With Pokémon Scarlet and Violet set to release in late 2022, the Pokémon fan base has a lot to look forward to. New Pokémon, areas, and, best of all, new Gym Leaders. With so much to anticipate, fans have been throwing themselves back into old games as they prepare for the release of Scarlet and Violet.
But what have fans found in those old games? Well, many have found an age-old debate that continues on today: Who are the best Gym Leaders, and why are they so cool? Thankfully, Ranker provided the tool to help fans finally settle the debate.
Raihan
The Galar gym leader with an everlasting love for dragon-type Pokémon, Raihan has earned himself a sizeable fanbase. Though he's the last and strongest Gym Leader of Pokémon Sword and Shield, Raihan isn't just remembered for his fighting skills. His love of selfies and his ongoing rivalry with Leon are just as memorable as his choice in Pokémon.
Still, if having a great nature and an honest desire to help those in his region aren't enough, having the best dragon-type Pokémon certainly isn't a mark against Raihan in the slightest. Plus, who can deny his taste in fashion?
Brock
Introduced in both the anime and the original Pokémon Red and Blue games, Brock is more often remembered for his antics in the anime than he is for his talent as a Gym Leader. Still, many fans recall the challenge that Brock posed in the first generation of the games.
For players who chose Charmander as a starter, Brock may be the most difficult Gym Leader in the game, as his focus on rock-type Pokémon makes him the best match against the player. Besides, who can forget the first time they had to face off against an Onix in a fight?
Marnie
Another Sword and Shield Gym Leader, Marnie primarily focuses on Dark-type Pokémon and tends to dress the part.Though her dreams to become Champion were dashed, after succeeding her brother's role as Gym Leader, she still came to represent the people of Spikemuth.
Besides her friendly nature, many players have been intrigued by how closely her goals tend to match with their own, and how much she values the people of Spikemuth. Her choice in Pokémon is also intriguing, as Pokémon like Morpeko offer a fun and enjoyable challenge. Not to mention that Dark-type Gym Leaders are simply fun in and of themselves, which certainly helps to give Marnie a boost.
Koga
Introduced in Red and Blue like Brock, Koga served as a Gym Leader who put his focus on some of the best poison-type Pokémon. Koga is often remembered as a Gym Leader that evolved into a member of the Elite Four in Pokémon Gold and Silver, but there's more to Koga than just a strong fighter.
Despite his interest in poisons, Koga also studies and creates potions to heal with Pokémon. He also studies Ninjitsu and helps teach students across the region who might like to learn from him. His interests and his eventual rise to the Elite Four gave Koga a fantastic story that has stuck with fans through the years, even without having quite the presence Brock did in the anime.
Skyla
With a strong showing in Pokémon Black and White, Skyla is everything that her name suggests. A pilot and a Gym Leader with a focus on Flying-type Pokémon, the only thing Skyla cares about as much as flying is aiding Pokémon. She proved it when she was first introduced, as she desperately tried to find a way to aid an injured Pokémon she found.
But Skyla isn't just an empathetic figure. She's also a challenge in a fight and has a fun bubbly personality to go with it. She also has a job outside of serving as a Gym Leader, as she helps manage an airport nearby.
Nessa
The daughter of a fisherman, Nessa specializes in the type that comes most naturally to her: Water. A born competitor and a model on the side, Nessa is a Gym Leader from Sword and Shield and certainly knows how to fight. Despite her seemingly calm nature, she's always ready to lash out at any moment, which makes her fierce competition.
Nessa's dual responsibilities as a model and a Gym Leader make her an engaging character, especially since characters remark on the differences in how she presents herself within each role. It's a fun detail to the character, which gives her a lot of added depths that intrigued fans.
Misty
Like Brock, Misty is most known for her role in the anime series, but her position as a Gym Leader in Red and Blue shouldn't be discounted. With her focus on water-type Pokémon, Misty posed a significant challenge in the original games — especially to anyone who elected to use Charmander as a starter.
Though she planned to travel to increase her strength as a Pokémon trainer, Misty tends to stay in Cerulean City and often searches for a boyfriend at Cerulean Cape. It's a fun detail for a character that most fans already like from the animated series, and her status as a Gym Leader only adds to the lore that makes Misty great.
Blue
Unlike other Gym Leaders, Blue isn't the sort to stick to one specific Pokémon type. He also isn't just known for his time as a Gym Leader. Originally introduced in Red and Blue as a rival, Blue elected to become a Gym Leader in Pokemon: Gold and Silver.
More challenging than almost any other Gym Leader, due to his refusal to stick to one specific type, Blue is also difficult to find, since he tends to wander from his gym. But, despite the difficulty he poses, it's his early introduction and his unique role in the series that struck fans about Blue — not to mention his relationship with Professor Oak.
Elesa
Introduced in Pokémon Black and White, Elesa is what her name describes: An Electric-type Pokémon fanatic. As a supermodel, Elesa designed her gym to model a catwalk, and she often does her best to try to seem less aloof to those around her by sharing jokes and puns.
Fans connected with Elesa quickly and especially liked her fun taste in Pokémon with choices like Flaaffy, Raichu, Zebstrika, and Emolga. Still, more than anything, fans enjoy Elesa's good nature and desire to convince the world around her that she isn't as stoic as she might look.
Sabrina
Unlike Elesa, Sabrina doesn't particularly care if the world considers her stoic. The Master of Psychic Pokémon, Sabrina isn't just a Pokémon master. Unlike many other Gym Leaders, Sabrina actually possesses some of the power that her Pokémon do. Though she dislikes battling, she and her Pokémon fight together by telepathically communicating while in the field.
As a psychic-type Gym Leader, Sabrina is always going to pose a challenge, but her talent makes her a difficult fighter indeed. Something that also makes Sabrina memorable is that her first appearance was in Pokémon Red and Blue, though she reappeared often through the years. Fans remember the character fondly, and certainly for good reason.