Professor Oak (anime): Difference between revisions

==History==

Professor Oak made his debut in ''[[EP001|Pokémon, I Choose You!]]'', appearing on a late night television show explaining the three [[starter Pokémon]] that Pokémon Trainers would receive. The next day, three Trainers from Pallet Town, including his grandson, [[Gary Oak]], came to [[Professor Oak's Laboratory|his lab]], ready to become [[Pokémon Trainer]]s. Oak gave them each a Starter Pokémon, including giving Gary his {{TP|Gary|Squirtle|Blastoise}}, though this wasn't revealed until much later in the series. Later that same day, Ash came to him as he was also starting his Pokémon journey and needed his first Pokémon as well. But because he was so late, the only Pokémon Oak had left was a rebellious {{AP|Pikachu}}.

Professor Oak traveled to Johto on a couple of occasions for conferences, most notably during Ash and Gary's battles in the Pokemon League Silver Conference.

Professor Oak made a few appearances during the ''Advanced Generation'' as well and was in a few episodes of the [[Weekly Pokémon Broadcasting Station]]'s [[List of side story episodes#Weekly Pokémon Broadcasting Station|side story episodes]].

In ''[[AG187|The Unbeatable Lightness of Seeing!]]'', when Ash was still recovering from his defeat at the Battle Pyramid, Professor Oak brought him a special package meant to cheer him up, containing a poster with the [[Footprint|prints]] of {{cat|Ash's Pokémon|his Pokémon}}, a [[Misty's special lure|fishing lure]] from {{an|Misty}}, and food from {{Delia|his mother}}. He also handed Ash a postcard from {{Gary}} and told him that his grandson was doing research in the [[Sinnoh]] [[region]] and that many {{cat|Generation IV Pokémon|Pokémon who live there}} cannot be found anywhere else. Later, he was asked to judge the impromptu [[Contest Battle]] between May and [[Drew]]. Along with [[Scott]], he judged their battle, which ended in a victory for Drew after his {{TP|Drew|Roselia}} and {{p|Butterfree}} [[Fainting|knocked out]] [[May's Combusken]] and {{TP|May|Skitty}}.

[[File:Professor Oak DP anime.png|thumb|left|250px|Professor Oak in the {{series|Diamond & Pearl}}]]

Ash spoke to Professor Oak regularly over the phone while he traveled through the [[Sinnoh]] [[region]]. {{an|Dawn}} was able to recognize him from [[television]], but it was because of his Pokémon poetry and not his research.

Meanwhile in Twinleaf, [[James]] was in the town's auditorium disguised as Oak plotting to steal all of the attendees' Pokémon. When Oak arrived there, everyone in the auditorium looked confused as James insisted he was the real Professor Oak. Seeing this, a {{pkmn|Trainer}} in the audience sent out his {{p|Tyranitar}} and asked for help, saying he was having trouble with the {{pkmn|category|Armor Pokémon}}. James failed to figure out what was the cause of the problem and was sent blasting off by Tyranitar, but Oak was able to help the Pokémon by removing a thorn from its foot. After that, Professor Oak proceeded to give his lecture.

[[File:Professor Oak BW anime.png|250px|thumb|Professor Oak in the {{series|Best Wishes}}]]

Professor Oak was given a major redesign in the ''Best Wishes'' series, using a different shirt collar style and wearing his labcoat above it. His hairstyle also changed, becoming more boxy. These changes make his look closely resemble his most recent [[Professor Oak|game counterpart]] artwork.

In ''[[BW142|The Dream Continues!]]'' Professor Oak was interviewed by [[Alexa]], a reporter from the [[Kalos]] region which gave him a chance to see Pokémon from there much to his delight. He was later present when Ash announced his intention to return with Alexa to Kalos to challenge its league. As usual, Professor Oak was entrusted with the care of the Pokémon Ash had caught in Unova, as well as Charizard who would be remaining at the lab permanently from then on.

Professor Oak appeared briefly in ''[[XY003|A Battle of Aerial Mobility!]]'', where he was introduced to {{AP|Froakie}} before being shocked by Rotom.

[[File:Samson and Samuel Oak.png|thumb|250px|Professor Oak with his cousin Samson in the {{series|Sun & Moon}}]]

After winning a trip to the [[Alola]] region, Delia and Ash headed to Professor Oak's lab, where he received Ash's on-hand Pokémon and took the opportunity to entrust Delia with a [[Pokémon Egg]]. He asked her to deliver the egg to his cousin [[Samson Oak]], at the [[Pokémon School]] on [[Melemele Island]].

After meeting with Delia in ''[[SM001|Alola to New Adventure!]]'', Samson made a video call to Professor Oak and notified him the egg arrived safely. Professor Oak did not tell Ash what Pokémon it was, so only after hatching in ''[[SM014|Getting to Know You!]]'' was it revealed to be a {{p|Vulpix}}, which Samson kept.

Professor Oak reappeared again in ''[[SM042|Alola, Kanto!]]'', where Ash, {{ashcl}}, Samson, and [[Professor Kukui]], who were all visiting Kanto, arrived at his lab.

Professor Oak appeared on television in [[SM048]].

Professor Oak lives up the road from [[Delia Ketchum]] and {{Ash|her son}}, and he and Delia often appear together as they are good friends. His known relatives are his grandson [[Gary Oak|Gary]] and his cousin [[Samson Oak|Samson]]. He is also good friends with Professor Birch and Professor Juniper.

In the novelizations written by [[Takeshi Shudō]], Professor Oak comes from a prestigious family. He has two brothers, one of whom is the mayor of Pallet Town while the other is its postmaster, and his grandfather was the first Trainer from Pallet Town to receive widespread recognition, while Samuel himself gained prominence after he published a research paper on Pokémon at the age of 20. It is also stated that he became a professor at [[Celadon University]] at the age of 25. According to Professor Elm, Professor Oak's studies and research mostly focus on how humans and Pokémon interact with each other.

This listing is of Professor Oak's known {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} in the {{pkmn|anime}}:

{{TrainerPoké

|trainer=Professor Oak

Rotom's known moves are {{m|Thunderbolt}} and {{m|Blizzard}}{{tt|*|As Frost Rotom}}.}}

{{TrainerPoké

|trainer=Professor Oak

* Various Pokémon are used in his lectures, which may belong to him or to Trainers whose Pokémon he cares for.

{{TrainerPoké

|trainer=Professor Oak

Various Squirtle's known moves are {{m|Tackle}} and {{m|Water Gun}}.}}

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There are various Pokémon that live on the Oak Corral. Only a handful have been seen but there are various kinds of different Pokémon. People like Professor Oak and {{Tracey}} care for them. Other Trainers' Pokémon reside here such as {{Gary}}'s.

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{{spoilers}}

[[File:Sammy Oak.png|250px|thumb|Sam]]

Despite the fact that Sam sees many {{cat|Generation II Pokémon}} throughout the movie (notably the {{pkmn2|Mythical}} {{p|Celebi}} and the {{pkmn2|Legendary}} {{p|Suicune}}), the [[Pokédex]] he gifts Ash in the Kanto arc only catalogs {{cat|Generation I Pokémon}}, claiming that they are all the Pokémon that the world knows. This discrepancy is likely no longer canon, instead representing a silent {{wp|retcon}} that occurred due to the ever-increasing number of Pokémon; indeed, Pokémon from [[Generation II]], [[Generation III]], and [[Generation IV]] are able to be trained in Kanto during the Generation I remakes FireRed and LeafGreen, as well as during the Generation II remakes HeartGold and SoulSilver. Perhaps to avoid a similar plothole, the number of Pokémon as of the current generation is no longer explicitly mentioned in anime-related media.

{{MissingInfo|1|java}}

{{TrainerPoké

Charmeleon's known moves are {{m|Flamethrower}} and {{m|Headbutt}}.}}

{{TrainerPoké

|main=Celebi (M04)

|desc=Sam met this {{p|Celebi}} during his time. However, it bumped into him while on the pursuit of a Pokémon Hunter which accidentally transports him to the present time of Ash and company. This time, the Iron-Masked Marauder was after Celebi. After Ash and Sam defeated the Marauder by snapping Celebi out of its dark self and got revived by the other Celebi from the past, this Celebi that met Sam took him back to his own time.}}

{{endspoilers}}

==Voice actors==