In the Pokémon anime, there are certain key traits that any Trainer must possess in order to achieve success. A Pokémon Trainer must love and be friends with their team, they have to be diligent in their training of their Pokémon, and to properly care for them, and they must be smart enough to understand all the mechanics surrounding Pokémon, and to implement creative strategies in battle. So long as these criteria are met, anyone, good or evil, can become a Pokémon Master.
Plenty of Dragon Ball characters possess the traits necessary to be fantastic Pokémon Trainers, but there are others with zero potential. Famous heroes and villains from across the franchise would thrive in the world of Pokémon, some even more so than in their world. Those who wouldn’t are figures too concerned with their own power, those who lack intelligence, and those who struggle to make friends.
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1
Would: Goku’s Pure Heart Would Make Pokémon Want to Be His Friends
Goku Would Love Training a Team of Fighting-Type Pokémon to Join Him in Battle
Goku has always had a knack for making friends, and this would serve him well as a Trainer, since a person’s connection with their Pokémon is the most important factor in growing stronger. And while his main goal in life has always been to become stronger, he’s never shied away from training others. Goku is more nurturing than some fans think, and would enjoy training a team of Pokémon as much as he enjoyed training Gohan and Uub.
With how much his life is centered around combat, Goku would favor Fighting-type Pokémon. In particular, Lucario, Gallade, and Urshifu would fit perfectly as partners of his. Goku is famous for being a fighting genius, and he’d be able to come up with unbelievable strategies using his Pokémon on the fly.
2
Wouldn’t: Vegeta Would Think a Pokémon’s Strength is All That Matters
Vegeta Would Continuously Try and Fail to Catch Legendary Pokémon
Vegeta isn’t entirely incapable of training someone else, as seen with Trunks. However, he does still value power above all else, for himself and for others. As seen with Paul in the Diamond & Peal anime, this isn’t a winning mindset for a Pokémon Trainer, and the Saiyan Prince wouldn’t be able to make it far in any Pokémon League.
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As a Trainer, Vegeta would want the strongest-seeming Pokémon available, as well as ones that look the part. This would naturally lead him to seek out Dragon-types and Legendaries. Given how poor Vegeta would be as a Trainer, he’d never be able to catch a single Legendary Pokémon, and he would likely wind up with mediocre Pokémon like Druddigon, Turtonator, and Noivern.
3
Would: Gohan Would Enjoy a Career as a Pokémon Researcher
Gohan is One of the Kindest and Most Loving Characters in Dragon Ball
No Z-Warrior would make a better Pokémon Trainer than Gohan. His heart is even more gentle than his father’s, he’s far more intelligent, and he would delight in researching both the emotional and scientific aspects of being a Trainer. The biggest difference between Gohan and Goku is that the former doesn’t like fighting for the sake of fighting, meaning he’d probably favor a more defensive team.
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Water and Steel would both be appropriate defensive typings for Gohan to utilize. Water-type Pokémon that would suit Gohan include Suicune, Swampert, and Palafin, while appropriate Steel-types for him would be Scizor and Kingambit. As a dual Water/Steel-type, Empoleon would be a perfect main partner for Gohan.
4
Wouldn’t: Tien Shinhan Can’t Even Train Other Martial Artists
Tien Struggles to Connect with Other People, and to Show Emotion
Tien Shinhan may be a diligent martial artist, but he possesses none of the traits needed to be a Pokémon Trainer. He’s overly stoic, he isn’t friendly or social, and he’s proven to be inept at training students. Tien would put his all into becoming a Trainer if he was dropped into the world of Pokémon but, just like in canon, his efforts would all be for nothing.
As Tien struggled to collect Gym Badges, he would most likely assemble a team of Fighting and Ground-type Pokémon. Machamp, Hariyama, Mienshao, Marowak, and Rhydon would all suit him well. It’s doubtful Tien would be able to catch a Paradox Pokémon but, if he could, the Ground/Fighting-type Great Tusk would be optimal for him.
5
Would: Mr. Satan Could Become a Top-Class Pokémon Coordinator
Pokémon Would Enjoy Performing Alongside the Energetic Mr. Satan
If Mr. Satan had been born in the world of Pokémon, he wouldn’t need to live life as a fraud. He’s a showman through and through, and he’d comfortably thrive as a Pokémon Coordinator, dominating one Pokémon Contest after another. When it comes to the actual training of his Pokémon, Mr. Satan would also excel, having previously trained both his daughter and granddaughter, and being much craftier than he looks.
As a Coordinator, Mr. Satan would aim for mass appeal by using an assortment of different, equally cute Pokémon. If he were to take inspiration from Majin Buu, this would naturally lead him towards becoming a Fairy-type specialist. Sylveon, Slurpuff, Dachsbun, Jigglypuff, and Alcremie would all work well for Mr. Satan, as would Mawile, who’s just as two-faced as he is.
6
Wouldn’t: Cell Only Cares About Himself
Cell Wouldn’t Even Be Interested in Catching Pokémon
Among all the main villains in Dragon Ball Z, Cell is the least social. He’s self-absorbed, vain and, unlike Vegeta, Frieza, or Buu, he never develops any interest in working alongside others. Combined with his nasty attitude, Cell would struggle to find anyone Pokémon willing to work with him, regardless of how strong he may be.
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For all his faults, Cell does have a sense of humor. Nothing the resemblance between himself and Bug-type Pokémon, he would try to build a team of them. Unfortunately for the Android, his lack of compatibility with others would mean he’d only be able to keep around weak Pokémon like Vikavolt, Frosmoth, and Ninjask.
7
Would: Arinsu is a Genius With Two Pokémon-Like Minions
There Are Many Pokémon Happy to Serve an Evil Trainer
Dr. Arinsu is one of the most intelligent and charismatic villains in all of Dragon Ball. A scientific genius and a master manipulator, the Demon Realm aristocrat would have no trouble learning everything there is to know about her Pokémon, and designing optimal strategies for them. Currently in Dragon Ball DAIMA, Arinsu has two innocent, bumbling servants, Majin Kuu and Majin Duu, so she’d be no stranger to giving orders to creatures far more powerful than herself.
Both Grass and Dark would make sense as typings for Arinsu to utilize. Like Kuu and Duu, Breloom and Rillaboom would be plant-based combatants to serve her command. And, as an aspiring Supreme Demon King, Dark-types like Umbreon and Zoroark feel like a necessity for her.
8
Wouldn’t: Gomah is Incompetent and Annoying
No Pokémon Would Want to Waste Their Time on Gomah
Greedy and power-hungry, Gomah would only see Pokémon as a means to an end. This would make him unfit to raise Pokemon, but it’s doubtful the main villain of Dragon Ball DAIMA would even be able to catch one. He’s been incompetent, whiny, and temperamental for the entire anime, and there’s no reason to think he’d be a more effective Trainer than he is a Supreme Demon King.
If Gomah was able to catch Pokémon, he’d seek out those that look evil and frightening. This would lead him to become a Dark and Ghost-type trainer. The wicked sorcerer would ideally want to obtain Pokémon like Houndoom, Hydreigon, Malamar, Gengar, and Giritina.
9
Would: Caulifla Shares Goku’s Fiery Spirit
Caulfila Would Adore Raising a Team of Pokémon
Caulifla would be the best Pokémon Trainer Universe 6 could offer. While she isn’t as pure or heroic as Goku, she has a lot of other things in common with him. Caulifla is wide-eyed and enthusiastic, supportive of her friends, driven by a desire to become stronger, and hot-blooded.
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Given her fiery spirit, a Fire-type team would work well for Caulifla. She’d adore powerful Pokémon like Darmanitan, Cinderace, and Ceruledge, and they’d love her right back. Caulifla might also wish to pay tribute to her strongest form, Super Saiyan 2, with Electric-type Pokémon like Morpeko and Toxtricity.
10
Wouldn’t: Zamasu Would Look Down on All Pokémon
Zamasu Would Seek to Purge the World of Pokémon
No Dragon Ball character would make a worse Pokémon Trainer than Zamasu. The biggest villain in the Dragon Ball Super anime, Zamasu is also the most narcissistic antagonist in the entire franchise, having sought to eliminate all mortals because of how inferior he believed them to be to himself. Unless being in the world of Pokémon caused him to lose his powers, Zamasu wouldn’t even want to be a Trainer.
If Pokémon were Zamasu’s only option to kill every mortal, he’d solely be interested in Legendary Pokémon capable of threatening the entire world. This would include god-like beings such as Dialga, Kyogre, Xerneas, and Lunalla. His interests would be irrelevant, however, as he’d have no chance of catching any Legendary Pokémon.
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Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball tells the tale of a young warrior by the name of Son Goku, a young peculiar boy with a tail who embarks on a quest to become stronger and learns of the Dragon Balls, when, once all 7 are gathered, grant any wish of choice.
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Pokémon
- Release Date
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1997 – 2022
- Network
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TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC
- Directors
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Kunihiko Yuyama, Daiki Tomiyasu, Jun Owada, Saori Den
- Writers
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Takeshi Shudo, Junki Takegami, Atsuhiro Tomioka, Aya Matsui, Shoji Yonemura, Dai Saito
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Rica Matsumoto
Pikachu (voice)
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Mayumi Iizuka
Satoshi (voice)
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Tomokazu Seki
Pichu Younger Brother (voice)
