Summary
The protagonist of the originalPokemongames stands out for more than a few reasons, and is actually one of the few characters in the world ofPokemonthat has canonically completed a Pokedex. Red, taking the same name as one of the versions of the Gen 1 titles, has appeared as an NPC throughout various titles in thePokemonseries since his introduction as the franchise’s very first protagonist, and remains a strong favorite among fans to this day.
Many fans who knowthePokemonanimated seriesbetter than the games will certainly recognize Red as Ash, the almost universally-recognized protagonist of the show whose journey only recently came to an end after more than 25 years. While Red from the games and Ash from the anime are significantly different in terms of appearance and personality, they are counterparts of the same character, withPokemon’s animated series taking place in its own continuity separate from the games and manga series.
Why Red is a Special Case According to Canon
Aside from his key role in the Gen 1Pokemongames, of course, Red has appeared as a sort of boss Trainer in various subsequent titles, and is canonically one of the few knownTrainers to complete a Pokedex. The silent protagonist and his feats recently became a topic of discussion once again among thePokemoncommunity, though Red isn’t the only protagonist to have filled up a Pokedex. The main character inPokemon Legends: Arceusis also considered to have canonically caught them all, with the main premise of the game being to meet all Pokemon on behalf of Arceus itself, and a vital sequence of the game only playing out after the player has accomplished this goal.
It’s known that Red completed Professor Oak’s Pokedex of the Kanto region due to dialogue in the Gen 2 games confirming that Oak’s original Pokedex research was a success. There’s even dialogue in the Gen 2 games that praises the player character for surpassing the progress made on the first Pokedex if they fill enough of the new one by updating it with data regardingPokemon from the neighboring Johto region. Some fans oppose that Red never really did complete the whole Pokedex by himself though, speculating that the Kanto Pokedex was completed through a joint effort with Blue, Red’s rival.
Some fans state that Red never caught Mewtwo or the Kanto region’s legendary birds due to them being encounterable in the Gen 2 games. That said though, most legendary Pokemon seem to reappear inexplicably throughout most of thePokemongames, with canon suggesting that the games' protagonists release legendary Pokemon back into the wild after traveling with them for some time. Withthe mythical Pokemon Mewnever appearing legitimately as a catchable critter in the Gen 1 games, though, many fans speculate that it’s the only creature Red never actually met – perhaps being the thing that compelled him to travel alone to the peak of Mt. Silver in the intervening years.
Pokemon
Pokemon is a franchise that needs no introduction. One of the most successful media empires in history, Pokemon spans games, television, films, manga, merchandise, music, and more.
