Hump Day Husbandos: Raihan (Pokémon Sword and Shield)

All Articles Features Headliners Hump Day Husbandos
Lilia Hellal
October 26, 2022
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Last week we celebrated a Waifu Wednesday who was particularly fitting for Halloween. For this week, we’re instead looking ahead to next month, since November will be greeting us in less than a week. And since November seems to be a particularly heavy release month games-wise, with title such as Sonic Frontiers, Tactics Ogre Reborn and God of War Ragnarök all set to release in the first half, it’s safe to say that it will be one heck of a busy month for all of us.

Furthermore, just past the midpoint of the month, Pokémon’s next mainline instalments Scarlet and Violet will be releasing. Before the previous Switch entries in the Pokémon series get any older and more forgotten, I want to turn our attention to one of the best features of Pokémon Sword and Shield — since I must admit Pokémon Arceus ended up doing nothing for me. Do you remember Raihan? I certainly do, since a significant portion of my headspace has been preoccupied with thinking about him ever since 2019.

Who is Raihan?

I have highlighted another beloved character of mine from these games in the past, and if there’s one thing that I will always praise the Pokémon franchise for doing, it’s how they make the majority of its characters distinctive and likable. Pokémon Sword and Shield’s first gym leader, the Grass-type lover Milo, stole my heart with one look, and very little else had to be done to make me love him more. But then came a character I would come to care about and enjoy just as much — and one who had a lot more going on with his overall involvement in the game’s story.

Raihan is the gym leader of Hammerlocke. He’s the last gym leader players are faced with before reaching Galar’s champion Leon. As a Dragon-type gym leader who utilises weather conditions and double battling to strategise whilst keeping a finger firmly pressed on his Rotom Phone for selfie purposes, his energy and motivation compliments the grandness of the game’s unique Dynamax mechanic. This not only makes him one of the very few genuinely challenging encounters in the game — he’s probably the most difficult gym leader in Sword/Shield — but his particular quirks and sense of character-building makes him loveable and memorable.

Why we love Raihan

kibana / raihan - pokemon sword and shield — Credit to @mohazzing

First things first, I’ll just come out and say it – we all know Raihan is hot stuff, and even he knows it. But his design also has more meaning behind it all, such as how it completely captures the Dragon-type aesthetic through the colours of his attire and his adornments that look like scales. Even his battle stance in his Gym fight mimics that of a humanoid dragon in his movements and motion.

It also might just be me but it’s highly entertaining seeing him wear shorts in a sandstorm that he never fails to start up during battle and dare I say it, it’s quite ironic considering how he’s the thirst trap of Sword/Shield. You do not need to look too far to find the proof. It’s all very endearing to say the least, and this is carried over tenfold for his personality.

Once again, his character conception and execution are very cleverly crafted. It’s visually represented in how his Dragon motif is incorporated into his design, and it even comes across through gameplay. He keeps players on their toes with his Pokémon party consisting of hybrid types that blend the Dragon type with other forms; it really tests the player character by throwing in Ground, Rock and Steel type moves, all while he’s multitasking through double battles and taking selfies. It’s all about putting on a spectacle with him.

Why you will love Raihan

We have yet to get into the finer details of his character, so let’s start with the basics, and why his personality and key connections with the other characters make him so entertaining. As the headstrong rival to Leon, Raihan always aims to improve and beat those he was once unable to defeat. It’s a fact that Raihan is strong enough to be a Champion of another region, but he remains in Galar so that one day he may be able to beat Leon.

This directly relates to his online presence, since his fans like and support him for being the underdog and how he is always the runner-up to Leon. This defining characteristic of his makes him one of the more modern-feeling characters within the franchise, what with his dedication to taking selfies especially. It’s made all the more charming in how Raihan is always playing up this persona, because away from the camera, his legitimately good heart can’t be masked.

He is far more chill and considerate when he is not catering to his online following, especially when he genuinely compliments his opponents mid-battle. His soft side can be easily seen in how he respects his opponents — so much so that Leon does not end up as his one and only worthy opponent and rival. Raihan ends up regarding both the player character and Piers as being of the same calibre in the end, and makes sure to be both vocal and complimentary about it.

To top it all off, Raihan has a Generation of Miracles moment – as in referencing Kuroko beating his past teammates in Kuroko no Basket – when players defeat him. He has a subtle shift in his personality, at least in regard to his over-cockiness. This is further backed up by him later appearing when choosing to evacuate those within Hammerlocke during the Darkest Day event within the last section of the game. He’s a jerk with a heart of gold, meaning that we’ve been fawning over him since day one. You love to see it.

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