Open main menu

Bulbapedia β

Mr. Backlot
ウラヤマ Urayama
Mr. Backlot.png
Mr. Backlot in the anime
Gender Male
Hometown Hearthome City
Region Sinnoh
Generation IV
Games Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum
Anime debut Hungry for the Good Life!
English voice actor N. Ronald Levine
Japanese voice actor Kenta Miyake

Mr. Backlot (Japanese: ウラヤマ Urayama) is the owner of the Pokémon Mansion and Trophy Garden. He is also said to be the owner of Amity Square. His house has a back garden where players can capture wild Pokémon.

He is apparently a compulsive liar, as he will repeatedly insist that a Pokémon appears in his garden despite not even residing in his region. His butler, who serves him well, covers up for his lies, importing said Pokémon into the garden and allowing the player to capture rare Pokémon not found elsewhere in Sinnoh. This is often very helpful in completing the National Pokédex.


In the games

In Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, Mr. Backlot is said to be the owner of Pokémon Mansion, the Trophy Garden behind it, and Amity Square, in Hearthome City. He resides in his office of the Pokémon Mansion, accompanied by his butler, and a guard. He takes a walk in his garden every morning, and discovers a new Pokémon everyday, surprising his butler. After saying that he is telling the truth about seeing the Pokémon, the butler leaves to add the Pokémon to the garden to cover up for his master's fibs. On any given day, the "planted" Pokémon that was in the Trophy Garden the previous time Mr. Backlot was last spoken with will also still be there, allowing a two-day window to catch each of these Pokémon.


When talked to
"Er-hem! There's a lot for me to be proud of inside, and outside, of this home... But what makes me the most proud is my trophy garden in the back! Why bother travelling afar when Pokémon are attracted by my garden? They come to me in hopes of seeing the garden! Well, doesn't that make you envious? You are envious, yes?"
No: "I know you're really envious... You're not fooling anyone..." (conversation ends)
Yes: "Muhohoho... I bet you are! I knew you would be! But I don't mind! I enjoy sharing my stories with you! So! When I go out into my prized trophy garden, Pokémon come running to me. They sidle up as happy as they can be to see me! Well? Doesn't that make you envious? You are envious, yes?"
Yes: "Muhohoho... I bet you are! I knew you would be! But I don't mind! I enjoy sharing my stories with you! So! This is what happened this morning when I went into my trophy garden. I noticed a cute-eyed <Pokémon>, which joyously ran over to me. The <Pokémon> ran up and gave me a smooch on my cheek..."
"Wha... Erm... Wh-what are you saying? I'm no blowhard! Listen... Mutter, mutter... Whisper, whisper..."
"...It's true, I tell you! No lies ever leave these lips! There really are cute <Pokémon> in this garden! Honest truth!"


Backlot OD.png
Overworld sprite from
Generation IV

In the anime

Mr. Backlot appeared as a character of the day in Hungry for the Good Life!. His Pokémon are cared for by his mansion's caretaker, Monica.

Ash and his friends met him at the mansion while escaping from the rain. Mr. Backlot welcomed the group to his mansion while Monica bought out some Poffins. The next day, Mr. Backlot took the group out to his Trophy Garden. When Team Rocket arrived with their mecha, Mr. Backlot and Monica with Ash and Brock drove after the trio and sped through a forest. Dawn eventually found Team Rocket and Mr. Backlot and the rest of the group caught up.

After Team Rocket was defeated, Mr. Backlot and Monica returned to the mansion. He and Monica waved goodbye to the group and the Swinub that Dawn caught as they headed off.


Taking care of

You can help by adding this information.

Mr. Backlot's Cleffa
This Cleffa was first seen popping out from a bush where Ash and his friends were passing by. It is owned by a Mr. Backlot, who owns a large mansion. Mr. Backlot takes care of Cleffa and his other Pokémon in the mansion.

None of Cleffa's moves are known.

Debut Hungry for the Good Life
Mr. Backlot's Pichu
Pichu (×3)
Mr. Backlot's three Pichu are three of the Pokémon he takes care of in his mansion. Pichu and the other Pokémon owned by Mr. Backlot seem to consider Brock's Croagunk an odd Pokémon.

None of the Pichu's moves are known.

Debut Hungry for the Good Life
Mr. Backlot's Azurill
Mr. Backlot's Azurill was first seen coming down the staircase to eat Poffins. It is one of the Pokémon taken care of by Mr. Backlot.

None of Azurill's moves are known.

Debut Hungry for the Good Life
Mr. Backlot's Igglybuff
Igglybuff (×2)
Mr. Backlot's two Igglybuff were first seen in the mansion eating Poffins. They were later seen again in the Trophy Garden playing around with the other Pokémon.

None of the Igglybuff's moves are known.

Debut Hungry for the Good Life

Formerly looked after

Dawn's Swinub
Main article: Dawn's Swinub

Swinub appeared at Mr. Backlot's mansion from a nearby forest. It would usually come over for something to eat. It caused trouble by devouring all of Dawn's Poffins showing a liking to them, but caused much displeasure to Dawn's other Pokémon. However, after helping take down Team Rocket and rescue the other Pokémon, Dawn decided she wanted Swinub to go with her.

Debut Hungry for the Good Life
Voice actors
Japanese Inuko Inuyama
English Kayzie Rogers

Voice actors

Language Voice actor
Japanese 三宅健太 Kenta Miyake
English N. Ronald Levine
Czech Vojtěch Hájek
Finnish Petri Hanttu
Norwegian Trond Teigen
Polish Jacek Kałucki
European Spanish Mario Martín

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Mr. Backlot in Pokémon Adventures

Mr. Backlot appears in Suffering Psyduck, where he introduces Platinum, Pearl, and Diamond to his prized Trophy Garden. He asked Cynthia to investigate a case of a missing Psyduck after someone reported it going missing in his Amity Square.


Mr. Backlot's Pichu
Mr. Backlot has a Pichu that he is always seen carrying. It is unknown if it is actually his or one of the Pokémon in his Trophy Garden.

None of Pichu's moves are known.

Debut Suffering Psyduck

Seen at his garden

Mr Backlot Kricketune Pikachu Adventures.png
Mr Backlot Kricketune Pikachu Adventures.png
Mr Backlot Kricketune Pikachu Adventures.png
Mr Backlot Roselia Adventures.png
Mr Backlot Starly Adventures.png


  • Mr. Backlot's Japanese name is a pun. His name is "Urayama" (ウラヤマ), but his butler adds shi (し or 氏, which in this case is a more polite form of "Mr.") to his name, making his name sound like the Japanese word for being envious, 羨ましい (urayamashii). In the game, he asks the player "Well? Aren't you envious?" (どう？うらやましいじゃろ？？) over and over before telling the player what new Pokémon are in his garden.
  • In Pokémon X and Y, Elena, who trades an Eevee nicknamed Stevie to the player for any Pokémon in random hotels, mentions that Stevie was caught in Mr. Backlot's Trophy Garden.


Language Name Origin
Japanese ウラヤマ Urayama From 裏山 urayama, the hill back of one's home. Also from 羨ましい urayamashii, envious.
English Mr. Backlot From backlot.
French Décorum From décorum, decorum.
German Reichedel From reich (rich) and edel (noble).
Italian Granlotto Roughly means "Grand lot".
Polish Bogacki From bogaty (rich).
Spanish Fortuny From fortuna, fortune.
Korean 한자랑 Han Jarang From 자랑 jarang, to boast
Chinese (Mandarin) 羨慕 Xiàn​mù Means "to envy" or "to admire".
Vietnamese Urayama Transliteration of his Japanese name
