Editing Erika

{{Character
| name=Erika
| image=[[image:Erika.png|150px]]
| caption=''The Nature-Loving Princess''
| bgcolor=#660000
| fgcolor=#FFFFFF
| real name=
| species=Human
| hair=Black
| eyes=Gray
| relatives=
| base=[[Celadon City]] Gym
| affiliation=Pokémon League
| voiced by=Xanthe Huynh (2019)
| debut=''[[Pokémon: Red, Green and Blue Versions|Pokémon: Red/Green Versions]]''
|}}

'''Erika''' is one of the eight [[Kanto]] gym leaders who must be battled in the first generation games of the ''[[Portal: Pokémon|Pokémon]]'' series. She is the leader of Celadon City's gym and specializes in grass-type Pokémon.

=Background=

Erika was known for being fond of nature and used her Grass Pokémon primarily for making flower arrangements more than battling. Despite her peaceful nature, she was ultimately obedient to her duties as a gym leader and battled any trainer who would challenge her.

[[Red]] battled Erika in ''[[Pokémon: Red, Green and Blue Versions|Pokémon Red, Green, Blue]]'' and ''[[Pokémon: Yellow Version|Yellow]]'' (as well as ''[[Pokémon: FireRed and LeafGreen Versions]]''). After she was beaten, Erika gave Red the Rainbowbadge and TM 21: Mega Drain (or TM 19: Giga Drain in ''FireRed'' and ''LeafGreen''). Afterwards, Erika claimed that Red's strength motivated her to try harder. In the ''[[Pokémon: Let's Go!|Let's Go!]]'' remakes, she was instead challenged by [[Chase/Elaine]], gave them TM 53: Mega Drain along with her badge upon her defeat, and could be challenged to rematches after beating the Elite Four.

Erika was later challenged by [[Ethan]]/[[Lyra]] several years later in ''[[Pokémon: Gold and Silver Versions|Pokémon: Gold, Silver]]'' and ''[[Pokémon: Crystal Version|Crystal Versions]]'' (as well as ''[[Pokémon: HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions|HeartGold and SoulSilver]]''). Despite having acquired a new Pokémon, Erika lost again and gave the trainer both the Rainbowbadge and TM 19: Giga Drain. 

In ''HeartGold'' and ''SoulSilver'', she would appear by Celadon's fountain on Saturday and Sunday afternoons (between the hours of 3 and 6) where she told Jasmine that she had heard from [[Whitney]] that Jasmine was too plain and needed to look fancy. Erika encouraged her to try competing in a Contest in [[Sinnoh]], but also tricked her into saying that [[Clair]]'s costume was embarrassing, claiming she was "just taking notes". Ethan/Lyra could then talk to her and exchange Pokégear numbers with her. Calling her on Sunday mornings (between the hours of 4AM and 10AM) causes her to travel to Saffron City's Fighting Dojo for a rematch. She also appeared by the fountains on Mondays, where a picture could be taken with her.

Erika returned in ''[[Pokémon: Black and White Versions 2|Black and White 2]]'' as one of the competitors in the Pokémon World Tournament, taking part in the Kanto Leaders, World Leaders and Type Expert Tournaments as well as the download tournament called "Challenge the Champion Lance!"

==Pokémon Roster==

===Generation I===

[[image:Erika2.png|150px|right|thumb|Erika's ''HeartGold''/''SoulSilver'' design.]]
In ''Pokémon Red, Blue'' and ''Green'' (as well as ''FireRed'' and ''LeafGreen''), Erika uses a [[Victreebel]], [[Tangela]] and [[Vileplume]]. The ''Yellow'' version replaced Victreebel and Vileplume with their unevolved forms, [[Weepinbell]] and [[Gloom]], in order to match the Pokémon she had used in the anime version. In ''Let's Go!'', it was a mix of both original rosters, as she had Tangela, Weepinbell and Vilepulme for the first battle. Rematches added [[Parasect]] and [[Exeggutor]] to her roster, as well as evolving her Weepinbell to Victreebel.

===Generation II===

In ''Gold'', ''Silver'' and ''Crystal'' (as well as ''HeartGold'' and ''SoulSilver''), Erika's Pokémon once again included Tangela and Victreebel, but her Vileplume was replaced with a [[Bellossom]] and she had also gained a [[Jumpluff]]. In ''HeartGold'' and ''SoulSilver'', she uses the following Pokémon in rematches:

*[[Shiftry]]
*Jumpluff
*Victreebel
*Bellossom
*[[Tangrowth]]
*[[Roserade]]

===Black 2/White 2===

In ''Black 2'' and ''White 2'', Erika's roster included Vileplume, Tangrowth, [[Venusaur]] and [[Exeggutor]], as well as Victreebel and Bellossom in the Kanto Leaders Tournament or [[Cradily]] and [[Abomasnow]] in the World Leaders and Type Experts Tournaments. In "Challenge the Champion Lance", she used [[Whimsicott]] and [[Lilligant]] alongside Vileplume.

=In Other Pokémon Games=

In ''[[Pokémon Stadium]]'', Erika is the fourth Gym Leader of the Gym Leader Castle. A mix of her Pokémon from the ''Red'', ''Blue'' and ''Yellow'' versions, her roster consisted of Gloom, Victreebel, Tangela, Vileplume, Weepinbell and [[Exeggcute]] in the first round. For the second round, she had Vileplume, [[Clefable]], Tangela, [[Dewgong]], [[Victreebel]] and [[Exeggutor]]. Erika reappeared appeared as the fourth enemy of the Kanto Gym Leader Castle in ''[[Pokémon Stadium 2]]''. She used [[Ninetales]], [[Exeggutor]], [[Marowak]], Bellossom, [[Mantine]] and [[Blissey]] in the first round, and in the second round, she used [[Venusaur]], [[Chansey]], Tangela, [[Vaporeon]], Bellossom and Jumpluff.

Erika, as she appeared in the anime, also appeared in ''[[Pokémon Puzzle League]]'' as the fifth opponent in 1P Stadium. Her Pokémon were the same as in the anime and ''Yellow Version'' - Weepinbell, Gloom and Tangela.

In ''[[Pokémon Masters]]'', Erika and Vileplume appeared as a sync pair that could be recruited in the game's fourth chapter. She was assigned to act as one of the [[Pokémon Masters League]] Leaders and guarded the Tranquility Badge. Her presence attracted a large number of her female fans, some of which took it upon themselves to drive away others as the Erika Defense Squad. After [[Scottie/Bettie|the player]] found her and defeated her in battle, she gave them the Tranquility Badge and decided to join their PML team, as she was interested in observing Scottie/Bettie's growth as a trainer.

=Other Appearances=

==Other Media==

*Erika appeared in an episode of the ''Pokémon'' anime, where she was also a maker of perfume. In the episode, she banned [[Red#Ash Ketchum|Ash Ketchum]] from coming to her gym after he made fun of her perfume, leading him to sneak in dressed as a woman. Erika forgave Ash and gave him the Rainbowbadge after he saved her Gloom from a fire started by [[Team Rocket]]. In the ''I Choose You!'' movie, which was set in a different timeline, Erika was seen as the third gym leader Ash defeated.
*Erika appeared in the ''Pokémon Adventures'' manga as one of the three (later four) good gym leaders of Kanto who worked together against Team Rocket. In her initial appearance, she sent Red to capture a special [[Eevee]] for her that had been experimented on by Team Rocket, and afterwards pretended to be a Team Rocket member wanting to kill the Eevee in order to test Red's character. Red passed the test and defeated her, earning the Rainbow Badge and being allowed to keep the Eevee. She also aided Yellow in the ''Yellow'' arc with the other good gym leaders and later worked in defending Celadon from the Elite Four's invasion. She reappeared in the ''Gold''/''Silver''/''Crystal'' arc, where she was the leader of the Kanto leaders in the competition against the Johto and battled [[Pryce]], head of the Johto team, and lost. She also supported [[Misty]] in her advances towards Red.
*She made a brief appearance in the ''Pokémon Origins'' anime, depicting her defeat at Red's hands.

=Trivia=

*Her name is the same in both English and Japanese, being a reference to the Erica genus of flowering plants.
*One Pokémon Journal in ''FireRed'' and ''LeafGreen'' says that she can often be seen taking naps in the gym. In fact, when she sends Red her message after he completes the Fame Checker entry for her, she ends her message with a "Zzz...". She also always has at leader one Pokémon in her roster with a sleep-inducing move.
*She claims that she only collects Pokémon that she considers to be beautiful.
*After being defeated in rematches in ''Let's Go!'', she claims that the trainer's effort was worth 10 Rainbow Badges.

{{Gym Leaders}}

[[Category: Pokémon Characters]]