Old man (Kanto)

The old man (Japanese: おじいさん old man) is an NPC that lives in Viridian City, Kanto.

Generations I and III
At first, he is very grumpy and will not let the player pass through to, until he has had his coffee for the day. This is just a barrier in the game, so the player will not wander past Viridian City until the player goes to the Viridian Poké Mart and delivers Oak's Parcel to Professor Oak.

After that, he starts to lighten up and help the player by teaching them how to catch a Pokémon using a Poké Ball. This is a guide for novice players in. In Red and Blue, he carries a total of 50 Poké Balls in his Bag and uses one to catch a. In Yellow, he has just one Poké Ball and fails to catch a ; he then goes to the Poké Mart to buy more and agrees to repeat the tutorial and successfully catch the Rattata after the player enters and leaves the Poké Mart. In FireRed and LeafGreen, he also only has one Poké Ball and will give the player a Teachy TV, which contains additional video tutorials provided by his grandson, Primo, in his Poké Dude Show.

Generations II and IV
He reappears in the Generation II games and saying that he needs someone to talk with, then asks the player if they believe that he was once an expert at catching.

In the Western versions, he starts by saying that he is wired from a double shot of espresso. In the Japanese versions, he instead starts by letting out a hiccup (Japanese: 「ひっく⋯⋯」) and requests the player to wait so that they listen to what he has to say.

Old man glitch
The old man glitch is one of the most widely known glitches in the English Generation I Pokémon games. It causes wild MissingNo., 'M (00) and various Pokémon over level 100 or at level 80 to appear.


 * If tried to get past of before delivering Oak's Parcel
 * "You can't go through here! This is private property!"


 * After delivering Oak's Parcel
 * "Ahh, I've had my coffee now and I feel great! Sure you can go through! Are you in a hurry?"
 * Yes: "Time is money… Go along then."
 * No: "I see you're using a Pokédex. When you catch a Pokémon, Pokédex is automatically updated. What? Don't you know how to catch Pokémon? I'll show you how to then."


 * After the capture tutorial
 * "First, you need to weaken the target Pokémon."


 * If tried to get past of before delivering Oak's Parcel
 * "You can't go through here! This is private property!"


 * After delivering Oak's Parcel
 * "Ahh, I've had my coffee now and I feel great! Sure, you can go through! I'm sorry I was so rude to you! I see you're using a Pokédex. I'll show you how to catch Pokémon as my apology."


 * After failed capture tutorial
 * "That didn't work! I must be losing my touch. I've run out of Poké Balls too. I have to get some at Pokémon Mart</sc>."


 * If talked to again
 * "Hmm? You want me to show you how to catch Pokémon</sc> again?"
 * No: "Oh… I'm not good enough for you."
 * Yes: "Dandy! Watch what I do closely now!"


 * After successful capture tutorial
 * "First, you need to weaken the target Pokémon</sc>."


 * "Hey, kid! I just had a double shot of espresso, and I am wired! I need to talk to someone, so you'll have to do! I might not look like much now, but I was an expert at catching Pokémon</sc>. Do you believe me?"
 * Yes: "Good, good. Yes, I was something out of the ordinary, let me tell you!"
 * No: "What? You little whelp! If I were just a bit younger, I'd show you a thing or two. Humph!"


 * If tried to get past of before delivering Oak's Parcel
 * "I absolutely forbid you from going through here! This is private property!"


 * After delivering Oak's Parcel
 * "Well, now, I've had my coffee, and that's what I need to get going! Hm? What is that red box you have? Ah, so you're working on your Pokédex</sc>. Then let me give you a word of advice. Whenever you catch a Pokémon</sc>, the Pokédex</sc> automatically updates its data. …You don't know how to catch a Pokémon</sc>? I suppose I had better show you then!"


 * After the capture tutorial
 * "There! Now tell me, that was educational, was it not? And here, take this, too."
 * "If there's something you don't understand, watch that. It will teach you about the basics of being a Pokémon Trainer</sc>."


 * If talked to again
 * "Well, now, I've had my coffee, and that's what I need to get going! But I made it too strong. It gave me a headache… Incidentally, are you filling your Pokédex</sc>? At first, focus on weakening the Pokémon</sc> before trying to catch it."


 * "Hey, kid! I just had a double shot of espresso, and I am wired! I need to talk to someone, so you'll have to do! I might not look like much now, but I was an expert at catching Pokémon. Do you believe me?"
 * Yes: "Good, good. Yes, I was something out of the ordinary, let me tell you!"
 * No: "What? You little whelp! If I were just a bit younger, I'd show you a thing or two. Humph!"

Trivia

 * In the original Japanese games, the old man is passed-out drunk rather than being grumpy from a lack of coffee.
 * In the Japanese, if both the player's party and PC Box are full, the old man's tutorial will indefinitely issue the command to send a Poké Ball and return the "full Box" message due to a programming oversight. This was fixed in and the localized releases.

In other languages
Anziano (Kanto) 老人（关都）