Cross-dressing

Cross-dressing is a recurring element in Pokémon media.

In the core series games

Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver

In Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, the Fuchsia Gym challenge involves finding out who is the real Janine. There are three girls as well as Camper Barry disguised as Janine. Camper Barry makes this remark about his disguise after battle:

  • "Hey, dude. Was my disguise cute or what, huh?"GS
  • "Hey, you. Was my disguise cute or what, huh?"C
  • "That's right, I'm a boy! What's wrong with a boy dressing up as Janine?"HGSS

In those games, when the player interacts with Copycat, she quickly copies their appearance. Therefore, if the player selected Ethan as the player character in the current game, Copycat appears cross-dressing as Ethan.

In Pokémon Crystal, if the player selected Kris and attempts to enter the Cable Club or Time Capsule, they will change into the male trainer sprite for the duration of the activity, in order to preserve compatibility with previous games in displaying the link partner's sprite.

Pokémon Black and White

After the player has defeated Team Plasma at N's Castle and returned home, there is a cutscene where Looker appears disguised as the player's Mom. In this cutscene, it seems that two identical "Moms" are talking with each other at first, but then Looker reveals his true identity as one of the "Moms". Looker also mentions that he forgot that he was still wearing his Mom disguise.

Pokémon Black 2 and White 2

In the Japanese and French versions of Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, Nursery Aide June admits to being a man disguised as a woman in order to be a Nursery Aide, but this dialogue is cut from the English translations. Nursery Aide June appears during the summer at the Rondez-View Ferris Wheel if the player is male.

Ashley in the games

Ashley (Japanese: サトコ Satoko), the cross-dressing version of Ash in Pokémon the Series, is referenced in several core series games.

In the Japanese versions of Pokémon Crystal, FireRed, LeafGreen, Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, サトコ (Satoko) is one of the default names for the female player characters Kris, Leaf, Dawn, or Lyra. However, in the English versions, this was replaced by other names unrelated to Ashley: "Jodi" for Kris and Leaf, or "Britney" for Dawn and Lyra. Ash (Japanese: サトシ Satoshi) is one of the suggested names for the male character in all those games other than Pokémon Crystal, and in Pokémon Yellow as well.

In the spin-off games

Pokémon Puzzle League

In Pokémon Puzzle League, the Team Rocket trio is shown wearing some of their disguises from Pokémon the Series in the background of the Spa Service mode, including some of their cross-dressing disguises.

In animation

Pokémon the Series

Cross-dressing is a running gag in Pokémon the Series.

Ash and Pikachu

Ash as Ashley

Ashley (Japanese: サトコ Satoko) was the name Ash used when he cross-dressed in Pokémon Scent-sation!.

Ash dressed up as Ashley when he was barred access to the Celadon Gym for insulting the perfume which the Gym was known for manufacturing. Jessie, James, and Meowth saw that he had been thrown out, and offered to help him get in the Gym with a disguise. He reluctantly agreed, and they dressed him up as a girl. As Ashley, Ash wore an orange frilly dress that had a pink ribbon in the back, a blonde wig with a pink ribbon and red high heels. They entered disguised as a family, with Ash playing the part of the daughter. He remained incognito for a while, even as Brock and Misty greeted him, but his cover was blown when Pikachu recognized him. Ash tried to ignore Pikachu, but after he was hit with a Thunderbolt, his wig disintegrated and his identity was revealed, much to a very angry Erika's dismay. Ash would eventually get his Gym battle with Erika anyway, without the dress. Ash reused the name Ashley in Beauties Battling for Pride and Prestige!.

Names
Language Name Origin
Japanese サトコ Satoko From Satoshi, Ash's Japanese name
English, Danish, Dutch
Finnish, German, Italian
Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish
Ashley From Ash
French Natacha From Sacha, Ash's French name
Other outfits

Ash's friends

Jessie, James, and Meowth

Other cross-dressing moments

In the manga

Rudy dressed as a woman in The Electric Tale of Pikachu

The Electric Tale of Pikachu

In You Bet Your Wife, Jeremy (known in the English anime as Rudy) started to dress as a woman to become a big sister for his younger sister Mahri.

Pokémon Adventures

Yellow arc

During most of this arc, Yellow was disguised as a boy in her quest to find Red, following Green's instructions to hide her identity.

Gold, Silver & Crystal arc

In Heckled by Hitmontop, Green appeared disguised as an old man with an Abra. She revealed her identity to Silver and her Abra teleported Silver away.

In the TCG

The Copycat card features several different print variations in which Copycat is seen cross-dressing as Ethan as well as cosplaying as other male and female characters.

Trivia

  • Brock has been shown to be able to identify when women are really men in disguise by having a peculiar lack of attraction to them. He's also able to do the opposite. A significant exception to this is Ash, who in the guise of Ashley was able to fool Brock.

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