Charizard | |
---|---|
File:6charizard.png National Pokédex Charmeleon - Charizard (#006) - Squirtle Johto Pokédex Charmeleon - Charizard (#231) - Squirtle | |
Japanese name | Lizardon |
Evolves from | Charmeleon |
Evolves into | None |
Generation | First |
Species | Flame Pokémon |
Type | Fire / Flying |
Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
Weight | 199.5 pounds (90.5 kg) |
Ability | Blaze |
Charizard (リザードン, Rizādon, Lizardon) is one of the Template:Pokenum fictional species of Pokémon creatures from the multi-billion-dollar[1] Pokémon media franchise – a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards and other media, created by Satoshi Tajiri. Charizard are famous for evolving from one of the three species of Pokémon players can choose from at the beginning of their adventure in the Pokémon Red and Blue (and their remakes, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen) versions of the Pokémon series. The purpose of them in the games, anime and manga, as with all other Pokémon, is to battle both wild Pokémon, untamed creatures encountered while the player passes through various environments, and tamed Pokémon owned by Pokémon trainers.[2]
Charizard’s name is a portmanteau of char, relating to the act of the incinerating objects with flames,[3] and lizard, a long bodied reptile.[4][5] The Japanese name, Lizardon, is a combination of the word lizard (リザー, rizaa) and the Japanese word don (ドン).[6] The name Charizard refers to both the overall species, and to individual Charizard within the games, anime and manga series.
Characteristics
In the Pokémon universe, Charizard resembles a dragon with two horns on its head. Unlike its evolutionary predecessors Charmander and Charmeleon, it has a pair of powerful wings, giving it the ability to fly at altitudes approaching 4,600 ft, supplementing the fiery breath it inherits from its earlier forms. It’s breath is even hotter than Charmeleon’s though: at full blast it can melt solid rock or 10,000 ton glaciers. Wild Charizard tend to focus on finding worthy challengers. It has a strong sense of honor, relying on its claws and strength to hunt or ward off lesser foes and using its flaming breath only on opponents it sees as equals. Nevertheless, it has such powerful flames that accidental or careless use of its flame has been known to cause forest fires and other disasters.[7]. They spits flaming hot fire, hot enough to melt boulders. When attmepting to blow steaming hot fire, the flame on its tail burns more intensely. When it gets angry, the flame then flares and turns whiteish blue. Its breathe is so hot, it can melt almost anything, and cause a terrible pain on its enemies. The temperature of its breathe increases when it becomes more experienced. [8]
In the video games
The Pokémon video games were RPG strategy games created by Satoshi Tajiri, originally in Japanese but translated into other languages, that was originally released on the Nintendo Game Boy. Worldwide, these games, and their sequels, have sold over 143 million units, making them the one of Nintendo’s most popular game franchises, second only to the adventures of Mario.[1] The games are divided by release into generations, each with three or more games, often only subtly different, which follow the same basic plot in different areas of the Pokémon world, each generation building on the game play mechanics with new features. As the main character, the player’s task is to direct his or her Pokémon to battle the opponent’s Pokémon, creating a scenario which has been likened to cockfighting. However, in all media, Pokémon emphasizes the nature of these fights as competition rather than brutality.[9]
Charizard, as one of the first-generation Pokémon and an evolution of a starter Pokémon (the second evolution of Charmander), is regularly used in player vs. player battles (battles between two players, via the link cable). It is commonly used for its high attack statistic, which makes its wide variety of physical attacks very strong. While it has a higher special attack statistic than attack statistic, it is more commonly used for its physical attacks, as it has a poor special movepool consisting of only a few attacks like Flamethrower and Dragon Claw, as compared to its physical movepool, where it can utilise Earthquake, Rock Slide and Swords Dance to great effect.[10]
In particular, some players like to use a setup known as "Bellyzard" which utilizes a move called Belly Drum to greatly increase its Attack power while lowering its HP.[10] Dropping the health to half or below activates a hold item called a Salac Berry, which increases the speed of the holder when their HP halfs.[11] With high speed and high attack, it proceeds to defeat each opposing Pokémon in turn before the enemy can use any kind of counterattack, known as "sweeping".[12] In FireRed and LeafGreen, it is also capable of learning Blast Burn, an extremely powerful Fire attack that is comparable to Hyper Beam. Like Hyper Beam, Blast Burn has a very high attack power, but requires missing one turn of battle after its use. Only the Charizard evolutionary line can learn this attack in-game,[13] via the Cape Brink move tutor in the Sevii Islands.
Its combination of Fire and Flying attacks protect it from Ground-type attacks, one of the most commonly-exploited weaknesses of Fire, while augmenting some of Fire’s resistances. Flying-types, including Charizard, are immune to Ground-type attacks, such as Earthquake. Its Flying type also makes it doubly resistant to Bug and Grass attacks, and adds a resistance to Fighting-type attacks. These advantages really help Charizard, however: because of the Flying type, Rock-type attacks will inflict four times normal damage on it, it loses its resistance to Ice, and it has a weakness against Electric attacks. It is still resistant to Fire and vulnerable to Water-type attacks. Attacks which match its own types give it an advantage against Grass-, Bug-, Fighting-, Steel- and Ice-type Pokémon, but do little damage to Fire-, Rock-, Dragon-, Electric- and Water-types. Remaining types have no particular advantage or disadvantage when facing it. It can only be obtained in the games by evolving a Charmeleon, which in turn can only be obtained by evolving a Charmander.[7] Therefore, the availability of Charmander, which are not found in the wild, dictates the availability of Charizard.[7] Because of their toughness, rarity, and perennial popularity, Charmander are often bred in-game for trade with other trainers.
They also appear in the Nintendo 64 game Pokémon Snap, in which players assume the identity of Todd Snap, a Pokémon photographer. At the request of Professor Oak, Todd sets out to photograph and catalogue the 63 diverse species of Kanto Pokémon that live in varied environments on "Pokémon Island". In the third level, "Lava Pit", a Charizard can be photographed at the end of the level, by knocking a Charmeleon circling a lava pit into it, it evolves into a Charizard and spreads its wings.[14] It also has minor cameos in the Super Smash Bros. series; first in Super Smash Bros. as one of several Pokémon which may emerge from thrown Poké balls, attacking players that come near either side of it with Flamethrower; then reprising the role in Super Smash Bros. Melee,[15] in which it also appears as a trophy.[16]
In the Pokémon anime
The Pokémon anime series and films are a meta-series of adventures separate from the canon that most of the Pokémon video games follow (with the exception of Pokémon Yellow, a game based on the anime storyline). The anime follows the quest of the main character, Ash Ketchum[17]—an in-training Pokémon Master—as he and May (as well as several other companions[17]) travel around the fictitious world of Pokémon along with their Pokémon partners. The role of Charizard in the anime is to protect their trainer, in this case Ash, primarily, and to aid him in battle, as well as to aid the protagonists with its pyro-technic abilities. Various Charizard have appeared in the anime, the most notable of which was the one on Ash Ketchum’s team for much of the first half of the Pokémon anime.
Starting out as a Charmander which had been abandoned by another trainer and became loyal to Ash, it evolved into a Charmeleon. Charmeleon refused to obey him, something that Pokémon who become "stronger" and more experienced than their trainers sometimes do, since they lose their respect for their trainer. Charmeleon evolved when Ash summoned it for protection from an Aerodactyl which intended to devour him. Ash was ultimately saved by Charizard, but it remained unclear whether Charmeleon evolved to rescue Ash or just to fight Aerodactyl, which had injured it.[18]
Originally, Charizard, like Charmeleon, did not obey Ash, but through its willfullness it often inadvertantly helped Ash reach his goals. The most notable example of this behaviour was in Episode 81, "Friend and Foe Alike", the Indigo League tournament when Ash was battling his new friend Richie. Ash, down to his last Pokémon while Richie had two remaining Pokémon, was desperate to even the score and called out Charizard. Although Charizard easily won against Richie’s Charmander, it refused to battle Richie’s Pikachu, leading to Ash’s defeat.[19] It showed signs of loyalty (for example, in The Power of One, in which it helped save Ash from the legendary birds[20]), but remained mostly disobedient until Episode 107, "Charizard Chills", in which Ash battled a trainer with a Poliwrath and Charizard was frozen solid. Because of Ash’s continuous and self-sacrificing efforts to save it from certain death, Charizard began to obey Ash, and ultimately defeat the Poliwrath, using Seismic Toss.[21]
It remained on Ash's team, helping him win the Zephyr badge from Falkner by defeating his Pidgeot in Episode 133, "Fighting Flyer with Fire",[22] until Episode 136, "Charizard's Burning Ambition", in which the gang reached the Charicific Valley, a reserve where many wild Charizard battle and train to become stronger. The warden of the reserve, Lisa invites Ash and his friends to the valley, where Ash's Charizard meets Charla, a female Charizard, whom it is attracted. It battles Charla in an attempt to be accepted into the reserve, but is easily tossed into the nearby river by Charla. To prove that it truly wants to improve itself, it stays in the river the night, despite it's flame nearly going out, and, with the help of Team Rocket, is accepted into the Charicific Valley, leaving Ash's team.[23]
Charizard, like many of Ash’s other Pokémon, has returned on a temporary basis to battle at Ash’s side, typically when Ash faces a particularly powerful Pokémon, such as Claire’s Dragonair,[24] Gary Oak’s Blastoise,[25] and Noland’s Articuno. It returned from the Charicific Valley in the Battle Frontier Saga, in Episode 413, "Symbol of Life", to battle in the first frontier battle against Noland’s Articuno, but returned to the reserve after winning the battle. This gives Charizard the distinction of being the only "ordinary" Pokémon in the anime to defeat a Legendary Pokémon in single combat.[26] Also, in Episode 59, "Volcano Panic", when Ash faced Blaine to obtain the Volcano Badge, Charizard proved to be a mighty opponent against Blaine’s strongest Pokémon, Magmar.[27]
Other Charizard include Mewtwo’s Charizard clone [28], which has reddish-orange stripes on its back, limbs, and face; one that James used in his Pokémon League Entrance Battle Exam, one used in the Verdanturf Town Pokémon Contest [29] and an elderly one named Don who could no longer fly or breathe fire from Pokémon Chronicles. Numerous wild Charizard live in the Charicific Valley, along with Charla, a female Charizard owned by the valley’s warden, Liza (not to be confused with the Hoenn Gym Leader of the same name). Ash’s Charizard apparently has a crush on Charla.
In other media
In The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga, which loosely parallels the storyline of the anime, Ash evolves a Charizard to battle in the Pokémon League tournament, but he has trouble controlling it, and it almost kills Richie’s Charizard, Charley.[30] Ash brings Charizard to the Orange Islands and, having trained it diligently since the near-disaster, uses it to battle Dragonite in the final showdown with Drake, the Orange Crew Supreme gym leader.[31]
In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Blue, originally Red’s rival and later theViridian City Gym leader, owned one which evolved from a Charmander he received from his grandfather, Professor Oak. In Chapter 28, "Peace of Mime", Blue used his one to gain access to Saffron City, and ultimately help disable the Barrier, being created by a Mr. Mime, with the help of Red's Pikachu, Pika.[32] In Chapter 31, "The Art of Articuno", Red and Blue face off against Koga's Articuno and are frozen by it's Ice Beam, but ultimately defeat the Team Rocket Executive with Charizard's Flamethrower.[33] In Chapter 33, "The Winged Legends", it teamed up with Red's newly evolved Venusaur, Saur and Green'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.[34]
Blue's one re-appeared next in Chapter 40, "A Charizard... and a Champion", during the final match of the Ninth Pokémon League, against his longtime Rival, Red. The battle began with Red's Saur and and Blue's Charizard facing each other, Charizard tried to use Fire Punch, but was hit by Saur's Poison Power nearly being knocked out, despite the type advantage. As the battle progressed, Blue's Ninetails used Fire Blast to send Red's Pika and Poliwrath, Poli, flying towards the ceiling. The two trainers then use their first Pokémon to battle again, Saur binding the Charizard from attacking. Suddenly, thunderclouds began to form above the battlefield, formed from the attacks of Poli and Pika, and Saur submerged a vine into the cloud, shocking Charizard and knocking it out.[35]
When the manga started the "FireRed and LeafGreen" volume, Red, Blue and Green, the original protagonists, returned to fight the newly formed Team Rocket and the Deoxys under their power. In Chapter 24, "FireRed and LeafGreen", the three trainers were trapped inside the Trainer Tower in the Sevii Islands, battling the main computer of the building and the Deoxys Divides. Due to the prior between Red and Team Rocket, most his team were near death, causing Blue to trade his Charizard with Red's Saur, since Blue was the person who was leading the fight against the computer, in an attempt to free Mewtwo from the binds. After struggling to co-ordinate Turtley, Saur and Charizard, the three trainers managed to focus the angle of the three powerful attacks, Blast Burn, Hydro Cannon and Frenzy Plant, to free Mewtwo from the binds, who in turn, destroyed the Trainer Tower.[36]
Charizard has also made an appearance in volume #19 (Don't laugh Charizard [37]) of Pokémon Tales, a series of children's Powell's Books. In the book, everytime Charizard chuckles, it uncontrollably sets things ablaze.
In the Pokémon Trading Card Game
Charizard appears often in the Pokémon Trading Card Game [38] as a powerful Stage-2 Fire Pokémon, including appearances in the Base Set [39] (and in Base Set 2[40] and Legendary Collection [41]), Team Rocket (as Dark Charizard, normal and holographic versions), Gym Challenge (as Blaine’s Charizard [42]) Neo Destiny (as Shining Charizard, a Basic Pokémon), Pokémon *VS (as Lance’s Charizard [43], a Basic Pokémon), Expedition (twice plus a holographic version), Skyridge (as a Colorless Pokémon with the “Crystal Type” Poke-Power), EX Dragon (as a secret holographic card), and EX FireRed & LeafGreen (as Charizard EX). The latest Charizard outing is in EX Crystal Guardians, as a Lightning- and Metal-type Delta Species Pokémon.[44][45]
Charizard is generally considered the most influential of all Pokémon in the card game. Its original appearance in the Base Set (reprinted in Base Set 2 and Legendary) sported the “Energy Burn” Pokémon Power, and the “Fire Spin” attack (which does 100 damage). In this base set, Charizard was a very rare and hence desirable card.[46] Its infobox also listed it as Lv. 76, the highest level given for any Base Set card, which added to its high status. Charizard EX is similar in structure, but it is worth noting that Charizard EX carries what is undoubtedly the most expensive and powerful attack in the entire TCG: Burn Down. It takes five fire energy and requires five fire energy attached to be discarded in order to do 200 damage that is not affected by weakness, resistance, Poké-powers, Poké-bodies [47], and any other effects on the Defending Pokémon. It does have one more attack, Slash, which takes three Colorless energy to use, but doesn’t require any to be discarded. It also has the Poké-Power Energy Flame, which causes all energy attached to Charizard EX to become fire energy. Charizard EX has 160HP, a weakness to both Water and Electric, no resistances and a two colorless energy retreat cost.
When the Pokémon Trading Card Game became widespread in North America, the Base Set Charizard card was very popular and always in high demand. In trading card magazines, the card’s value sometimes exceeded $ 60. This may have influenced the value of other Charizard cards, because in these magazines Charizard prices are always higher than those of other equally elusive and strong holographic cards such as Venusaur, Blastoise, or Zapdos.[48]
References
- The following games and their instruction manuals: Pokémon Red, Green, and Blue; Pokémon Yellow; Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Stadium 2; Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal; Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald; Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen; Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
- Notes
- ^ a b “Pokemon Franchise Approaches 150 Million Games Sold" PR Newswire. URL Accessed on March 27, 2006.
- ^ Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire Review (page 1) Ign.com. URL Accessed June 1, 2006.
- ^ Charred dictionary definition Dictionary.com. URL Acessed July 13, 2006.
- ^ Lizard dictionary definition Dictionary.com. URL Acessed July 13, 2006.
- ^ Charizard Pokédex entry (highlighting name portmanteau) Pokedream.com. URL Accessed July 11, 2006.
- ^ Nihongo to English converter (selected "Detailed Word Info" and input ドン, select "Kanji to Romaji" and input リザー) j-talk.com. URL Accessed May 25, 2006.
- ^ a b c The in-game Pokédexes of the Pokémon video games A copy of them from Psypokes.com. URL Accessed July 11, 2006.
- ^ Pokémon of the day Serebii.net URL Accessed 12 July, 2006
- ^ "The Ultimate Game Freak: Interview with Satoshi Tajiri", TimeAsia.com URL Accessed July 12, 2006. (Waybacked)
- ^ a b Competitve battle strategy; Charizard Smogon.com. URL Accessed July 12, 2006
- ^ Berry dex; Salac berry Serebii.net. URL Accessed July 12, 2006.
- ^ How-to battle strategy Serebii.net. URL Accessed July 12, 2006.
- ^ AttackDex - Blast burn Serebii.net URL Accessed July 12, 2006
- ^ MacDonald, Mark; Brokaw, Brian; Arnold; J. Douglas; Elies, Mark. Pokémon Trainer's Guide. Sandwich Islands Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0439154049. (pg 190-191)
- ^ Super Smash Bros. Melee Poké ball guide Gamefaqs.com. URL Accessed July 11, 2006.
- ^ “Guides:Super Smash Bros. Melee,” IGN.com. URL Accessed on December 29, 2005.
- ^ a b Pokémon anime overview Psypokes.com. URL Accessed May 25, 2006.
- ^ Pokémon anime; Ash Ketchum character bio Serebii.net. URL Accessed July 12, 2006.
- ^ Synopsis of Pokémon anime; Episode 81, "Friend and Foe Alike" Serebii.net. URL Accessed July 12, 2006.
- ^ Synopsis of Pokémon anime; Pokémon: The Movie 2000Serebii.net. URL Accessed July 12, 2006.
- ^ Synopsis of Pokémon anime; Episode 107, "Charizard Chills"Serebii.net. URL Accessed July 12, 2006.
- ^ Synopsis of Pokémon anime; Episode 133, "Fighting Flyer with Fire"Serebii.net. URL Accessed July 12, 2006.
- ^ Synopsis of Pokémon anime; Episode 136, "Charizard's Burning Ambition"Serebii.net. URL Accessed July 12, 2006.
- ^ Synopsis of Pokémon anime; Episode 256, "Better Eight Than Never"Serebii.net. URL Accessed July 12, 2006.
- ^ Synopsis of Pokémon anime; Episode 272, "Can't Beat the Heat!"Serebii.net. URL Accessed July 12, 2006.
- ^ Synopsis of Pokémon anime; Episode 413, "Symbol of Life"Serebii.net. URL Accessed July 12, 2006.
- ^ Synopsis of Pokémon anime; Episode 59, "Volcano Panic"Serebii.net. URL Accessed July 12, 2006.
- ^ Mewtwo Strikes Back Serebii.net July 10, 2006
- ^ Episode 250 - One Trick Phoney Serebii.net URL Accessed July 10, 2006
- ^ Ono, Toshihiro. Pokémon: Electric Pikachu Boogaloo Graphic Novel. VIZ Media LLC, April 5 2000. ISBN 1569314365
- ^ Ono, Toshihiro. Pokémon: Surf’s Up, Pikachu Graphic Novel. VIZ Media LLC, June 2000. ISBN 1569314942
- ^ Kusaka, Hidenori, & Mato. Pokémon Adventures, Volume 3: Saffron City Siege; Chapter 28, "Peace of Mime" (pg 5-19) VIZ Media LLC, August 5 2001. ISBN 1569315604
- ^ Kusaka, Hidenori, & Mato. Pokémon Adventures, Volume 3: Saffron City Siege; Chapter 31, "The Art of Articuno" (pg 47-61) VIZ Media LLC, August 5 2001. ISBN 1569315604
- ^ Kusaka, Hidenori, & Mato. Pokémon Adventures, Volume 3: Saffron City Siege; Chapter 33, "The Winged Legends" (pg 77-95) VIZ Media LLC, August 5 2001. ISBN 1569315604
- ^ Kusaka, Hidenori, & Mato. Pokémon Adventures, Volume 3: Saffron City Siege; Chapter 31, "A Charizard... and a Champion" (pg 118-) VIZ Media LLC, August 5 2001. ISBN 1569315604
- ^ Synopsis of Pokémon Adventures; FRLG series, Chapter 24, "FireRed and LeafGreen" Serebii.net. URL Accessed July 11, 2006.
- ^ Pokémon Tales #19: Don't Laugh Charizard Powell's Books URL Accessed 12 July, 2006
- ^ pokemon.tcg-player.com, The #1 Resourece for trading card info URL Accessed July 11, 2006
- ^ Base set list Psypokes URL Accessed July 10, 2006
- ^ Poémon Base set 2 list Psypokes URL Accessed July 11, 2006
- ^ Legendary Collection Psypokes URL Accessed July 11, 2006
- ^ Pokémon TCG Gym Challenge Seafoam Island URL Accessed 11:41, July 11 2006
- ^ VS Translation - Lance's Charizard Serebii.net URL Accessed July 10, 2006
- ^ The Pokémon TCG - Card Viewer Psypokes URL Accessed July 10, 2006
- ^ The Pokémon TCG - Card Viewer (Base set) Psypokes URL Accessed July 10, 2006
- ^ “Economics lessons the Pokémon way”, BBC. URL last accessed on 2006-04-11.
- ^ The #1 Resource for Pokémon Card Game Info Pokeschool URL Accessed July 10, 2006
- ^ Pokémon Best Collection Pokémon Dungeon, URL Accessed 13 July 2006
- Publications
- Barbo, Maria. The Official Pokémon Handbook. Scholastic Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0439154049.
- Loe, Casey, ed. Pokémon Special Pikachu Edition Official Perfect Guide. Sunnydale, CA: Empire 21 Publishing, 1999. ISBN 130206151.
- Nintendo, et al. Official Nintendo Pokémon Snap Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., 1999. ASIN B000CDZP9G
- Nintendo Power. Super Smash Bros. Melee Official Nintendo Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., 2001. ISBN 1930206194
- Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon FireRed Version & Pokémon LeafGreen Version Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., August 2004. ISBN 193020650X
- Mylonas, Eric. Pokémon Pokédex Collector’s Edition: Prima’s Official Pokémon Guide. Prima Games, September 21 2004. ISBN 0761547614
- Manga volumes
- Ono, Toshihiro. Pokémon: Electric Pikachu Boogaloo Graphic Novel. VIZ Media LLC, April 5 2000. ISBN 1569314365
- Ono, Toshihiro. Pokémon: Surf’s Up, Pikachu Graphic Novel. VIZ Media LLC, June 2000. ISBN 1569314942
- Kusaka, Hidenori, & Mato. Pokémon Adventures, Volume 2: Legendary Pokémon. VIZ Media LLC, December 6 2000. ISBN 1569315086
- Kusaka, Hidenori, & Mato. Pokémon Adventures, Volume 3: Saffron City Siege. VIZ Media LLC, August 5 2001. ISBN 1569315604
- Kusaka, Hidenori, & Mato. Pokémon Adventures, Volume 4: The Yellow Caballero: A Trainer in Yellow. VIZ Media LLC, January 9 2002. ISBN 1569317100
- Kusaka, Hidenori, & Mato. Pokémon Adventures, Volume 5: The Yellow Caballero: Making Waves. VIZ Media LLC, April 2002. ISBN 1591160278
- Kusaka, Hidenori, & Mato. Pokémon Adventures, Volume 7: The Yellow Caballero: The Pokémon Elite. VIZ Media LLC, January 2003. ISBN 1569318514
External links
- Official Pokémon website
- Bulbapedia (a Pokémon-centric Wiki)’s article about Charizard as a species
- Bulbapedia’s article about Ash’s Charizard
- Template:Serebiidex
- Pokémon Dungeon Pokédex entry, full of statistics analysis
- PsyPoke Pokédex entry
- Smogon Pokédex entry
- Template:WikiKnowledge