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Bulbasaur (フシギダネ, Fushigidane in original Japanese language versions) is the first of Template:Pokenum Pokémon creatures from the Japanese Pokémon media franchise. Designed by Ken Sugimori, Bulbasaur debuted in 1996 in Pocket Monsters, the first ever Pokémon video game.

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).

They are small, squat, vaguely reptilian creatures that move on all fours, and have light blue-green bodies with darker blue-green spots. As a Bulbasaur undergoes evolution, the bulb on its back blossoms into a flower. They evolve into Ivysaur and then later into Venusaur.

Bulbasaur are one of the first Pokémon that can be obtained in the first Pokémon video game and they appear often in the Pokémon anime. Additionally they have been featured in both noncanon Pokémon games and non-Pokémon video games. Bulbasaur has also been often used in promotional merchandising at fast-food chains like McDonald's and Burger King.

Biological characteristics

The Pokédex, a fictional Pokémon encyclopedia, says that the seed on a Bulbasaur's back is planted at birth. This seed then sprouts and grows larger as the Bulbasaur grows. This is reflected during evolution into Ivysaur, followed by Venusaur. As Bulbasaur evolves it becomes stronger and more powerful. The bulb is said to absorb sunlight, which Bulbasaur need in order to grow; for this reason, Bulbasaur enjoy soaking up the sun's rays. In the Pokemon universe, they are known to survive for days without eating because the sun provides food, like a plant.

In video games

Bulbasaur made their first video game debut on February 27, 1996 in the Japanese 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). Along with a Charmander and Squirtle, it is one of three starter Pokémon available at the beginning of the games. When the games were translated to English, Pokemon Green was replaced with Blue. Bulbasaur's grass type is in contrast to Charmander's fire type and Squirtle's water type. While Bulbasaur has the advantage over Squirtle, Charmander has the advantage over Bulbasaur, and Squirtle has the advantage over Charmander. If the player selects a Bulbasaur as his or her starter Pokémon, the rival will select the Pokémon best suited to defeat a Bulbasaur - in this case, a Charmander.

Bulbasaur and the other starters from Red, Blue, and Green are replaced by Pikachu in Pokémon Yellow, the only starter available in it. Instead, they are obtained throughout the game from various trainers. The original three starters are only available in the above mentioned games, the Game Boy Advance remakes Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, the Nintendo 64 spin-off Pokémon Stadium, and other spin-offs such as Pokémon Mystery Dungeon where the player can choose to play as a Bulbasaur (among 15 others), and Pokémon Snap, where Bulbasaur is one of the Pokémon that the player can take a photograph of. Bulbasaur also make appearances in Hey You, Pikachu! and Pokémon Channel. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, a Bulbasaur appears as a trophy in a lottery, which the player may participate in by using a currency known as "Smash Coins".

In the Pokemon 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.

Like all Pokémon in the anime (except Mewtwo, a particular Meowth, Lugia, Jirachi, 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.

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. 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. However, following this episode, its loyalties began to improve and it eventually became one of Ash’s most faithful Pokémon.

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. In this episode Ash's Bulbasaur decided not to evolve. Although this decision was not accepted by other Bulbasaur at first, they eventually came 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 (a Beedrill and a Scyther), despite the fact that both of those Pokémon 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 of Ash’s team not to defeat any of the opponent’s Pokémon. Later, in the Johto League Silver Conference, Bulbasaur was able to defeat a shiny Magneton, and then in the same match, duel a Meganium to a draw.

As in the games, Pokémon Trainers can only carry a maximum of six 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. During Bulbasaur's stay with Professor Oak, it saved an Oddish and avoided a boulder by using Dig (a move which Bulbasaur can not learn in the games.)

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.

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.

Other Bulbasaur include one that used to belong to the mayor of Trovitopolis City in Episode 102 (The Mystery Menace). In his childhood, the mayor had abandoned the Bulbasaur and sent it into the sewers when it wouldn't evolve into Ivysaur. Aided by his friends, Ash found the abandoned Bulbasaur while searching for his Bulbasaur. After defeating the mayor and his personal SWAT team, Ash and company left the abandoned Bulbasaur with Nurse Joy at the end of the episode. In the Pokémon Chronicles episode "Journey to the Starting Line", Gilbert, the son of Pallet Town's mayor, selected a Bulbasaur to be his Starter Pokémon.

In the Pokemon Trading Card Game

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.

In this capacity, Bulbasaur was among the first Pokémon cards with which players became acquainted when the game was released in October of 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). The Pokémon had relatively few appearances in the early card series. In particular, the Rocket set contained Charmander and Squirtle cards, but no Bulbasaur. 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 exists one known misprint of Bulbasaur. In the original set, instead of saying "length 2'4, weight 15 lbs" it says "length 2'4, length 15 lbs".

In the Pokemon 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 is infatuated by him.

In Pokémon Adventures, a manga based on the original games, Red receives a Bulbasaur from Professor Oak, which he nicknames "Saur" (Chapter 1, "VS. Mew"). In Chapter 15, "Wartortle Wars", it evolves into an Ivysaur after battling a wild Mankey. 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. In Chapter 33, "The Winged Legends", Red's Ivysaur evolves into a Venusaur to team up with Blue's Charizard 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.

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. 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.

In Japan, McDonald’s included Bulbasaur as one of a series of promotional Pokémon cards given away with their Happy Meals. 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”.

Notes and references

• The following games and their instruction manuals: Pokémon Red 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.

DVDs

• Pokémon, Vol. 15: Charizard!!, Viz Video., February 2000. ASIN B00004DS9J.
• Pokémon, Vol. 18: Water Blast!, Viz Video., May 2000. ASIN 6305844674 .
• Pokémon - The First Movie, Warner Home Video., October 2000. ASIN B00004WIB2.
• Pokémon, Vol. 26: Friends and Rivals!, Viz Video., January 2001. ASIN B0000541UG.
• Pokémon The Movie 2000, Warner Home Video., May 2001. ASIN B00005A3O6.
• Pokémon 3: The Movie , Warner Home Video., October 2001. ASIN B00005NMW3.
• Pokémon: Mewtwo Returns, Warner Home Video., December 2001. ASIN B00005OW0I.
• Pokémon Master Quest 2: Quest 2, Viz Video., February 2005. ASIN B0002IQD2Y.

Notes

1. “PokéMania,” Time.com. URL accessed on July 20 2006.
2. MacDonald, Mark; Brokaw, Brian; Arnold; J. Douglas; Elies, Mark. Pokémon Trainer's Guide. Sandwich Islands Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0-439-15404-9. (pg73)
3. "Official Japanese Pokémon website". Retrieved 2007-05-24.
4. MacDonald, Mark; Brokaw, Brian; Arnold; J. Douglas; Elies, Mark. Pokémon Trainer's Guide. Sandwich Islands Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0-439-15404-9. (pg 192–195)
5. “Guides:Super Smash Bros. Melee,” IGN.com. URL accessed on December 29, 2005.
6. “Episode 10 - Bulbasaur and the Hidden Village”, Serebii.net. URL accessed on February 26, 2006.
7. Pokémon - Seaside Pikachu! Viz Video., July 20, 1999. ISBN 6305466858 .
8. Pokémon - Pikachu Party (Vol. 12) Viz Video., November 23, 1999. ASIN B000021Y6R.
9. “Episode 51 - Bulbasaur’s Mysterious Garden”, Serebii.net. URL accessed on February 26, 2006.
10. “Episode 270 - Tie One On!”, Serebii.net. URL accessed on February 26, 2006.
11. “Episode 227 - Bulbasaur ... The Ambassador!”, Serebii.net. URL accessed on February 28 2006.
12. Pokémon Trading Card Game "How to play" guide Pokémon-tcg.com. URL Accessed July 3, 2006.
13. Pokémon Trading Card Game set; Team Rocket set cards Serebii.net. URL Accessed July 21, 2006.
14. "Official Pokémon TCG site". Retrieved 2007-05-24.
15. "Appearances of Bulbasaur in the Pokémon Trading Card Game" Psypokes.com. URL Accessed on May 4, 2006.
16. Template:Jp icon Pokémon: Magical Journey character bios Maco.cha.to. URL Accessed July 26, 2006.
17. Kusaka, Hidenori, & Mato. Pokémon Adventures, Volume 1: Desperado Pikachu, VIZ Media LLC, July 6, 2000. ISBN 1-56931-507-8.
18. Kusaka, Hidenori, & Mato. Pokémon Adventures: Legendary Pokémon, Vol. 2; Chapter 33, Chapter 15, "Wartortle Wars", (pg 7–20) VIZ Media LLC, December 6, 2001. ISBN 1-56931-508-6.
19. Kusaka, Hidenori, & Mato. Pokémon Adventures, Volume 3: Saffron City Siege; Chapter 31, "The Art of Articuno" (pg 33–46) VIZ Media LLC, August 5, 2001. ISBN 1-56931-560-4
20. 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 1-56931-560-4
21. “Pokémon Tales, Volume 3: Bulbasaur’s Trouble,” Amazon. URL accessed on February 2 2006.
22. “Bulbasaur’s Bad Day,” Amazon. URL accessed on February 1, 2006.
23. “McDonalds’s Pokémon Booster packs,” Scyther’s Pokémon place. URL accessed on February 26, 2006.
24. "Fastfoodtoys.Net "Pokemon 2000 Toys"". Retrieved 2007-05-24.

Publications

• Barbo, Maria. The Official Pokémon Handbook. Scholastic Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0-439-15404-9.
• Loe, Casey, ed. Pokémon Special Pikachu Edition Official Perfect Guide. Sunnydale, CA: Empire 21 Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1-930206-15-1.
• Nintendo, et al. Official Nintendo Pokémon Snap Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., 1999. ASIN B000CDZP9G
• Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon FireRed Version & Pokémon LeafGreen Version Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., August 2004. ISBN 1-930206-50-X

Websites

• "Statistical analysis of Bulbasaur". PsyPoke. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
• "Individual anime episode summaries". Serebii.net. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

Manga volumes

• Ono, Toshihiro. Pokémon: Pikachu Shocks Back Graphic Novel. VIZ Media LLC, December 6 1999. ISBN 1-56931-411-X
• Ono, Toshihiro. Pokémon: Electric Pikachu Boogaloo Graphic Novel. VIZ Media LLC, April 5 2000. ISBN 1-56931-436-5
• Ono, Toshihiro. Pokémon: Surf’s Up, Pikachu Graphic Novel. VIZ Media LLC, June 2000. ISBN 1-56931-494-2
• Kusaka, Hidenori, & Mato. Pokémon Adventures, Volume 1: Desperado Pikachu. VIZ Media LLC, July 6 2000. ISBN 1-56931-507-8
• Kusaka, Hidenori, & Mato. Pokémon Adventures, Volume 2: Legendary Pokémon. VIZ Media LLC, December 6 2000. ISBN 1-56931-508-6
• Kusaka, Hidenori, & Mato. Pokémon Adventures, Volume 3: Saffron City Siege. VIZ Media LLC, August 5 2001. ISBN 1-56931-560-4

External links

2. Part 2

Template:Contains Japanese text Template:PokeLinks

• Pokémon Dungeon Pokédex entry, full of statistical analysis
• Bulbasaur in The Pokémon Encyclopedia
• Template:WikiKnowledge

• Starter Pokémon
• Basic Pokémon
• Fictional dinosaurs
• Ash Ketchum's Pokémon