Professor Birch

Professor Birch in Pokémon: Ruby and Sapphire Versions.
Professor Birch
Species	Human
Hair color	Brown
Age	35 (Gen III)
Relatives	Wife Brendan or May [Rival] (Child)
Debut	Pokémon: Ruby/Sapphire Versions

Professor Birch is the resident Pokémon Professor of Hoenn appearing in Pokémon: Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald Versions as well as the remakes Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. He is also the father of the games' rival character, who is either Brendan or May depending on the gender chosen by the player character at the beginning of the game, with the rival being the opposite gender as the player character. His research specializes in studies of Pokémon habitats.

Background

Professor Birch lived in his hometown of Littleroot with his wife and child. However, he spent little time at home or even at his laboratory as he spent most of his time in the wild observing Pokémon for his research. He even convinced his child to help him in his research, giving May/Brendan one of three starter Pokémon (Treecko, Torchic or Mudkip) and a Pokédex to use in their travels. Birch was also a childhood friend of the gym leader Norman, and after his family moved to Hoenn, the professor had wanted to meet Norman's own child.

In the beginning of Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Professor Birch was attacked by a wild Pokémon (Poochyena in Ruby, Sapphire, Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire or Zigzagoon in Emerald) at Route 101 and accidentally dropped his bag. However, Norman's child (the player character who was the opposite gender character of May/Brendan, whom shall be referred to as Brendan/May) was able to fend off the wild Pokémon using one of the three starter Pokémon in Professor Birch's bag. The professor thanked Brendan/May by letting them keep the Pokémon and noted that they were very skilled for a beginner. He invited the trainer to battle his child, and afterwards Birch decided to give the trainer the new Pokédex he had just ordered, which led to the beginning of Brendan/May's own Pokémon journey. He later appeared at the end of the game with his child to congratulate the player trainer for becoming the new Pokémon champion. Afterwards, in Emerald he could give the player trainer a National Pokédex and after the Hoenn Pokédex was completed, he would give the trainer a choice of one of the three starter Pokémon from the second generation (Chikorita, Cyndaquil or Totodile). He told the player that their journey would never really be over and there would always be another patch of grass to explore.

In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, he gave Brendan/May the National Pokédex update shortly after the Groudon/Kyogre crisis was resolved, as he was excited to find that new Pokémon were starting to appear in Hoenn, ones were believed to reside in Hoenn thousands of years ago. He also still gave the player starter Pokémon from other regions, with these games making the opening incident in a running gag. After the player won the championship for the first time, he dropped his bag while fearing a wild Pokémon attack at Route 101 and asked Brendan/May to pick a Pokémon from the bag to use to help him. The bag contained the three starter Pokémon from the second generation (Chikorita, Cyndaquill and Totodile) for the player to choose between. However, Birch then realized that the offending Shroomish was not tough enough to require their help and let them keep the Pokémon they picked anyway. This incident repeated itself two more times. After the Delta Episode was completed, he confused a Machoke from the Pokémon Postal Service for a wild one and had them pick from a bag containing the fifth generation starters (Snivy, Tepig and Oshawott). Finally, after the player won the championship for a second time, he mistook his own wife for a Pokémon chasing him and had the trainer pick a Pokémon from a bag containing the fourth generation starters (Turtwig, Chimchar and Piplup).

Professor Birch also appraised the Pokédex and gave Brendan/May rewards for some accomplishments. When they had seen or caught all Pokémon in the Hoenn Pokédex, he gave them an Oval Charm. When the entire Pokédex was complete, he gave them a Shiny Charm.

Other Appearances

Other Media

• Professor Birch has appeared in several episodes of the Pokémon anime during the episodes set in Hoenn. He is portrayed as somewhat serious minded but also has the recurring gag of driving a jeep at reckless speeds. In his first appearance he helps Ash Ketchum to cure his Pikachu while preparing to give May (who is Norman's daughter in this version) her first Pokémon. She winds up saving him from a swarm of Poochyena (referencing their meeting in the games) while he was searching for Ash's Pikachu. He also appeared in a flashback during the Kalos-set series, in which he was shown letting a trainer named Sawyer select a starter Pokémon. It is unknown if he has a wife or son in this canon, but Brendan (who only makes cameo appearances in Japanese Pokémon openings) could be his son.
• In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Professor Birch made appearances in the Ruby/Sapphire arc. He was the father of Sapphire and supplied her with most of her Pokémon as well as her Pokédex. He was also a good friend of Norman's and after he was saved by Ruby from a Mightyena, he recognized Ruby as Norman's son and left him have the Mudkip from his bag to protect himself. The last starter Pokémon (Treecko) and Pokédex initially wound up in Wally's hands through chance after Professor Birch lost them in a flood, but they eventually found their way to the rightful owner, Emerald, during the Emerald arc.

Trivia

• Like the other Pokémon professors, he is named after a tree, specifically the birch tree.
• In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, he claims to have changed the player character's diapers when they were a baby.
• He is established as being a childhood friend of Norman's in Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire. Considering that Norman is said to come from Johto, it is uncertain if this means that Birch originally hails from the region as well, or that Norman had originally lived in Hoenn.