Character Overview:
Red is the first main protagonist of the Pokemon Special manga, and he began his adventure as a rookie trainer from Pallet Town who actually believed he was better than the others. This was evidenced by his impulsive challenge against Mew when he first saw it in the western woods of Pallet Town, during which he suffered his first overwhelming defeat, and made him consider meeting Prof. Oak to properly learn the ways of being a Pokemon trainer. His pride was gradually toned down as he weathered through various defeats and victories throughout his journey, and when he reappeared again in the FRLG series, despite having earned fame across the land from his various heroic deeds, he remained humble and grounded to earth.
His character is of the typical hero stereotype fighting for justice, ready to sacrifice himself for others, and is depicted with occasional comical traits. He often makes startling comments that throw the people around him, but seems totally oblivious to it. Pokemon battling is a core virtue in his life, and it is no surprise that Professor Oak gave him the title the Battler. Red cherishes the bond he shares with all Pokemon and treats them as his friends, allowing him to gain trust and respect from not only his own team members but also wild Pokemon including legendaries. Among the three Kanto legendary birds, he is closer with Articuno, who helped him protect Gyara from Team Rocket's Muk on the Seafoam Islands, and as a result used up its strength and got captured by TR. Red also captured and earned the trust of the genetic Pokemon, Mewtwo, and the two reunited to fight alongside each other in the FRLG series. However, when it comes to true bonding, Deoxys no doubt has the closest connection to Red, since it accidentally absorbed Red's blood sample at Team Rocket's storage room, and from that moment on treated Red as its roots.
Red and the grandson of Professor Oak, Green, started out as rivals, but eventually became best companions. The two went through a lot and gained a lot from each other, Red learning to recognize his limits from Green while Green learning to truly care for his Pokemon. Red also shares a close bond with Blue, whose mischievous character caused him quite a lot of trouble when they first met, but ended up being the solution to many crises later on. The three of them are collective known as the Pallet Dex Holders, and have gone through many adventures together.
There have been hints along the series suggesting that the Viridian young trainer, Yellow, and the Cerulean Gymleader, Misty, are both attracted to Red. Red himself has not shown a clear predilection for his love interest, but as of the latest plotlines in the series, he apparently shares a closer bond with Yellow. As for his juniors, Gold has a certain respect for Red as a senior, and after helping him out of an embarrassing situation at the end of the GSC series, invited him to train together on Mt. Silver. The tactics they developed and practiced at that time proved to be useful later on when fighting Guile Hideout in the Emerald series. Another Dex Holder, Sapphire, looks up to Red as her idol after learning his accomplishment in claiming champion at the Pokemon League at the age of 11.
Red's initial design was based on the main protagonist of the original Gameboy games, Pokemon Red and Green, with the only difference at the prominent spiky hair that stuck out from in front side of his backward-worn cap. After defeating Lt. Surge at the Silph Co. building, he snatched a pair of insulating gloves from him.
In the Yellow series, his attire basically remained the same with the exception of a new red band which he tied around his left thigh on top of his jeans. In the GSC series, his T-shirt has changed from black to white, and he no longer wore his cap backwards.
In the FRLG series, his attire was completely revamped to match the outfit of the male protagonist of the GBA games, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen, but his hairstyle remained unchanged if not made wilder. This design carried on into the Emerald series, except that he regained his pair of insulating gloves after he was revived from his petrified state. Over the years, his eye colour has ranged from brown to a deep red.
Red's journey began when he encountered the mirage Pokemon, Mew, in the western woods of Pallet Town one night. A bitter defeat led him to visit Prof. Oak, the top authority in the Pokemon world, after which he added Bulbasaur to his team, and set out on his long voyage around Kanto. Apart from his ongoing rivalry with Oak's grandson, Green, he also met Blue, a girl full of tricks and deceits.
While his journey started with generic Pokemon captures and gym challenges, Red gradually found himself intertwined between Team Rocket's many secret works, and together with his companions, has more than once shattered their evil schemes. At Celadon City, he captured an Eevee which was the result of TR's biological engineering, and has since then allied himself with Brock, Misty and Erika, gymleaders who constitute Kanto's Circle of Justice. Red's journey became tougher and tougher, and he soon encountered the Kanto legendary birds, which fell victim to Team Rocket's evil technology and was merged into Zapmolcuno. Together with Green and Blue, Red had a big showdown with Team Rocket at Saffron City's Silph Co. building, which eventually dissolved the evil organization.
After that, Red helped Blaine recapture another product of TR's biological engineering, Mewtwo. He then had one of the fiercest battle of his life at the Viridian Gym against Giovanni, who was actually the leader of Team Rocket. Later, he formally battled his rival, Green, at the Indigo Plateau Pokemon League Tournament, and after an intense battle calling for both skills and intelligence, emerged victorious as the Champion.
2 years after the Kanto Pokemon League Tournament, Red one day received a letter of challenge from a man named Bruno. He went missing after attending the challenge, while a very injured Pika returned to Professor Oak's Science Lab. Yellow started on a journey to search for Red, and it was later revealed that Bruno's letter of challenge was actually a trap to lure Red to participate in the Kanto Elite 4's evil scheme. Having refused the offer and unable to tell them the whereabouts of Giovanni, Red was targeted by Lorelei's ice handcuffs which froze him at Mt. Moon.
Red was eventually saved by a mysterious person believed to be Giovanni, after which he joined Green, Blue and Yellow to have a final showdown with the Kanto Elite 4 on Cerise Island.
1 year after the Kanto Elite 4 incident, Red fulfilled his promise to Yellow and sat for the Viridian Gymleader selection test. However, his injuries caused by Lorelei's ice handcuffs thwarted him from taking up the position. He set out to Mt. Silver where the mountainous hotsprings were said to be therapeutic, and encountered Sabrina who was also there for the same purpose.
Later, Red returned just in time to prevent the dislodged Magnet Train from crashing. He and Green then headed to the final battleground following the lead of Sabrina's Spoon of Fate, arriving at the Ilex Forest to help Blue fight Lugia and Ho-oh with the three legendary birds, and eventually defeating the evil Mask Of Ice together with the other Kanto and Johto Dex Holders.
2 years after the Mask Of Ice incident, Red and Green returned to Pallet on Prof. Oak's request. The professor's absence, the confiscation of the Pokedexes, together with other unexplained happenings soon led the boys to the Sevii Islands, where they learnt of the existence of a mysterious yet powerful Pokemon from outer space named Deoxys, and that Giovanni has resurrected Team Rocket. After inheriting the ultimate attacks on Two Island, Red had his first showdown with Deoxys on Five Island, albeit being totally overwhelmed. Nearly losing all his will to fight, Red eventually stood back up again, and together with his companions, including the once missing psychic mutant, Mewtwo, challenged Team Rocket on Seven Island's Trainer Tower.
The battleground soon shifted back to Viridian City, where Red and Giovanni had their rematch on the TR Battle Airship with Mewtwo facing off Deoxys. Though claiming victory after a bitter battle, an internal conflict among the TR Beast Trio quickly set the Battle Airship out of control. It was only then that Red finally understood the close connection he shared with Deoxys. At the very last moment, the mirage Pokemon, Mew, appeared and saved the airship from crashing. Yet, just when it seemed that the crisis was over, a mysterious attack unleashed by the Beast Trio's Storc collided with the five Dex Holders, and turned them into stone.
Emerald Series
Red regained his outfit which was brought to the Frontier by Gold, and quickly engaged himself in the battle against Guile Hideout. His Poli teamed up with Gold's Politaro to destroy Guile's armour, and Saur joined forces with Crys's Megapeon and Emerald's Sceptile to fire off a Triple Frenzy Plant to disperse the giant sea monster together with the other Dex Holders' starters.
Pokémon on his Active Team
Pokémon he deposited in the Box
Pokémon he has had or been partnered with
