Hitmonchan

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Hitmonchan
Image:Hitmonchan.png
National
Hitmonlee - Hitmonchan (#107) - Lickitung
Johto
Hitmonlee - Hitmonchan (#145) - Hitmontop
Japanese name Ebiwalar
Stage Basic
Evolves from Tyrogue (from Pokémon Gold and Silver onwards)
Evolves to None
Generation First
Species Punching Pokémon
Type Fighting
Height 4 ft 7 in (1.4 m)
Weight 111.0 lb (50.2 kg)
Ability Keen Eye/Iron Fist(the latter from Pokemon Diamond and Pearl onwards)

Hitmonchan (エビワラー Ebiwalar?) are one of the 493 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. The purpose of Hitmonchan 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]

Hitmonchan's name is a combination of hit (suggesting its role as a martial arts pokémon), mon (a common abbreviation for 'monster' in various collectible monster games -- such as Digimon and Pokémon), and chan (an allusion to actor and martial artist Jackie Chan).

Contents

[edit] Biology

Hitmonchan is a moderately-sized humanoid monster with two big red boxing gloves on its hands. It is unknown if these are simply man-made gloves that it refuses to take off or if they are actually Hitmonchan’s physical hands (similar to the questions surrounding Strong Bad of Homestar Runner fame). As well as its signature boxing gloves, it can be identified by its two large shoulder pads, a light-purple tunic, a black belt around the waistline, and lavender shoes. Hitmonchan is a solely male species. It cannot breed with its own species, only with other humanshape pokémon (such as Machoke) or Ditto.

As one would expect, Hitmonchan’s boxing fists are its most notable characteristics. They are capable of amazing offensive measures and can be very versatile against any target. It is capable of a wide array of punching frequencies and strength, including volleys of punches so rapid that they are faster than speeding bullet trains and are but mere blurs to the human eye. This near-invisible rapid-fire assault is even more amazing when considering that Hitmonchan tends to appear to stand idly as it is assaulting a target in front of it.

Hitmonchan’s punching ability is by no means restricted to light, rapid attacks. By spinning the right arm, it can punch with the force of a boring drill, and with this comes the capability to punch through a solid slab of concrete. Also, since both its speed punches and power punches exert so much energy, they are capable of quite literally burning the target. The punches can slice the air as well.

Hitmonchan is empowered to use its punching action by an indomitable spirit and refusal to give up in the face of adversity. In fact, it is widely said that it possesses the fighting spirit of a professional boxer working towards the world championship. The only thing that works against this image is its need for a five-minute break after each fight.

Quite a few people at first thought that this Pokemon was going to be an exclusively female species because the tunic it wears was thought to be a dress, starting a big conflict, but instead, it was, to the surprise of many fans, always male. Ever since the beginning of said conflict, the light-purple tunic Hitmonchan wears has often been confused with a skirt.

[edit] In the video games

Hitmonchan can be obtained in many of the Pokémon video games. In Pokémon Red and Blue and Pokémon Yellow, one (and only one) can be obtained in the Fighting Dojo in Saffron City. In Pokémon Gold and Silver and Pokémon Crystal, Hitmonchan can be obtained by trading, or evolving a Tyrogue by raising it to level 20 with a higher defense stat than its attack stat. In Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green, Hitmonchan can be obtained in the same place as in Red, Blue and Yellow. In Pokémon XD, one could be snagged from Cipher Peon Karbon. In the rest of the games, Hitmonchan may be traded from other versions.

Its ability is Keen Eye, which prevents its Accuracy from being lowered in battle. With the release of Diamond and Pearl, Hitmonchan has gained an exclusive ability called Iron Fist, which increases the power of all of its punching moves; there are ten punching attacks it can learn that will be powered up. Hitmonchan's attacks have been heavily revised in the various games. However, as its type may suggest, the majority of its moves have been punches: in alphabetical order, it can learn Comet Punch, Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Mach Punch, Mega Punch, Sky Uppercut, and Thunder Punch. Strangely enough, Hitmonchan is unable to learn Dynamicpunch through means of level up or breeding.

It is not recommended that Fire Punch, Ice Punch, or Thunder Punch should be used on Hitmonchan due to its poor Special Attack stat, though the moves could be used for breeding. If this moveset is kept in the Pearl and Diamond versions, it may prove Hitmonchan to be an excellent Pokémon because of Pearl and Diamond's new "Physical" classification of Thunder Punch, Fire Punch and Ice Punch. As another boost from Diamond and Pearl, Hitmonchan's new ability, Iron Fist, increases the power of Hitmonchan's punch attacks even further.

It is said that Hitmonchan can only use punching attacks, but it is possible to get one with High Jump Kick (or other kicks). One must be bred from a Ditto and Hitmonlee (the latter of which must know the aforementioned move).

Hitmonchan's Attack stat is in the top 20% of all Pokémon. Beginning with Pokémon Gold and Silver, its Special Defense is in the top 10% of all Pokémon. Its Special stat in RBY was pitiful; GSC helped it slightly over the transition by increasing its Special Defense but the same was done to practically every other member of its type.

[edit] In the anime

Hitmonchan's position as one of the most human-looking Pokémon, and its role as a specially-obtainable species that was highly desired in the early days of the video game, has helped make it popular as a fighting-type; for this, it has had a number of appearances.

Hitmonchan's first appearance was in Episode 29 (The Punchy Pokémon) under Anthony, where it was a combatant in the P1 Grand Prix, but lost due to cheating by Team Rocket. It also showed up in the short Pikachu's Summer Vacation and the movie Pokémon 2000.

Besides the above, it has also played a role in episodes 42 (Showdown at Dark City; as one of the Yas Gym's Pokémon), 45 (The Song Of Jigglypuff), 58 (Riddle Me This), 73 (To Master The Onixpected; as one of Bruno's Pokémon), 82 (Friends To The End), 86 (The Lost Lapras), 88 (Pikachu Re-Volts), 92 (Stage Fight; as one of the crew's main performing Pokémon in the boxing show), 105 (Misty Meets Her Match; as a Hitmonchan owned by Rudy), 138 (Chikorita's Big Upset; as a Pokémon in a gang of fighting-types), 142 (Wired For Battle), 168 (Two Hits And A Miss), 171 (Beauty & The Breeder), 230 (Extreme Pokémon; as a racer pulling a trainer), 235 (A Tyrogue Full Of Trouble; as one of the Pokémon used in the battle to capture Tyrogue), 246 (Enlighten Up), 274 (Johto Photo Finish), and 275 (Gotta Catch Ya Later; as one of the Pokémon owned by the three "Invincible Brothers").

Hitmonchan's first major appearance in Advanced Generation was in Pasta La Vista, where May was lent one for a battle to decide a family matter in the passing down of a local fighting dojo. Hitmonchan successfully beat a Breloom in a practice match, but nearly got knocked out by Ash's Hitmonlee before Team Rocket made an interference in the fight. In the end, the match seemed equal and would've ended as a tie, as the break-in occurred right before both Pokémon launched their most powerful attacks, Focus Punch.

[edit] In the trading card game

For a Fighting-type Basic Pokémon, Hitmonchan had a large amount of battling prestige on the card battlefield. It is on the following cards:

  • Base Set
  • Gym Challenge (as Rocket's Hitmonchan)
  • Neo Destiny
  • Aquapolis
  • EX Ruby and Sapphire (as Hitmonchan EX)
  • EX Team Rocket Returns (as Rocket's Hitmonchan EX, as a Dark/Fighting dual-type)
  • EX Unseen Forces

[edit] References

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 Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon FireRed & Pokémon LeafGreen Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., August 2004. ISBN 1-930206-50-X
  • Mylonas, Eric. Pokémon Pokédex Collector’s Edition: Prima’s Official Pokémon Guide. Prima Games, September 21 2004. ISBN 0-7615-4761-4
  • Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon Emerald Version Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., April 2005. ISBN 1-930206-58-5

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../h/i/t/Hitmonchan.html"