Fan-Casting Every Pokémon Kanto Gym Leader in Live-Action

Pokémon is among the most beloved and enduring franchises in modern pop culture. Set in a world inhabited by curious and powerful creatures known as Pokémon, the story follows young Trainers, whose purpose is to catch these mighty pocket monsters, train them, and partner with them in battles against other Trainers. Both the anime and most mainline games follow a Trainer as they challenge the eight Gym Leaders of their respective region, earning badges with each victory on their way to face the Elite Four and, eventually, the Regional Champion.

So far, we’ve had nine Pokémon generations, with a tenth one on the way, but the first one will always have a special place in our hearts. Each of the original 151 Pokémon is an icon in its own right, and so are the characters, many of which received considerable attention in both the games and the anime. The eight Kanto Gym Leaders are undoubtedly the most famous in the franchise, and many fans have often wondered what they would look like if Pokémon ever made the transition into live-action. Everyone probably has a different idea of what Misty and Brock would look like in real life, but here we are offering our choices for who we think should play the eight Kanto Gym Leaders in a live-action Pokémon. We have tried to be as accurate as possible, but we’ve also tried to introduce some variety to our choices.

Brock: Dallas Liu

First things first: for this list, we’re operating under the widely known fact that the Kanto region is based on Kantō, Japan. The influence might not be as strong as in Johto, but it’s very obvious that Pokémon‘s Kanto borrows heavily from its real-life counterpart, meaning that its inhabitants would be Japanese as well. Having said that, let’s get into it. Brock is the first leader in the Kanto region, operating from Pewter City and specializing in Rock-type Pokémon. He is most famous for his role in the anime, where he accompanied Ash during his travels in the first four regions.

Canonically, Brock is about 15-years-old, so that’s the age range we’re going with. Our choice is Dallas Liu, who rose to prominence a few years ago with his role as the tragic and complex Prince Zuko in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender. At 24, Liu is the right age to play a younger character without being an actual teenager, and his previous experience with live-action adaptations would come in handy. Besides Avatar, Liu also played a young version of Jin Kazama in 2009’s Tekken, meaning Pokémon would be yet another feather in his impressive cap.

Misty: Sophia Lillis

Like Brock, Misty also gained mainstream popularity thanks to her role in the anime. She accompanied Ash during his travels throughout the Kanto and Johto regions before parting ways with him, although she would make several subsequent appearances. Her rivalry with Ash, which often flirted with attraction, and her bond with her Pokémon, especially her Togepi, also made her beloved among the fandom. In the games, Misty is the second Gym Leader in Kanto, operating from Cerulean City and specializing in Water-type Pokémon.

Misty is a tricky character to cast, largely because one of her main traits is her bright red hair. Canonically, she’s the same age as Ash, which would make her 10. However, we’re aging her up a bit for her live-action counterpart because watching children battle each other would be very awkward. Our choice is Sophia Lillis, who, despite being just 24, has already made quite a name for herself. She rose to international fame in 2017’s It, playing the troubled Beverly Marsh, and has built an impressive resume that includes TV shows like I Am Not Okay With This and All Her Fault, indies like The Adults, and franchise fare like Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.

Lt. Surge: Alan Ritchson

Fun fact: before the Pokémon world established itself as a completely separate universe, it made several references to the real world that made it seem as if they coexisted. For example, Arcanine’s Pokédex entry mentions China, and Poliwrath’s references the Pacific Ocean. One of the most famous examples is Lt. Surge, whose nickname used to be “The Lightning American.” A former soldier renowned for his harsh approach to battling, Surge is an Electric-type specialist who runs the Vermilion City Gym, and the third Gym Trainer challenged in the Gen I games.

One of Surge’s main traits is his height: in the anime, 10-year-old Ash barely reaches his waist (!), meaning he’s about 6’5″ or taller. Thus, there’s really just one choice to play him in live-action: Alan Ritchson. Nowadays, Ritchson is best-known for playing the giant Jack Reacher in Prime Video’s action thriller hit series Reacher, but he has been working for decades, playing everything from over-the-top football players to Danish army men and even Aquaman. Playing a hulking Electric-type Gym Leader would be a piece of cake for this charismatic actor who has proven himself something of a chameleon.

Erika: Karen Fukuhara

Out of all the Kanto Gym Leaders, perhaps none is more underappreciated than Erika, the Grass-type specialist from Celadon City and one of the characters who embraces her Japanese influence the most. Unlike her fellow Gym Leaders, Erika doesn’t play a particularly memorable role in the anime, does not have a particularly memorable team or gym challenge, and does not make any major appearances outside her home region. Thus, she’s often overlooked when it comes to conversations about Kanto’s best characters.

Thus, the actress who plays her in live-action needs to be charismatic enough to make Erika far more of a standout than she’d otherwise be, and our choice is perfect for that. Whether you know her as the lovable Kimiko from the recently finished The Boys or as Katana, who’s got Rick Flag’s back and whose sword traps the souls of her victims, there’s no denying that Karen Fukuhara is a real scene-stealer. If anyone can bring some much-needed life to this character, it’s Fukuhara, who could embody Erika’s softer, kinder approach, but inject her with the necessary energy to make her a standout. This familiar but severely underappreciated character needs some love, and who better than Fukuhara to provide it?

Koga: Tadanobu Asano

After Erika, Koga is the other Kanto Gym Leader who is most in contact with his Japanese influence. A literal ninja, Koga is one of the most memorable Gym Leaders in Kanto, not only because of his costume and gimmicks but also because he eventually becomes a member of the Johto Elite Four in the Generation II games. Koga is typically the fifth Gym Leader to be challenged, and he runs the Fuchsia City Gym, specializing in Poison-type Pokémon.

Although his exact age is unknown, Koga’s daughter, Janine, is old enough to inherit his role as Gym Leader once he moves to Johto, meaning he’s at the very least in his early 40s. Thus, we’re looking for an older Japanese actor with a regal and commanding look, and Tadanobu Asano is the perfect choice. One of the most revered and internationally acclaimed Japanese actors, Asano is a major star in his native country and a highly regarded character actor in Hollywood, best known for his appearances in Ichi the Killer, Martin Scorsese‘s Silence, and, most recently, Mortal Kombat and its 2026 sequel, where he plays Lord Raiden. Playing Koga would make Asano an even bigger fan favorite, and few actors could capture the character’s mystique better.

Sabrina: Anna Sawai

Out of the non-companion Gym Leaders in Kanto, Sabrina is probably the most (in)famous. Generally considered the sixth Gym Leader, Sabrina is a Psychic-type specialist from Saffron City and is generally agreed to be the toughest challenge in Kanto. Her battles in the Gen I and III games are quite tough, mainly because of Psychic’s GOATed status in Kanto, which is enough to make her a Pokémon icon. However, her role in the anime, a three-episode arc that deals with psychological horror and sees her transform Ash’s companions into literal dolls, is among the franchise’s most disturbing and daring.

Sabrina is usually depicted as a distant and eerie young woman in her mid-to-late twenties. She has black green-ish hair and uses few words, instead letting her near-overwhelming aura do all the work. The actress who plays her in live-action needs to capture this elusive and off-putting vibe, and who better to do it than Anna Sawai? An Emmy winner for her role in the 2024 juggernaut Shōgun, Sawai has quickly made a name for herself thanks to her leading part in Apple TV’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and her upcoming role as Yoko Ono in Sam Mendes‘ Beatles movies. Sawai’s star is on the rise, and Pokémon would surely be lucky to have her playing one of its most iconic characters.

Blaine: Ken Watanabe

Blaine is widely considered the most eccentric Gym Leader in Kanto, and among the most out-there in the franchise overall. The embodiment of the “mad scientist” trope, Blaine is the seventh Gym Leader challenged in a traditional Kanto playthrough, running a Fire-type gym out of Cinnabar Island. Known as “the Hotheaded Quiz Master,” Blaine is most famous for his quiz show-style gym challenge, where he asks the Trainer Pokémon-related questions to unlock doors and earn the right to battle him.

Few actors would be more delightful to see playing Blaine’s incredibly high energy than Ken Watanabe. The Oscar-nominated actor is among the most renowned Japanese thespians working in Hollywood, doing everything from historical epics like The Last Samurai to high-budget blockbusters like Godzilla. Watanabe seldom gets the chance to flex his comedic muscles, so playing a character like Blaine would allow him the chance to embrace a lighter, goofier side. His casting would also bring considerable prestige to any Pokémon project, which is always appreciated.

Giovanni: Giancarlo Esposito

Lastly, we have the eighth Gym Leader in Kanto, who also happens to be the leader of the region’s main criminal group, Team Rocket. We’re, of course, talking about Giovanni, the leader of Viridian City’s gym and a Ground-type specialist. Giovanni is also the primary antagonist of most Gen I games and the Kanto portion of the anime. He is a ruthless businessman and crimelord who wants to take over Kanto and uses Pokémon to advance his agenda.

Team Rocket draws inspiration from both the Yakuza and the mafia, meaning casting a Japanese or Italian actor would further add authenticity to Giovanni. In this case, we’re going with an actor of Italian heritage and his fair share of experience playing manipulative, authoritative villains: Giancarlo Esposito. The three-time Emmy nominee is an acting institution, playing cruel, cunning, and calculating power figures in everything from Breaking Bad to the MCU. Esposito would make Giovanni a truly terrifying figure, perhaps too much for a children’s movie. Yes, he is considerably older than Giovanni is canonically, but he’s such a perfect fit for the role that we’re willing to overlook that.