Maike, known as Haruka in Japanese-language media, is the daughter of Petalburg City Gym Leader Norman and older sister of Max. Her family lives in Hoenn. A childhood incident, where her mother mistook her for a Tentacool and attempted capture with a Poké Ball, caused lasting embarrassment, trauma, and an initial fear and dislike of Pokémon. Despite this, Professor Birch gave her a Torchic to begin her journey, primarily undertaken for travel rather than engagement with Pokémon. Her journey started after an encounter where Ash Ketchum's Pikachu accidentally destroyed her bicycle. She subsequently traveled Hoenn alongside Ash, Brock, and Max. Witnessing a Pokémon Contest in Fallarbor Town ignited her passion for coordinating, driving her goal to become a Top Coordinator. This marked a significant shift from her initial disinterest, facilitated by bonding with her Pokémon, particularly Beautifly, whom she openly expressed love for after winning the Fallarbor Contest. Her Coordinator development involved mastering battle strategies and creating unique combinations, like blending Combusken’s Fire Spin with Squirtle’s Bubble to form the "Fire and Water Whirlwind." She also crafted specialized Pokéblocks such as "May’s Purple Surprise" and "May’s Pink Surprise" to manage her Munchlax’s appetite. Her battling style initially mirrored Ash’s emphasis on powerful, dazzling attacks but evolved after recognizing its limitations during her semifinal loss to Solidad at the Kanto Grand Festival. This defeat prompted her departure from Ash’s group to forge a distinct style in Johto. Key rivals shaped her journey. Drew served as critical inspiration and a benchmark, initially dismissing her as lacking style but later acknowledging her growth after her victory over him in the Kanto Grand Festival. Harley employed deceitful tactics, including public humiliation using her childhood Tentacool incident and collaborating with Team Rocket to undermine her performances. Despite these challenges, she consistently defeated him in Contests. Her relationship with Max featured frequent sibling arguments, notably when harsh words led him to declare hatred and run away. However, she demonstrated deep protective instincts, prioritizing his safety over Contest qualifications due to a promise to their mother. Upon traveling to Johto, she sent Max home to foster her independence. Appearances across regions included participation in the Wallace Cup in Sinnoh. There, wearing an Emerald-based outfit, she revealed her Eevee had evolved into Glaceon and held three Johto Ribbons, recognized as the "Princess of Hoenn." She reached the finals but lost to Dawn. Later cameos include a flashback during Ash’s Masters Eight Tournament match, where she watched alongside Max, Serena, and Lisia. In Pokémon Destiny Deoxys, she visited LaRousse City during its crisis involving Deoxys and Rayquaza. Her design evolved in later appearances, adopting a streamlined art style in Pokémon Journeys with rounded eyes and a contest outfit referencing her game counterpart from Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.