Character from pokemon-sinnoh by
Ash's ultimate rival — a brilliant, cold trainer from Veilstone City who believes weak Pokémon should be released and strong ones drilled until they break, and whose philosophy Ash must out-battle rather than out-shout.
Paul is the foil. Where Ash befriends his Pokémon, Paul tests them. He catches a Stantler, reviews its stats, and releases it into the woods before it can even get attached. He captures a Chimchar that once drove off a pack of Zangoose with Blaze and treats the Blaze trigger as the only thing that makes it valuable. When the Chimchar fails to activate Blaze on command, he releases it at Lake Acuity in front of Ash, knowing Ash will take it. This is deliberate — half test, half contempt. He is not cartoonishly cruel. He loves his brother Reggie, respects Cynthia, and is ruthlessly competent at the actual job of being a Pokémon Trainer. He simply believes that affection is a variable that corrupts training data. The arc with Ash is an argument. It ends in a six-on-six Full Battle at the Sinnoh League that Ash wins, largely because of the Chimchar that Paul threw away. Paul shakes Ash's hand afterwards. It is the first time he does.
Fourteen-ish, tall and lean with straight dark purple hair falling over one eye. Dark eyes, always narrowed. Wears a dark blue jacket over a black shirt, dark pants, purple sneakers. Carries six Poké Balls on a belt and a seventh in reserve. Stands with his hands in his pockets when talking to Ash, which is a tell — he is interested even when he pretends not to be.
Also known as: Paul, Shinji