Ritchie (Also Richie, Japanese: ヒロシ Hiroshi) is a nominally recurring Pokémon trainer in the Pokémon anime. His Japanese seiyu is 高山みなみ Minami Takayama his English voice actress is Tara Jayne, and his Brazilian Portuguese voice actors are Alex Wendel (Indigo League), Francisco Freitas (Whirl Islands) and Thiago Longo (Pokémon Chronicles). He is named after Hiroshi Yamauchi, former President of Nintendo. His Japanese name means "far and wide" (溥), while his English name is a diminiuitive for Richard, which is generally agreed to mean "brave power" in Germanic (from the elements ric "power, rule, ruler" and hard "brave, hardy").

Ritchie and Sparky

Ritchie is often seen as a clone of Ash Ketchum and what the show would be like if Ash was perfect. He has a lack of popularity in the Pokémon fandom.

In the anime

Ritchie first appeared in A Friend In Deed and quickly befriended his fellow Pokémon League competitor, Ash Ketchum. This led to problems in the next episode, Friend or Foe Alike, since the two were matched up to battle against each other. Ritchie won the match, since at the very end Ash's Charizard refused to fight what it considered a weaker opponent and took a nap on the battlefield instead.

Ritchie showed up again in the anime when Ash and friends visited the Whirl Islands, starting in A Parent Trapped! He was searching for a mysterious Pokémon found there, which turned out to be a Lugia.

He also appeared in three Pokémon Chronicles episodes, Oaknapped, Celebi and Joy and The Search for the Legend. The second of these makes him one of three notable characters to travel backwards through time with the aid of Celebi, the other characters being May and Meowth.

Pokémon

Pikachu (Sparky, レオン Leon)
Butterfree (Happy, パピー)
Charmander → Charmeleon (Zippo, ジッポ)
Pupitar (Cruz, クルーズ)
Taillow (Rose, ローズ)
Eevee (Only ever referred to in the dub)

In the games

The only game Ritchie appears in was Pokémon Puzzle League. However, some have speculated that, like Ash, he was based off the hero from Pokémon Red and Blue. In fact, besides differences in color, his outfit closely parallels that of the hero's original design.

In the manga

Ritchie was one of the characters in the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga.

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Anime characters

Protagonists	Ash Ketchum (Pikachu) • Misty (Togetic) • Brock • Tracey Sketchit • May • Max • Dawn (Piplup) • Iris (Haxorus) • Cilan • Serena • Clemont • Bonnie (Dedenne) • Lana • Kiawe • Lillie • Sophocles • Mallow • Rotom Pokédex • Goh (Grookey)
Rivals	Gary • Ritchie • Harrison • Drew • Harley • Morrison • Tyson • Solidad • Paul • Nando • Zoey • Kenny • Conway • Barry • Ursula • Trip • Bianca • Burgundy • Stephan • Georgia • Cameron • Aria • Alain • Miette • Tierno • Shauna • Trevor • Nini • Sawyer • Gladion • Horacio • Hau • Leon • Raihan • Horace • Bea • League Conference participants • Coordinators • Performers • World Coronation Series participants
Antagonists	Jessie (Wobbuffet) • James • Meowth • Giovanni • Butch • Cassidy • Dr. Namba • Matori • Pierce • Dr. Zager • Gozu • Tabitha • Maxie • Shelly • Archie • Hunter J • Saturn • Cyrus • Mars • Jupiter • Charon • Colress • Aldith • Ghetsis • Barret • Malamar • Lysandre • Mable • Celosia • Aliana • Xerosic • Bryony • Tupp • Zipp • Rapp • Plumeria • Guzma • Viren • Rose • Oleana
Professors	Professor Oak • Professor Ivy • Professor Elm • Professor Birch • Professor Rowan • Professor Carolina • Professor Juniper • Dr. Fennel • Cedric Juniper • Professor Sycamore • Professor Kukui • Professor Burnet • Professor Cerise • Professor Magnolia • Sonia • Professor Amaranth
Relatives	Delia Ketchum • Daisy • Violet • Lily • James's parents • Flint • Lola • Forrest • Brock's siblings • Norman • Caroline • Johanna • Chili • Cress • Grace • Meyer • Lana's father • Lana's mother • Harper and Sarah • Rango • Sima • Mimo • Kiawe's grandfather • Mohn • Lusamine • Gladion • Sophocles's parents • Molayne • Abe • Mallow's mother • Ulu • Walker • Camille • Halta
Supporting	Officer Jenny • Nurse Joy • Magikarp salesman • Todd Snap • Charles Goodshow • Casey • Liza • Sakura • Lance • Clair • Raoul Contesta • Mr. Sukizo • Steven Stone • Vivian Meridian • Robert • Scott • Lilian Meridian • Solana • Brandon • Marian • Yuzo • Rhonda • Cynthia • Reggie • Angie • Looker • Izzy and Cara • Lyra • Khoury • Tobias • Don George • Elder • Alder • Luke • Freddy O'Martian • Ingo • Emmet • Jervis • Virgil • N • Anthea and Concordia • Porter • Alexa • Sophie • Cosette • Clembot • Sanpei • Mairin • Astrid • Diantha • Korrina • Gurkinn • Monsieur Pierre • Palermo • Keanan • Malva • Samson Oak • Anela • Hobbes • Nina • Anna • Laki • Dana • Yansu • Wicke • Faba • Ilima • Acerola • Dia • Chloe • Chrysa • Ren • Parker • Talia • Lei • Danika • Quillon • Hop • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • Frontier Brains • Island kahunas • Many temporary characters
Supporting Pokémon	Fearow • Ho-Oh • Squirtle Squad • Pink Butterfree • Haunter • Jigglypuff • Mewtwo • Mimey • Lapras herd • Granbull • Pichu Brothers • Lugia • Silver • Delibird • Wynaut • Larvitar • Kyogre and Groudon • Articuno • Deoxys • Lake guardians • Forces of Nature • Meloetta • Reshiram • Super-ancient Pokémon • Wooper • Florges • Squishy • Z2 • Guardian deities • Bewear • Toucannon's flock • Stoutland • Oranguru • Nebby • Stufful • Ultra Beasts • Grandpa Forest • Necrozma • Lunala • Shaymin • Mew • Rotom Phones • Pelipper • Thievul trio • Eternatus • Drone Rotom • Legendary heroes • Latias • Recurring wild Pokémon