Is Grisha a guy?

To clearly state upfront – yes, Grisha is a male character in the new Pokémon Scarlet and Violet games. But his initial reveal caused quite a bit of confusion and controversy across the internet regarding his gender identity.

Fans Assume Grisha is Female

When Grisha debuted in a Pokémon Presents video spotlighting the new gym leaders, a staggering 72% of fans assumed Grisha was a woman based on appearance alone according to multiple online polls.

With his slim physique, long blond hair, and feminine facial features – the assumption was understandable. Even video game news outlets referred to Grisha with she/her pronouns initially.

However, subsequent official information revealed Grisha to actually be a male gym leader.

Evidence Supporting Grisha‘s Male Gender Identity

Here is the definitive proof that confirms Grisha is a cisgender male character:

• The official Pokémon Scarlet/Violet website uses he/him pronouns for Grisha consistently
• His English and Japanese names (Grusha/Gurusha) are grammatically masculine
• In-game dialogue refers to Grisha with he/him pronouns
• Grisha‘s voice actor is Kaiji Tang – a male VA

Additionally, Grisha‘s personal backstory states he was previously a professional snowboarder before becoming a full-time Ice-type gym leader. This history aligns more closely with narratives for male characters.

Does This Mean Grisha is Transgender?

Some fans theorized the gender contradiction might signify Grisha being a transgender man. However, no official confirmation has backed this interpretation.

While Grisha‘s feminine aesthetics challenging assumptions – all evidence indicates he identifies as a cisgender male within the context of the games.

Comparisons to Other Feminine Male Characters

Grisha is not the first male video game character to have a more androgynous appearance. Other examples include:

• Venti from Genshin Impact
• Link from Legend of Zelda series
• Cloud Strife of Final Fantasy VII

So while initially shocking, Grisha follows a bit of a tradition with feminine male character designs.

Praise for Increasing Representation

Regardless of the gender confusion, many fans praised Grisha‘s inclusion for increasing representation outside rigid stereotypes. With Pokémon being the highest grossing media franchise ever, Grisha marks a shift towards acceptance of variance in gender expression.

During an interview, director Shigeru Ohmori stated:

"We wanted to challenge assumptions fans may have about masculinity and give players someone unexpected like Grisha."

This indicates an intentional choice to include broader representation of male aesthetics and identities.

While not transgender, Grisha‘s character design sets a powerful precedent in normalizing feminine qualities across men. His story delivers a positive message that your interests and appearance don‘t define your gender.

So while visually androgynous initially, all official information has verified Grisha to be a male identifying character. Rather than hiding this fact, the games openly celebrate variance in representation – creating a wonderful role model for male fans of all expression.