Lotad

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Lotad
Image:Lotad.png
National Pokédex
Dustox - Lotad (#270) - Lombre
Hoenn Pokédex
Dustox - Lotad (#19) - Lombre
Japanese name Hassboh
Evolves from None
Evolves into Lombre
Generation Third
Species Water Weed Pokémon
Type Water / Grass
Height 1 ft 8 in (0.5 m)
Weight 6.0 lb (2.6 kg)
Ability Swift Swim / Rain Dish

Lotad (ハスボ Hasubō?, Hassboh in original Japanese language versions) are one of the 493 fictional species of Pokémon creatures from the Japanese Pokémon media franchise. Lotad debuted in 2002 in the Japanese versions of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. In all aspects of the franchise, Lotad, as with all other Pokémon, are used to battle both wild, untamed Pokémon and tamed Pokémon owned by Pokémon trainers.[1]

Lotad's name is a portmanteau of lotus, one of several water plants, and either lilypad or tadpole. Its Japanese name, Hassboh, is based on the Japanese word for the lotus, hasu. The name Lotad refers to the species as a whole, as well as to individual specimens in the games, anime, manga, trading cards, and other media.

Contents

[edit] Biological characteristics

Lotad are described by the Pokédexes of the video games as leading a way of life very similar to that of the lilypads which they resemble. It has a blue body which sprouts a green, relatively large leaf, which acts as a floater to keep this Pokémon close to the surface, where it can harvest energy from the sunlight through photosynthesis. It lives in packs which cover the surface of ponds and lakes.

Despite being a primarily aquatic species, Lotad can survive on land, particularly in wetlands. It sometimes uses its six "legs" to travel on land to find new pools of water, to escape predators or overcrowding. This ability may stem from the fact that Lotad's evolutionary (evolution, not Pokémon evolution) predecessors dwelled on land, but gradually became aquatic after their leaf became too large to support.

Lotad's design seems to be a visual pun based on the duckweed, as it is itself a plant, and it and its evolutionary successors have a duck's bill. The beak also gives them a platypus-like appearance. The leaf looks like a turtle's shell. Its name implies that it is in part based on the tadpole.

[edit] Role

[edit] In the Pokémon video games

Lotad are featured in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire of the Pokémon video game series. Originally in Japanese, but later translated into other languages, the games have sold over 143 million copies worldwide.[2]

In Pokémon Sapphire, Lanette, the creator of Hoenn's PC system, gives the protagonist a Lotad doll for bothering to pay a visit to her house.

Lotad is the first pokémon to be of the dual type of grass and water. This rare combination eliminates his weakness of fire, grass, and electricity. Lotad is found in Pokémon Sapphire and Pokémon Emerald only. It is quite common in Pokémon Emerald, but it isn't all that good, as it doesn't learn many powerful moves before evolving into a Lombre.

Although it may not sound like a good idea at first, but in Pokémon Emerald it may be advisable to give Lotad an everstone (stops evolution) as in Sootopolis a person gives out prizes for a big Lotad. Lotad evolve very quickly though, so the player may have to perform an evolution cancel (pressing the 'B' button while the Pokémon is evolving) as the person does not give out prizes for a big Lombre or Ludicolo.

[edit] 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 (excepting Pokémon Yellow[3]) follow. The anime features the quest of Ash Ketchum,[4] a young Pokémon trainer, as he and several other companions travel around the world with their Pokémon partners.

In the episode 12 of Pokémon Advance Generation, titled "The Lotad Lowdown",[5] Brock receives his first Hoenn Pokémon, a retired Lotad from the crew of the Pretty Petal Flower Shop. While this Lotad is initially a particularly dense specimen, often taking several seconds to react to Brock's orders, and sometimes not following them at all, it becomes a valued member of Brock's team, and later evolves to Lombre (and later Ludicolo).

[edit] In the Pokémon card game

There are two versions of Lotad in Pokémon Trading Card Game in which players simulate Pokémon battles.[6]:

  • EX Sandstorm (2 cards) (Both water type)
  • EX Deoxys (2 cards) (Both water type)
  • EX: Crystal Guardians (Water type)

[edit] References

Notes
  1. ^ Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire Review (page 1) Ign.com. Retrieved on March 3, 2007.
  2. ^ "The Ultimate Game Freak: Interview with Satoshi Tajiri", TimeAsia.com URL Accessed July 12, 2006 (Waybacked).
  3. ^ Pokémon Yellow Critical Review Ign.com. Retrieved on March 3, 2007
  4. ^ Pokémon anime overview Psypokes.com. URL Accessed May 25, 2006.
  5. ^ "The Lotad Lowdown". Kunihiko Yuyama (Director). Pokémon: Advanced. Cartoon Network.
  6. ^ Pokémon Trading Card Game "How to play" guide Pokemon-tcg.com. URL Accessed July 3, 2006.
Books
  • 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 Version & Pokémon LeafGreen Version Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., August 2004. ISBN 1-930206-50-X
  • Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon Emerald Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., April 2005. ISBN 1-930206-58-5

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../l/o/t/Lotad.html"
In other languages