Kenny is a Pokémon Coordinator and has known Dawn since they were young children. Like Dawn, he is also from Twinleaf Town. He is constantly teasing Dawn and calling her Dee Dee, Pikari (ピカリ), a nickname he came up with one day after she got shocked by the classes Plusle and Minun which caused her hair to go all frizzly and sparkle. "Pikapika" is an onomatopoeia for "sparkling" and she was given the nickname by him.
After obtaining the 5 required ribbons, he participated in the Sinnoh Grand Festival at the Lakeside Resort. Unfortunately he was unable to advance past the Appeal round as his Empoleon's Luster Cannon proved to be too powerful for his Floatzel to defend.