Dawn (Pokémon)

Dawn
Dawn as seen in the anime
Japanese name	Hikari
Voice actor(s) (English)	Emily Jenness
Voice actor(s) (Japanese)	Megumi Toyoguchi
First appearances
Game	Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
Anime episode	"Following a Maiden's Voyage!" (Season 10)
In-Universe Information
Occupation	Roaming Pokémon coordinator (Anime). Roaming Pokémon Trainer (Player Character in games) Roaming Trainer & Lab assistant (NPC in games) Trainer and Coordinator(Manga)

Dawn, known in Japan as Hikari (ヒカリ, Hikari^?), is a human character from the multi-billion-dollar^[1] Pokémon media franchise – a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards and other media, created by Satoshi Tajiri.

In the anime

The Pokémon anime series and films are a meta-series of adventures separate from the canon that most of the Pokémon video games follow (with the exception of Pokémon Yellow, a game based on the anime storyline). The anime follows the quest of the main character, Ash Ketchum^[2]—an in-training Pokémon Master—as he and several other companions^[2] travel around the fictitious world of Pokémon along with their Pokémon partners. In the anime, Dawn is a 10 year old Pokémon trainer. She is from Twinleaf Town in Sinnoh. Her mother Johanna (Japanese: アヤコ, Johanna^?) was once a Top Pokémon coordinator, having won the Grand Festival. Wishing to follow in her mother's footsteps, Dawn set out to become a Pokémon coordinator. Her starter Pokémon was a Piplup, received from Professor Rowan. She chose Piplup specifically because they already went through an adventure. Dawn also saw the legendary Pokémon Mesprit (similar to Ash,who saw Ho-Oh at the start of his journey). Dawn came across an injured Pikachu who she thought was wild, and tried to capture it. While defending itself from Dawn's Piplup, the Pikachu destroyed her bike (a running gag in the series— both May and Misty have had their bikes fried by a bolt of lightning from Ash's Pikachu). As it turned out, the Pikachu she came across was Ash's injured Pikachu. She and Piplup, again by themselves, helped save Pikachu from Team Rocket. She is currently traveling through Sinnoh with Ash and Brock. She also finds a rival in Jubilife City named Zoey.^[3] Dawn's standard outfit is a black tank top with a white undershirt, and a pink miniskirt and a white hat. However, in some of the episodes, Dawn tends to wear different clothing almost everyday. In contests, she usually puts on a fashionable dress. On the first episode, "Following a Maiden Voyage", she brought a suitcase full of contest dresses and clothing; however, her mother packed the necessary things in a small Pokémon bag (similar to the one in the games). She won the Floaroma Ribbon against her friend, Kenny, with the help of Pachirisu and Piplup (although she had previously tried many times to win contests). She has a habit of saying "No need to worry!" (or "Daijōbu! (大丈夫!, Daijōbu!^?)" in the original Japanese version) even when the situation is most worrisome. Her mother normally replies "It's when you say 'don't worry' that I worry the most." Ash has said this on at least one occasion and it usually succeeds in winding up Dawn.

Pokémon

• Piplup

Piplup is Dawn's starter Pokémon from the episode "Following a Maiden Voyage". Piplup had chased after Chimchar in Professor Rowan's lab in Sandgem Town after it stole its food and they got in a fight. Dawn found Piplup trapped in Ariados' web. She was able to free Piplup and they both escaped. Dawn and Piplup are best friends, though they tend to get into scrapes every now and then.

• Buneary

Buneary is the first Pokémon Dawn captured in the episode "Setting the World on its Buneary". Dawn had tried to capture several Buneary before but kept failing each time. After being captured by Team Rocket and freed by Pikachu, Dawn battled and captured Buneary by using Piplup. Buneary has a crush on Ash's Pikachu, evident when it covers its face with its fluff and blushes, as well as flirting while in the vicinity of Pikachu.

• Pachirisu

Dawn found and captured a Pachirisu in the episode "Twice Smitten, Once Shy!" Pachirisu tends to be hyperactive and runs away after she caught it. Pachirisu also zaps Dawn, just like Pikachu and Ash in the beginning of the anime series. Dawn thought that she couldn't tame Pachirisu and released it. But after a battle with Team Rocket, Dawn recaptures Pachirisu and it became an active part of her roster. It wasn't quite good at Contests at first, but its skills are gradually improving.

• Aipom → Ambipom

In DP055, Ash begins the training for his next Gym Battle. However, Dawn's Buizel seems to be more interested in Ash's battle training and thus can't set its mind on Dawn's Contest training; meanwhile Aipom appears to have a similar problem in Ash's training because it tends to be more interested in Dawn's Contest training. Then Zoey proposes that Ash and Dawn trade them, and so they do. In DP060, it evolves into an Ambipom.^[4]

In the video games

Two of the characters that the player can choose from in Diamond and Pearl.

Dawn is the female protagonist and player character of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. If the player chooses to play her, she will live in a house in Twinleaf Town. However, if the player chooses to play the male character, then she will be Professor Rowan's assistant and sometimes a partner in some Pokémon battles against Team Galactic grunts. As an NPC (non-player character), her house will be just south of Professor Rowan's lab in Sandgem Town. Dawn is equipped with a few gadgets that will help her in her adventures. These consist of a Sinnoh Pokédex, a Pokétch, a bag and a bicycle. The Pokétch or "Pokémon Watch" is a new addition to the Pokémon series and has made its debut in Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl. The Pokétch allows her to install several applications that will give her useful information during her quest for the Sinnoh League. These applications include a digital watch, a memo pad, a pedometer, a dowsing machine, a Pokémon list, a counter and much more. Later on, she will obtain a bicycle that she can use to travel around Sinnoh on a much faster pace.

Notes and references