Pokémonis a popular franchise that began with single-player video games and has since branched out into nearlytwo dozen films(so far) and along-running TV anime. Revolving around a player whose goal is to catch, collect, train, and battle Pokémon, the video games saw wild success in Japan before quickly becaming a global success. As games that initially began as a tactic to keep the younger generationinterested in animals and wildlifearound the world, they took the world by storm for their unique creatures and the type of gaming that relieves stress in a way that no other game had before it.
Throughout thePokémongames and anime, there are a number of characters that stick out, like Ash, Pikachu, and Nurse Joy. Over the years, the games have come out with not only new characters and villains, but also new professors. Generally speaking, the Professors help the player to navigate the game with useful tips and often come to the player’s aid when they are in trouble. While a number of professors have been introduced over the years, not all of them have broken ground with players as memorable. Here is everyPokémonProfessor in the franchise, ranked.
10Magnolia
One of the underwhelmingPokémonprofessors on the roster is Professor Magnolia. Being the professor of the Galar region inSword & Shield, Professor Magnolia is not a very memorable character. Apart from offering basic tips for gameplay, the only thing that Magnolia really has to offer is granting the player the Wishing Star so that they canDynamax their Pokémon. Magnolia does not play any role in providing the player with their starter Pokémon and is absent throughout a majority of the game.
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Similar to Magnolia, Elm is another Pokémon professor that is often forgotten altogether as his character is the least explored. The clumsy Professor Elm of New Bark Town appears to be rather scatterbrained, but apart from this, not very much is known about him. Elm plays a bit of a more active role by providing the player with their starter and an Everstone. On top of this, it has been stated that Elm is the Professor who discovered that Pokémon lay eggs, but many fans have doubted the reality of this given that Pokémon eggs are not difficult to come by.
Professor Birch is the one professor famously known for being incapable of fending off a small Poochyena. The resident Professor of Littleroot Town, Professor Birch specializes in researching Pokémon habitats. While he has more of a presence than the previous two professors on the list, he still is not all that memorable. Aside from providing the player with starters in the remakes ofOmega RubyandAlpha Sapphire, there’s not much that Professor Birch adds to the game, or the story for that matter, placing him low on this list of Pokémon professors.
Considered the heartthrob Professor in thePokémonuniverse, Professor Sycamore is the resident professor of the Kalos region inPokémon XandPokémon Y. Sycamore specializes in species' Mega Evolutions, making him a valuable source of information throughout the games. Unlike characters previously listed, Sycamore plays a much more active role in the player’s journey throughout the game. He often appears and offers help on multiple occasions, creating more cred for his skill with Pokémon. Sycamore even goes as far as to throw a parade for the player when the player defeats the Pokémon League.
Serving as the very first woman Professor in thePokémonuniverse is Professor Juniper. Uniquely studying the origin of Pokémon in the Unova region, Juniper has an exceedingly likable personality as a calm and collected professor who is always ready to help. Coming from a long line of Pokémon professors, Juniper was set up for success as a Pokémon professor. On top of helping the players to evolve their Pokémon, Juniper can evaluate a player’s Pokédex and provide very useful tips for the player to have a richer experience.
While Sonia is not a professor at the beginning ofSword & Shield, being merely her grandmother Magnolia’s assistant, Sonia proves herself worthy enough to take over Magnolia’s position as Professor of the Galar region. Sonia is a character with a clear mission, who refuses to give up on what she wants. Her determination not only makes her a memorable character, but a strong Professor deserving of her title. In contrast to her grandmother’s lack of impression left on players, Sonia’s personality and skill leaves a mark so that players won’t ever forget her name.
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While some people don’t consider Burnet a professor based on technicalities within the game, Burnet is still a Pokémon researcher fully committed to her work inSun & Moon. More than just the wife of Professor Kukui, Burnet makes a name for herself as she studies other dimensions. Much like her husband, Burnet is a cool and laid-back character who studies extradimensional Pokémon and takes in Lillie as her assistant. Burnet may not be a Professor in terms of her role within the game, but she is more memorable than many of the acting professors previously stated on this list.
Professor Rowan is generally considered the bad-ass of thePokémonuniverse, especially since he out-right refuses to wear a lab coat. Rowan’s outward gruff appearance seems to line-up with his interior, lording ultimate seniority over every other Pokémon professor. The resident professor of Sangdem Town, Professor Rowan specializes in Pokémon evolution, a fitting specialty considering that Gen IV has many legacy evolutions from previous generations. Many fans enjoy the stark contrast between Rowan’s tough exterior and the cutesy starter Pokémon that he gives the player to choose from.
Probably the default professor that mostPokémonplayers think of is the OG Professor Oak. Oak has a long history as a Pokémon professor within the franchise, dating all the way back to the very first generation. Of all the professors, Oak has made the most appearances. With that being said, fans have begun to feel that Oak’s presence has become too much and that the franchise needs to branch out in the professor line-up and come up with new concepts for professors to help keep the players interested.
It might come as a surprise to some to see Professor Kukui at the top of the list, considering that Oak is a fan favourite by many, but Kukui has more than earned the title as the best Pokémon professor. Not only is he a cool character that is highly appreciated by players, but Kukui’s battle-obsessed nature is a unique addition to the Pokémon professor lineup. Being the regional professor ofSun and Moonin the Alola region, Professor Kukui studies Pokémon attacks. In addition to his naturally laid-back demeanor, Professor Kukui also manages to win the hearts of players by moonlighting as the Masked Royal.
