While it’s true that, in the Pokemon world, we see an awful lot of middle school-age children running around the wilderness unsupervised on a mission to become the very best, we’ve seen our fair share of dads in the almost three decades the series has been running. Between the games and the anime, the Pokemon franchise is no stranger to offering up selections of in♏triguing characters as the ones to beat in pursuit of the Championship.

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There’s a pretty solid split between male and female gym leaders, but some of the men scream “dad” more than the others. After all, having a child is what makes a man a father, but children are not what makes a man have dad energy.

9 🦹 Clay - Businessma🐠n Dad

Clay the Driftveil gym leader from Pokemon Black and White

We had tꦕwo chances to get to know Clay, between Black & White and Black 2 & White 2. And sure, he might not be a stere🉐otypical buddy-dad, but he’s definitely a provider.

Clay’s a tried-and-true businessman who became a miner around Ash’s age and worked his way to the top. He’s a hard worker who values experience gained through the same, so you know he’s ready to help you grow and be your best 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:with some tough love. For example, you go to N’s Ca𝐆stle alone, but he’s the first 💙person to show up when you find yourself in trouble with the Seven Sages.

8 🍸 ℱ Drayden - Silver Fox Dad

Drayden

Mayor of Opelucid City 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:and leader of its gym (except in White, where Iris holds that title), just one look at Drayden would make someone think he’s a dad. Maybe he had you later in life, maybe he was too busy being awesome on his own, but just because he's a little older doesn't mean he's not still a dad at heart.

As a Dragon-type trainer, you know he’s going to be tough, especially since it’s said he trains his Pokemon by wrestling with them. He’s also the one who tells you about Kyurem, too. His nickname is “The Spartan Mayor,” and I’d trust anyone with a ti♐tle like that to keep me safe.

7 𝄹 Kabu - "Wants Better For You" Dad 🤪

kabu feature

Originally hailing from Hoenn, Kabu was invited to the Galar Region to serve as the leader of the Motostoke Stadium. He came close to the Championship a handful of times, leading to him preferring to go all-out in battle. Because of this, fans of the series called him the first real challenge of Sword and Shield.

And although he’s getting toward the end of his career (he gets a second League card that shows him before he went gray), and he’s been through a lot, Kabu still very evidently loves the League and it𒈔s trainers. When he sees you before you get to his gym, he tells you to be s♚afe and get some rest before taking him on, and he’s even encouraging and kind when you beat him, too.

6 ♐ Wulfric - S♚teadfast Dad

pokemon dad energy wulfric ice snowbelle kalos x y

As the final gym leader you face in the Kalos region in X and Y, Wulfric definitely poses a challenge, but like his home in Snowbelle, he stays cool about it. And although 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:he uses Ice-type Pokemon in battle, he definitely brings the heat.

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Wulfric’s big thing is trust between trainers and their Pokemon, so you can assume this flows over into real life, too. In the anime, he’s the one to tell Ash that his Greninja isn’t winning because Ash doesn’t trust their bond enough. He’ll fight us to help train and give us pointers on how to get better? Thanks, dad, you’re the coolest.

5 Koga - Janine's Dad

pokemon dad energy koga fuchsia city gym leader janine father

You see Koga a couple of times across the Pokemon series, and he wears a lot of hats. He’s a Ninja Master, he’s the leader of the Fuchsia City Gym in Gen 1, he’s one✨ of the Elite Four♓ in Gen 2, and he’s also a dad – not just in energy, but in his real life, too.

When Kog𒁃a made the jump up to the Elite Four, he handed the Fuchsia City Gym down to his daughter, Janine, who follows in his footsteps with both Poison-type Pokemon and a passion for ninjutsu. You know he’s a good dad if 𝓡his daughter takes after him so completely.

4 Byron - Roark's Dad

pokemon roark and byron

🦹Koga isn’t the only dad to have a kid lead a gym, though – Byron, the Steel-type leader of the Canalave Gym, is father to Roark, the Rock-type leader from back in Oreburgh. And not only do we know he’s a dad in the Pokemon universe, but we know him to be one who’s rooting for his son, in an odd kind of way.

When it came time for him to find a new gym leader, Byron originally asked Riley, another trainer specializing in high Attack stats in his Pokemon. Riley suggested he offer the gym to his son instead, and though he’s unsurprised that you’ve bested hᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚis son, he c🌠riticizes him꧃self for still treating Roark like a child instead of a man. We see you out here trying, dad.

3 💫 Wattson - Quirky Dad 😼

Wattson, the electric-type gym leader, from the Pokemon anime

Wattson is the oddball dad that would embarrass his kids with his quirks, but you know his kids’ friends would all think he’s kind of cool🌊. After all, he literally took Mauville City and moved it almost🐬 entirely inside. Why? Who knows, but who else could have done something like that?

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Before he does this, though, in the original Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, his gym is full of dynamo switches, just as a little pra꧂nk. He’s known around town for being endlessly happy, and you’ll hear him affectionately referred to as a “tough coot.” He’s but one of several old men around the city, 🍸but he really is the best.

2 ꦦ Brock - Brother Dad

pokemon dad energy brock pewter city red blue yellow ash siblings

The juxtapositio𒐪n between game Brock and anime Brock are night and day. In both, he’s the leader of♎ the Pewter City Gym, and while he’s steadfast and serious in the games, he’s far more jovial and fun.

And not only does he serve as Ash’s resident advisor of sorts in the anime, we also learned he was tasked with the ca♕re of his nine younger siblings (all of whom look like exactly him – the genes are♏ strong in that family). As a result of this, he’s excellent at all things domestic, but most specifically at cooking. Who cares if he&rsqu🧜o;s constantly chasing women on the road? Brock’s a caretaker, through and through.

1 ꦏ Norman - Your Dad 🍰

Norman

There’s no gym leader I could possibly have put higher than Norman, the Normal-type leader at Petalburg Gym – he’s not just a dad, he’s your dad. Normally, our Pokemon protagonists are infamously without fathers, but not your player character in Gen 3.

Your family’s move from Johto to Hoenn happens because he’s been offered the spot at the Petalburg Gym, but he refuses to battle you until you’re halfway through your gym challenge because he just wants to see you succeed. He’s shown to be a good dad, too, coming home at lunch to hang out and constantly rooting for your success and happiness. He’s an awesome parent who recognizes your individuality and skill, and shows his love for you as his child – his is a lesson all dads wo🦹uld do🦄 well to learn from.

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