In the world of Pokémon, gym leaders come in all shapes and sizes; some boldly stand out from the rest of them.
Fans of the Pokémon franchise cannot contain their excitement in the leadup to a new generation being released. With Scarlet & Violet on their way in late 2022, previews and snippets are gradually revealing the new designs for Pokémon, locations and the human characters. Some new Gym Leaders have even been teased, including Glaseado and Artazon.
With Gym Leaders always being an integral part of any Pokémon game, they have to be unique in some way. Otherwise, they will be forgotten and fall to the wayside. This uniqueness can come from the character's design, personality, or backstory, but can also come from introducing a unique battling premise or other rare circumstances.
Tate & Liza may not be everybody's favorite Gym Leaders, but the Mossdeep duo remain the first and only Gym double battle of the mainline series. Their Psychic-type lineups change between Emerald and the default games Ruby & Sapphire, mixing up the experience even further.
Ultimately there is little else to them, but integrating double battles into the Gym scene helps to keep the Hoenn campaign fresh and different to its predecessors. Many fans find it surprising that a more recent generation hasn't attempted to try to better the Mossdeep duo. The Striaton trio of Gen V is more elaborate but less successful attempt to switch up the Gym Leader format.
The Dragon roster was noticeably thin in the early generations of Pokémon, but this didn't stop them, including the likes of Lance, Drake, and Clair. While Lance and Drake were crucial Elite Four members, Clair was introduced as the first Dragon-type Gym Leader.
The Blackthorn City Gym Leader had a team of multiple Dragonair and a Kingdra in the original Gen II games before the remakes included a Gyarados. Clair is one of the toughest final Gyms of any region, and stands out because she actually showcases some personality before and after the battle. While petty and frustrating, Clair refusing to accept defeat until the player passes the "Dragon-master challenge" is a unique touch to her character.
Giovanni is a rare case, in which the leader of a villainous organization (Team Rocket) is also a Gym Leader. It is a bizarre reveal in the Gen I games when Giovanni is revealed to be the Viridian City Gym Leader, and the final obstacle before the player can reach the Pokémon League.
The player also gets to face him several times prior, which is also rarely the case with Gym Leaders. As the leader of Team Rocket, Giovanni uses several of his Ground-types as well as his Kangaskhan, but drops the latter later on for the Gym battle. Giovanni then vacates the Gym and disbands Team Rocket after his final defeat, paving the way for Blue to step up in the Gen II games.
Fantina is the Hearthome City Gym Leader in the Gen IV games. She is the third Gym Leader the player faces in Platinum, but the fifth in Diamond & Pearl, which immediately adds variation in levels and the Pokémon she uses. She also speaks a mixture of French and broken English, which no other Pokémon Gym Leader can claim to do.
The Ghost-type specialist then completes her look with bright purple hair and a same-colored dress. The eye-catching getup is explained as she is also an expert at Pokémon Contests. In the anime, Fantina closed her Gym for a while, so she could experience what being a traveling trainer was actually like. Across both the anime and the games, Fantina is easily one of the more unique characters.
Elesa is a model and the only female Electric-type Gym Leader in the main games. While many other Gym Leaders insist on using the same old Pokémon, such as Electric Gym Leaders with Luxray and Fighting-types with Machoke, Elesa only uses Unova Pokémon. However, in Black 2 & White 2, she does replace one of her two Emolga with a Flaaffy.
With her main team of two Emolga and a Zebstrika, she is known for utilizing the Volt Switch tactic. It can quickly become a nuisance to play against, but can be overcome through patience. Elesa also has moments and dialogue beyond simply performing her Gym Leader duties, adding more depth to her character.
When thinking of Gym Leaders from Sword & Shield, Raihan will always be the first to immediately spring to mind. He is a Dragon-type Gym Leader who sports a strong team that also includes a Sandaconda and a Gigalith. However, rather than having Dragon types define his identity as a Gym Leader, he actively utilizes weather conditions in his battling, which sets him apart from everyone else.
As well as having a unique outfit, his personality also stands out. Due to his rivalry with Leon, he actively appears and contributes to certain parts of the story, and doesn't just turn up to do his duty as a Gym Leader. He is undeniably the best and most memorable Gen VIII Gym Leader.
Roxie is the Virbank Gym Leader but only in the anime and Black 2 & White 2, not in the original Gen V games. The Poison-type specialist was given a strong showing in the anime, only narrowly losing to Ash despite only using three Pokémon against Ash's six.
Her team in Black 2 & White 2 is nothing to write home about, but it is her musical aesthetic and narrative that makes her such a unique character. Her Gym is a music club, and she loves to perform by playing the bass guitar. This performance aspect was even accentuated further in the anime, adding to the hype and intensity of her battle with Ash.
Whether it is in terms of her battling power or her ominous psychic abilities, Sabrina is a terrifying character. Her anime appearance saw her turning Ash and friends into dolls, keeping them trapped before Ash could challenge her once more.
Sabrina is also incredibly tough in the games, with many regarding her as the strongest Gym Leader in Kanto. This is mainly due to the Psychic types being tough to defeat with only Gen I Pokémon and moves at the player's disposal. While other Psychic-type Gym Leaders do play up their psychic capabilities, Sabrina's offer her more depth and substance as a character.
At first glance, there isn't anything especially unique about the Norman the Normal-type specialist. However, he is the only Gym Leader to be a relation to the player. There isn't too much extra dialogue or story to be explored besides him being the player's father, but it is still a unique premise.
In the anime and Ruby & Sapphire, Norman only utilizes the Slakoth line, but in Emerald, he has a more complete Normal-type roster. Spinda and Linoone join Vigoroth and the notorious Slaking. Slaking is known for its tanky physique and unique ability Truant, which only lets it attack every other turn.
Volkner doesn't have a unique look or anything to make him stand out. He could well be mistaken for an average trainer if he didn't have such an intriguing backstory and personality. The anime and the games explore Volkner's friendship with Flint and his dejection from a lack of worthy challengers at the Gym.
Despite being known as a strong Electric-type Gym Leader, Volkner uses an unusual team in Diamond & Pearl. Besides Luxray and Raichu, he uses an Octillery and an Ambipom. They may not be Electric types, but they know Charge Beam and Shock Wave, respectively. The bizarre lineup and his personality help Volkner to be remembered long after players leave Sunyshore City.
Tom Steel is a writer and list contributor for CBR on all things anime. He is passionate about Pokemon most of all but also all things TV, film, gaming and sports. A University graduate with a degree in German Studies, Tom almost took the path of journalism instead, and is now excited to pursue it in a different capacity. Keep an eye out for his lists and deep-dives into the Pokemon anime and games, along with so much more. Follow him on Twitter at @Steelio307
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