Pokemon Scarlet and Violet brings the all-new Paldea Region of Generation 9, full of unique and interesting characters to meet along the way. But who among this huge selection of new characters makes a positive impression with their role in the story? We’ve rounded these candidates up, so without further ado, here are the 10 most likable characters in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.
10. Jacq
Kicking off the list as one of the most likable characters in the game is Jacq. Jacq is the homeroom teacher to you and Nemona at the Academy, and he fits the role brilliantly as the knowledgeable but also friendly and slightly goody first teacher you meet in the game. Jacq is also the developer of the Pokedex app within your Rotom phone and the individual responsible for naming Gimmighoul’s chest form.
Jacq is super lovable and highly knowledgeable about his field of interest, but he is sometimes somewhat absent-minded, getting completely lost in his research. It’s hard not to love Jacq’s friendly personality and passion for his work, so naturally, he earns his place as one of the most well-liked characters in the game. If you’re not finished with Pokemon Scarlet & Violet’s story, you’ve got plenty to look forward to; battling Jacq during the post-game Tournament ark will be an absolute blast.
9. Iono
Iono is the Paldea Region’s most beloved Streamer and the Electric-Type Gym Leader of Levincia. Iono is bright, confident, optimistic, and outgoing, bringing her big personality wherever she goes – it’s no wonder she’s such a popular Streamer.
Iono stands out as one of the most popular Gym Leaders in Paldea, not just for her role as a streamer but for every aspect of her character; her charismatic persona, her memorable Gym Challenge, and her brilliant design featuring two colored, electronic Magnemite accessories that detach and robotically reattach to her head.
Plus, her adorable dynamic with her partner Pokemon, Bellibolt, adds reason to why she’s so likable as a character. Just watching how much Iono loves Bellibolt, including it in her streams and keeping it at her side at all times. Even if Streamers aren’t your thing, it’s hard not to enjoy Iono’s character, as she makes herself so easy to love.
8. Grusha
Grusha is the Paldea Region’s Ice-Type Gym Leader and ex-professional snowboarder in Glaseado Mountain. Grusha was a six-time in a row champion of Paldea’s snowboarding championship and once ranked number two in the world for his skills. Unfortunately, an injury forced Grusha to retire for good.
Grusha then transitioned from a professional sportsman to a Gym-Leader, but don’t let this change fool you; his competitive spirit is just as fierce in Pokemon battles as it was on the slopes. Grusha has a calm, cool personality, suiting his icey role at Glaseado Mountain Gym, but once his competitive fire is ignited, his hidden emotions come out in the heat of battle.
Because being a Gym Leader is the only thing Grusha has left, he’s secretly very worried about maintaining this role and living up to the expectations of the Pokemon League. This makes Grusha relatable to many players who have felt the same way about life and creates depth in his personality, making him one of the most likable characters in the game.
7. Giacomo
Giacomo is the boss of Team Star’s Dark Crew and the leader of Team Star in the absence of their ‘Big Boss.’ Giacomo doesn’t have the most screen time or the most extensive backstory in the world to dive into. However, there are still plenty of character aspects that make him intriguing, enjoyable, and highly likable as a character.
First off, Giacomo is shown to care deeply for his friends and has a passion for music as a hobby DJ. He’s the one responsible for creating the Team Star Theme song. That song is an absolute bop, so it’s safe to say Giacomo is one talented individual.
On top of this, he’s fair and respectful of everyone’s quirks and differences, and he maintained these qualities when creating Team Star’s code of conduct. This shows that Giacomo has gone through much personal growth and understanding of others since his brief time as Student President, making him extremely likable as a character and one of the best members of Team Star.+
6. Penny
Penny is your quiet, painfully shy classmate at the Academy, and the secret big boss of Team Star, operating under the alias of Cassiopeia. Though Penny keeps this identity hidden and ultimately uses the player to help her disband Team Star, there’s no way she could ever feel like a villain because she was operating out of care and concern.
Penny doesn’t seem to have much personality throughout the first half of the game or depth to her character other than being the shy, awkward girl. Fortunately, she goes through quite the transformation by the end of the Starfall Street route, learning to embrace her friends in Mela, Giacomo, Atticus, Eri, and Ortega.
Penny finds a new sense of confidence with her acceptance from the members of Team Star, finally being able to befriend and interact with the people she treasures most in the world. Knowing Penny is the one responsible for creating Team Star and the fact it was created as a haven for students that were bullied or ostracized by others just proves how kind-hearted and caring she is. All points considered, it’s hard not to like Penny, and the only reason she didn’t rank higher on this list is that it took so long for her true personality to shine.
5. Mela
Mela is the Boss of Team Star’s Fire Squad and the resident moody, bold, and punkish persona of the group. Although Mela’s firey personality and aesthetic match her Type specialty, there is more to her than what’s on the surface. As it turns out, Mela’s persona is a protective wall to hide her true nature.
According to Eri, Mela was previously seen as cute and kind-hearted, but this caused other students at the academy to become jealous of her and bully her. To protect herself and stop the bullying, Mela adopted a new attitude and outfit, wielding bold, alternative attire and a sharp-tongued, sarcastic personality.
However, after defeating Mela on your journey during the Starfall Street route, she begins to let down these walls and allow herself to show more of her true personality, befriending Charlos the Charcadet once more. Knowing that Mela has such a kind heart and dedication to her goals underneath her broody exterior gives her great depth of character and makes her so damn lovable. Besides, her design is fantastic; there’s just no way you can dislike Mela, even if you try.
4. Rika
Rika is the first member of the Paldea Region’s Elite Four, specializing in Ground-Type Pokemon. Rika operates with a versatile Ground team composition, with her partner Pokemon being the beloved Paldean Wooper evolution, Clodsire.
Rika is first introduced during your Gym Challenge journey alongside Champion Geeta. Rika has a casual, laid-back personality, dubbing the player character with the nickname ‘Kiddo.’ Right from the first moment Rika meets you, she’s full of praise and respect for your skill as a Pokemon trainer, encouraging you throughout your journey and watching you grow strong.
It’s rare to find an Elite Four member so invested in the next generation of upcoming Pokemon trainers, and that’s where Rika stands heads and shoulders taller than everyone else. Other Elite Four members tend to be over-competitive and proud of their positions. At the same time, Rika remains humble, friendly, and supportive, making her potentially the most likable Elite Four member of all time and one of the most enjoyable characters in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.
3. Arven
Arven is one of the main companions alongside your journey in the Paldea Region and the main supporting protagonist of the Path of Legends. When first meeting Arven, he seems grumpy, uninterested, slightly arrogant, and rude. This makes him quite the unlikable character at first, and I can even remember wondering why I was even helping him out initially.
However, once Arven’s story starts to unfold, his character does a total of one-eighty, flipping him on his head. Arven reveals that he’s so intense and hyper-focused on obtaining the Herba Mystica because his beloved pet and partner Pokemon, Mabostiff, has been suffering from sickness and injury and getting progressively worse.
This pulls at the heartstrings of animal lovers, as Arven is essentially just a helpless boy trying to save his sick dog. Seeing how he acts with Mabostiff is genuine, showing his kind, gentle and patient side.
Also, Arven has been neglected by his parent, Professor Sada/Professor Turo, for an extensive amount of time. You can’t help but feel bad for the guy. After gaining this understanding and seeing Arven let his walls down, he’s easily considered one of the top most likable characters in the game, complete with exceptional personal growth and character development.
2. Eri
If Eri had received a bigger role in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, she would have undoubtedly earned the number-one spot. However, her spot as Team Star’s Fighting Boss still gives her enough time on-screen to make an impression as one of the most likable characters in the game.
Despite her fierce face paint, Eri is gentle by nature, and a kind-hearted and sweet individual, always acting as the mediator for fights within Team Star. Eri’s lovely nature is proven in her backstory, where it is revealed that her classmate, Carmen was so jealous of her beauty and popularity that she began to relentlessly bully her, isolating Eri from everyone else.
Eri then joined Team Star, never losing her sensitive and forgiving nature. As it turns out, Carmen ended up being the next victim of bullying at the Academy and was left on her own, much as she did to Eri. Despite the horrible things Carmen had done to her, Eri then extended an offer of friendship, taking Carmen under her wing as a member of Team Star’s Fighting crew, where the two became close friends.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t think there are many characters that are this kind-hearted in the entirety of the Pokemon franchise. Eri is just so easy to like as a character. She’s full of support for her friends and positive reinforcement, always encouraging others to follow their dreams and spread kindness to one another. Seriously, there’s not a bad bone in Eri’s body; she’s the complete definition of a likable character.
1. Nemona
Nemona is one of the first character’s you’ll meet in the game, living just down the street from your house. She’s also Student President of the Academy and holds the rank of Champion trainer. Nemona is the perfect rival that Pokemon games have desperately been seeking in prior generations, full of excitement and enthusiasm to have you join her in class.
Nemona has a passion for battling, always jumping right into planning techniques, teams, and ideas to use in battle and losing focus from tasks around her, daydreaming of battling strong trainers. Despite her high skill level, Nemona doesn’t look down on you and is ecstatic to have someone as interested in the Pokemon League as herself. She makes an effort to help you get started on your journey, check in with you throughout the Gym Leader Challenge, and help you grow strong.
Watching Nemona’s team grow throughout Pokemon Scarlet and Violet gives you a sense of satisfaction and progression in working your way up to holding the same rank as her. Her personality is fun, engaging, and amusing, making her a character perfect for the recurring role of a rival. Honestly, I don’t think I could ever get sick of Nemona, and watching her make an appearance on each occasion excited me to catch up with her and battle again.
Nemona’s competitive spirit works perfectly with her friendly and outgoing personality. Plus, it’s easy to see how she reached the rank of Champion trainer, having more than enough skill to back up this title in her final battle. Nemona is easy to like, making some of the most enjoyable company in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and one of the best rivals in the entire franchise.
That’s it for the 10 most likable characters in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. For more helpful lists, tips, and gameplay guides, check out the rest of our content here at Twinfinite. We have a variety of topics that can help you on your journey in the Paldea Region and solve any struggles or questions you may have, such as every special evolution in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet explained, all Mystery Gift codes, and 10 speediest Pokemon for your team.
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