81 Fun Facts About Pokemon

What is the first Pokemon listed in the National Pokedex?

Bulbasaur is #001 in the National Pokedex. Despite Pikachu being the franchise mascot, Bulbasaur holds the honor of being the very first entry.

What type is Pikachu?

Pikachu is a pure Electric-type Pokemon, known for its signature move Thunderbolt. It has been the franchise mascot since the anime debuted in 1997.

Which Pokemon does Ash Ketchum receive as his first partner in the anime?

Ash overslept and missed getting one of the three traditional starters from Professor Oak. Instead, he received Pikachu, who was initially reluctant to obey him.

What are the names of the two human villains from Team Rocket who follow Ash throughout the anime?

Jessie and James, along with their talking Meowth, are the iconic Team Rocket trio. Their names are a play on the outlaw Jesse James.

How many original Pokemon were there in Generation I?

Generation I featured 151 Pokemon, from Bulbasaur (#001) to Mew (#151). Mew was a secret Pokemon added to the game at the last minute by programmer Shigeki Morimoto.

What does Pikachu evolve into?

Pikachu evolves into Raichu when exposed to a Thunder Stone. In Generation VII, an Alolan form of Raichu was introduced that is Electric/Psychic type.

What is the name of the region where Pokemon Red and Blue take place?

Kanto is the setting for the original Pokemon Red and Blue games. It is based on the real Kanto region of Japan, which includes Tokyo.

What is the evolved form of Charmander?

Charmander evolves into Charmeleon at level 16. Charmeleon then evolves into the fan-favorite Charizard at level 36.

Which type is super effective against Water-type Pokemon?

Grass-type and Electric-type moves are super effective against Water-type Pokemon. This is one of the fundamental type matchups in the series.

What is the name of the professor who gives you your first Pokemon in the Kanto region?

Professor Samuel Oak is the Pokemon researcher who gives trainers their starter Pokemon in Kanto. All Pokemon professors are named after trees.

What item is used to catch wild Pokemon?

The Poke Ball is the basic item for catching wild Pokemon. The franchise features many variants including Great Balls, Ultra Balls, and the Master Ball.

Which Pokemon is known as the 'Balloon Pokemon' and often floats away?

Drifloon is the Balloon Pokemon, a Ghost/Flying type introduced in Generation IV. Its Pokedex entries infamously mention it trying to drag children away.

In Pokemon Gold and Silver, what new type was introduced alongside Dark?

Steel type was introduced in Generation II (Gold and Silver) alongside Dark type. Both were added to balance the overpowered Psychic type from Generation I.

What is the maximum number of Pokemon a trainer can carry in their party at one time?

Trainers can carry a maximum of 6 Pokemon in their party. Additional captured Pokemon are sent to the PC storage system.

Which legendary Pokemon is on the cover of Pokemon Red?

Charizard appears on the cover of Pokemon Red (and later FireRed). While not a legendary Pokemon, Charizard is one of the most iconic and popular Pokemon in the franchise.

How many Eevee evolutions (Eeveelutions) exist as of Generation IX?

There are 8 Eeveelutions: Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon (Gen I), Espeon, Umbreon (Gen II), Leafeon, Glaceon (Gen IV), and Sylveon (Gen VI). No new ones were added in Generations VII-IX.

What Pokemon is number 150 in the original Pokedex?

Mewtwo is #150, while its genetic predecessor Mew is #151. Mewtwo was created through genetic manipulation of Mew's DNA.

Which gym leader is the first one battled in Pokemon Red and Blue?

Brock is the Pewter City Gym Leader and the first gym leader in Red and Blue. He specializes in Rock-type Pokemon, including his signature Onix.

What mobile game caused a global phenomenon when it launched in July 2016?

Pokemon Go launched in July 2016 and became a worldwide sensation, reaching 500 million downloads within two months. It used augmented reality to let players catch Pokemon in the real world.

What is the name of the villainous team in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire that wants to expand the ocean?

Team Aqua wants to expand the ocean by awakening Kyogre, while their rivals Team Magma want to expand the land using Groudon. Team Aqua is led by Archie.

Which Pokemon is known for sleeping and blocking paths in the game?

Snorlax is famous for blocking Route 12 and Route 16 in the original games. Players need a Poke Flute to wake it up. At 1,014 lbs, it is one of the heaviest non-legendary Pokemon.

What type was added in Pokemon X and Y (Generation VI)?

The Fairy type was introduced in Generation VI to balance the overpowered Dragon type. Several existing Pokemon like Clefairy, Jigglypuff, and Marill were retroactively given the Fairy type.

What is the name of the region in Pokemon Sword and Shield?

Galar is the region in Pokemon Sword and Shield, based on Great Britain. It introduced Dynamaxing and featured stadiums inspired by British football culture.

Which Pokemon evolves based on the time of day in Gold and Silver?

Eevee evolves into Espeon during the day and Umbreon at night when it has high friendship. This mechanic was introduced with the day/night cycle in Generation II.

What is the trio of legendary birds from Generation I?

Articuno (Ice/Flying), Zapdos (Electric/Flying), and Moltres (Fire/Flying) are the legendary bird trio. Their names contain the Spanish words for one, two, and three (uno, dos, tres).

What move does Magikarp famously learn that makes it seem useless?

Magikarp is notorious for only knowing Splash, a move that literally does nothing. However, training a Magikarp to level 20 rewards you with the powerful Gyarados.

What stone is used to evolve Eevee into Flareon?

A Fire Stone evolves Eevee into Flareon. Similarly, a Water Stone gives Vaporeon and a Thunder Stone gives Jolteon. These were the original three Eeveelutions.

In Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, what is the name of the open-world region?

Paldea is the region in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, based on the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). It was the franchise's first fully open-world mainline game.

Which Pokemon can Mega Evolve into two different forms depending on the game version?

Charizard has two Mega Evolutions: Mega Charizard X (Fire/Dragon, physical attacker) and Mega Charizard Y (Fire/Flying, special attacker). Mewtwo also has two Mega forms, but Charizard is the more iconic example.

What is the name of the feature in Pokemon Gold and Silver that lets players breed Pokemon?

The Pokemon Day Care was introduced in Gen I for leveling, but breeding was added in Gen II. Players leave two compatible Pokemon and can receive an Egg. It was renamed to Pokemon Nursery in Gen VII.

Who created Pokemon?

Satoshi Tajiri created Pokemon, inspired by his childhood hobby of collecting insects. The protagonist Satoshi (Ash in English) is named after him. Ken Sugimori designed the original Pokemon.

What is the Ghost-type Pokemon that is actually a dead Marowak in Pokemon Red and Blue?

In the Pokemon Tower in Lavender Town, players encounter the ghost of a Marowak that was killed by Team Rocket. It cannot be caught and must be put to rest. It's one of the most emotional moments in the original games.

What is the rarest type combination in Generation I?

Ghost/Poison was exclusive to the Gastly line (Gastly, Haunter, Gengar) in Generation I. This typing was unusual because it made them weak to Psychic despite being Ghost-types.

What does 'EV' stand for in Pokemon competitive training?

EVs (Effort Values) are hidden stats gained by defeating specific Pokemon. Each Pokemon species yields specific EVs, and a Pokemon can have a maximum of 510 total EVs, with 252 max in any single stat.

What is the chance of encountering a shiny Pokemon in Generation II through V?

The base shiny encounter rate in Generations II through V was 1 in 8,192. Starting in Generation VI, this was doubled to 1 in 4,096. Various methods like the Masuda Method and Shiny Charm can further increase odds.

In competitive Pokemon, what does the ability 'Intimidate' do when a Pokemon enters battle?

Intimidate lowers the opposing Pokemon's Attack stat by one stage when the ability holder enters battle. It's one of the most competitively valuable abilities, commonly seen on Gyarados, Landorus-Therian, and Incineroar.

Which Pokemon was the first to be designed for the franchise?

Rhydon was the first Pokemon ever designed by Ken Sugimori. Evidence includes its #001 internal index number in Red and Blue, and early sprite placeholder data. Rhydon statues appear throughout Gen I games.

What move has the highest base power in the entire series (excluding Z-Moves and Max Moves)?

Explosion has a base power of 250, making it the highest base power move in the series (excluding special mechanics). However, the user faints after using it, making it a last-resort option.

Which generation introduced the Physical/Special split, separating moves by individual move rather than type?

Generation IV (Diamond and Pearl, 2006) introduced the Physical/Special split. Before this, all moves of a type were either physical or special. This was a massive competitive balance change.

In the Pokemon Trading Card Game, what was the most valuable card from the original Base Set?

The 1st Edition Holographic Charizard from the Base Set is the most iconic and valuable card from the original run. A PSA 10 Gem Mint copy sold for $420,000 in 2022. The Pikachu Illustrator card is more valuable overall but was a separate promotional card, not from the Base Set.

What is the only Pokemon type that has no weaknesses due to its ability (Levitate excluded)?

Pure Electric types with no secondary typing only have one weakness: Ground. However, the question refers to Eelektross, which is pure Electric with the ability Levitate, making it immune to Ground and thus having zero weaknesses. It was the only Pokemon with no weaknesses until Fairy-type was introduced.

Which Elite Four member in Generation I specializes in Dragon-type Pokemon?

Lance is the Dragon-type specialist and final member of the Kanto Elite Four. In Generation I, the Dragonite line was the only Dragon-type family, so Lance also uses Gyarados and Aerodactyl.

What programming bug in Pokemon Red and Blue allows players to encounter MissingNo?

The Old Man glitch works because the game stores the player's name in the wild encounter data buffer during the tutorial. Flying to Cinnabar Island's east coast, where encounter data isn't refreshed, causes the game to read the player's name as encounter data, producing MissingNo and other glitch Pokemon.

What is the base stat total of Arceus?

Arceus has a base stat total of 720, with 120 in every single stat. It was the highest BST in the game until Mega Evolutions and Eternamax Eternatus. Arceus is known as the 'Original One' who created the Pokemon universe.

In competitive Pokemon (Smogon Singles), which tier sits between OU and RU?

The Smogon tier system goes: Ubers > OU (OverUsed) > UU (UnderUsed) > RU (RarelyUsed) > NU (NeverUsed) > PU > ZU. UU sits directly between OU and RU.

What is the only Pokemon move that can hit a target during the semi-invulnerable turn of Fly in Generation I?

In Generation I, Thunder could hit Pokemon during the semi-invulnerable turn of Fly. Swift, despite being described as never missing, could not hit during Fly in Gen I. Gust and Twister gained this ability in later generations.

What was the internal development code name for Pokemon during its creation at Game Freak?

Pokemon was originally conceived as 'Capsule Monsters' (Kapuseru Monsutaa) by Satoshi Tajiri. Trademark issues forced a name change to 'Pocket Monsters,' which was then shortened to 'Pokemon.'

Which Pokemon has the highest base Speed stat of any non-Mega, non-legendary Pokemon?

Ninjask has a base Speed of 160, the highest of any non-Mega, non-legendary Pokemon. It also has the ability Speed Boost, which raises its Speed by one stage at the end of each turn.

In Generation I, Psychic-type Pokemon were only weak to which type(s)?

While Psychic was supposed to be weak to Ghost and Bug, a programming error in Generation I made Psychic immune to Ghost instead of weak to it. Combined with the only Bug moves being weak (Leech Life, Pin Missile, Twineedle), Psychic had effectively no real counters.

How many years did it take to develop the original Pokemon Red and Green before their Japanese release in 1996?

Development of Pokemon Red and Green took approximately 6 years, from 1990 to 1996. Game Freak nearly went bankrupt during this period. Satoshi Tajiri and his team worked without salary at times, sustained by side projects.

Which pair of games marked the debut of the Pokémon franchise in Japan?

Pokémon Red and Green were the first games released in Japan on February 27, 1996. Pokémon Red and Blue were the localized versions for international release.

What was the first Pokémon Ash Ketchum officially received from Professor Oak in the anime?

Ash Ketchum overslept and missed his chance to choose a Kanto starter, instead receiving a mischievous Pikachu as his first Pokémon from Professor Oak.

Which of these Pokémon is NOT part of the original legendary bird trio from the Kanto region?

The legendary bird trio of Kanto consists of Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. Lugia is a legendary Pokémon associated with the Johto region.

A Pokémon of the Water type is typically vulnerable to attacks from which of the following types?

Water-type Pokémon take super effective damage from Electric and Grass-type moves, while resisting Fire, Water, Ice, and Steel.

Which of these Eevee evolutions is typically achieved by exposing Eevee to a Water Stone?

Vaporeon evolves from Eevee when exposed to a Water Stone. Jolteon requires a Thunder Stone, Flareon a Fire Stone, and Espeon evolves with high friendship during the day.

Which region, introduced in Generation VI, is largely inspired by France?

The Kalos region, introduced in Generation VI with Pokémon X and Y, is heavily inspired by France, with landmarks like Lumiose City resembling Paris.

What is the signature ability of Mega Rayquaza, which creates strong winds that weaken Flying-type weaknesses?

Mega Rayquaza's unique ability, Delta Stream, creates mysterious strong winds that reduce the damage taken by Flying-type Pokémon from super-effective moves.

Which Professor in the Kalos region specializes in the study of Mega Evolution?

Professor Augustine Sycamore is the Pokémon Professor of the Kalos region, and he specializes in the research of Evolution and Mega Evolution.

Which held item increases the critical hit ratio of the Pokémon holding it?

The Scope Lens is a held item that increases the critical hit ratio of the Pokémon holding it, boosting the chance of landing a critical hit in battle.

The move 'Toxic' inflicts what type of status condition that worsens over turns?

Toxic inflicts 'bad poison' on the target, a status condition where the amount of HP lost at the end of each turn increases progressively.

Which region is based on the Hawaiian Islands?

The Alola region, introduced in Generation VII, is a tropical archipelago heavily inspired by the Hawaiian Islands.

Which of these is the signature ability of Shedinja, making it immune to all damaging moves that are not super effective?

Wonder Guard is Shedinja's signature ability, which makes it immune to all direct damaging moves unless they are super effective against it.

Who is the Dragon-type Elite Four member and later Champion of the Indigo Plateau?

Lance is a renowned Dragon-type trainer who serves as a member of the Elite Four and later becomes the Champion of the Indigo Plateau, covering both Kanto and Johto regions.

Which of these Pokémon is a starter in the Kanto region?

In the Kanto region, Professor Oak traditionally offers trainers a choice between Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle as their first partner Pokémon.

What is the name of the villainous organization in the Kanto region games?

Team Rocket is the notorious criminal organization that operates in the Kanto and Johto regions, often trying to steal rare Pokémon and dominate the world.

What is one of the primary types of the Legendary Pokémon Eternatus?

Eternatus, a Legendary Pokémon introduced in Generation VIII, is a dual-type Poison/Dragon Pokémon.

In which town is Professor Oak's Laboratory located?

Professor Oak's Laboratory, where trainers receive their first Pokémon, is famously located in Pallet Town in the Kanto region.

What are the two primary types of the Pokémon Charizard?

Despite its dragon-like appearance, Charizard is a Fire/Flying-type Pokémon. It only gains the Dragon type in one of its Mega Evolution forms.

Which Pokémon is known for its ability to perfectly mimic other Pokémon?

Ditto is a unique Normal-type Pokémon renowned for its Transform ability, allowing it to perfectly copy the appearance and moveset of any other Pokémon it sees.

How many Gym Badges does a trainer typically need to collect to challenge the Elite Four in most main series Pokémon games?

In most main series Pokémon games, trainers must collect eight Gym Badges from a region's Gym Leaders before they are eligible to challenge the Elite Four.

Who is the main antagonist in the Pokémon Sword and Shield games?

Chairman Rose is the charismatic leader of the Galar Pokémon League and the primary antagonist in Pokémon Sword and Shield, whose plans involve harnessing the power of Eternatus.

What region features Cyndaquil, Totodile, and Chikorita as its starter Pokémon?

Cyndaquil, Totodile, and Chikorita are the Fire, Water, and Grass-type starter Pokémon, respectively, for the Johto region, introduced in Generation II of the Pokémon games.

Which of these legendary Pokémon is primarily associated with the control of time?

Dialga is the Legendary Pokémon known as the Temporal Pokémon, possessing the power to control time. Its counterpart, Palkia, controls space, and Giratina is associated with antimatter.

What Pokémon type is super effective against both Grass and Psychic types?

Bug-type moves are super effective against both Grass and Psychic-type Pokémon, dealing increased damage to them in battle.

Which Pokémon Professor is well-known for their research into Pokémon habitats and distribution?

Professor Birch, the Pokémon Professor of the Hoenn region, specializes in studying Pokémon habitats and their distribution across different environments.

Who was Ash Ketchum's very first traveling companion in the Kanto region in the Pokémon anime?

Misty, a Water-type Pokémon Trainer and Gym Leader, was the first companion Ash Ketchum met and traveled with during his journey through the Kanto region.

Which of these held items allows a Pokémon to recover a small amount of HP each turn?

Leftovers are a held item that restores 1/16 of the holder's maximum HP at the end of each turn, regardless of their type. Black Sludge provides a similar effect only for Poison-type Pokémon.

Which of these Pokémon abilities powers up a specific type of move when the Pokémon's HP is low?

Overgrow is an ability that boosts the power of Grass-type moves when the Pokémon's HP drops to 1/3 or less of its maximum. Similar abilities exist for Fire (Blaze), Water (Torrent), and Bug (Swarm) types.

Which of these Pokémon evolves by being traded while holding a Metal Coat?

Scyther evolves into Scizor when traded while holding the Metal Coat item. Onix also evolves into Steelix under the same conditions.

The Pokémon region of Alola is primarily inspired by what real-world location?

The Alola region, known for its tropical islands and unique regional forms of Pokémon, is heavily inspired by the real-world Hawaiian islands.

Which of these Pokémon is commonly referred to as the 'Electric Mouse Pokémon' and serves as the franchise mascot?

Pikachu is widely recognized as the 'Electric Mouse Pokémon' and is the official mascot of the entire Pokémon franchise, appearing in numerous games, anime, and merchandise.