Bulbasaur

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Bulbasaur
National Pokédex None - Bulbasaur (#001) - Ivysaur Johto Pokédex Snorlax - Bulbasaur (#226) - Ivysaur
Japanese name	Fushigidane
Evolves from	None
Evolves into	Ivysaur
Generation	First
Species	Seed Pokémon
Type	Grass / Poison
Height	2 ft 4 in (0.7 m)
Weight	15.2 lb (6.9 kg)
Ability	Overgrow

Bulbasaur (フシギダネ, Bulbasaur^? Fushigidane in original Japanese language versions) are the first of the 493 of Pokémon creatures from the Japanese Pokémon media franchise. Designed by Ken Sugimori,^[1] Bulbasaur debuted in 1996 in Pocket Monsters Aka, the first Pokémon video game. They are small, squat, vaguely reptilian creatures that move on all fours. They have light blue-green bodies with darker blue-green spots. As a Bulbasaur undergoes evolution, the bulb on its back blossoms into a flower.

Bulbasaur are a prominent species, since they are one of the first Pokémon that can be obtained in the first Pokémon video games and they appear often in the Pokémon anime. The name Bulbasaur refers to the species as a whole, as well as individual characters in the games, anime and manga. The name is combination of "bulb", the object on its back, and "dinosaur", referring to the ancient reptile-like creatures. The Japanese name Fushigidane is a portmanteau of the Japanese words for mystery or miracle (不思議, fushigi^?) and seed (種, tane^?), and can additionally translate to "Strange, isn't it?" (不思議だね, Fushigi da ne^?).

[edit] Appearances in games

Bulbasaur play a key role in the original Pokémon video games, RPG strategy games created by Satoshi Tajiri for the Nintendo Game Boy. In the first-generation Pokémon games, the player may choose Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle as his or her first (or "Starter") Pokémon. If the player chooses a Bulbasaur, the protagonist’s rival will choose a Charmander,^[2] since Charmander have a type advantage over Bulbasaur.^[3]

In Pokémon Yellow, Bulbasaur becomes available later in the game as a gift in Cerulean City where players must defeat Misty the gym leader of Cerulean Gym, following the Pokémon anime storyline.^[4] Bulbasaur is not available in any of the other games in the series, except in the enhanced remakes, FireRed and LeafGreen. Bulbasaur is also one of the random Pokémon available in Pokémon Stadium as a prize for defeating all of the Gym Leaders (major game opponents) and the Elite Four (the highest level of competition).

[edit] Biological characteristics

The Pokédexes of the video games and anime say that a seed was planted on Bulbasaur's back at birth. This seed then sprouts and grows larger as the Bulbasaur grows. This is reflected during evolution into Ivysaur, followed by Venusaur. The bulb is said to absorb sunlight, which Bulbasaur needed in order to grow up; for this reason, Bulbasaurs enjoy soaking up the sun's rays. Bulbasaur, through these stored nutrients, can survive for days without eating.^[5]

When battling in the video games and anime, Bulbasaur can release the stored solar energy as a powerful Solarbeam attack. Bulbasaur can also attack using seeds from this bulb, sapping health from the opponent. Bulbasaur are able to extend two vines from themselves, both for attacking and for manipulating objects.

[edit] In the video games

A Bulbasaur (left) in a battle with a Charmander in Pokémon Red^[6]

Bulbasaur have the ability to undergo evolution, a metamorphic change within a Pokémon caused by gaining experience in battle, twice. They can evolve first into their middle forms, Ivysaur, from level 16 onwards, and again into Venusaur, their final forms, beginning at level 32, with both evolutions giving them a significant power boost in all statistical areas.^[7] Bulbasaur, like most unevolved Pokémon, learn moves at a faster rate than their evolved forms. After they learn new moves, they can simply be allowed to evolve, taking advantage of both the advanced techniques and the power increase.^[8]

Bulbasaur are not found in the wild in any version. As a result of their rarity, they are highly prized, despite their lack of battle prowess before evolving. Because one goal in a Pokémon RPG is to “catch ’em all”, any player of Pokémon Red or Blue who does not select a Bulbasaur at the beginning of the game must trade with someone else who has one. For this reason, Bulbasaur (and other Starter Pokémon like Cyndaquil and Mudkip) are popularly bred for trading with other players. This feature was introduced in the second generation, and subsequent games contain locations where Pokémon can be bred to produce eggs, which hatch into Pokémon matching the mother’s earliest stage of development.

Bulbasaur appear as a playable Pokémon in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon. They also make minor and cameo appearances in several other Nintendo games, Pokémon-centric and otherwise. In the Nintendo 64 game Pokémon Snap, players assuming the identity of a Pokémon photographer find Bulbasaur along the River course, and three Ditto disguised as Bulbasaur in the Cave course.^[9] Bulbasaur also show up in Hey You, Pikachu! and Pokémon Channel. In these first-person games, players are put in the role of children too young to become Trainers, who befriend a wild Pikachu and other Pokémon. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, a fighting game starring well-known Nintendo characters, a Bulbasaur appears as a trophy which the player can acquire through the in-game lottery by spending coins, known as “Smash Coins”, earned while playing.^[10]

[edit] In the Pokémon anime

The Pokémon anime series and films are a set of adventures separate from most other versions of Pokémon, featuring Ash Ketchum as the main character, and following his quest to become a Pokémon Master. He and his companions travel around the Pokémon world battling other Pokémon Trainers. To this end, Ash and his friend May have each trained a Bulbasaur (at different times), although Ash’s was featured for a much longer period. Despite how long Ash kept his Bulbasaur, it, like his Squirtle and Pikachu, refuses to evolve.^[11]

Ash’s Bulbasaur has remained with him longer than any of his other Pokémon with the exception of his Pikachu, the first Pokémon on his team. Before joining his team, it lived with a girl named Melanie, who took care of abandoned Pokémon. It is unclear whether or not this Bulbasaur had been abandoned, but Melanie was not its Trainer, she was merely a friend.^[12] Originally, this Bulbasaur was pessimistic about Ash, and when it and his other Pokémon were separated from him, it insisted to the other Pokémon that he had abandoned them.^[13] However, following this episode, its loyalties began to improve and it eventually became one of Ash’s most faithful Pokémon.^[14]

Like all Pokémon in the anime (except Mewtwo, a particular Meowth, Lucario, and a certain Slowking), Bulbasaur cannot speak and are only able to communicate verbally by repeating syllables of their species name (“bulb”, “bulba”, “saur”), using different pitches, tones and body language to convey moods. From this, however, a Bulbasaur’s Trainer can usually understand what it is saying. Ash and his early companions were the first humans to witness a Bulbasaur evolution ceremony, in which all the Bulbasaur in the world gather in one place in order to evolve into Ivysaur.^[15]

As in the games, Pokémon Trainers can carry a maximum of 6 Pokémon in their active roster at any one time. Ash’s Bulbasaur remained on his active roster for much of the series, but was later left with Professor Oak, after other Pokémon in Oak’s care started fighting amongst themselves. Bulbasaur was the only Pokémon able to break up these fights, and the fights would resume if it were to leave.^[16]

Ash Ketchum’s Bulbasaur in episode 51 of the Pokémon anime

Nintendo has stated that, unlike the video games, Pokémon in the anime are genderless with a few exceptions. Bulbasaur typically has a relaxed attitude, rarely allowing itself to be provoked. This is in sharp contrast to its teammate Squirtle, which tends to act rashly. Like Ash’s Pikachu, this Bulbasaur has decided it prefers not to evolve. Although this decision was not accepted by other Bulbasaur at first, they have come to respect its wishes.

During the grass field battle of the Indigo League tournament, a battle competition that takes place on the Indigo Plateau, Ash’s Bulbasaur defeated two of the opponent’s three Pokémon on its own (a Beedrill and a Scyther), despite little fighting experience as a part of Ash’s team (and the fact that, in the video game, both of those Pokémon would have a significant type advantage over a Grass-type like Bulbasaur). It also took part in the Orange League Tournament; however, it was quickly defeated by a more experienced Electabuzz, making it the only Pokémon on Ketchum’s team not to defeat at least one of the opposition’s Pokémon. Later, in the Johto League Silver Conference, Bulbasaur was able to defeat a particularly strong shiny Magneton, and then in the same match, duel a freshly-rested Meganium to a draw.^[17] Bulbasaur is one of only three of Ash’s original Pokémon (the others being Snorlax and Charizard) to appear so far in the English dubs of the Advanced Generation episodes, which are the most recent incarnation of the Pokémon anime.

Another featured Bulbasaur is the fourth Pokémon caught by May during her Hoenn adventures. While traveling in the Forbidden Forest (a Grass Pokémon reserve), she finds it trying to pick flowers. It warms to her and defends her against the other Grass Pokémon, who see her as a threat. When May leaves, Bulbasaur decides to go with her. Like May’s other Pokémon, it is a contest Pokémon. Pokémon Contests within the series are dog show-type events in which Pokémon compete to demonstrate style to a panel of judges. For this reason, it is taught the Petal Dance attack, a flashy move which garners high scores from the judges. May's Bulbasaur has a heart-shaped marking on its forehead, which may hint that her Bulbasaur is female.

Since May's Bulbasaur fell in love with Ash's Bulbasaur, both Bulbasaur are now with Professor Oak.

In the Japanese version, Ash's Bulbasaur is voiced by Megumi Hayashibara, while May's Bulbasaur is voiced by Miyako Itō. In the English version, they are both voiced by Tara Jayne.

[edit] Pokémon Trading Card Game

Bulbasaur in the Pokémon Trading Card Game (Base set)

The Pokémon Trading Card Game is a collectible card game similar in goal to a Pokémon battle in the video game series; players must use cards (with individual strengths and weaknesses) in an attempt to defeat their opponent by "knocking out" all of his cards.^[18] The game was first published in North America by Wizards of the Coast in 1999, until Nintendo USA started publishing the series in 2003.^[19]

In this capacity, Bulbasaur was among the first Pokémon cards with which players became acquainted. Bulbasaur cards have appeared in the Base Set (and Base Set 2 and Legendary Collection), Gym Challenge (as Erika’s Bulbasaur), Expedition (two cards), EX Team Magma vs. Team Aqua, and EX FireRed & LeafGreen (two cards). Considering the notability and popularity of Bulbasaur, the Pokémon had relatively few appearances in the early card series. In particular, the Rocket set contained Charmander and Squirtle cards, but no Bulbasaur.^[20] Bulbasaur has begun to make more frequent appearances in the recent expansions, starting with the Expedition set. Most Bulbasaur cards are of the “common” frequency (see image) and can generally be found with relative ease. There is however a "misprint" of Bulbasaur in the original set where instead of saying "length 2'4, weight 15 lbs" it says "length 2'4, length 15 lbs".^[21]

[edit] Pokémon manga

Bulbasaur is also featured in several Pokémon manga. In Pokémon: Pikachu Shocks Back, Electric Pikachu Boogaloo, and Surf’s Up, Pikachu!, which loosely parallel the storyline of the anime, Pikachu is separated from Ash temporarily, and travels with a Bulbasaur to a secret Pokémon village in the mountains. Later, Ash has caught a Bulbasaur of his own, which he uses in its first appearance to battle Team Rocket. While Ash and his companions take time off to work odd jobs, his Bulbasaur challenges an Ivysaur’s belief in a guardian Venusaur spirit, and the two scale an enormous, ancient tree to settle the matter. Bulbasaur accompanies Ash throughout his journeys in the Orange Islands, and eventually fights in the final showdown with Drake, the Orange Crew Supreme Gym Leader. In Magical Pokémon Journey, a character named Pistachio has a female Bulbasaur (nicknamed “Danerina” in the Japanese version), who has a crush on him.^[22]

Red received a Bulbasaur, which he nicknamed "Saur", in the Pokémon Adventures manga, and manga based on the original games, from Professor Oak, in Chapter 1, "VS. Mew".^[23] It battled alongside Red, until Chapter 15, "Wartortle Wars", when it evolved into an Ivysaur, after battling a wild Mankey.^[24] In Chapter 30, "Zap, Zap, Zapdos!", Red used his Saur to defeat Lt. Surge's Zapdos, using its Razor Leaf attack to cut the cables that joined the Team Rocket Executive and the legendary bird.^[25] In Chapter 33, "The Winged Legends", Red's Ivysaur evolved into a Venusaur to team up with Green's Charizard and Blue's Blastoise, Turtley, to defeat Sabrina's Zapmolcuno (a merged form of Zapdos, Moltres and Articuno) and destroy Team Rocket's control on Saffron City, splitting the three birds in the process.^[26]

[edit] Bulbasaur in other media

Bulbasaur is also the main character of two children’s books, Pokémon Tales, Volume 3: Bulbasaur’s Trouble and Bulbasaur’s Bad Day, that were published in 1999 and 2000 respectively by Sagebrush. In Pokémon Tales, Volume 3: Bulbasaur’s Trouble, Bulbasaur resolves an argument between the other Pokémon.^[27] In Bulbasaur’s Bad Day, Meowth traps Bulbasaur in a pit and it has to outwit Team Rocket (the antagonists of the anime) to escape.^[28]

In Japan, McDonald’s included Bulbasaur as one of a series of promotional Pokémon cards given away with their Happy Meals.^[29] McDonald’s did not, however, extend this idea outside Japan. Instead, a rival company, Burger King, took up the cause: their “Power Cards” included a Bulbasaur, alongside Elekid, Charmander, Meowth, Nidoking, Kingler, Snorlax, Lapras, Scyther, Articuno and Pikachu in “Assortment 3”.

[edit] Notes and references

[edit] External links

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• Official Pokémon website
• Bulbasaur as a species on Bulbapedia (a Pokémon-centric wiki)
  • Ash's Bulbasaur on Bulbapedia
  • May's Bulbasaur on Bulbapedia
  • Pistachio's Bulbasaur (Danerina) on Bulbapedia
• Bulbasaur’s fourth-generation Pokédex entry on Serebii.net
• Pokémon Dungeon Pokédex entry, full of statistical analysis
• PsyPoke Pokédex entry
• Bulbasaur in The Pokémon Encyclopedia
• Smogon Bulbasaur tactical data
• WikiKnowledge.net’s entry for Bulbasaur Previously hosted by Wikibooks