Pokémon/Characters/Blue

Blue, also known as Green (グリーン, Gurīn) in Japan, is a name used to refer to a video game character in the Pokémon franchise, both whom are the antagonists of the media franchise in which they appear. The character Gary Oak in the anime is loosely based on Blue. Daisy Oak is his sister and Professor Oak is his grandfather. Blue is an eleven year old male who the players see training to become a Pokémon master, much like his rival, Red. Blue, commonly referred to Gary Oak in the anime series, plays a vital part in the storyline of the games. He is the rival of Red, or Ash Ketchum. Blue does not specialize in any type of Pokémon, he is known to use a different array of Pocket Monsters. He is a non-playable character in both the first and second generations of Pokémon games. In the Japanese versions he has two alternative names, the choices being "Gary" and "John" aside from "Green". The character has also appeared in manga owing to the popularity of the Pokémon media surging in the years following the release of the Pokémon games.

In the first generation of Pokémon games Blue is the main antagonist of Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen. Although the player can change his name at the beginning of the game, the storyline will generically refer to the character as “Blue”, “Red”, or “Green”. However this is dependant on the edition of the game. Blue appears to be a boss in the game for his arch rival Red. The storyline tells the player Blue is an eleven year old from Pallet Town and the grandson of world renowned Pokémon researcher Professor Oak. Red, his next door neighbor, were once friends but drifted apart as they grew up. Blue’s adventure as a Pokémon trainer begins one day when Professor Oak calls him and Red to his laboratory. At the institute, both boys are given a choice of Pokémon and given one Pokédex to start out their journeys as Pokémon trainers. Like Red, Blue roams the area of Kanto, defeating Gym leaders and catching various Pokémon in the wild. Blue saw Red as his rival, and when given the chance, tested his skills against him. After collecting all eight Kanto Gym badges, Blue challenged and defeated the Elite Four, becoming the Pokémon League Champion. When Red eventually makes his way to challenge the Elite Four, Blue in turn battles Red, but is defeated, ultimately losing his title as the League Champion. Afterwards, Blue reconciles his loss to Red.

After three years following the events of Pokémon Red and Blue, Blue has become one of the eight Kanto Gym Leaders in the region of Johto.^[1] His attitude has somewhat changed, though still appears to be bitter over his loss to Red in the previous game. As the current gym leader of Viridian City, Blue is absent from his post most of the time, much to the dismay of other challengers. Aside from the battle with Red, Blue hasn't been challenged, though this soon changes when he is challenged to a gym battle by the protagonist of Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, who defeats him, granting the hero of the story access into Mount Silver. Blue's Pokémon are identical to his League Champion line-up but they appear not to resemble the starter Pokémon of the first generation. If the player defeats Blue, he or she receives the sixteenth and final badge and Professor Oak will grant the player access to Mount Silver. Blue is seen as, by far, being the strongest Gym leader in the second generation.

Blue seems to appear quite arogant and confident throughout the manga franchise. He does seem to know his limits. When he was younger, he was taught to fight and train by his master, Chuck, the Cianwood City Gym Leader. His training was unique, as Chuck forced him to train his body, in an effort to be able to relate to his Pokémon better. He and Red often battle in the first couple of volumes, competing with each other on completing the Pokédex for Professor Oak. Blue starts out his journey with a Charmander, and continues to train it throughout his adventure, making it the first out of the three starter Pokémon to evolve.

Blue grows less arrogant as the series goes on, and much more aloof and silent in the second major arc of the novel, starring Yellow. It is a common rumour that he likes a fellow Pokémon trainer female called Green, as he manages to fit in the phrase “pesky girl” at the end of every saga in the Japanese version. (In the translation, it’s “obnoxious girl” twice, then “noisy woman”.) Blue has a knack for training Pokémon, and has been recognized by his grandfather as the Pokémon trainer. This was acknowledged by the fact that after he became a gym leader, he trained a new set of Pokémon from scratch, to levels as high as those of the other trainers, who’d had their Pokémon right from the start of their journey's. (Even Pokémon that belong to other trainers, such as Red’s Pokémon, Blue managed to train them and doubled their strength in a short amount of time.) He helps Red and Green defeat Sabrina in the third volume, then has his final battle with Red, losing just very slightly. This causes the two to gain respect for each other.

In the Yellow Caballero Saga, Blue helps Yellow by “training” her as well, living up to his reputation as the best Pokémon Trainer. He comes back later to help with the Elite Four fight. Blue wears a cloak over his old costume (from the games) in this saga, and appears very calm and skilled.

One year later, Blue and Red compete in a contest to try and become the new Viridian City Gym Leader. Red wins, but he is forced to decline because of his wounds. Blue becomes the new Gym Leader like he was in the games. He helps out in the final battle with the Mask of Ice, then tries to hand Silver over to the police for his theft. (Gold manages to trick him out of it.)

In the FireRed and LeafGreen saga, Blue joins in the fight against Deoxys and Sird along with his old companions. In the final battle, he trades his Charizard for Red's injured Venusaur, so Red could continue the battle. In the end, he is turned into stone by the energy blast resulted by Sird's final blow against Deoxys. At the very end of the Emerald chapter, Blue and the other Pokédex holders were freed by Emerald and Jirachi.

1. ↑ "Pokemon Gold and Silver Strategy Guide walkthrough". IGN. Retrieved 2008-06-28.