Ivysaur

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Ivysaur
National Bulbasaur - Ivysaur (#002) - Venusaur Johto Bulbasaur - Ivysaur (#227) - Venusaur
Japanese name	Fushigisou
Stage	Stage 1
Evolves from	Bulbasaur
Evolves to	Venusaur
Generation	First
Species	Seed Pokémon
Type	Grass / Poison
Height	3 ft 3 in (1.0 m)
Weight	28.7 lb (13.0 kg)
Ability	Overgrow

Ivysaur (フシギソウ, Fushigisou^?) 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 Ivysaur 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]

The name Ivysaur may be a portmanteau of the English word ivy, and the Greek word, sauros, meaning lizard (as in “dinosaur”).^[3] The Japanese name “Fushigisou”, can be construed as a combination of the Japanese words 不思議 (ふしぎ, fushigi, “mystery”) and 草 (くさ, kusa, “grass”). The kanji for “grass” can also be read そう (sō). (see Kanji - Readings) Additionally, そう sō is an expression of agreement in Japanese, making "Fushigisou" literally "yes, it's a mystery". Ivysaur are still squat, but somewhat larger, develops more prominent canine teeth, and can sometimes stand on its hind legs alone. What was once a bulb on its back in its earlier development has now grown into a large flower bud.

[edit] Biological characteristics

The bud’s size may increase under direct sunlight, forcing Ivysaur to walk on all fours. Even though the bulb is now a premature flower, it's still unknown whether it is a plant or an animal. In a reversal of the bulb’s function, the bud appears to draw energy from the Ivysaur, as well as photosynthesizing. Carrying the additional weight strengthens its legs in preparation for the final stage of its growth. The bud produces a pleasant scent when it is ready to bloom, and Ivysaur will then evolve into a Venusaur.^[4]

[edit] Role

[edit] Video games

A screenshot from Pokémon LeafGreen, potraying a player's Ivysaur battle a Paras in Mount Moon.

Ivysaur play a key role in the original Pokémon video games, RPG strategy games created by Satoshi Tajiri for the Nintendo Game Boy. These were originally in Japanese, but later translated into other languages. Worldwide, these games and their sequels have sold over 143 million units, making them one of Nintendo's most popular game franchises, second only to Mario.^[1] The games are divided into sets of three generations by release and each is often only subtly different. Following the same basic plot in different areas of the Pokémon world, each generation builds 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, Pokémon emphasizes that these fights are friendly competition, not brutality.^[5]

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,^[6] since Charmander have a type advantage over Bulbasaur.^[7] Ivysaur are not found in the wild, and can only be obtained by evolving a Bulbasaur by leveling it up to level 16.^[8] The three original starters are not available in any of the other games in the series, except in the enhanced remakes, FireRed and LeafGreen. However, in Pokémon Yellow, a Bulbasaur becomes available later, as a gift from a non-player character in Cerulean City, following the Pokémon anime storyline.^[9] Since Ivysaur can only be obtained by evolving a Bulbasaur,^[8] the availability of a Bulbasaur dictates the availability of Ivysaur.

There are seventeen different Pokémon types, a special attribute determining strengths and weaknesses of each species, offsetting each other in a complicated series of rock-paper-scissors relationships. Ivysaur are a Grass/Poison-type (though they don’t have the ability to learn any damage-dealing Poison attacks naturally), so their attacks are particularly effective against Ground-, Rock- and Water-type Pokémon, but Psychic-, Fire-, Ice- and Flying-type attacks are particularly effective against them. Attacks of the Fighting, Water, Electric, and Grass types do little damage to Ivysaur, and Ivysaur do little damage to other Grass and Poison types, as well as to Fire, Flying, Bug, Steel, or Dragon types. All other types have no particular advantage or disadvantage when facing Ivysaur.^[7] Bulbasaur are therefore considered a good first choice for beginners, as the Kanto region's first two Pokémon gym leaders are Brock, who uses Rock-type Pokémon,^[10] and Misty, who uses Water-type Pokémon.^[11] Also, the third and fourth Gym Leaders are Lt. Surge, an Electric-type specialist, and Erika, a Grass-type specialist,^[12] and they have no advantage in battle against Bulbasaur and their evolved forms.^[7]

[edit] Pokémon anime

Screenshot of Pokémon anime, Episode 368, "Judgement Day," featuring Jimmy's Wartortle, Ivysaur and Charmeleon (left to right).

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]—an in-training Pokémon Master—as he and May (as well as several other companions^[13]) travel around the fictitious world of Pokémon along with their Pokémon partners, Pikachu and Blaziken.^[14]

A group of newly evolved Ivysaur appeared in Episode 51, "Bulbasaur’s Mysterious Garden", in which the group stumbled upon a natural evolutionary ground for Bulbasaur, under the protection of a Venusaur, where they witnessed a natural cycle of many Bulbasaur evolving into Ivysaur, and defended his Bulbasaur’s right to not evolve.^[15]

Another Ivysaur was owned by a minor character, Jimmy, an in-training Pokémon battle referee who also owned a Charmeleon and a Wartortle, in Episode 368, "Judgment Day", in which the group accidentally travel to Banaba island, where there is a camp dedicated to training referees. Jimmy's tutor, Sarina, asks Ash and Brock to have a double battle, so Jimmy could practice refereeing. Ash's Swellow attacks Brock's Pokémon hard, and Brock tells Lombre to play fainted. Jimmy doesn't rule Lombre unable to battle, at which point Sarina interrupted and told Jimmy he shouldn't have let Lombre continue to fight. Later that evening, the group ask Jimmy how he caught all of his Pokémon. Jimmy explains that he started out in Kanto with a Squirtle, which evolved into a Wartotle on his journey. He explains that one day, he and Wartortle were fighting over who would eat a rice ball, and accidentally knocked it down a hill, and rolled into a yawning Ivysaur's mouth. Ivysaur felt sorry for Jimmy and Wartortle and decided to join their team.^[16]

Another Ivysaur was owned by a girl, Crystal, in the Pokémon Chronicles series, a collection of sub stories separate from the main anime series. In Episode 16, "Put the Air Back in Aerodactyl!", Professor Oak, and his assistant Tracey, visit Oak's nephew, Gary Oak, on Saida Island, where Gary has secretly cloned Aerodactyl, an extinct Pokémon. However, when Professor Oak and Tracey arrive, Aerodactyl has escaped from the lab, and is roaming the island. Kobara, a female researcher, has a little sister, Misawo, who controlled groups of wild Pokémon to help the group find Aerodactyl. Misawo uses her Ivysaur to defeat Team Rocket agents, Butch and Cassidy, and save Aerodactyl.^[17]

[edit] Pokémon Trading Card Game

Ivysaur 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]

Most Ivysaur cards are typical, Stage-1 Pokémon cards, and are primarily used to play stronger cards (such as Stage-2 Pokémon, like Charizard).^[20] Ivysaur appear in the Base set (as well as the Base Set 2 and Legendary Collection), the Gym Challenge set (as Erika's Ivysaur), the Expedition set, and the EX FireRed & LeafGreen set, as well as appearing in the promotional Southern Islands set.^[21]

[edit] Pokémon manga

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".^[22] It battled alongside Red, until Chapter 15, "Wartortle Wars", when it evolved into an Ivysaur, after battling a wild Mankey.^[23] In Chapter 30, "Zap, Zap, Zapdos!", Red used his Suar 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.^[24] In Chapter 33, "The Winged Legends", Red's Ivysaur evolved 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.^[25]

Red's Saur re-appeared next in Chapter 40, "A Charizard... and a Champion", during the final match of the Ninth Pokémon League, against his longtime Rival, Blue. 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 Powder 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.^[26]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Pokémon website
• Bulbapedia (a Pokémon-centric Wiki)’s article about Ivysaur as a species
• Serebii.net’s 4th Gen Pokédex entry for Ivysaur
• Pokémon Dungeon Pokédex entry, full of statistics analysis
• PsyPoke Pokédex entry
• WikiKnowledge.net’s entry for Ivysaur Previously hosted by Wikibooks