Chen Huan

Biodata

Background / History

Jindu Gym and Financial Difficulties

Chen Huan leads Jindu Gym, which he describes as the oldest Gym in the country. Its historical buildings are badly neglected despite maintenance funding: he claims that all government support, along with his own salary, goes toward preserving the cultural relics and still falls short. Before securing tuition from Chu Xin, he and Vespiquen traded honey for Berries to feed her Combee 14 15.

He openly wishes to be removed from his position and distributes Gym Badges freely to meet his annual quota. When he later attempts to resign, the authorities refuse because no replacement is available. The Gym’s maintenance costs and outside debts he has accumulated discourage anyone from taking over 15 46.

Teaching Chu Xin

Chen Huan initially tries to eject Chu Xin after the boy criticizes the Gym’s condition. His attitude changes immediately when Aier identifies Chu Xin as the young master of Infinite Energy Pokéblock Company. He agrees to teach him and demonstrates his qualifications by surrounding Vespiquen with dense rings of Combee 14.

When assessing Xiao Wu, Chen Huan concludes that the young Dratini has been raised well but cannot gain much more strength through ordinary training until its body develops. He recommends learning powerful moves through improved energy control, lends Chu Xin a Dragonite reverse scale, and gives him his training notebook 17 18.

The Dynamax Scale Incident

Chen Huan realizes that he has lent Chu Xin the wrong Dragonite scale. The borrowed scale contains Dynamax Energy, which subsequently leaves Chu Xin and Xiao Wu injured. When Aier confronts him, his Vespiquen defeats her Garchomp, and he explains both the energy’s benefits and its tendency to make Pokémon escape their handlers’ control. At Aier’s demand, he retrieves the scale and leaves 18 20.

Chu Xin returns to question him. Chen Huan claims that he had been watching the training and would have intervened in an emergency, but Chu Xin rejects this reassurance because neither he nor Xiao Wu was protected from injury. Nevertheless, Chu Xin requests a controllable source of Dynamax Energy. Chen Huan returns the scale with Imprison applied, restricting its energy to Xiao Wu’s limits, and privately hopes that his experiment may succeed through Chu Xin 21 22.

The sealed scale becomes a major aid to Xiao Wu’s physical development and eventually enables him to Dynamax. After Chu Xin wins the Monster Handler assessment championship, Zhuo Yuan identifies Chen Huan as the country’s most advanced Dynamax researcher 36 42.

Academy Work and Further Training

Chu Xin proposes that Chen Huan join Jindu Academy, where institutional funding could support his research and help Xiao Wu achieve better control of Dynamax Energy. Chen Huan accepts, but his inability to resign from Jindu Gym forces him to work at the academy part-time instead 43 46.

He subsequently opens his projectile-dodging training room to Xiao Wu and Kaka. During their training, he recognizes Kaka’s determination and investigates how the Farfetch’d’s Psychic-type talent allows him to detect attacks and weaknesses. Chu Xin stops him from taking Kaka as research material. The Pokémon continue training at the Gym until Chu Xin leaves to register at Jindu Academy 47 48.

Appearance

• Elderly man with a mustache: His mustache bristles when Chu Xin addresses him disrespectfully 18.
• Frequently carries a fan: Uses it while lounging and while standing amid his Combee swarm 14 17.
• Habitual rocking-chair occupant: Often sits near the Gym entrance, fanning himself 14 17.
• Unimposing presentation: His shabby surroundings and ingratiating behavior contrast sharply with his strength as a Gym Leader 14 15.

Personality

Chen Huan is opportunistic and intensely concerned with securing food for his Pokémon. Learning that Chu Xin belongs to a Pokéblock-producing family transforms him from an irritated gatekeeper into an eager host. He tolerates the boy’s disrespect rather than risk losing his largest customer, although he refuses to exchange valuable treasures for Pokéblocks indiscriminately 14 18.

His casual manner masks pride in his expertise. Rather than argue when Chu Xin doubts him, he summons Vespiquen and her swarm as proof. He is also willing to share substantial knowledge: his notebook contains detailed training methods, not merely superficial advice 14 18.

His research judgment is more troubling. Although he admits mixing up the scales, he downplays the danger of Dynamax Energy even after Chu Xin and Xiao Wu are hurt. He anticipates that Chu Xin’s interest in greater power will bring him back. By contrast, Kaka’s refusal to surrender during painful training earns his sincere admiration 20 22 47.

Abilities & Skills

Vespiquen Training and Swarm Command

Vespiquen is Chen Huan’s only Pokémon, and his training notes focus on raising her. Through her Combee underlings, a single trained Pokémon gives him access to a large swarm 18 43.

• Surveillance: Directs Vespiquen to deploy Combee to watch visitors inside Jindu Gym 14.
• Defense: Combee block Garchomp’s claw attacks through Defend Order and shield Chen Huan from Hyper Beam 20.
• Battle strength: Vespiquen confuses Garchomp and knocks him unconscious with Air Slash, substantiating Aier’s earlier admission that she cannot defeat Chen Huan 14 20.
• Evasion: Vespiquen completes the projectile-room demonstration without being struck by its rubber balls 47.

Pokémon Assessment and Energy-Control Instruction

Chen Huan distinguishes between physical development and move proficiency when planning training. He explains that moves are applications of energy circulated in specific patterns, allowing a Pokémon to gain new techniques through better control 17 18.

• Identifies Xiao Wu’s young body as the obstacle to further gains from ordinary training 17.
• Supplies notes on energy control that Chu Xin uses to construct a training plan 18.
• Recognizes Kaka as unusual on first inspection, then attributes his exceptional awareness to Psychic-type power after observing him closely 46 48.
• His notebook is specialized around Vespiquen rather than a broad roster of Pokémon 18.

Dynamax Research

According to Zhuo Yuan, no one in the country has studied Dynamax more deeply than Chen Huan. He conducts research in a laboratory within Jindu Gym and initially pays for it from his own salary 42 43.

• Known effects: Describes Dynamax Energy as capable of warping space, enlarging Pokémon, and strengthening their moves and physical abilities 20.
• Known risks: Warns that it increases violence, affects emotions, and can break a handler’s control 20.
• Restricted exposure: Provides a Dragonite scale sealed with Imprison, leaving only a small opening through which Xiao Wu can receive energy 22 36.
• Storage research: Studies western ore that can retain Dynamax Energy for long periods 43.
• Practical limitation: Recognizes that the energy’s drawbacks still prevent widespread use 43.

Equipment / Items

• Training notebook — Records his experience raising Vespiquen and methods for controlling energy; given to Chu Xin 18.
• Dragonite reverse scales — Possesses multiple scales. Intends to lend one from an Elite Four-level Dragonite but mistakenly supplies a Dynamax Dragonite’s scale 17 18 20.
• Dynamax-containing ore — Research specimen brought from the west, notable for long-term energy storage 43.
• Projectile training room — Contains over a thousand mechanisms that fire projectiles; operated from a control room to train Pokémon’s dodging skills 47.
• Jindu Gym Badges — Distributes them to satisfy the Gym’s annual quota rather than requiring every recipient to defeat him 15.
• Fan and rocking chair — Frequently used personal belongings; Chu Xin appropriates both while demanding an explanation for his injuries 14 21.

Relationships

• Chu Xin — Student, tuition provider, and prospective collaborator in Dynamax research. Their partnership survives the scale incident, and Chu Xin arranges access to academy funding 18 22 43.
• Vespiquen — His sole Pokémon and the focus of his training expertise. They share the financial burden of feeding her swarm and celebrate Chu Xin’s increased tuition together 14 18.
• Aier — Respects his strength but fiercely opposes his handling of Dynamax Energy after Chu Xin is injured. Her Garchomp loses to his Vespiquen during their confrontation 14 20.
• Xiao Wu — Assesses the Dratini’s development and supplies the notes and sealed scale that support his training 17 18 22.
• Zhuo Yuan — Recognizes his research expertise and allows him to work part-time at Jindu Academy while retaining his Gym position 42 46.
• Kaka — Admires the Farfetch’d’s determination and studies his unusual Psychic-type talent, becoming interested enough that Chu Xin must stop him from taking Kaka as research material 47 48.
• Lei Xiao — Xiao Wu’s rapid improvement makes her curious about Chen Huan’s methods; she considers exploiting his poverty to obtain them 35.

Notable Quotes

“Do you think I'm qualified now?” 14

“Moves are ultimately just applications of energy.” 18

“This monster will definitely become strong someday! Just look at how hard he's trying!” 47