Pryce
ヤナギ Yanagi
"The Teacher of Winter's Harshness"
HeartGold SoulSilver Pryce.png
Art from HeartGold and SoulSilver
Age 50+GSCHGSS[1]
54+B2W2[2]
Gender Male
Eye color Black*, Brown*
Hair color White, Brown*
Hometown Mahogany Town
Region Johto
Relatives Children, grandchildren
Trainer class Gym LeaderGSCHGSS
Pokémon TrainerB2W2
Generation II, IV, V
Games Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver, Black 2, White 2, Stadium 2, Masters EX
Leader of Mahogany Gym
Badge Glacier Badge
Specializes in Ice types
Game animation debut GOTCHA!
English voice actor Kyle Hebert[3] (Masters EX)
Japanese voice actor Chō[4] (Masters EX)
Anime debut Rage of Innocence
English voice actor Jimmy Zoppi
Japanese voice actor Motomu Kiyokawa
Kōichi Sakaguchi (young)

Pryce (Japanese: ヤナギ Yanagi) is the Gym Leader of Mahogany Town's Gym, known officially as the Mahogany Gym. He is an expert in Ice-type Pokémon. He gives the Glacier Badge to Trainers who defeat him at his Gym.

In the core series games

Pryce appears in Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver. A specialist of the Ice-type, he is known as "The Teacher of Winter's Harshness". Pryce is one of the oldest Gym Leaders players will face in the games: he has been training Pokémon for over fifty years, and the Pokémon he battles with have been with him since before Ethan, Kris, and Lyra were born. The secret behind his power is—like Chuck—his daily meditation under a waterfall. Pryce claims that this strengthens both his body and his mind.

Pryce's Mahogany Gym cannot be challenged the first time the player arrives in Mahogany Town. A man is blocking entry to the Gym: he will only leave once Team Rocket has been defeated at their headquarters and the Gyarados at the nearby Lake of Rage have been calmed. Once an icy maze inside the Gym has been traversed, Pryce will battle with the player. Upon defeat, he will yield both the Glacier Badge, and an Ice-type Technical Machine. This varies from generation to generation: TM16 (Icy Wind) will be given in Generation II, and TM07 (Hail) is given in Generation IV.

Like all Gym Leaders in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Pryce will often travel outside of his Gym. Every morning between 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM, he will head north to the Lake of Rage's west shore. Here, he awaits the player and will give out his Pokégear phone number so the two can battle again in future. This battle will take place on Monday mornings, in Saffron City's Fighting Dojo.

Pokémon

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

Pryce has a Hyper Potion.



Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

Gym battle



Rematch



Pokémon Black 2 and White 2

Pokémon World Tournament

Pryce uses three of these Pokémon in Single Battles, four in Double and Rotation Battles, and all six in Triple Battles. Pryce will always lead with his signature Pokémon, Mamoswine.

Johto Leaders Tournament



Type Expert/World Leaders Tournament



In the side series games

Pokémon Stadium 2

Pryce appears in Pokémon Stadium 2's Johto Gym Leader Castle. Like other Gym Leaders' teams in this game, he uses a variety of Pokémon not of his specialist type. Notably, Pryce uses a Legendary Pokémon: the Ice/Flying Legendary bird, Articuno.

During the game's end credits, he is seen having a battle with Blaine.

Pokémon

Round 1



Round 2



In the spin-off games

Pokémon Puzzle Challenge

Pryce appears as an opponent in Pokémon Puzzle Challenge. He uses a Seel in battle.

Pokémon Masters EX

Main article: Pryce (Masters)

Pryce forms a sync pair with Seel and its evolved form Dewgong in Pokémon Masters EX. Pryce became a playable sync pair since the game's release, with him joining the player after completing the eighth chapter of the PML Arc.

In this game, Pryce is one of the PML Leaders of the Pokémon Masters League, handing out the Harmony Badge to those who defeat him. He has also made notable appearances in the game's Main Stories, the PML Arc, and the Villain Arc.

Sync Dex Trainer NDex Pokémon Type Weakness Role Base Potential Availability
#013   Pryce #0087   Seel → Dewgong
Ice
 
Electric
 
  ★★★☆☆☆EX Story
Chapter 08

Gallery

Artwork

   
Headshot from
Generation II
Official artwork from
Crystal

Sprites

In the core series

       
Sprite from
Generation II
Sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
VS sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Sprite from
Black 2 and White 2
     
Overworld sprite from
Generation II
Overworld sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Overworld sprite from
Black 2 and White 2

In other games

   
Portrait from
Puzzle Challenge
Portrait from
Stadium 2

Quotes

Main article: Pryce/Quotes

In the anime

Main series

 
Pryce in the anime

In the past, Pryce was a Trainer himself. His Piloswine was more like family to him and helped Pryce win many battles. During a national competition, however, Pryce and Piloswine were defeated by a Magmar and left with severe burns to their bodies. While the two were healing together, Piloswine walked off one night during a blizzard and left Pryce alone without explanation. Since then, Pryce had become hostile and cold towards challengers and his other Pokémon, subsequently earning himself the nickname "Icy Pryce".

 
Pryce in his youth

In the present day, Pryce debuted in Rage of Innocence, where he had his Dewgong freeze over the river to stop the Red Gyarados from reaching Mahogany Town and then scolded Ash for thinking he could befriend the rampaging Pokémon.

Pryce's position as the Mahogany Town Gym Leader was revealed in the following episode, much to Ash's shock. Pryce was unimpressed to see Ash, especially with his Pikachu on his shoulder, and he sent out his Dewgong to prove that people and Pokémon can't be friends. Ash sent out his Phanpy, but Dewgong froze it with Ice Beam. Pryce turned down Ash's Gym challenge because he deemed him to be a weak Trainer with no strategy before walking off.

Pryce later came across Ash again as he was in the middle of a confrontation with Team Rocket. He tried to guide Ash away, but the pair ended up losing their footing and fell into a crevasse. However, Ash's Totodile and Noctowl were able to soften their landing. Out of gratitude, Pryce healed Totodile with some wild herbs. The pair later discovered a cave using Totodile's earlier Water Gun, and Pryce soon located a leg bracelet that belonged to his Piloswine. They soon reached an ice cavern and found Piloswine encased in ice. Pryce realized that Piloswine had left years ago to retrieve some herbs that could heal burns, and he forgave it. Ash used Cyndaquil's Flamethrower and Pikachu's Thunderbolt to free Piloswine from the ice and awaken it. Pryce later teamed up with Piloswine to defeat Team Rocket when they tried to steal it. Upon returning to the Mahogany Gym, Pryce agreed to have a Gym battle with Ash the following day.

In Nice Pryce, Baby!, Ash returned to the Mahogany Gym the following morning. For the first round, Cyndaquil went up against Pryce's Dewgong. The battle quickly went underwater, and Cyndaquil emerged victorious after using a close-range Swift attack followed by a Flamethrower. Pryce sent out Piloswine, and it defeated Cyndaquil with a powerful Take Down. Pikachu was sent out next, and while his speed was useless on the icy field, Pikachu was able to slide around and land a few Electric attacks. Despite Piloswine's endurance, Pryce decided to forfeit the match because it was becoming too exhausted to continue. As a result, he awarded Ash the Glacier Badge.

He reappeared in a flashback in Why? Wynaut!.

Character

Pryce had become an incredibly stressed and cold person after his faithful Piloswine seemingly walked out on him after they lost a battle years ago. He went on to focus his energy and strategy on training a Pokémon's abilities, but had no emotional connection with them. He even refused Ash's initial Gym challenge after deeming him too emotionally involved with his Pokémon. However, after being reunited with his Piloswine and realizing why it left him in As Cold as Pryce, Pryce's sadness was replaced by joy and optimism.

His old friend Sheila had noticed a substantial difference in him by the events of Nice Pryce, Baby!, which were reminiscent of Pryce's younger days. In battle, Pryce proved to be fiercely competitive. He used the battlefield to his full advantage, freezing it over to make an icy wasteland that hindered an opponent's speed based strategies or breaking up the ice to make an underwater field ideal for his many dual Water and Ice Pokémon. Pryce's Dewgong and Piloswine were shown to be excellent at landing direct attacks with their sharp horns and also striking at a distance with their Ice moves.

Pryce commonly meditates at a mountain waterfall near Mahogany Town on a daily basis to keep his mind sharp and clear.

Pokémon

On hand

This listing is for Pryce's Pokémon in the Pokémon anime:

 
Piloswine
Main article: Pryce's Piloswine

Pryce has owned Piloswine ever since he was a young Trainer. After Pryce was hurt during a battle against a Magmar, Piloswine went looking for healing herbs, but was frozen on the way back. Years later, Ash and Pryce found it and freed it.

In Nice Pryce, Baby!, Pryce used Piloswine during his Gym battle with Ash. It easily defeated Ash's Cyndaquil and fought fiercely against Ash's Pikachu. However, Pryce abruptly forfeited after Piloswine started becoming tired, earning Ash the Glacier Badge.

Debut As Cold as Pryce
Voice actors
Japanese Unshō Ishizuka
English Unshō Ishizuka
 
Dewgong
Dewgong is one of Pryce's main Pokémon. It was first seen preventing the Red Gyarados from entering Mahogany Town in Rage of Innocence by freezing the river.

Pryce later used Dewgong during his Gym battle with Ash, where it battled Ash's Cyndaquil. The Sea Lion Pokémon was eventually defeated by Cyndaquil's Flamethrower.

Dewgong's known moves are Ice Beam, Aurora Beam, and Headbutt.

Debut Rage of Innocence
Voice actors
Japanese Katsuyuki Konishi
English Michael Haigney
In the Gym

This is a listing for Pryce's Pokémon in the Gym:

 
Seel and Shellder (multiple)
Pryce was shown to have many Seel and Shellder in his Gym.

Seel and Shellder's only known move is Ice Beam.

Debut Nice Pryce, Baby!
 
Dewgong and Lapras (multiple)
Pryce was shown to have many Dewgong and Lapras in his Gym.

Dewgong and Lapras's only known move is Ice Beam.

Debut Nice Pryce, Baby!

Voice actors

Language Voice actor
Japanese 清川元夢 Motomu Kiyokawa
坂口候一 Kōichi Sakaguchi (young)
English Jimmy Zoppi
European French Daniel Dury
Mathieu Moreau (young)
Polish Krzysztof Zakrzewski
Brazilian Portuguese Guilherme Lopes
Spanish Latin America César Arias
Carlos Hugo Hidalgo (young)
Spain Julio Núñez
Eduardo del Hoyo (young)


GOTCHA!

Pryce briefly appeared in GOTCHA!.

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
 
Pryce in Pokémon Adventures

History

Gold, Silver & Crystal arc

When the Legendary Pokémon Suicune begins challenging the Gym Leaders, Whitney, DJ Mary, the Pokémon Association Director, and Hirō go to the Mahogany Gym after deducing that it will be Suicune's next target. There, they encounter Pryce, who welcomes his visitors with warm hospitality. One of his ice sculptures begins moving, which turns out to be Suicune after having been frozen in ice. Pryce helps battle Suicune, but upon its defeat, the Pokémon is revealed to be nothing but an ice sculpture that had appeared to move with the use of Pryce's Pokémon. Pryce reveals that he set up the battle as training in case he was attacked by the real Suicune.

At the Indigo Plateau, Pryce arrives with his fellow Johto Gym Leaders to take place exhibition tournament for the Pokémon League against the Kanto Gym Leaders. Pryce was appointed the representative of the Johto Gym Leaders and is set to face off against Erika of Celadon City, the Kanto representative, in the eighth and final match. Due to Blaine feeling under the weather, his match is postponed, thus moving Pryce and Erika's match up. Pryce faces Erika in battle, which ends with him as the victor. When the Masked Man attacks the Pokémon League, Pryce disappears as the other Gym Leaders face the army of mind-controlled Team Rocket Grunts.

 
Pryce in his youth

In the climax of this chapter, it is revealed that Pryce is actually the true identity of the Masked Man. After having his disguise destroyed by Gold, Pryce uses the Silver and Rainbow Wings to create a GS Ball, which could capture the Pokémon that can travel through time, Celebi. With it, he escapes into the Crack in Time, only to be pursued by a relentless Gold. After exiting, Pryce is attacked by the other Pokédex holders, but he easily manages to fend them off. When Celebi emerges from its shrine at the Ilex Forest, Pryce captures it and forces it to send him back in time to a certain point in his life. Once they free themselves from his ice prisons, Gold, Silver, and Crystal follow Pryce back in time to stop his evil plan. There, it is revealed that in his youth, Pryce had lost his two Lapras in an avalanche, leaving their child an orphan. Pryce reveals that all along, his plan was to go back in time to reunite his Lapras, La Glace, with its long-lost parents.

Pryce fights against Gold one last time, where it ends with Gold's Pibu destroying the GS Ball, freeing Celebi from Pryce's control. Although defeated, La Glace flies to the past, where it is reunited with its parents. Celebi helps heal Pryce's heart by playing a song from his past, bringing the man to tears in the process. Having a change of heart, Pryce expresses his envy at Gold's youth as he willingly lets himself fall into the voids of time, where he was presumed missing.

HeartGold & SoulSilver arc
 
Pryce in the ninth chapter

Pryce returns along with Lance and Giovanni to stop the three Legendary Pokémon created by Arceus. There, Pryce reveals that while he was trapped in the voids of time, he witnessed the beginning of the world, the births of legendary and mirage Pokémon, and a future that was destroyed by the three Pokémon created by Arceus. Knowing what lies ahead, Pryce called out to someone for help, and was heard by Lance. Celebi, having sensed this beforehand, released Pryce out of the Ilex Forest Shrine, where they encountered Giovanni, who was waiting for Celebi's arrival to cure his disease. When Giovanni saw Pryce, he immediately attacked Pryce and would have killed him if it weren't for the intervention of Lance, who told them of the events going on at the Sinjoh Ruins. Although reluctant, the three Trainers formed an alliance to stop the destruction before it could begin.

While Giovanni faced Giratina and Lance faced Palkia, Pryce went up against Dialga with his Swinub. Although Dialga had the ability to manipulate the flow of time, Pryce's past experience with time gives him immunity to its attacks. After Arceus is calmed down by Gold, Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina leave to parts unknown, which finally ends the battle. After Celebi helps heal Giovanni's disease, Giovanni entrusts Pryce and Lance to train his son so that in the future, they may battle. In the meantime, Pryce decides to return to his Gym and resume his position as a Gym Leader. Silver forgives Pryce for his past misdeeds and returns the Gym Badge he previously stole from him.

Character

Pryce is a frail man who uses a wheelchair. He rarely leaves his Gym, and uses his Pokémon to create fantastic ice sculptures. With the use of his Pokémon, he also makes it appear like the sculptures can move and attack.

Pokémon

This listing is for Pryce's Pokémon in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

On hand
 
Seel (×2)
Pryce's two Seel were some of the Pokémon he keeps in his Gym. Pryce uses them to sell his ice sculptures and do his shopping. In the battle against Suicune, the Seel were used to quickly freeze and defrost the ice sculpture's limbs, giving it the impression of being a living creature.

None of their moves are known.

Debut Irked Igglybuff and Curmudgeonly Cleffa
 
Delibird
Delibird was one of the Pokémon that Pryce keeps inside of his Gym. It was used to manipulate the Suicune ice sculpture and make it appear to be a real Pokémon. It is unknown if this Delibird is the same one which he used as the Masked Man.

None of Delibird's moves are known.

Debut Irked Igglybuff and Curmudgeonly Cleffa
 
Swinub
Swinub was used to assist Whitney in battling the Suicune ice sculpture and managed to win by freezing it. During Pryce's battle against Erika, it fought against her Bellossom and won. When Pryce was lost in time, it was lost with him and returned when Pryce was freed by Celebi. In the HeartGold & SoulSilver arc, Swinub was used to battle against Dialga. It has a Mild nature.

Swinub's known moves are Powder Snow and Blizzard, and its Ability is Oblivious.

Debut Savvy Swinub
Deceased
 
La Prus and La Pris (CY: Laprus and Lapris)
La Prus (Japanese: ラ ・ プルス La Prus) and La Pris (Japanese: ラ ・ プリス La Pris) are the father and mother of La Glace, respectively. They died after being caught in an avalanche during Pryce's youth, being the reason why Pryce decided to capture Celebi in order to travel in time and reunite with them. Although Pryce never reunited with them, they were able to reunite with their child after La Glace traveled to the past.

None of Lapras's moves are known.

Debut The Last Battle XIV
Released
 
Celebi
Main article: Celebi (Adventures)

This Celebi was the same one that Pryce originally sought after to reunite La Glace with its lost parents. After the events of the third chapter, Pryce waded around in the Crack in Time; only surviving due to Celebi's influence. After sensing the destruction Arceus would bring upon the Johto and Sinnoh regions, Celebi freed Pryce from his prison to help combat the threat.

Debut The Last Battle XIV
Status unknown
 

 
Egg → La Glace (CY: Glacier)
La Glace (Japanese: ヒョウガ Hyōga) is a Lapras that hatched from an Egg that its parents, La Prus and La Pris, created. Pryce first used La Glace to give the Suicune sculpture the appearance of attacking its opponents. After Celebi was freed from the GS Ball, La Glace was reunited with its parents after traveling through time. It is unknown if La Glace returned alongside Pryce during the HeartGold & SoulSilver chapter.

La Glace's only known move is Aurora Beam.

Debut Irked Igglybuff and Curmudgeonly Cleffa

Pokémon Pocket Monsters

 
Pryce in Pokémon Pocket Monsters

Pryce appeared in Ice World. Red encountered him after he defeated Giovanni and several Team Rocket Grunts at the Lake of Rage.

Pryce was first seen searching for his lost Pokémon. Red found his Swinub covered in ice, and helped Pryce to try to rescue it. They couldn't get Swinub out, but eventually the ice cracked and Swinub escaped. Pryce and Red went to his Gym, where Pryce challenged Red to a battle. During the battle, Clefairy tries to dazzle Swinub in order to trick it. Clefairy's plan worked until it put on Piloswine costume, which angered Piloswine and caused it to attack Clefairy. Piloswine was finally reunited with Pryce and Swinub.

Pokémon

 
Swinub
Swinub was introduced while trapped in ice. Red and Pryce were eventually able to set it free. Swinub was used in the Gym Battle against Red's Clefairy.

Swinub's known moves are Headbutt, Take Down, and Blizzard.

Debut Ice World
 
Piloswine
Main article: Pryce's Piloswine

Piloswine appeared when Clefairy put on a Piloswine costume.

Debut Ice World

In the TCG

This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Pryce or his Pokémon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Pryce's Pokémon
Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format.
Cards listed with a silver background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Card Type English
Expansion
Rarity # Japanese
Expansion
Rarity #
Pryce's Dewgong         Pokémon VS   039/141
Pryce's Cloyster   Tyranitar Half Deck     Pokémon VS   040/141
Pryce's Lapras         Unnumbered Promotional cards    
      Pokémon VS   041/141
Pryce's Articuno         Pokémon VS   042/141
Pryce's Sneasel         Pokémon VS   043/141
Pryce's Piloswine         Pokémon VS   044/141
Pryce's Delibird         Pokémon VS   045/141
Abomasnow   Astral Radiance   TG01/TG30 VMAX Climax   185/184
Other related cards
Card Type English
Expansion
Rarity # Japanese
Expansion
Rarity #
Pryce's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   115/141
Pryce's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   116/141
 


Trivia

Names

Language Name Origin
Japanese ヤナギ Yanagi From 柳 yanagi (willow)
English Pryce From ice
German Norbert From Norbert, a name of Germanic origin meaning "northern brightness"
Spanish Fredo From frío (cold)
French Frédo From froid (cold)
Italian Alfredo From freddo (cold)
Korean 류옹 Ryuong From 류 (柳) ryu (willow) and 옹 (翁) ong (old man)
Chinese (Mandarin) 柳伯 Liǔbó* From 柳 liǔ (willow) and 伯 (respectful term used to refer to someone older)
古柳 Gǔliǔ* From 古 (ancient) and 柳 liǔ (willow)
Chinese (Cantonese) 柳伯 Láuhbaak From 柳 láuh (willow) and 伯 baak (respectful term used to refer to someone older)
Thai ยานางิ Yānāngi Transcription of his Japanese name
Vietnamese Yanagi Transcription of his Japanese name


Pryce's Pokémon

La Prus

Language Name Origin
Japanese ラ ・ プルス La Prus Similar to Lapras
English La Prus* Same as Japanese name
Laprus*
German, Spanish Laprus Similar to Japanese name
Korean 라프루스 Laprus Same as Japanese name
Chinese (Mandarin) 拉普魯斯 / 拉普鲁斯 Lāpǔlǔsī Transcription of Japanese name
Brazilian Portuguese,
Vietnamese
La Prus Transcription of Japanese name


La Pris

Language Name Origin
Japanese ラ ・ プリス La Pris Similar to Lapras
English La Pris* Same as Japanese name
Lapris*
German, Spanish Lapris Same as Japanese name
Korean 라프리스 Lapris Transcription of Japanese name
Chinese (Mandarin) 拉普利斯 Lāpǔlìsī Transcription of Japanese name
Brazilian Portuguese,
Vietnamese
La Pris Transcription of Japanese name


La Glace

Language Name Origin
Japanese ヒョウガ Hyōga From 氷河 hyōga (glacier)
English La Glace* From la glace (French for "the ice")
Glacier* From glacier
German Lagla Similar to English name
Spanish Glacier From glacier
Korean 효거 Hyogeo Similar to Japanese name
Chinese (Mandarin) 冰河 Bīnghé From 冰河 bīnghé (glacier)
Brazilian Portuguese La Glace Same as English name
Vietnamese Hyoga Transcription of Japanese name


Related articles

References

  1. Gym guide: "Pryce is a veteran who has trained Pokémon for some 50 years. He's said to be good at freezing opponents with ice-type moves. That means you should melt him with your burning ambition!"
  2. Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 take place 2 years after Pokémon Black and White, but an unspecified amount of time after the Generation II/IV core series games.
  3. Kyle Hebert Interview on Youtube
  4. Nintendo DREAM (vol. 329)


Gym Leaders of the Johto region
Violet Gym  
 
Falkner
Azalea Gym  
 
Bugsy
Goldenrod Gym  
 
Whitney
Ecruteak Gym  
 
Morty
Cianwood Gym  
 
Chuck
Olivine Gym  
 
Jasmine
Mahogany Gym  
 
Pryce
Blackthorn Gym  
 
Clair



  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.