Summary
ThePokemonuniverse is filled with iconic female characters. From the original gamesPokemonRed & Blue, the heroines ofPokemonhave also been an integral part of the story.Pokemon Crystalwas the first game in which the player could choose their gender and become female, and the franchise has moved leaps and bounds since then.
Among the games, anime, and manga there are hundreds of heroines to choose from, but the best female characters in thePokemonfranchise manage to find ways to set themselves apart. This includes the latest heroine in the franchise, Nemona, who serves asthe player’s rival inPokemon Scarlet & Violet.
Updated June 11, 2025 by Ben Painter:Pokemon has been around since the late 90s, and strong female characters have existed since then. Characters like Misty, Sabrina and Nurse Joy were present in the very first entry and the games have developed to include even more females.
When it comes to main characters, there is plenty to choose from, as players can choose a female in most games to play through. Also, in the anime, there are tons of women who play a significant role. This update adds five more of thebest Pokemon main female characters.
15Kris
The First Female Playable Character
Kris is iconic for one main reason, as it was groundbreaking for the series to havea female playable characterfor the first time. This came withPokemon Crystal, the third entry in the Johto Generation 2 saga followingGold & Silver. Despite this fact, she didn’t return for the remakes, instead being replaced with a new character, Lyla.
She also didn’t feature in the anime. However, a lookalike was included in the special,The Legend of Thunder!, but she was known as Marina. Although she has not had much play in the series, the fact she was the first female that players could use in the games was groundbreaking enough to earn her a spot on this list.
14Clair
Tough Johto Gym Leader
The role of the toughest Gym Leader in Johto fell to Clair, the first Dragon-type Gym Leader of the series, and fans know how tough that type can be. Especially considering, at the time, her ace Kingdra was only weak to Dragon-types and gamers couldn’t acquire one until after gaining the Gym Badge.
Having a tough and memorable gym battle is enough, but Clair is also fairly prominent in the anime too, appearing in the Johto journeys, but she also reappears in the Black & White era where she battled fellow Dragon expert Iris.
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13Sabrina
One Of The Original Gym Leaders
Another Gym Leader and a very prominent one being part of the original roster of eight. Back in Generation 1,Psychic was the second-strongest typeand Sabrina’s Saffron City gym battle was always a tough one with her powerful Alakazam. With no Dark-types, no strong Bug-type moves and very few Ghost-types, there wasn’t a lot that players could do against Sabrina.
She also popped up in an interesting story in the anime that involved her manifesting a Psychic clone of her younger self. ThePokemon Adventuresmanga also had a different take on Sabrina as she was a member of Team Rocket working for the evil Elite Four. Whatever version of Sabrina it is, she takes the cake as one ofthe best Pokemon main female characters.
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12Officer Jenny
Basically The Only Police Officer
A character that was originally just exclusive to the anime, introduced much like Nurse Joy as a family of Police Officers who all look the same and pop up in most towns and cities across the Kanto region. Known for her partner Pokemon Growlithe, Officer Jenny was always there for Ash and his friends to help out with the pesky Team Rocket.
AsPokemon Yellowintroduced some anime elements to the games, such as Jessie & James, Officer Jenny also had a small role. She is an NPC in Vermillion City who gifts the player a Squirtle, an obvious reference to the Squirtle Squad in the series.
11Green
Pokemon Manga Hero
Readers ofthePokemon Adventuresmangawill certainly remember Green. One of the main antagonists of the Red & Blue chapter, Green floats around on her Jigglypuff spying and pulling the strings in her goal to take down Team Rocket.
Although Green isn’t in much of the otherPokemonmedia, there is no question that she is an iconic heroine. ThePokemonworld would not be the same without the manga, and she is very much an important character in those books. Although she does make her bow in Generation 7’sLet’s Go Pikachu & Eeveeas a boss battle at the end of the game.
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10Serena
Kalos Character & Ash Ketchum Anime Pal
Serena was introduced inPokemonX & Yas the player character or as the rival depending on which one was chosen. A friendly rival, Serena becomes a great friend in the game and has some great battles along the way with her strong team, which includes Meowstic, Absol, and Altaria.
Also, a very important character in the Anime, Serena was an iconic traveling companion of Ash throughout Kalos inPokemon X & Y. She may be a newer addition to the franchise, but that hasn’t stopped her from leaving a mark on fans of thelong-running series.
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9Nurse Joy
The Always Reliable Pokemon Healer
One who has been there since the very beginning and a heroine who has always had the player’s back, Nurse Joy is the healer ofPokemonand the healer of players' hearts. Nurse Joy has been an icon in the games and the anime, remembered fondly as the object of Brock’s desires.
Nurse Joy is so much more than thatand the iconic quote “We hope to see you again!” is etched into the memories of allPokemonfans. That said, it does have some troubling connotations. Does she want to see players' Pokemon get hurt and require more medical attention?
8May
Hoenn Main Character & Anime Companion
May is such an icon in both the games and the anime as she introduced fans to the world of Pokemon contests; something that has become a staple of the franchise ever since. May has a solid team and becomes a fierce rival inPokemon Ruby, Sapphire&Emeraldas well as in the games' remakes.
May has also been a mainstay of the anime, with fans constantly asking for her to reappear and once againfollow Ash on his journeys. Whether or not she ever does, May will always have a place in the hearts of many fans and deserves her icon status.
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7Dawn
Anime Companion & Sinnoh Playable Character
Dawn is arguably just a bit more popular than May, as although both characters are just as likable as one another, Dawn’s final team is ever so slightly stronger in the games, which in turn makes for a more iconic battle. In truth, though, there’s very little between the pair.
Pokemon Diamond & Pearlrebooted the franchise, bringing the games to a new era on Nintendo DS and creating a new generation ofPokemonfans in the process. Dawn is certainly the face of this era thanks to her also appearing in the anime. Fans enjoyed the chemistry between her and Ash and many wanted the beanie hat wearer to remain.
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6Lorelei
Kanto Elite Four Member
Back in the OriginalRed & Blue, Lorelei was a formidable member of the Elite Four thanks toher tough squad of Ice-type Pokemon. Lapras and Jynx are some of the strongest original 151Pokemon, andit takes a lot to bring them down.
With Cloyster and Dewgong also being Water-type, it takes a lot more than just firepower to get one over on this iconic Elite Four member. Nostalgia plays a big factor when it comes to iconic characters, and Lorelei certainly earns her spot because of this.
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