Sophocles (anime)
| Sophocles マーマネ Māmane | |
 Art from Sun & Moon series | |
| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Eye color | Brown |
| Hair color | Orange |
| Hometown | Hau'oli City |
| Region | Alola |
| Relatives | Unnamed father and mother |
| Trainer class | Trainer |
| Game counterpart | Sophocles |
| Specializes in | Electric types |
| Animated debut | Alola to New Adventure! |
| English voice actor | Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld |
| Japanese voice actor | Fumiko Takekuma |
Sophocles (Japanese: マーマネ Māmane) is a student at the Pokémon School on Melemele Island and one of Ash's classmates. He debuted in Alola to New Adventure!.
History
Sophocles made his first appearance in Alola to New Adventure, where he, Mallow and Lana accidentally trampled Ash on his first visit to Samson Oak's Pokémon School. He later watched along with the rest of the class as Ash fought a group of Team Skull Grunts alongside Kiawe. Shortly after the battle, Ash claimed to see the guardian deity Tapu Koko in the sky, but neither Sophocles nor the rest of the class could see the guardian.
In The Guardian's Challenge, Sophocles was surprised to see Ash with a Z-Ring, which Ash claimed to be a gift from Tapu Koko. The next day, Sophocles participated in Ash's surprise welcome party to the school by challenging him to a balloon-popping contest. Sophocles won the challenge with ease by bursting the balloons on Togedemaru's spikes, and then using her Lightning Rod Ability to absorb Pikachu's electricity to charge her attacks. During a lunch break, he and the others witnessed Tapu Koko challenge Ash and Pikachu to a battle to test their ability using Z-Moves. After Ash decided to participate in the island challenges to replace his shattered Electrium Z, Sophocles gladly offered to teach him and Pikachu new techniques.
In A Shocking Grocery Run!, Sophocles met Ash in Hau'oli City's mall, where the two ate some ice cream. Later, the mall's fire shutters separated Sophocles and Ash from Togedemaru, Pikachu, and Rotom due to a system malfunction caused by Team Rocket. Using his knowledge of machinery, Sophocles was able to find out the solution to the problem. While on their way to the mall's power switch room, he and Ash got into an argument, but settled their dispute after Ash saved Sophocles from being locked up. Eventually the two made their way up to the mall's roof, where they encountered their Pokémon battling Team Rocket. Sophocles had his Togedemaru absorb Pikachu's Thunderbolt using her Lightning Rod Ability, allowing Togedemaru to turn the tides of the battle before the Team Rocket trio got carried away by Bewear. After solving the power problem, Sophocles went to have dinner with Ash and Professor Kukui.
In So Long, Sophocles!, his father and mother informed Sophocles that they were moving house which left him very upset. He later discovered that it was all a big misunderstanding as they were only moving a few houses away but was terrified of explaining this to his friends who were throwing a leaving party. Ash even got him a Charjabug as a going away present which he caught. After capturing Charjabug, Sophocles tearfully apologized to his friends for accidentally misleading them. Although Sophocles was reluctant on revealing the truth because he feared that everyone would be mad at him for lying, everyone was happy he wasn't actually moving away.
In Mounting an Electrifying Charge!, Sophocles, along with Ash and Kiawe, decided to enter the Charjabug race with his Charjabug. His Charjabug struggled at first, but he and the others trained with him so they could win. On the day of the race, he was confronted with Horacio, the leader of the Red Comet team, and was teased on, but he didn't back down. For the race, Sophocles took the role of the team director, with Kiawe acting as the mechanic and Ash as the support runner. When the race began, Charjabug moved slowly. On the rocky course, Ash and Charjabug became stuck, but Sophocles found a way to get around the obstacle. During the final stretch, Ash was rendered unconscious so he couldn't finish the race. Sophocles eventually found a way to use Charjabug's String Shot to go up the slippery slope and come out victorious.
Character
Sophocles is an intelligent young boy with a knack for inventing helpful devices and machinery. He is also a skilled Trainer of Electric-type Pokémon, often using them to power his inventions. While at times rude and prone to absorbing himself in his technological activities, he is friendly and greatly cares for his Pokémon and classmates. In A Shocking Grocery Run!, it was revealed that Sophocles likes to collect information on all sort of things, such as the best ice cream in Alola. In the same episode, it is also revealed that he has a fear of dark places, but is never scared at night as long as he has his Togedemaru with him.
Much like Clemont, Sophocles fails to do tasks that require physical activity as shown in The Guardian's Challenge!, when he needed help to climb over a log, and in Racing to a Big Event!, during the Pokémon Pancake Race.
Sophocles also has a defensive side, which was seen in Mounting an Electrifying Charge!, when he stood up for himself and his Charjabug after being mocked by Horacio.
Pokémon
On hand
 Togedemaru ♀ |
 Charjabug |
Ride Pokémon
| Debut | Yo, Ho, Ho! Go, Popplio! |
|---|
Sophocles, along with Kiawe, was first seen riding a Poké Ride Wailmer around Melemele Island.
None of Wailmer's moves are known.
Sophocles used a Poké Ride Stoutland to hunt for treasure around Akala Island.
None of Stoutland's moves are known.
Temporary
| Debut | Alola to New Adventure! |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | Chika Fujimura |
| English | Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld |
- Main article: Mallow's Steenee
In The Ol' Raise and Switch!, Professor Kukui tasked everyone with switching their partner Pokémon with somebody else and Sophocles was given Steenee. Sophocles had trouble sleeping without Togedemaru's light but Steenee helped Sophocles with its scent.
Pokémon competitions
Sophocles has competed in the following Pokémon competitions:
- Pokémon Pancake Race - Disqualified (Racing to a Big Event!)
- Charjabug race Koko Cup - Winner (with Ash and Kiawe; Mounting an Electrifying Charge!)
Voice actors
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Trivia
- Sophocles is the first of Ash's classmates to obtain a second Pokémon, not counting Ride Pokémon.
Names
| Language | Name | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | マーマネ Māmane | From māmane (Hawaiian for Sophora chrysophylla) and possibly 麻痺 mahi (paralysis) |
| English | Sophocles | From Sophora chrysophylla |
| French, German, Italian | Chrys | From Sophora chrysophylla |
| Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese | Chris | From Sophora chrysophylla |
| Korean | 마마네 Mamane | Transliteration of Japanese name |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 馬瑪內 / 马玛内 Mǎmǎnèi | Transliteration of Japanese name |
| Chinese (Cantonese) | 馬瑪內 Máhmáhnoih | Mandarin-based transliteration of Japanese name |
| European Portuguese | Sófocles | Similar to his English name |
| Russian | Софоклис Sofoklis | Transcription of English name |
Related articles
| Sophocles's Pokémon | |||||||
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| Ride Pokémon: | |||||||
| Temporary: | |||||||
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This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |