In the anime series, Brawly is the Gym Leader responsible for the Knuckle Badge and resides in Dewford Town. His name incorporates the word "brawl," alluding to combat; his Japanese name Tōki translates directly to "fighting spirit." Specializing in Fighting-type Pokémon, Brawly once trained alongside Bruno, a member of Kanto's Elite Four.
Brawly enjoys surfing while simultaneously training his Pokémon. His battle strategy involves mimicking the fluidity of waves, constantly shifting and evading attacks. He owns a private island featuring a training facility and a battlefield equipped with numerous geysers. During their first encounter, Ash loses to Brawly due to relying solely on brute force. However, in their rematch, Ash's Corphish and Treecko utilize natural forces to triumph over Brawly's Machop and Hariyama.
In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Brawly also employs surfing as a method to train his Pokémon. His approach emphasizes leveraging subtle forces over sheer speed and power, turning his opponents' strength against them. Additionally, he prefers to save his Pokémon's evolutions for crucial battles.
During his match against Sapphire, his Makuhita evolved into Hariyama. Sapphire deduced that his use of Counter could be countered by moves like Double Kick, which involve multiple hits. A misunderstanding led her to anticipate further evolutions from Brawly's team.
Brawly initially aligned with Team Aqua during the Hoenn conflict, driven by his desire for more surfing spots. He reconsidered after Kyogre and Groudon began wreaking havoc. Facing Mack amid the Kyogre/Groudon crisis, Brawly resorted to direct, brutal tactics instead of his usual strategy, defeating his opponent at the expense of his own Pokémon. Last seen recuperating on the Pokémon Association's airship "Ba.Goon," Brawly was recovering from his injuries.
