Pokemon: 10 Best Rivals, Ranked

Ever since Pokemon’s first release on the Game Boy in 1996, there was one character among its colorful cast that stood out to trainers. That character was your rival, commonly named Blue or Gary, who had a cocky attitude and always had a snarky one-liner to taunt the player with. Seemingly always one step ahead, Blue’s rivalry with the player would result in multiple matches across Kanto, serving as a sort of test of strength. If you could beat your rival, you could beat whatever stage of the game you were at. Over time, as Pokemon became more advanced, so did the rivals.

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In Pokemon Red and Blue, your rival Blue was nothing more than the cocky grandson of Professor Oak. Later appearances would flesh him out, but in his debut appearance, there wasn’t much to Blue. Gold and Silver would dial up the “jerk rival” even further with Silver, who would flat-out assault you and treat his poor Pokemon without any respect or love – though he would eventually come around. Whether your rival is a jerk, your best friend, or some stranger you don’t know, there’s always one constant: you’re gonna be looking over your shoulder, your Pokemon hanging on by a thread, walking to the Pokemon Center and hoping your rival doesn’t show up for a surprise battle.

10 Hugh

Anyone who uses Pokemon Showdown will recognize Hugh’s theme. Hugh is your rival in Pokemon Black and White 2, and his goal is to reclaim his little sister’s Purrloin, which Team Plasma stole a few years ago. Hugh’s travels teach him tolerance and forgiveness, eventually forgiving the reformed members of Team Plasma for a crime they didn’t commit. While his quest to reclaim his sister’s Purrloin doesn’t end well, Hugh battles alongside the player and has their back throughout every hurdle of the story. And, while somewhat unrelated, Hugh tends to say things that probably sound much cooler in his head – “You’re about to feel my rage!”

9 Gladion

Gladion acts as a second rival to the player in Pokemon Sun and Moon alongside Hau. Gladion’s signature Pokemon is his Type: Null (later Silvally), a mysterious chimaera-like Pokemon that plays a vital role in the story later on. Despite owning such a bizarre and powerful Pokemon, Gladion acts as Team Skull’s enforcer, doing odd jobs for them and living out of motels. However, as the story picks up, Gladion becomes an ally and fights alongside you to thwart the Aether Foundation’s sinister schemes. It’s revealed that Gladion is the brother of Lillie, and Lusamine’s son – though he shows no hesitation to teach his insane mother a thing or two.

8 Barry

WHAM!! It looks like you were too slow to start this entry, huh, player? Barry will fine you $10,000,000 if you don’t finish it soon! Yes, Barry is the hyperactive rival of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, the son of Battle Tower Tycoon Palmer. Barry is all about action, moving from place to place without rest and threatening to fine you for all you’re worth if you don’t catch up (though it’s an empty threat). Despite his energy and jokes, Barry can be counted on when it matters most, fighting alongside you against Team Galactic at Spear Pillar at the story’s climax.

7 Bianca and Cheren

Bianca and Cheren are the dual rivals of Pokemon Black and White. Bianca is a bit of an airhead, while Cheren is all about battling. Witnessing their growth throughout Pokemon Black and White is a sight to behold, with Bianca growing more independent and taking control of her life and Cheren loosening up a bit and realizing that strength isn’t everything. Their stories continue in Pokemon Black and White 2, with Bianca becoming Professor Juniper’s assistant and Cheren the Gym Leader of Aspertia City. Despite what may be a lack of practice, Bianca and Cheren can still put up quite the fight if you activate Black and White 2’s Memory Link feature, wielding their old teams from the first game.

6 Hop

Ah, poor Hop. Hop is one of those rivals that makes you feel bad for winning against him. Hop is one of your rivals in Pokemon Sword and Shield, and the younger brother of Galar Champion Leon. Having grown up in his brother’s shadow, Hop aspires to be a great Pokemon trainer – something you routinely beat out of him throughout the story. While Hop tries his best, he never can measure up to you, something Hop comes to accept and even embrace, deciding to change his path and become a Pokemon Professor. It’s a heartwarming character arc to witness if not a little bittersweet. At the very least, Hop catches one of two powerful legendary Pokemon.

5 Brendan and May

Brendan and May are grouped together as they are essentially the same character, chosen depending on your character’s gender. Brendan and May are the child of Professor Birch, your new next-door neighbor. While there’s not much to talk about in terms of personality, Brendan and May are remembered – or perhaps, feared – due to their difficulty among rival battles. Few trainers can walk the paths of Route 110 without shuddering in fear of the rival battle that takes place there. However, when viewed in total, Brendan and May have little to do beyond challenging you to battles and filling their Pokedexes – heck, they don’t even fully evolve their starters in the original Ruby and Sapphire.

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4 Blue

Good old Blue, the first rival. He goes by many names – Blue, Gary, or whatever expletive the player can come up with. Blue’s cocky and abrasive attitude would inspire young trainers to beat him, something later rivals would attempt to replicate. However, nothing can truly match the sting of Blue’s “smell ya later,” even years later. The reveal that Blue became Champion before you was also shocking at the time, making the final battle against Blue much more climactic. Even after Red and Blue, Blue continues to prosper, eventually becoming Gym Leader of Viridian City in place of Giovanni.

3 Silver

Should you play Pokemon Gold and Silver and its remakes, this bad boy is your rival. Silver can be first encountered after claiming your starter Pokemon from Professor Elm, where he politely tells you to shove off before pushing you backwards. After completing Professor Elm’s errand, Silver (or, as he puts it, “???”) will approach you with a stolen starter Pokemon and challenge you to a battle. Silver firmly believes that Pokemon are tools to be used rather than friends, and he’ll frequently challenge you to test his strength. After being humiliated by both you and Champion Lance, Silver’s heart begins to thaw, shown by his Golbat evolving into Crobat, which normally can only evolve through high friendship. Silver’s story isn’t front and center, but picking up on small details like that makes Silver seem much more complicated than a mere thug.

2 N

Yes, N is technically a rival, though he also serves as the puppet King of Team Plasma, Black and White’s villainous organization. N is celebrated as one of Pokemon’s best characters for his nuanced story, naive worldview, and climactic final battle with the player in the throne room of Team Plasma’s castle. N challenges you several times throughout the story, confused by your Pokemon’s praise of you – N can speak to Pokemon, and was raised exclusively around Pokemon abused by humans. Your initial encounter with N sows the seeds of doubt that would end Ghetsis’s machinations, culminating after a truly awesome battle between you and N, both equipped with one of Unova’s legendary dragons. N even returns in Pokemon Black and White 2, rescuing the player from Kyurem and challenging the player to battle with season-based teams.

1 Nemona

Paldea’s resident battle fanatic serves as your traditional rival in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, but with a twist. Nemona has already beaten the game, being the youngest trainer to achieve Champion rank in Paldea. However, she’s bored – Nemona has built up such skill with battling that nobody can match her anymore. That is until you came along. Nemona will start over fresh to climb the rungs of Victory Road alongside you, challenging you to battles along the way. Nemona really likes battling, so it’s impressive that she had the willpower to avoid challenging you every chance she got. With Scarlet and Violet’s focus on finding your personal treasure, it’s quite heartwarming when it’s revealed that Nemona’s treasure was us, watching us grow and ascend to Champion rank and becoming one of the few trainers that can truly challenge her. “Shine blazingly bright, my greatest treasure!”

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