Spotlight
Professor Samuel Oak is one of the most respected researchers in the Pokémon world. He is well known throughout all regions. He is the person new trainers from Kanto go to to receive their Pokemon Trainer's license and all important first Pokemon. He appeared in the very first episode and supplied Ash with {pkmn|pokemon|25}. Ash regularly calls him up to ask for advice and to exchange his Pokemon.
Oak owns a vast research facility in {pkmn|location|48}. Hundreds of wild Pokemon live in the grounds, as well as all the stored Pokemon trainers have sent to him. He worked with his friend Prof. Westwood on developing the Pokédex, a device that stores information on all known Pokemon, and he is constantly upgrading it.
As well as Ash's mentor he is also his grandson Gary's. He has no Pokemon of his own but enjoys taking care of the hundreds that trainers like Ash and Gary sent him. These include Kingler, Tauros, Muk, Dodrio, Snorlax and Herracross. He has to feed them, study them and let them have a little excercise all in one day. He wouldn't manage it without the help of Pokemon watcher, Tracey Skechit, who idolises him.
Ash, Misty and Brock meet up with the young Samuel - or Sammy for short - in the fourth movie, {pkmn|episode|545}.
Oh and one final thing. His lumbago is always playing up. See {pkmn|episode|540} and episode {pkmn|episode|157}.
Character categories
These are the people that drive the show along, and appear in nearly every episode!
These are people who appear fairly often, but not all the time.
The gang have made tonnes of friends on their lengthly journey, here are some of the more important ones.
Only appeared once and didn't anything exciting? They'll be here, then!
The Pokemon that stuck around for ages