If you were looking for the character of the day with the Japanese name Karen, see Mary (EP139). For the movie character with the Japanese name Karen, see Sharon.
For the voice actress, see Karen Neill or Karen Fukuhara.
Karen
カリン Karin
HeartGold SoulSilver Karen.png
Art from HeartGold and SoulSilver by Ken Sugimori[1]
Age 25-26 (Adventures; as of the ninth chapter)
Gender Female
Eye color Silvery-blue
Hair color Silvery-blue
Hometown Unknown
Region Kanto or Johto
Trainer class Elite Four
Generation II, IV
Games Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver, Stadium 2, Masters EX
Elite Four of Indigo Plateau
Specializes in Dark types
Game animation debut GOTCHA!
English voice actor Mela Lee[2] (Masters EX)
Japanese voice actor Ryōka Yuzuki[3] (Masters EX)

Karen (Japanese: カリン Karin) is a Dark-type Trainer and member of the Indigo Elite Four.

She bears a striking resemblance to Sanqua, but the relationship between the two, if any, is unknown.[4]

In the core series games

Character profile

Karen is the final member of the Indigo League Elite Four in the Generation II and IV games. She prefers Dark-type Pokémon because she likes the tough and wild image they portray, and believes that skilled Trainers should try to win with the Pokémon they like the most.

Appearance

Karen is a slim young woman who has silvery-blue eyes and long wavy silvery-blue hair with a centre parting that reaches past her waist with two long bangs that frame her face. In Generation II, she wears a short black dress with a sweetheart neckline and black flats.The top and bottom parts of her dress have a purple spiked pattern. She also wears black heels.

In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Karen wears a yellow spaghetti strap cropped tank top with a sweetheart neckline edged in black and the bottom part of the top that is cut into a triangular pattern that reveals her flat midriff and white capri pants with yellow beads. She also wears yellow high heels on her feet. Her tank top has four straps, two on each side that strap over her bare shoulders.

Pokémon

This listing is for Karen's Pokémon in the video games in which she has appeared.

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

Karen has a Full Heal and a Max Potion.



Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

First battle



Rematch

This team is used once the player has earned all 16 Badges.



In the side series games

Pokémon Stadium 2

Karen appears as the final Elite Four member in Pokémon Stadium 2's Johto Gym Leader Castle. Here, her strategy mainly focuses on incapacitating her opponent by stacking up status conditions, like confusion, infatuation, and paralysis, onto the opposing Pokémon.

During the game's end credits, she is seen having a battle with Bugsy.

Pokémon

Round 1



Round 2



In the spin-off games

Pokémon Puzzle Challenge

Karen appears in Pokémon Puzzle Challenge, using a Murkrow to battle.

Pokémon Masters EX

Main article: Karen (Masters)

Karen forms a sync pair with Houndoom and Umbreon in Pokémon Masters EX. Her Houndoom is capable of Mega Evolving. Karen became a playable sync pair since the game's release.

Dex Trainer NDex Pokémon Type Weakness Role EX role Base potential Availability
#017 VSKaren Masters.png Karen #0229 MastersIcon0229M.png Houndoom
Bag Houndoominite Sprite.png Mega Houndoom
Dark
DarkIC Masters.png
Fighting
FightingIC Masters.png
Masters Special Strike.png ★★★★★☆EX Sync Pair Scout
#017 VSKaren Masters.png Karen #0197 MastersIcon0197.png Umbreon
Dark
DarkIC Masters.png
Bug
BugIC Masters.png
Masters Physical Strike.png ★★★★☆☆EX Battle Points

Gallery

Artwork

Gold Silver Karen.png
VS artwork from
Generation II

Sprites

In the core series

Spr GS Karen.png Spr HGSS Karen.png VSKaren.png
Sprite from
Generation II
Sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
VS sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Karen II OD.png Karen OD.png
Overworld sprite from
Generation II
Overworld sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver

In other games

S2 Elite Four Karen.png S2 Elite Four Karen Credits.png
Portrait from
Stadium 2
Portrait from the credits in
Stadium 2

Quotes

Main article: Karen/Quotes

In animation

GOTCHA!

Karen briefly appeared in GOTCHA!.

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Karen in Pokémon Adventures

History

Past

Karen, along with Will, Green, Silver, Sham, and Carl, was one of the children raised by the Masked Man to be his servants. Unlike Silver and Green, Karen was not kidnapped and went to the Masked Man willingly out of boredom.

Gold, Silver & Crystal arc

Karen debuted with Will at the Ilex Forest, where they were tasked to guard the area. When Green arrived to stop the Masked Man's plan to capture Celebi, she was attacked by Karen and Will. With the Ho-Oh and Lugia they borrowed from the Masked Man, Karen and Will exploited Green's fear of birds to torture her. When Green learned that Karen and Will also defeated and captured Silver, she overcame her fear of birds and sent out Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres to fight. Green and her allies, Red and Blue, each used one of the legendary birds to battle Karen and Will. With the assistance of many Pokémon sent from all across Johto and Kanto, Ho-Oh and Lugia were freed from the Masked Man's control and fly away. Defeated, Karen made her escape.

After the Masked Man's defeat, Karen and Will were approached by Bruno and Koga, who offered to form an alliance since all four of them were once members of various criminal organizations.

HeartGold & SoulSilver arc

It is revealed that Karen, Will, Bruno, and Koga were all made members of the Johto Elite Four by the Pokémon Association. The Johto Elite Four went to the Pokéathlon as an act of promotion for the Pokémon League. There, they met Gold, who they challenged to the Power Course. Karen was the only Elite Four member who didn't participate in the events.

Pokémon

This listing is of Karen's Pokémon in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Eevee → Umbreon
Karen's Eevee
Karen's Umbreon

Karen's Umbreon is Karen's main Pokémon. It was first used to battle Green's Snubbull at the Ilex Forest, but was defeated. Later, it fought Green's Snubbull while riding on top of Green's Moltres. By using the moon to power itself up, Umbreon defeated Snubbull. In The Escape, it was revealed that Umbreon evolved from an Eevee.

Umbreon's known moves are Faint Attack, Moonlight, and Bite.

Murkrow (×2)
Karen's Murkrow

These two Murkrow were used by Karen to take her and Will to safety after the Masked Man's defeat.

None of their moves are known.

Houndoom
Karen's Houndoom

Houndoom first appeared alongside its Trainer at the Pokéathlon. It was not seen participating in any events.

None of Houndoom's moves are known.

Borrowed

Ho-Oh
Masked Man's Ho-Oh
Main article: Tower duo (Adventures)

The Masked Man lent Ho-Oh to Karen in order to guard the Ilex Forest. Karen used Ho-Oh to battle Green, Red, and Blue, who used Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, respectively. During the battle, many Pokémon sent from people from Kanto and Johto came to assist. The Pokémon latched on to Ho-Oh and Lugia, and their combined power freed the two from the Masked Man's control. Now freed, Ho-Oh and Lugia flew off to parts unknown.

Pokémon competitions

Karen has competed in the following Pokémon competitions:

Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure

Karen in Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure

Karen appeared in JBA5. When obtained all eight Badges, he battled Karen. After defeating her, Jō went on to battle Lance.

Pokémon

Umbreon
Karen's Umbreon

Umbreon is Karen's only known Pokémon. It battled Jō's Totodile and lost.

None of Umbreon's moves are known.


Pokémon Pocket Monsters

Karen in Pokémon Pocket Monsters

Red encounters Karen in A Challenge to the Elite Four!. Her role in this manga is similar to Lance's in the Generation II games and the remakes where she was the last one fought as Lance himself was absent.

When Red arrived in the Pokémon League, Will, Koga, and Bruno fell from the Elite Four Tower, seemingly defeated by Karen. Red ask them what happened, but Koga asked him to ask Karen herself. Red manages to get to the top and finds Karen, along with hers, Koga's, Bruno's and Will's Pokémon. Red asked Karen what happened between her and the rest of the Elite Four, but Karen says it is none of his business. However, with her teammates' Pokémon, Red is outnumbered. Clefairy then takes out a giant sieve to "sieve" out the opponents, leaving behind only Karen's Umbreon. Umbreon proves to be a tough opponent, but Clefairy succeeds in beating it.

After her defeat, Karen reveals to Red what actually happened. The Elite Four were exhausted from training, thus Karen decided to tell them a joke. After Karen shares the same joke to Red and his Pokémon, only Clefairy finds it funny and laugh, while Red and his other Pokémon fell down at the dumb joke. Apparently, Will, Koga and Bruno also fell down the building after hearing her dumb joke.

Pokémon

Vileplume
Karen's Vileplume

Vileplume was one of the Pokémon that was "sieved" by Clefairy.

None of Vileplume's moves are known.

Gengar
Karen's Gengar

Gengar was one of the Pokémon that was "sieved" by Clefairy.

None of Gengar's moves are known.

Umbreon
Karen's Umbreon

Umbreon is the Pokémon that Clefairy battled with. In the first part of the battle, Clefairy treated it as a dog by showing Umbreon to some chicken, in which Umbreon liked. Later, Umbreon's Sand-Attack and Mean Look put Clefairy at a disadvantage. Tyrogue pointed out to a bright sun in which Clefairy can use to win. Clefairy uses Light Screen so that the sun's ray can reflect it and turns it into SolarBeam, which defeated Umbreon.

Umbreon's known moves are Sand-Attack and Mean Look.

In the TCG

This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Karen or her Pokémon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Karen's Pokémon
Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format.
Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Card Type English
Expansion
Rarity # Japanese
Expansion
Rarity #
Karen's Rapidash Fire Tyranitar Half Deck     Pokémon VS Common 087/141
Karen's Magmar Fire       Pokémon VS Common 088/141
Karen's Flareon Fire       Pokémon VS Common 089/141
Karen's Tyranitar Darkness       Pokémon VS Rare Holo 090/141
Karen's Umbreon Darkness       Pokémon VS Rare Holo 091/141
Karen's Houndoom Fire       Pokémon VS Common 092/141
UmbreonV Darkness Brilliant Stars TGV TG22/TG30 VMAX Climax CSR 244/184
UmbreonVMAX Darkness Brilliant Stars TGV TG23/TG30 VMAX Climax CSR 245/184
Other related cards
Card Type English
Expansion
Rarity # Japanese
Expansion
Rarity #
Karen's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS Uncommon 125/141
Karen's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS Uncommon 126/141
Karen Su XY Black Star Promos   XY177 XY-P Promotional cards   256/XY-P
      The Best of XY   142/171
Yellow A Alternate cards   XY177a The Best of XY   183/171
Karen's Conviction Su Chilling Reign Uncommon 144/198 Peerless Fighters U 066/070
Chilling Reign Rare Ultra 193/198 Peerless Fighters SR 081/070
Chilling Reign Rare Secret 216/198 Peerless Fighters HR 089/070
 


Trivia

  • Karen is the only Elite Four member in HeartGold and SoulSilver who does not use a Pokémon that is part of a three-stage evolutionary line in her rematch team.
    • She is also the only one who, in her rematch with the player, uses a different final Pokémon from the one used in the initial battle. In her case, she replaces Houndoom with Umbreon, though Houndoom is still present in her party.
  • Karen is the only Elite Four member in Gold and Silver (and her initial team only in HeartGold and SoulSilver) where none of her Pokémon have a quadruple weakness.

Names

Language Name Origin
Japanese カリン Karin From 花梨 karin (Burmese rosewood) or 榠樝 karin (Chinese quince)
English, Italian,
Brazilian Portuguese
Karen Similar to her Japanese name. Also contains the last five letters of darken.
German Melanie From μέλας melas (Ancient Greek for black, dark)
Spanish Karen* From her English name
Morgana* From Morgana (Morgan le Fay)
French Marion From noir (black)
Korean 카렌 Karen Similar to her Japanese name
Chinese (Mandarin) 梨花 Líhuā * From an inversion of the Japanese name 花梨 Karin
梨林 Lílín * From the Japanese names 花梨 Karin and 花林 Karin
Chinese (Cantonese) 梨花 Lèihfā From an inversion of the Japanese name 花梨 Karin
Thai คาริน Karin Transcription of her Japanese name
Vietnamese Karin Transcription of her Japanese name


References

  1. Karen's Conviction (Chilling Reign 144)
  2. Mela Lee on Twitter
  3. Nintendo DREAM (vol. 329)
  4. Official Pokémon Legends: Arceus website (archived): "And it seems that there are other people in this game who might also be ancestors to familiar faces you may know."

Related articles


Indigo League
Generations I, III, and VII
VSLorelei PE.png
Elite Four
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VSBruno PE.png
Elite Four
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VSAgatha PE.png
Elite Four
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VSLance PE.png
Elite Four
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Blue Trace
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Blue Trace
Generations II and IV
VSWill.png
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VSKoga.png
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VSBruno.png
Elite Four
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VSKaren.png
Elite Four
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VSLance.png
Champion
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Project CharacterDex logo.png 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.