Dawn (anime)/Anime/Character

Dawn grew up inspired by her mother's achievements and from a very young age decided that she wanted to be a. She takes immense pride in what Johanna was able to accomplish and this is reflected in her determination to follow in her footsteps and become a respected Top Coordinator. As a kid, she would help Johanna prepare Poffins for her Pokémon, something which led Dawn to discover the perfect recipe for her own Pokémon years later.

Dawn is notable for her confidence, since she almost always tries to look towards the future rather than dwell on her mistakes. In the Japanese version, Dawn's catchphrase is "Daijōbu!", which can be translated as "It's fine!" or "Don't worry!". Although not consistently translated in the English dub at first, she began to regularly use "No need to worry!".

In stark contrast to 's inexperience and self-doubt at the start of the, Dawn was overly confident and assured in her own strength at the beginning of her journey. Because of this, she became emotional after she was eliminated from Pokémon Contests, and often cried after losing. After failing to pass the Performance Stage two times in a row, Dawn became depressed. In Tanks for the Memories!, Dawn remembered these failures and had to excuse herself so she could cry. These behaviors were completely opposite those she had exhibited at the beginning of her journey, something Ash and Brock took notice of. Their encouragement was not enough to renew her psyche though, and it was not until she defeated May to win the Wallace Cup that she truly regained her confidence and focus. After this point, Dawn took on a more positive and determined personality. In addition, she became more mature. Instead of reverting to her old headstrong and confident attitude, she became more aware of her faults and how she could work to overcome them.

Dawn has a sibling-like relationship with Ash, and they often share a high five when one of them accomplish something. Throughout their journey, they were very supportive of each other, usually training together and pushing one another to become better versions of themselves. Sometimes when Ash challenged a Gym Leader, Dawn would wear her cheerleading outfit and perform a routine alongside her Pokémon to encourage him. In Uncrushing Defeat!, upon noticing how disappointed in himself Ash was for losing a Full Battle against Paul, Dawn presented a circus act to cheer him up.

A key example of Dawn's growth and maturity occurred in Trials and Adulations!, in which she was separated from Ash and Brock and her Mamoswine's leg was badly injured. Instead of panicking or trying to force Mamoswine to continue walking, Dawn thought back to lessons Brock had given her about Pokémon care. She recalled that the sap of a plant could help soothe pain and called upon her Pokémon to search for it. Dawn applied the sap, wrapped the wound, formed a bed of leaves for Mamoswine, and gathered food and for it to eat. Dawn was ultimately rewarded as she gained her Mamoswine's respect and loyalty. Dawn's actions go deeper than that though, they are evidence of her growth as a and person. Over the course of her journey in Sinnoh, Dawn was able to come up with various combinations to show up her Pokémon's looks and strength. This began with something as simple as making her Piplup's beak grow longer when using, a technique she used even until the end of the Grand Festival. She later followed with simple spinning, which her Piplup and Buneary first practiced for a while in Oreburgh City. The spinning move was adapted by Ash in his first Gym battle in Sinnoh. Later on, Dawn began experimenting with more complex combinations, such as Flame Ice and Ice Chandelier. After a lot of practice, Dawn's Pokémon were able to master these combinations in battle. Coincidentally, both of these moves were used to defeat Ursula.

Originally, Dawn had great concern about her appearance and would not show herself to Ash or Brock until she felt that her appearance was acceptable. In fact, Dawn often slept in a tent while Ash and Brock slept outside. However, after Tears for Fears!, Dawn began to sleep outside as well and was less concerned with her appearance in front of Ash and Brock. This may have been an indicator that she had become more focused as a Trainer and Coordinator, paying more attention to her Pokémon and less attention to her looks. Even so, whenever Dawn knew she was going to be on camera, she would pause to brush her hair, such as in Last Call - First Round! when wanted to interview her for her broadcast of the Grand Festival.

Dawn also has an interest in fashion and often reads the magazine. In The Bells Are Singing!, Dawn revealed that she was the one to design 's vest, but also admitted that her mother was the one to sew it. In Arriving in Style!, she demonstrated her talent for designing again, sketching many different outfits for the Hearthome Collection. Though she was initially unsure about her creations, she set her mind on designing simple dresses and accessories after realizing the actual role of a Pokémon Stylist. For that, she was praised by Hermione, who said Dawn has the true spirit of a Stylist.