The [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} games]] already had a wide character cast to begin with, and Hidenori Kusaka seems to strive to make as [[AscendedExtra many of them relevant to the plot]] as he can.
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[[index]]
* Characters/PokemonAdventuresKanto
* Characters/PokemonAdventuresJohto
* Characters/PokemonAdventuresHoenn
* Characters/PokemonAdventuresSinnoh
* Characters/PokemonAdventuresUnova
* Characters/PokemonAdventuresKalos
* Characters/PokemonAdventuresAlola
* Characters/PokemonAdventuresGalar
* Characters/PokemonAdventuresPaldea
* Characters/PokemonAdventuresRangers
[[/index]]
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[[foldercontrol]]
!!Applies throughout the series
[[folder:Dex Holders in General]]
->''"After all, Pokédex owners are often destined to live a life surrounded by battles..."''
->''-Professor Birch''

The heroes of Manga/PokemonAdventures, the Pokédex Holders all started out as kids, usually at around 10 or 11, in which each one of them received a Pokédex in one way or another. Even though as children, teenagers, or even young adults, they journeyed throughout the regions for various reasons, eventually becoming powerful heroes.
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* AdaptationNameChange: Nearly all of the trainers here are based on playable characters from the games. However, with [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness the exception of the Gen I cast (and Silver)]], those player characters have canonical names that are not related to the core game titles, even as puns.
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: Unlike the games and anime in which the Pokédex is commonplace, only these kids have access to the wealth of research and data on it. This means they're the only ones who can learn the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents, giving them a MASSIVE advantage. Moreover, each of the kids are incredibly good at taking advantage of the research, and sometimes even without using the Dex they can turn battles around with clever thinking.
* BadassCrew: Just TRY taking any of these kids lightly. Before they've even reached their teens these kids have taken on insurmountable challenges and won.
* ChildProdigy: Many Dexholders are already shown to have occupations in their early tens, even holding top positions like a ''president'' of an agency or a ''superintendent'' of the International Police.
* ColorfulThemeNaming: All of them are named after the core games in the series, where many of them are colors. There's also considerable overlap with RockThemeNaming with the Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh kids.
* DecompositeCharacter: The dex holders based on the dex holders are this mixed with {{Composite Character}}s since they take roles associated with both the player and the character the player didn't pick. From ''SMUSUM'' onwards they are solely this due to the main games making use of SchrodingersPlayerCharacter:
** In the ''Ruby & Saphire'' chapter, Ruby takes the player role of moving into Hoenn, but Saphire takes the role of challenging the Gym Leaders. Similarly in the next arc,
** In ''Diamond & Pearl'', Diamond is the rival's ChildhoodFriend with the duo being the one who receive the starter Pokémon just like at the beginning of the game, but Platinum is the one who takes on the gyms as part of her journey. This is taken even further when the group splits up to stop Team Galactic from capturing the Lake Guardians rather than them journeying through one lake after a time like in the game.
** In ''X & Y'', Y has the mother of the player character and is the one who captures [[spoiler:Xerneas]], while X is the one who obtains Mega Evolution [[spoiler:until Y gains her own Mega Stone, which she uses with Absol, the mon used by the rival to Mega Evolve]].
** ''Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon'' has Sun take on the island challenges, while Moon is the one who befriends Lillie [[spoiler:along with using Nebby's evolved form against the Ultra Beasts]].
** ''Scarlet & Violet'', Violet is the one who goes through the "Path of Legends" and "★ Starfall Street ★" storyline, while Scarlet goes through the "Victory Road" storyline along with the Treasures of Ruin sidequest.
* EarlyInstalmentWeirdness:
** The Dex Holders from Kanto to Sinnoh all have eye colors matching the game they are named after, but this was dropped from Unova onwards although Violet and Scarlet ironically enough invert this by having eye colors of the opposite game. [[https://twitter.com/satoshi_swalot/status/1761385928365580629 The author even notes this change of trend by releasing a comic about said Dex Holders wondering how it would be if the trend continued.]]
** Initially the Dex Holders were trios and sometimes even quartets matching the amount of games released for the generation. Since the franchise started breaking away from releasing a third version along with making the rivals unnamable, the Dex Holders from Kalos onwards are all duos.
* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: Each has a title that roughly corresponds to a game mechanic, feature, or archetype. Many times, that feature was introduced in or at thematically relevant to their game generation.
* GuileHero: Since their Pokémon does the fighting for them, their contribution to the battle would mostly be forming strategies.
* ImprobableAge: Most of them are only 11-14 years old yet hold high ranking positions such as a professor's aide, the president of an acting agency and a high-ranking member of the International Police, or hold a formal job such as a capture expert or courier, and [[spoiler: even hold a doctorate degree.]]
* InvisibleParents: Many have at least one parent unmentioned. Many also have no relatives mentioned at all (IE Red).
* KidHero: They've thwarted evil organizations, battled legendary Pokémon and lived and saved the world numerous times. The oldest of them are only teens (although at the latest progress (Sun & Moon) Red, Green, and Blue may be in their twenties), and many of them started out when they were ELEVEN.
* LivingLegend: The Kanto Dex Holders for all of their accomplishments, though due to the other times the Dex Holders have saved the world the others have received quite a bit of fame as well. By the Sinnoh arc, people have already recognized that having a Pokédex marks you as a true badass.
* NotTheIntendedUse: The Pokédex was originally just a tool for compiling and expanding Professor Oak's research on Pokémon, and he originally gave the Pokédexes to the Dex Holders to further that purpose. Instead, it's become one of their greatest assets in battle, and a symbol of prestige and heroism. To their credit, the kids will help with research if requested, though only Crystal actually completed the Pokédex.
* OnlyOneName: Most of them are only known by their first names; the exceptions being Blue, Sapphire, Platinum, Y, Sword, Shieldmilia, Scarlet, and Violet.
* PersonalityPowers The starter they get aligns with their character as well as the roles within their teams (IE Grass-types keep their teams in line, Fire-types are wild and focused on offense, Water-types are unpredictable etc.) To an extent, this also applies to their first Pokémon and the rest of their team.
* PowerTrio: With the first four generations being made up of three games and having a protagonist based on each, this was inevitable. Invoked by necessity in the Sinnoh arc due to the three legendary Pokémon there.
* RedBaron: Each has a title that shows their specialty, in or out of battle, as a nod to GameplayAndStoryIntegration.
* ScarfOfAsskicking: The Sinnoh trio have all a scarf and shown to be competent trainers.
* SignatureHeadgear: It's easier to count the ones who DON'T have distinct piece of headwear covering their noggins. Caps, bandannas, beanies and even visors, you can bet they've worn them all.
* TakenForGranite: [[spoiler: The Kanto Dex Holders and Silver get turned to stone at the end of ''[=FireRed=] and [=LeafGreen=]''. Thankfully, they were restored in the climax of the ''Emerald'' arc.]]
* ThemeNaming: Most of their Pokémon will have some sort of theme to their name.
* TrueCompanions: Going through numerous trials together forges the groups into unbeatable teams, both with each other and their Pokémon. The Kanto, Johto and Hoenn Dex Holders also all know each other and fought together.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Legendary & Mythical Pokémon in general]]
* AscendedExtra: Aside from the cover legendaries, none of the other Legendary or Mythical Pokémon have a relation to the plot and are usually just {{Optional Boss}}es fought in post-game, but here they tend to take a direct part in the conflict against the villains with them even using them as part of their plans.
* OlympusMons: They form the legends of their respective regions and are all powerful Pokémon.
[[/folder]]