Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are full of numerous Trainers with unique styles, Type preferences, and personalities. With so many bright and vibrant character designs, Generation 9 very quickly became recognized by players for having the best collection of character designs in a single Gen.
To highlight some of these phenomenal concepts, we’ve befriended ten lucky individuals from Paldea to discuss, so follow along below.
Kieran
Kieran’s design is arguably one of the more interesting concepts in the game; in the Teal Mask DLC, he’s got that classic, emo kid energy with his messy black hair, complete with purple strands underneath for extra edgy points. Kieran’s outfit is very simple, being a variation of the Blueberry Academy uniform — however, it’s not this that makes him stand out, but more so the fact that he’s the only character to receive two different designs.
In the Indigo Disk DLC, Kieran has undergone some changes, wearing a much sportier set of clothes to indicate his new, brutal training schedule. On top of this, his hair has been pulled back from his face, which changes the coloring to show off the purple undertones in full. Both of Kieran’s designs perfectly balance simplicity with the harmony of complementary colors, which makes his appearance interesting and easy to identify. Considering lil’ Kiki here has two successful designs, he deserves his rightful place on this list, without a doubt.
Drayton
Drayton is one of several new characters added via the Indigo Disk DLC, carrying a preference for Dragon Type Pokemon. This is hinted throughout his design with subtle elements, such as the flowy, cape-like garment he wears around his waist, and his horn/scale-shaped hairstyle.
On top of his love for Dragons, Drayton also gets some bonus points for having a Maschiff design on his jacket simply because who doesn’t love doggos? Drayton also has a strong silhouette that portrays his confidence, and his clothing is a great mix of Academy uniform with unique additions, which helps him stand out from the crowd of other NPCs.
Iono
Iono is the Electric Type Gym Leader in Paldea and also has a secondary job as a streamer, so I’d say Pokemon hit the nail on the head with her design. She has that comfy, yet stylish attire that so many streamers and content creators are known to love, and even has bright, funky-colored hair split in hues of pastel pink and blue, which is a bit of an e-girl classic, at this point.
However, there are also some really interesting additions to this attire to indicate her Type preference and add some originality, such as her shark-like teeth, screw-like parts of her shoes, and of course, her big Magnemite hair accessories — which can detach and float around her. Or…maybe these are actual Magnemites that have been painted to match her hair? Either way, they make her very interesting and certainly add to her silhouette, making Iono one of several characters who stand out in the Paldea Region the most.
Grusha
Grusha has been a beloved Pokemon Scarlet and Violet character ever since he was first teased in one of many trailers leading up to the game’s release and for good reason. I mean, just look at his design — Grusha is so simple, yet interesting.
His design clearly portrays the presence of Ice Typing, and the chosen color palette makes him appear cold, yet warm and approachable still. That Poke Ball scarf? An absolute highlight. If I were Grusha, I’d be snuggling into it and letting it cover my face, too.
Crispin
Crispin is another character introduced in the Indigo Disk DLC, and once again portrays perfect clarity in his design through his simple details and color palette. Right from first glance, before we even witness him speak, we can tell that this guy is a passionate cook — his Blueberry uniform is modified into a chef coat, and he’s holding his best battle stance with that frypan.
On top of this, Crispin’s Fire Type preference is indicated through subtle additions of red, yellow, and orange, such as his scarf, shoes, hair, and the trim of his coat.
Jacq
Jacq has that perfect nerdy, quirky teacher appearance, complete with a very nice color palette of purple hues. His biology and teaching roots are indicated with the numerous books he carries in his hand and coat pockets, and the room phone sitting in his shirt pocket.
The hexagon-shaped glasses and rips in his pants are a nice little touch of detail that adds to his character, and the dad sandals honestly just complete Jacq’s entire vibe as he he takes on a step-in father figure approach and runs around after his class, making sure they’re all healthy and happy.
Brassius
Brassius is the Grass Type Gym Leader in Paldea, and in my opinion, perhaps the best Grass Type Gym Leader design of all time. His entire design is themed around thorns and vines, and this is pulled with great success. The thorn-like spines in his shirt, the belt wound around his body, and even his hair; everything is shaped like a thorn, which adds to his silhouette and makes him stand out while also keeping things strongly related to his Type usage in the perfect way.
Brassius’ design isn’t overcomplicated, either, which is quite impressive. A concept such as this would be easy to go full send on and make everything super busy and complex, yet Brassius here remains eye-catching, easy to read, and interesting, holding just the right amount of mystery to make you want to know more.
Atticus
Atticus certainly stands out as being one of the brightest and bold character designs in the entire Pokemon franchise. Don’t let this overwhelm you, though — this dude’s appearance fits his personality and background perfectly, and once examined, it becomes obvious that this is one of the most interesting designs in all of Scarlet and Violet.
Atticus is said to be a descendant of ninjas, hence his unique attire. However, he’s also modernized his take on ninja wear by adding his touches — black and white chest straps, bright coloring, and sludge-like patterns to indicate his Poison Typing and a hood that creates an illusion of dripping poison covering his face. Honestly, it’s easy to see why he was responsible for coming up with the Team Star outfits; this guy is a design whiz!
Ortega
Look, if there’s one thing I have to say about Ortega, it’s that he somehow managed to make me love and hate him all at once…but if he’s good enough for the rest of Team Star, he’s good enough for me. That being said, Ortega has a phenomenal character design, and there’s no denying it. His design tells so much about his character that even just a slight glance can indicate that not only is he a Fairy Type user, but also that he’s a rich little boy from a wealthy background.
Putting his background aside, this ‘fit honestly just suits Ortega’s personality to a T. He definitely gives me the vibe that he’d always want to be dressed in proper quality attire, so this matching dress coat and pants certainly do the trick…and I do love his little bowtie. However, the best part is without a doubt, his golden Poke Ball staff. I mean, look at the Poke Ball — it has little pixie wings to once again indicate Ortega’s Type preference. Little details like this go a long way, which is why Ortega’s overall character design is such a huge success.
Professor Turo & Professor Sada
Scarlet and Violet are the first games to offer version exclusive professors, and for good reason — one for the past (Scarlet), and one for the future (Violet). These design variants are pulled off with nothing but success, too. I’m honestly blown away a little at just how much the past/future aesthetics of Paradox Pokemon were able to be indicated through Sada and Turo’s designs, whilst still holding that classic Pokemon Professor look at the same time.
Turo takes on a futuristic bodysuit with sleek patterns and markings that give off sci-fi and cyberpunk vibes, while Sada has a very cave woman-ish vibe to her, complete with little beaded belts and necklaces that appear to have jewels resembling fangs or claws hanging from them.
Another thing that is interesting about these designs, is that with them being Arven’s parents and Sada resembling the past while Turo resembles the future, leaves Arven as the present. Putting all three of these characters side by side makes the designs even more harmonious as a group, which shows off just how well thought out each character is.