Gym leaders are an integral part of the Pokémon games. Not only do they provide the eight Gym Badges that let players prove their skill and challenge the Pokémon League, but they often appear in the story as they act as their region's defense against the many different villainous teams that threaten the Pokémon world over the course of the series.
The ever-growing series of Pokémon games means that there is now a huge cast of Gym Leaders who range from fun to frightening, from moody and melodramatic to excitable and eccentric. Some Gym Leaders would make great friends while others probably won't be invited to the party.
10 Love To Hang Out With: Ramos Is The Grandpa We All Need
He might have a giant pair of scissors, but Grass-type Gym Leader Ramos is the furthest thing from dangerous. This amicable man treats every trainer like a precious grandchild, and it's impossible for the player's heart not to melt when Ramos calls them a "sprout" or a "whippersnapper."
According to the in-game broadcast Gym Freaks, Ramos has an interest in types of freshly-grown tea. It would be amazing if there were a DLC where trainers just meet up with Ramos and drink tea with him.
9 Hate To Hang Out With: Sabrina's Physic Powers Are Downright Creepy
Gym Leaders are all highly skilled, but few of them actually have supernatural abilities. This is what makes Sabrina, the Kanto region's expert in Psychic-type Pokémon and an actual psychic herself, stand out from the crowd.
It's more than a little bit creepy to hear her say that she knew the player was coming to challenge her, and her claims that she can influence people psychically don't help. It's no wonder that they play up her creepiness in the anime, giving her a doll straight out of a horror movie.
8 Love To Hang Out With: Skyla Is A High-Flying Pilot
Plenty of Gym Leaders have other jobs. For instance, the Bug-type trainers Viola and Burgh are a photographer and artist respectively, and Normal-type Leader Lenora runs a museum.
But Unova's Flying-type Gym Leader, Skyla, has to have the coolest occupation of them all. Appropriately enough, she's a pilot, flying from her base in Mistralton City to all over the region. Hopefully, she'd be happy to give her friends a ride. This, along with her kind and cheerful personality, means she's someone every traveling trainer would like to spend time with.
7 Hate To Hang Out With: Whitney's Miltank Isn't The Only Annoying Thing About Her
Johto's Normal-type Gym Leader, Whitney, is known to players for posing a serious challenge despite her cute aesthetic, with a Miltank that has Rollout-ed its way through many young trainers' teams.
If players do manage to defeat her, they'll learn that Whitney is a very sore loser, bursting into tears and refusing to give the player their badge at first. She's the kind of person to throw a tantrum over the smallest thing, which isn't exactly a charming quality. Her Pokémon may be cute, but her attitude definitely isn't.
6 Love To Hang Out With: Roxie Seems Fun To Jam With
Who doesn't love to let loose from time to time and headbang to some rock 'n' roll? Unova's Poison-type Gym Leader Roxie lives up to her name with a fun punk rock aesthetic that, combined with the typical Pokémon cuteness (and a custom Scolipede-themed guitar!), means that she has one of the best character designs of any Gym Leader.
Her Gym also stands out, as it's a club, complete with a bar and a stage, that anyone would want to hang out in. After meeting her, trainers will be wishing for a subplot where they can join her band.
5 Hate To Hang Out With: Giovanni Is The Team Rocket Boss With A Side Hobby
Giovanni is the leader of the Pokémon games' first and most iconic villainous team, Team Rocket, but he also happens to be the leader of the Gym players will have encountered way back at the beginning of the game, in Viridian City.
It goes without saying a Team Rocket leader is not the sort of person who makes a great friend. His villainous nature does, however, mean that defeating him in battle is extra satisfying. Hopefully, he doesn't have any other hidden schemes up his sleeves.
4 Love To Hang Out With: Jasmine Shows Pokémon True Kindness
Jasmine is the series' first Steel-type Gym Leader, but her shy, gentle personality is the opposite of hard and cold. In order to battle her, players must first help her bring medicine to a sick Ampharos, showing how dedicated she is to helping Pokémon.
Jasmine proved to be such a popular character that she is one of the few Gym Leaders to appear in a different region from where she works. She can be met on the beach of Sunyshore City in Sinnoh, where she gives the player an HM.
3 Hate To Hang Out With: Volkner's Bad Moods Can Be A Shock
Sunyshore City, a vibrant seaside town in Sinnoh, has blackouts and electrical failures throughout the Generation IV games. Only when the player finally gets there do they learn that they were caused by the Gym Leader, Volkner, building increasingly over-the-top electrical contraptions in his Gym because he has been feeling bored and unsatisfied.
Luckily, Volkner is pulled out of his funk when the player defeats him, and he remembers how exciting battles can be. Still, the way he takes out his moods on the whole city implies that he might be difficult to get along with.
2 Love To Hang Out With: Milo Is The Friendliest Face In Galar
Grass-type expert Milo is the first Gym Leader players will challenge in Pokémon Sword & Shield, and he's the perfect introductory character. His kindness makes the region feel welcoming to old and new players alike.
Milo is so nice that some people have even said that he goes easy on trainers on purpose. That might not be the best quality, considering he's meant to be giving trainers a difficult test, but it's a great one to have as a friend. He feels less like a Gym Leader and more like a helpful guide.
1 Hate To Hang Out With: Clair Is A Skilled Trainer, But She's Not Modest About It
No matter how surprised they might be to lose to a young Pokémon trainer, almost every Gym Leader in the games will admit defeat and hand over their Gym's Badge once the player has defeated them in a fair Pokémon battle.
Not Clair, though. This Dragon-type Gym Leader from Johto refuses to consider the player worthy until they complete an additional journey to the heart of the Dragon's Den. Even then, once they succeed, she will angrily accuse them of lying before finally accepting that someone is better than her.