BASIC INFORMATION
NAME: Erika
NICK NAME: The Nature Loving Princess!
HOME TOWN: Celadon City
REGION: Kanto
BADGE: Rainbow Badge
TYPE:
CLASS: Gym Leader
GYM: Celadon Gym
FIRST APPEARANCE: Generation One
"I would never collect Pokemon if they were unattractive!" - Erika commenting on her favorite type of Pokemon.
BEHIND THE NAME
Erika is originally a German girl name that means "ever powerful ruler." It is a very unpopular name, which makes it very unique. This name can also be seen in Sweeden, Hungary, USA, and more, but it is very uncommon. It was seen more often long ago. Based on Erika's personality, I thought that the website really portrayed her well. If you want to search a characters name, feel free to go to http://www.kabalarians.com and see what you can find about their names as well!✾ "Your name Erika gives you a strong sense of responsibility in business and material affairs, and the practicality and determination to make a success of anything you undertake."
✿ "Your ability to organize and direct the efforts of others enables you to excel in any managerial position because you have the ability to grasp the concept of a goal complete with an understanding of the steps to be taken."
❀ "This name has allowed you to develop depth and breadth of mind."
❁ "You are able to retain facts, to grasp new information to your existing store of knowledge."
✾ "You never seem to be out of your depth of understanding."
✿ "For these reasons others who may not have the same quickness of mind classify you as a "know it all" and, although you may be highly respected, this characteristic is unlikely to endear you to your associates."
❀ "You have a very responsible nature, are capable and mature, and are willing to assume a position as a pillar of the community."
❁ "You are quite healthy, but possible trouble areas are found in the generative organs."
VOICE ACTORS
NAME: Kyoko Hikami
SEIYUU: Japanese voice
BIRTHDAY: January 11, 1969
BIRTHPLACE: Kobe
is a Japanese voice actress who was born in Kobe. She is part of the voice actress trio Furil which also consists of Wedding Peach voice cast-mates Yuko Miyamura and Yukana. Not much more information is given about her!
➾ Reiko Hatsuyama from Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna
➾ Topanga from the Japanese dub of Boy Meets World
➾ Momoko Hanasaki from Wedding Peach
➾ Hikaru Usada from Di Gi Charat
➾ Kasumi Akiyama from True Tears
NAME: Leah Applebaum
VOICE ACTOR: English voice
BIRTHDAY: N/A
BIRTHPLACE: N/A
Leah Applebaum is a voice actress formerly affiliated with Central Park Media and 4Kids Entertainment. Leah Applebaum is known for her work on Collateral Package (2010), Killing Zoe (1993) and A Friend in Need (2011). Not much other information is on the web about her!
➾ Nanami Kiryuu from Revolutionary Girl Utena
➾ Nanami the Cow from Utena: The Movie
➾ Suzy from Pokemon
➾ Rita from Pokemon
➾ Janet from Pokemon
APPEARANCE
Erika is a beautiful, young modern Japanese female. Erika has very short hair for a girl, especially compared to the other girls in the Pokemon series. It's grayish-black, in a bowl cut shape. She has front bangs that are covered by a headband. This head band ranges from red, green, and yellow - depending on what type of outfit she is wearing. Although we do see her in casual clothing, Erika loves to dress up in traditional styled Japanese Kimonos. Because of this, it is okay to assume that Erika represents a classic-Japanese beauty. What makes her kimono traditional is the long sleeve that comes with it. These sleeves usually range from 85cm-114cm long. In history, these types of Kimonos were worn by rich upper-class children, both boys and girls. Adults did not wear this type of Kimono, however. This symbolizes Erika as pure, because she is still wearing a style of Kimono for children. Girls had to stop wearing this style at marriage, or the age of 20. This is how we can assume that Erika is under 20 years old, even without knowing her birthday.
Erika is also seen in the anime version of Pokemon to have casual clothing on. It is not actually that casual though, because she is wearing a tight green turtleneck dress. The dress is very short as well, exposing a lot of leg. There are white stripes going down the sides of the dress. There is a small red bow on her right side above her chest. She is wearing a red headband to match the bow, and a pair of red flats. Erika's breasts are much more emphasized in the anime than in the video game or manga appearance as well. (Not like HUGE, but she clearly has boobs in the anime where as in the game she looks flat-chested.)
This leads me to my last point on her appearance: the difference between how she appears in a game where the motives of the game is to advance, and the anime. Obviously watching a series is a lot different than playing it. When you are playing Pokemon, boy or girl, you are trying to level up and beat the gym leaders so that you can move on in the game. Erika looks elegant in the game version, wearing a stylish Kimono and having a beautiful scent around her. In the anime, she has a tight green dress on that emphasizes her figure. I am all for women being perceived as sexy, but when the character is originally known as being old-fashioned beauty, it kind of weirds me out that the anime version changed her characters appearance and attitude drastically.