Professor Kukui

* Kukui
* As The Masked Royal
* Young

**Professor Kukui** (Japanese: **ククイ博士** *Dr. Kukui*) is a major supporting character in Yellowtale, who appeared in *Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon*. He is a Pokémon Professor in the Alola region and a teacher at the Pokémon School on Melemele Island. He is also the true identity of **The Masked Royal** (Japanese: **ロイヤルマスク** *Royal Mask*).

### History

#### Pre-series

Since his childhood, Kukui had been a fan of Pokémon moves, often observing Hala's battles to witness these attacks in action. He would follow the matches along with his Move Index guidebook. At some point, he befriended and later obtained a Litten, which originally belonged to his parents. The pair would often spend time in the forests of Melemele Island playing with all of the wild Pokémon. He also befriended a Totem Trevenant living in the forests and received a Firium Z after helping to relieve it of its sneezing. In addition, he is a childhood friend of Molayne and DJ Leo.

At the age of five, he met Ash, whom a Celebi had accidentally sent into the past. Due to Ash's mastery of Z-Moves, he started calling him the "Move Kahuna" (Japanese: **ワザキング** *Move King*) and asked to battle with him. Ash easily won the battle and taught the young Kukui, whom he started calling "Roarie" (Japanese: **ガオ** *Gao*) due to his Incineroar cap, that there was no shame in losing. He then proceeded to tell Kukui about his Gym and Pokémon League battles in other regions, inspiring Kukui's own ambitions. Soon, Ash was transported back to the present by Celebi, leaving both young boys unaware of each other's real names.

In *League Offenders and Defenders!*, Hala revealed that Kukui and Guzma were once his apprentices. However, the two had a falling-out after Guzma expressed beliefs that Z-Rings and Z-Moves were pointless. While Guzma abandoned his training and established Team Skull, Kukui continued to study under Hala.

#### *Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon*

Professor Kukui debuted in *Alola to New Adventure!*. He was first seen entering his classroom, where he was introduced to Ash, apparently not recognizing him from his youth. He later watched as Ash battled Team Skull and was impressed by his battling skills. After Team Skull's defeat, he told Ash about Z-Moves and the island challenge. Following Ash's decision to attend the Pokémon School, he allowed Ash to live with him during his stay in Alola. At the end of the next episode, he handed Ash a new Pokédex, which then got inhabited by a Rotom.

In *Rocking Clawmark Hill!*, he and Ash returned home one night, only to notice the absence of Rockruff. Rockruff soon returned injured, prompting Kukui to heal it with a Potion. Upon further investigation, they found out that it had been training on Clawmark Hill. After watching Ash train Rockruff, Kukui noticed the bond they had developed and encouraged Ash to catch Rockruff.

In *Alola, Kanto!*, Kukui accompanied his students and Samson Oak to Kanto for an extracurricular activity, where they visited Professor Oak's Laboratory. In the following episode, he and the others traveled to the Cerulean Gym, where his students battled Misty and Brock. Seeing these battles inspired him to realize his childhood dream an official Pokémon League in Alola.

In *A Dream Encounter!*, Kukui told Ash about Professor Burnet and her research on Ultra Wormholes. He later introduced her to him when she, along with Lusamine, Faba, and Wicke, visited his home to meet Ash and Nebby. During his class's sleepover in *A Dream Encounter!*, Kukui began to bond with Burnet, who also stayed over at his house.

In *Family Determination!*, Kukui accompanied his students to the Altar of the Sunne on Poni Island to catch up with Lillie, who had run away from home with her brother, Gladion, in search of a way to save Lusamine, who had been abducted by a Nihilego. Later, while watching Alola's guardian deities bless Nebby, he received a phone call for help from Professor Burnet and left to help her out. He soon witnessed Burnet and her Munchlax being surrounded by a group of Jangmo-o and Hakamo-o, but using his Braviary he was able to drive the Scaly Pokémon off. By the time the two professors returned to the altar though, Ash and the others had already ridden off on Nebby into an Ultra Wormhole. Kukui and Burnet stayed behind and waited until the group finally returned with Lusamine.

In *The Professors' New Adventure!*, during a walk on the beach with Burnet, Kukui proposed to her. A few days later, the wedding ceremony, which was arranged by his students, was held on the beach outside his house. Since their marriage, Burnet has moved in with Kukui and Ash.

### Personality

Professor Kukui is fairly serious, but mostly friendly and upbeat. He usually likes to add the names of moves into conversations every now and then, much like how Samson Oak uses Pokémon-related puns. He also tends to break from his serious and calm attitude, as shown in *Crystal-Clear Sleuthing!*, when he was completely shocked at the notion that Kiawe had stolen Ash's missing Electrium Z. Like Rotom Pokédex, he enjoys watching the television show Alolan Detective Laki and try to figure out who the culprit is during the episode. Much like his use of move names when he talks, he was shown to find it funny that the viewers assumed that the Rockruff which he befriended was actually his. The fact that Professor Kukui befriended the stray Rockruff, when he came upon the Pokémon, who had recently been attacked with Teeter Dance and decided to nurture it, shows that he is also a friendly and hospitable person.

Professor Kukui is a skilled Pokémon Trainer, and as the Masked Royal, he is able to handle battling multiple Pokémon at once in Battle Royals. The Masked Royal is the Battle Royal Dome's star Trainer, having a known record win streak of at least 21 victories. Despite some comically close calls, no one has been able to discern the Masked Royal's true identity. The only exceptions are his longtime friend Molayne; Faba, who realized the truth after Kukui blew his cover in front of him; and Ash's Torracat, who was able to recognize him from his scent, and later, Ash himself, along with Pikachu, Rotom, and Naganadel in the aftermath of the battle with the giant Shiny Guzzlord. As of *Exhibition Unmasked!*, all of the Alola region knows of Kukui's double identity.