The Pokémon franchise started off in its first generation with its initial release of Pocket Monsters Aka and Midori ("Red" and "Green", respectively) for the Game Boy in Japan. When these games proved extremely popular, an enhanced Ao ("Blue") version was released sometime after, and the Ao version was reprogrammed as Pokémon Red and Blue for international release. The games launched in the United States on September 30, 1998. The original Aka and Midori versions were never released outside of Japan.[7] Afterwards, a further enhanced remake titled Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition was released to partially take advantage of the color palette of the Game Boy Color, as well as to feature more elements from the popular Pokémon anime. This first generation of games introduced the original 151 species of Pokémon (in National Pokédex order, encompassing all Pokémon from Bulbasaur to Mew), as well as the basic game concepts of capturing, training, battling, and trading Pokémon with both computer and human players. These versions of the games take place within the fictional Kanto region, though the name "Kanto" was not used until the second generation. The second generation of Pokémon began in 2000 with the release of Pokémon Gold and Silver for Game Boy Color. Like the previous generation, an enhanced remake titled Pokémon Crystal was later released. The second generation introduced 100 new species of Pokémon (starting with Chikorita and ending with Celebi), for a total of 251 Pokémon to collect, train, and battle. The Pokémon mini was a handheld game console released in December 2001 in Japan and then later in 2002 in Europe and North America.
http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/tv_shows/pokemon/index.html One of the consistent aspects of the Pokémon games — spanning from Pokémon Red and Blue on the Nintendo Game Boy to the Nintendo DS game, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl — is the choice of one of three different Pokémon at the start of the player's adventures; these three are often labeled "starter Pokémon". Players can choose a Grass-type, a Fire-type, or a<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GLGXh7tcTp4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GLGXh7tcTp4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Water-type.[10] For example, in Pokémon their respective <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ybLNAF-wV88&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ybLNAF-wV88&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> reworks, Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen), the player has the choice of starting with Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. The exception to this rule is Pokémon Yellow (a remake of the original games that follows the story of the Pokémon anime), where players are given a Pikachu, an Electric-type mouse Pokémon, famous for being the mascot of the Pokémon media franchise; in this game, however, the three starter Pokémon from Red and Blue can be obtained during the quest by a single player, something that is not possible in any other installment of the franchise.[11] Another consistent aspect is that the player's rival will always choose as his or her starter Pokémon the one that has a type advantage over the player's Pokémon. For instance, if the player picks a Grass-type Pokémon, the rival will always pick the fire-type starter. Of course, the exception to this is again Pokémon Yellow, in which the rival picks an Eevee, but whether this Eevee evolves into Jolteon, Vaporeon, or Flareon is decided by when the player wins and loses to the rival through the journey.
The Pokédex is a fictional electronic device featured in the Pokémon video game and anime series. In the games, whenever a Pokémon is first captured, its data will be added to a player's Pokédex, but in the anime or manga, the Pokédex is a comprehensive electronic reference encyclopedia, usually referred to in order to deliver exposition. "Pokédex" is also used to refer to a list of Pokémon, usually a list of Pokémon by number. In the video games, a Pokémon Trainer is issued a blank device at the start of their journey. A trainer must then attempt to fill the Pokédex by encountering and at least briefly obtaining each of the different species of Pokémon. A player will receive the name and image of a Pokémon after encountering one that was not previously in the Pokédex, typically after battling said Pokémon either in the wild or in a trainer battle (with the exceptions of link battles and tournament battles, such as in the Battle Frontier). In Pokémon Red and Blue, some Pokémon's data is added to the Pokédex simply by viewing the Pokémon, such as in the zoo outside of the Safari Zone. Also, certain NPC characters may add to the Pokédex by explaining what a Pokémon looks like during conversation. More detailed information is available after the player obtains a member of the species, either through capturing the Pokémon in the wild, evolving a previously captured Pokémon, hatching a Pokémon egg (from the second generation onwards), or through a trade with another trainer (either an NPC or another player). This information includes height, weight, species type, and a short description of the Pokémon. Later versions of the Pokédex have more detailed information, like the size of a certain Pokémon compared to the player character, or Pokémon being sorted by their habitat (so far, the latter feature is only in the FireRed and LeafGreen versions).The most current forms of Pokédex are capable of containing information on all Pokémon currently known. The GameCube games, Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, have a Pokémon Digital Assistant (P★DA) which is similar to the Pokédex, but also tells what types are effective against a Pokémon and gives a
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[13] (known as Satoshi in Japan) a Pokémon Master in training, as he and a small group of friends[13] travel around the fictitious world of Pokémon along with their Pokémon partners. The original series, titled Pocket Monsters, or simply Pokémon in western countries (often referred to as Pokémon: Gotta Catch 'Em All to distinguish it from the later series), begins with Ash's first day as a Pokémon trainer. His first (and signature) Pokémon is a Pikachu, differing from the games, where only Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle could be chosen.[14] The series follows the storyline of the original games, Pokémon Red and Blue, in the region of Kanto. Accompanying Ash on his journeys are Brock, the Pewter City Gym Leader, and Misty, the youngest of the Gym Leader sisters from Cerulean City. Pokémon: Adventures in the Orange Islands follows Ash's adventures in the Orange Islands, a place unique to the anime, and replaces Brock with Tracey Sketchit, an artist and "Pokémon watcher". The next series, based on the second generation of games, include Pokémon: Johto Journeys, Pokémon: Johto League Champions, and Pokémon: Master Quest, following the original trio of Ash, Brock, and Misty in the western Johto region. The saga continues in Pokémon: Advanced Battle, based on the third generation games. Ash and company travel to Hoenn, a southern region in the Pokémon World. Ash takes on the role of a teacher and mentor for a novice Pokémon trainer named May. Her brother Max accompanies them, and though he isn't a trainer, he knows large amounts of handy information. Brock (from the original series) soon catches up with Ash, but Misty has returned to Cerulean City to tend to her duties as a gym leader. (Misty, along with other recurring
| Bulbasaur | |
|---|---|
National Pokédex None - Bulbasaur (#001) - Ivysaur |
|
| Japanese name | Fushigidane (フシギダネ, 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 pounds (6.9 kg) |
| Ability | Overgrow |
Bulbasaur, known as Fushigidane (フシギダネ, Fushigidane?) in Japan,[1] are a fictional species of creatures from the Pokémon universe. It is numbered one in the 493 fictional species of creatures, and is a first generation Pokémon.[2] The Pokémon Company in Japan and Nintendo of America have produced many incarnations of the Pokémon story and of its Bulbasaur character for their multi-million dollar media franchise.[3]
Bulbasaur first appeared in 1996 among the first Pocket Monsters video games, as one of three starter Pokémon the player receives at the beginning of the game.
Like all Pokémon, Bulbasaur fight other Pokémon in battles central to the Pokémon anime, metaserial manga and the series of electronic games,[4] as well as appearing in a variety of Pokémon trading cards and non-Pokémon video games. The Pokémon video games are one of Nintendo's flagship franchises and has sold 143 million copies as of 2007.[5]
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The design and art direction for Bulbasaur were provided by Ken Sugimori,[6] a friend of the creator of the Pocket Monsters game, Satoshi Tajiri, and the species appeared as a starting character for players in the initial Game Boy games released in Japan. The character in the early Pokémon video games was portrayed by a two-dimensional sprite; in later releases Bulbasaur's appearance has been conveyed by 3D computer graphics. Throughout, the character has been portrayed with no spoken dialogue. In the series' anime, the character has facial expressions, body language and makes noises that repeat syllables of their name, using different pitches and tones.
Its Japanese name, Fushigidane, is a combination of the Japanese words for mystery or miracle (, fushigi?) and seed (, tane?)[7] In translating the game for English speaking audiences, Nintendo of America gave the Pokémon "cleverly descriptive names" related to their appearancee or features as a means to make the characters more relatable to American children; thus Bulbasaur, relating to both its dinosaur appearance and the large garlic-like bulb on its back.[8] French, Korean, Taiwan and Chinese language counterparts used names relating closer to the original name: Bulbizarre,[9] Isanghaessi (이상해씨 "Strange Seed"), Měao Wa Chóng Zí (妙蛙種子 "Strange Frog Seed") and Qí Yě Chóng Zí (奇異種子 "Very Strange Seed"), respectively. German versions used a name closer to the American counterpart, Bisasam (a combination of bisamratte (musk rat) and samen (seed)).[10]
In the Pokémon franchise, Bulbasaur are small, squat, vaguely reptilian Pokémon that move on all four legs, and have light blue-green bodies with darker blue-green spots. As a Bulbasaur undergoes evolution into Ivysaur and then later into Venusaur, the bulb on its back blossoms into a flower. In the Pokémon electronic game series, the Pokédex, a fictional Pokémon encyclopedia, says that the seed on a Bulbasaur's back is planted at birth, it then sprouts and grows larger as the Bulbasaur grows.[11] The bulb growth continues during evolution into Ivysaur and then Venusaur, and as Bulbasaur evolve, they become stronger and more powerful. The Pokédex also states that the bulb absorbs sunlight which makes it grow, for this reason, Bulbasaur enjoy soaking up the sun's rays,[12] and can survive for days without eating because the bulb stores energy.[13] In the Pokémon anime, the character Ash Ketchum has a Bulbasaur who is portrayed as being brave but also stubborn.
Bulbasaur made their video game debut on February 27, 1996, in the Japanese-language games Pocket Monsters Aka (ポケットモンスター 赤, Poketto Monsutā Aka?, "Pocket Monsters Red") and Pocket Monsters Midori (ポケットモンスター 緑, Poketto Monsutā Midori?, "Pocket Monsters Green") (replaced in other countries by Pokémon Blue).[15] Along with a Charmander and Squirtle, they are the three starter Pokémon available at the beginning of the games; Bulbasaur's grass type is in contrast to Charmander's fire type and Squirtle's water type.[16] Bulbasaur are often seen to be the best Pokémon for beginner players to choose because their "levels grow faster" and they "will fare better against your early rivals". Bulbasaur are "the Official Nintendo Magazine choice".[17]
Bulbasaur and the other starters from Red, Blue, Green, and the Game Boy Advance remakes Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen are replaced by Pikachu in Pokémon Yellow, the only starter available in it. Instead, they are obtained throughout the game from several trainers. In Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal, Bulbasaur cannot be obtained without in-game trading. In Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Bulbasaur is nonexistent. In Pokémon Emerald, Bulbasaur is in the Battle Frontier, in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Bulbasaur is in the Battle Tower. The Nintendo 64 spin-off Pokémon Stadium, and other spin-offs such as Pokémon Mystery Dungeon give the player a choice of a Bulbasaur (among 15 others), and in Pokémon Snap, Bulbasaur are one of the Pokémon that the player can photograph.[18] Bulbasaur also make appearances in Hey You, Pikachu! and Pokémon Channel. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, a Bulbasaur appears as one of the trophies in a playable lottery.[19]
Scenes from the Pokémon anime have depicted both the characters Ash and his friend May training a Bulbasaur at different times, with Ash's Bulbasaur garnering more prominence within the storylines. In the original Japanese version the two Bulbasaur are each played by separate seiyū, Ash's Bulbasaur by Megumi Hayashibara, May's by Miyako Itō. In the English dub, they are both voiced by Tara Jayne until season seven; in season nine, Michelle Knotz provides the voice talents.[20]
Ash's Bulbasaur appears in the "Bulbasaur and the Hidden Village", "Bulbasaur’s Mysterious Garden", "Bulbasaur ... The Ambassador!", and "Tie One On!" episodes of the series, and in the DVDs Seaside Pikachu and Pokémon - Pikachu Party (Vol. 12).[21][22]
When May makes a guest appearance later in the series, it is revealed that her Bulbasaur has fully evolved into a Venusaur.[23]
Collectible cards featuring Bulbasaur have appeared since the initial Pokémon Trading Card Game released in October 1996. 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), and are generally to be found with relative ease.[24]
Bulbasaur is also featured in an eclectic range of manga from the franchise. 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 is infatuated by him.[25]
In Pokémon Adventures, a manga based on the plot of the Pokémon Red and Blue games, the character Red receives a Bulbasaur from Professor Oak, which he nicknames "Saur" (Chapter 1, "A Glimpse of the Glow").[26] In Chapter 15, "Wartortle Wars", it evolves into an Ivysaur after battling a wild Mankey.[27] In Chapter 30, "Zap, Zap, Zapdos!", Red uses Saur to defeat Lt. Surge's Zapdos, using its Razor Leaf attack to cut the cables that join the Team Rocket Executive and the legendary bird.[28] In Chapter 33, "The Winged Legends", Red's Ivysaur evolves into a Venusaur to team up with Blue's Charizard and Green's Blastoise (named Turtley), to defeat Sabrina's merged form Zapdos, Moltres and Articuno and destroy Team Rocket's control on Saffron City, splitting the three birds in the process.[29]
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. In the episode "Bulbasaur’s Bad Day", Meowth traps Bulbasaur in a pit and it has to outwit Team Rocket (the antagonists of the Pokémon anime) to escape.
Bulbasaur has been used in promotional merchandising at fast-food chains like McDonald's and Burger King.[30][31]
characters, appears in the spin-off series Pokémon Chronicles.) The Advanced Battle series concludes with the Battle Frontier saga, based on the Emerald version and including aspects of FireRed and LeafGreen. The most recent series is the Diamond and Pearl series, with Max leaving to pick his starter Pokémon, and May going to the Grand Festival in Johto. Ash, Brock, and a new companion named Dawn travel through the region of Sinnoh. The series was released in the US in a special hour block on April 20, 2007. In addition to the TV series, ten Pokémon films have been made, with an eleventh to be released in Japan in July 2008. Collective bonuses, such as promotional trading cards, have been available with some of the films.
Pokémon CDs have been released in conjunction with the Pokémon anime. The tracks feature songs that have been shown in the English dubbed version of the anime. However, some CDs have been released to promote and profit the anime. There have been many released CDs featuring tracks from artists that have been shown in the anime.
The Pokémon Trading Card Game is a collectible card game similar in goal to a Pokémon battle in the video game series. Players use Pokémon cards, with individual strengths and weaknesses, in an attempt to defeat their opponent by "knocking out" his or her Pokémon cards.[15] The game was first published in North America by Wizards of the Coast in 1999.[16] However, with the release of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Game Boy Advance video games, Nintendo USA took back the card game from Wizards of the Coast and started publishing the cards themselves.[16] The Expedition expansion introduced the Pokémon-e Trading Card Game, the cards in which (for the most part) were compatible with the Nintendo e-Reader. Nintendo discontinued its production of e-Reader compatible cards with the release of EX FireRed & LeafGreen. In 1998, Nintendo released a Game Boy Color version of the trading card game in Japan. It was also released in the US and Europe in 2000. This game included digital versions cards from the original set of cards and the first two expansions (Jungle and Fossil), but also included several cards exclusive to the game. A sequel was released in Japan only in 2001.[17]
There are various Pokémon manga series, four of which were released in English by Viz Communications, and seven of them released in English by Chuang Yi. The manga is very much different than the video games and cartoons in that the trainers, though frowned upon, were able to kill the opponent's Pokémon.
