Howard Clifford is the founder of Clifford Industries, the visionary creator of Ryme City, and the father of Roger Clifford. His public identity is that of a wealthy, benevolent humanitarian who has dedicated his life to fostering a harmonious coexistence between humans and Pokémon. He is presented as a wheelchair user due to an unspecified degenerative disease, a condition that became a crucial turning point in his life. After receiving his diagnosis, he stepped back from his corporate role and traveled the world in search of a cure. It was during this journey that he became deeply inspired by the unique ability of Pokémon to evolve into superior versions of themselves, a concept he began to believe could hold the key to transcending human physical and mental limitations. This philosophy drove him to use his fortune to construct Ryme City, a metropolis where traditional Pokémon battles are outlawed and people live alongside Pokémon as equals.

On the surface, Howard Clifford projects a calm, grandfatherly wisdom and a genuine passion for Pokémon, surrounding himself with evolution stones and artifacts. He appears to be a caring mentor, showing understanding towards the protagonist, Tim Goodman, and his father. However, this public persona proves to be a carefully constructed facade. In truth, Howard is a manipulative, egotistical, and delusional individual. His immense pride in his accomplishments borders on narcissism, and his obsession with his work has left him emotionally disconnected from his own son. Underneath his charitable veneer lies a ruthless determination to achieve his goals, with a complete disregard for the well-being and autonomy of both humans and Pokémon, whom he is willing to experiment on and harm to advance his plans.

Howard’s primary motivation stems from a desire to overcome his physical frailty. He views the human body as flawed and believes that the only way for humanity to evolve and be cured of its weaknesses is to merge with Pokémon. His condition made him feel restricted, and he developed a warped perspective that the forced bonding of humans and Pokémon is a necessary step for both species to become better. To achieve this twisted vision of a utopia, he was willing to sacrifice the consciousness of countless creatures and the free will of an entire city. He sees himself as the architect of humanity’s next stage, and his actions are driven by a sincere, albeit horrifying, belief that he is saving people from their own natural flaws.

In the story, Howard serves as the primary antagonist. Initially, he presents himself as an ally to the protagonists, Tim Goodman and Detective Pikachu, by claiming that his own son, Roger, is the criminal mastermind behind the dangerous drug R and the disappearance of Tim’s father. He manipulates Tim and Pikachu into finding the powerful mythical Pokémon Mewtwo by providing them with false evidence and a seemingly heartfelt plea for help. His true role is revealed in the film’s climax: he is the secret financier behind Pokémon Comprehensive Laboratories, the creator of the R gas, and the mastermind seeking to use Mewtwo’s powers to transfer human consciousness into Pokémon bodies. He is responsible for attempting to assassinate Harry Goodman when the detective discovered the truth.

His most significant relationship is with his son, Roger, which is strained and adversarial. Howard neglected his son while focusing on his grand visions and Pokémon, leading Roger to accuse him of being a narcissist. Howard ultimately reveals his lack of familial loyalty by having his assistant impersonate Roger and framing his own son for the entire conspiracy to divert suspicion from himself. His other key relationship is with his loyal assistant, Ms. Norman, who is revealed to be a genetically modified Ditto. This Ditto, part of Howard's experiments, possesses the unique ability to transform perfectly into any human, allowing Howard to maintain his alibi and stay one step ahead of his enemies. He also hired detective Harry Goodman to capture Mewtwo, but later tried to kill Harry to protect his plans, creating the central conflict of the narrative.

The character undergoes a clear development from a respected philanthropist to an exposed villain. His physical decline due to his disease is what sparks his radical ideology. As his plan unfolds, he discards all pretense of kindness, demonstrating a cold and arrogant nature when he believes victory is certain. His desperation is shown when he attempts to physically kill Pikachu after his psychic takeover is threatened. Ultimately, his development ends in failure; his plan to merge the city is reversed by a freed Mewtwo, and he is last seen being arrested and escorted away by the police in his wheelchair.

Howard Clifford possesses no inherent Pokémon trainer combat abilities, but his power comes from his intellect, wealth, and technology. His notable abilities include the use of advanced holographic technology to create deceptive recreations of events. He also utilizes a neural link device that allows him to transfer his entire consciousness from his frail human body into the body of Mewtwo, granting him full access to the legendary Pokémon’s immense psychic powers. Furthermore, his organization commands a squad of genetically modified Greninja and has created colossal Torterras through unethical growth experiments. His most unique asset is his Ditto, which serves as a perfect spy and impersonator, capable of replacing key individuals to manipulate the city’s leadership.