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Barry is easily one of my favorite rivals, and I'd definitely say one of the better ones before Gen 6 hits and they're all shit going forward barring Gladion.
He's a goofball and spastic, but he doesn't baby you or have emotional issues. He's a competent trainer who's always ahead of you in terms of your journey, but he can't ever beat you 1 on 1.
I'd go so far as to say he's Blue/Silver tier. Just because he's not a smarmy dick doesn't mean he's not a good rival.
Compare him to May, who in the original games didn't even fully evolve her starter and is treated almost like your childhood friend turned crush, or Bianca, who was always underleveled and never had her heart in battling, or any rival Gen 6 going forward. Again, barring Gladion.
