Names

Language Name Origin
Japanese ヤナギ Yanagi From 柳 yanagi, willow.
English Pryce From ice.
French Frédo From froid, cold.
German Norbert Means northern brightness.
Italian Alfredo From freddo, cold.
Spanish Fredo From frío, cold.
Korean 류옹 Ryuong 류 is from 柳, which is taken from 柳 yanagi.
Chinese (Taiwan) 柳伯 Liǔbó 柳 is taken from 柳 yanagi, while 伯 (uncle) is also a respectful term used to refer to someone older.
Chinese (Mainland China) 柳伯 Liǔbó*
古柳 Gǔliǔ*
Same as Taiwanese name.
Literally "Ancient willows".


Gym Leaders of the Johto region
Violet Gym  
 
Falkner
Azalea Gym  
 
Bugsy
Goldenrod Gym  
 
Whitney
Ecruteak Gym  
 
Morty
Cianwood Gym  
 
Chuck
Olivine Gym  
 
Jasmine
Mahogany Gym  
 
Pryce
Blackthorn Gym  
 
Clair


  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.