Hex Maniac
| Hex Maniac | |
|---|---|
| Pokémon character | |
 Hex Maniac in Pokémon X and Y | |
| First game | Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire (2002) |
| Voiced by | Saori Ōnishi (Pokémon Masters EX)[1] |
The Hex Maniac, known in Japan as Occult Maniac (Japanese: オカルトマニア, Hepburn: Okaruto Mania), is a fictional character introduced in the 2002 video games Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. In Pokémon X and Y, the Hex Maniac received a redesign. In these same games, a specific Hex Maniac appears as a ghost girl who, when encountered by the player, states "no, you are not the one" and disappears. A new design was added in Pokémon Legends Z-A, prompting speculation about whether this game would explore the ghost girl's story; it did not.
The Hex Maniac has been generally well received, identified by Inside Games as rivaling the popularity of main characters in the series. The ghost girl was particularly discussed by critics, who felt the encounter mysterious and frightening.
Concept and creation
[edit]Developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo, the Pokémon franchise began in Japan in 1996 with the release of the video games Pokémon Red and Blue for the Game Boy.[2] In these games, the player assumes the role of a Pokémon Trainer whose goal is to capture and train creatures called Pokémon. Players use the creatures' special abilities to combat other Pokémon, both in the wild as well as those used by other Trainers.[3]
Hex Maniacs debuted in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire,[4] and received a redesign in Pokémon X and Y. The design has a "spooky, gaunt vibe" that makes her seem possessed.[5] The Hex Maniac wears a black outfit in Pokémon X and Y.[6] In Pokémon Legends Z-A, the Hex Maniac gained a new design. It gives her dark circles under her eyes, messy hair, and an all-black outfit, described as "gothic-lolita-esque".[6]
Appearances
[edit]First appearing in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire as a Pokémon Trainer class, the Hex Maniac appears again in Pokémon X and Y.[4] They also appear in Pokémon Legends Z-A.[7] In X and Y, a ghost girl that resembles Hex Maniac appears out of an elevator, stating "No, you're not the one" to the player-character, and leaving.[7] This ghost girl appears in the Ruby and Sapphire remakes Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.[8] References to her appearance in X and Y exist in Legends Z-A as well, with one character expressing a wish to know what this means and another character stating that a ghost girl has been haunting taxis in the city saying "No, you're not the one either".[7]
A card depicting Hex Maniac appears in the Pokémon Trading Card Game. This card, alongside another card called Ghetsis, was banned from competitive play due to both being "oppressive" and causing opponents to sometimes lose before they had a single turn.[9] She also appears in Pokémon Masters EX as a playable character, named Helena in English and Sayoko in Japanese, as part of a Halloween-themed event. She is accompanied by a Haunter.[10][11]
Reception
[edit]Hex Maniac's X and Y design has been generally well received, described by Inside Games writer Sushishi as "incredibly popular".[12] Inside Games writer "Tea Pudding" attributed this popularity to their design and dialogue, which they felt added personality to the game's world. They stated that the X and Y design was a particularly popular design, believing that the trainer class had a reputation rivaling main characters in the series.[6]
In X and Y, a ghost girl, having the same form as Hex Maniac, appears in a building in Lumiose City that became a mystery for players[13] and the subject of speculation.[14] Multiple critics considered it a particularly creepy moment, both Game Revolution and Hardcore Gamer ranking it among the most frightening Easter eggs in video games.[15][16] Fan theories included that the ghost was seeking a specific player identification number, was looking for another character that appears in the series, or was the intended method to obtain certain unreleased Pokémon species, but none of these theories materialized. Patricia Hernandez, writing for Kotaku, sought to learn more about the ghost girl by showing the video to Junichi Masuda, the producer of X and Y, who said "oOoOoOoO" multiple times while smirking without clarifying. She believed he may have been teasing her and had nothing to do with its inclusion, but determined that was unlikely due to her appearance on a page on the Japanese official site that was all about her. She speculated that a character found in a haunted house in X and Y may have been referring to her in a scary story. Hernandez also believed that the website may be teasing a Halloween-themed event, hoping that players will learn more about her in time.[17] Hernandez noted the Hex Maniac in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire that says the same thing as the one in X and Y, speculating whether these are the same characters and whether they are looking for the same person.[18] Other theories were proposed as well, including one that posits that the ghost girl was the same ghost as appears in Pokémon Black and White. Another theory is that a message found in the game, referring to a "usual location", is referring to the elevator.[19]
Dexerto writer Scott Baird speculated that the unresolved nature of the ghost girl story is due to the existence of a cancelled followup called Pokémon Z, which he believed may have expanded on it.[20] He was also critical of a ghost character encounter in Pokémon Sword and Shield, comparing it unfavorably to the X and Y ghost girl. He argued that the reason why the X and Y character was so effective was because players are never given an explanation for her motives or nature.[21] Hex Maniac's Z-A appearance received a large amount of fanart,[22] and it was speculated that this appearance may continue the ghost girl plot from X and Y.[23] Kotaku writer Kenneth Shepard, reacting to a trailer for the Pokémon Mega Victreebel, believed it may be hinting towards the return of the ghost girl, stating there seems to be a "girl dressed in a dark purple outfit hiding outside a window" resembling the new Hex Maniac design.[24] Following the release of Legends Z-A, GamesRadar+ writer Paul Cecchini felt that the ghost girl was uniquely creepy compared to other ghost characters in Pokémon due to her having no explanation. He speculated that the ghost girl may have no backstory at all, that the character was just added to be funny and make players invested in learning more about this character.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "『ポケマスEX』で「オカルトマニア」がプレイアブル参戦！担当声優は大西沙織さんに". Inside Games. October 17, 2022. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ Hilliard, Kyle (December 25, 2016). "Pokémon Red & Blue – A Look Back At The 20-Year Journey To Catch 'Em All". Game Informer. Archived from the original on October 1, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
- ^ Allison, Anne (May 2006). Millennial Monsters: Japanese Toys and the Global Imagination. University of California Press. pp. 192–197. ISBN 9780520938991.
- ^ a b Fields, Sarah (March 4, 2025). "Pokemon Legends: Z-A Fan Shows Off Hex Maniac Cosplay". Game Rant. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
- ^ Potvin, James (April 12, 2022). "10 Things Only Die-Hard Pokémon Fans Know About Kalos". Screen Rant. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
- ^ a b c Tea Pudding (February 28, 2025). "もしかして『ポケモンレジェンズZ-A』版のオカルトマニア？少し垢抜けた"新デザイン"に「可愛い！」「またホラーイベントくる！？」". Inside Games. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
- ^ a b c d Cecchini, Paul (December 16, 2025). "Pokemon Z-A missed its chance to unravel the franchise's creepiest mystery". GamesRadar+. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ Murray, Sean (July 27, 2017). "Pokémon Conspiracy Theories That True Fans Need To Know". TheGamer. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ Haime, Jackson (July 30, 2020). "Every Banned Pokémon Card (& Why It Happened)". Screen Rant. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ "Allister & Gourgeist and Iris & Naganadel in Pokémon Masters EX". Pokémon. October 18, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ "「ポケモンマスターズ EX」でエピソードイベント「異界とつながる夕闇の宴」が開催！「★3サヨコ（オカルトマニア）＆ゴースト」を仲間にしよう". Gamer. October 17, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ Sushishi (May 31, 2019). "『ポケモンマスターズ』に参戦したら嬉しいポケモントレーナー20選【女性編】". Inside Games. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
- ^ Greenbaum, Aaron (October 10, 2023). "Dark Pokémon Lore That Will Change How You Look at the Games". Den of Geek. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ Oaks, Amanda Kay (April 20, 2024). "Pokemon Fans Still Haven't Solved the Games' Creepiest Mystery". The Escapist. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ Lozada, David (October 26, 2018). "The Creepiest Video Game Easter Eggs". Game Revolution. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ Carlson, Alex (April 9, 2014). "Five Nightmarish Easter Eggs In Video Games". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ Hernandez, Patricia (October 15, 2014). "Almost A Year Later, Pokémon X & Y's Ghost Girl Is Still A Mystery". Kotaku. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ Hernandez, Patricia (December 1, 2014). "Three Mysteries In The New Pokémon Games That Nobody Can Explain". Kotaku. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ Zablotny, Marc (October 23, 2013). "9 unsolved mysteries of Pokemon X and Y". Official Nintendo Magazine. Archived from the original on November 14, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ Baird, Scott (October 27, 2023). "This unresolved Pokemon plot only gets scarier with age". Dexerto. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ Baird, Scott (December 14, 2019). "Pokémon Sword & Shield: Ghost Girl Was Disappointing Due To A Lack Of Mystery". TheGamer. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ Lemus, Jean-Karlo (February 28, 2025). "This Week in Games: Heart ToHeart in Lumiose City". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
- ^ Valentine, Rebekah (February 27, 2025). "Pokémon Fans Are Frantically Trying to Work Out How Pokémon Legends: Z-A Connects to Other Pokémon Games". IGN. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
- ^ Shepard, Kenneth (August 22, 2025). "Is Pokémon Legends: Z-A About to Solve One of the Franchise's Creepiest Mysteries?". Kotaku. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
