After nine generations of successful releases across over 20 years, Pokemon has proven itself as one of Nintendo's most consistent franchises. The formula of nearly every game sees players journeying to become the Pokemon champion of a respective region as they train new companions and face gym challenges that test their strength. Collecting the eight gym badges of a region is a goal that even the most casual fans of Pokemon are likely familiar with, and the series’ many gym leader characters standing behind these badges have been instrumental in defining the identity of every new game. With so many over the years, however, the most memorable gym leaders have set themselves apart from the rest.