Torchic

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Torchic
National Pokédex Sceptile - Torchic (#255) - Combusken Hoenn Pokédex Sceptile - Torchic (#004) - Combusken
Japanese name	Achamo
Evolves from	None
Evolves into	Combusken
Generation	Third
Species	Chick Pokémon
Type	Fire
Height	1 ft 4 in (0.4 m)
Weight	6 lb (2.7 kg)
Ability	Blaze

The Torchic (アチャモ, Torchic^? Achamo in original Japanese language versions) is one of the 493 fictional species of Pokémon creatures from the Pokémon media franchise. A Torchic is one of the three Pokémon that players choose from at the beginning of the story in the Pokémon Ruby, Pokémon Sapphire, and Pokémon Emerald versions of the series. As do all Pokémon, Torchic fight other Pokémon in battles central to the anime, manga, and games of the series.^[1]

The name Torchic is a combination of the words torch, a flame or light used to see in darkness, and chick, a common name for infant chickens.^[2] The Japanese name for Torchic, Achamo, is a combination of aka (赤, aka^?), a term referring to both baby and the color red, and shamo (軍鶏, shamo^?), a breed of Japanese bird, originally bred for fighting or hunting.^[3] The name Torchic refers to both the overall species, and to individual Torchic within the games, anime, and manga series.

Torchic are small, clumsy birds, with yellowish feathers and orange bodies. They are often seen hopping erratically behind their Pokémon trainers. Although seemingly innocuous, Torchic often fight by spitting flames from the pits of their stomachs.^[4]

[edit] Biological characteristics

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In the Pokémon universe, Torchic are covered with a fluffy coat of down. Their small wings are useless for flying; however, as Torchic evolve into their later forms, Combusken and Blaziken, claws slowly protrude from their wingtips, making them potentially vicious fighters. The Pokédex describes Torchic as disliking darkness because it prevents them from seeing their surroundings, regardless of their proficiency with fire techniques. Before the legs of a Torchic fully develop, they stay with their Pokémon trainer, following behind with unsteady, hopping steps as it learns to walk properly. They also have a sac filled with churning fire deep within their stomach, allowing them to give literal "warm hugs" to their trainers. This powerful fire also serves as a Torchic's ammunition in battles; when attacked, it retaliates by spitting fireballs, at temperatures of over 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (980 °C), leaving the foe scorched black.^[4]

[edit] Role

[edit] Pokémon video games

A Pokémon Emerald screenshot featuring an enemy Torchic (using Focus Energy) and Zigzagoon fighting a double battle against a player's Taillow and Mudkip.

One of the consistent aspects of most Pokémon games—established since the first Pokémon games, Pokémon Red and Blue—is the choice of three different Pokémon at the start of the player's adventures; these three are often called Starter Pokémon. Players can choose a Water-type, a Fire-type, or a Grass-type Pokémon indigenous to that particular region.^[5] Torchic is the Fire-type choice in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Pokémon Emerald for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance.^[5]

Grass-type Pokémon, Pokémon who are often animals fused with botanic specimens, (such as Oddish, Sunkern and Jumpluff^[6]) are popular early in the game in all incarnations of the series, and Torchic have a definitive type advantage against them.^[7] Torchic twice undergo evolution, a metamorphic change within a Pokémon caused by gaining experience in battle.^[8] They can evolve into Combusken, their Stage 1 forms at level 16, and again into their Stage 2 forms, Blaziken, at Level 36.^[9]

Although Torchic are described as having many bird-like qualities, including weak wings, they were never grouped as Flying-type Pokémon, making learnable Flying-type moves such as Peck and Mirror Move not particularly powerful compared to their Fire-type attacks; since Torchic are Fire Pokémon, their Fire attacks are stronger than other types of attacks.^[10]

Torchic have made cameo appearances in the Game Boy Advance game Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire (a sequel of the Game Boy Color game Pokémon Pinball); they have also starred in the Nintendo GameCube games Pokémon Channel, Pokémon Colosseum, and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. They are featured as non-playable characters in Pokémon Dash,^[11] and appeared in Pokémon Ranger for the Nintendo DS.^[12] Pokémon Mystery Dungeon^[13] and Pokémon Trozei also feature Torchic.^[14]

[edit] Pokémon anime

May and Torchic in the Pokémon anime Episode 277, "Get The Show On The Road!"

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). The anime follows the quest of Ash Ketchum^[15]—a Pokémon trainer as he, May and Hikari (as well as other companions^[15]) travel around the fictitious world of Pokémon along with their Pokémon partners. Torchic protects its trainer, May, and aids her in battles and in Pokémon Contests.

In the anime, May chose a Torchic as her starter Pokémon because she considered it to be cute. May's young Torchic was very playful, but she avoided using it frequently in her Pokémon Contests, contests that test a Pokémon's appeal from a judge and audience.^[16] When Torchic communicates with other characters in the anime—the only instance of it actually speaking—it calls out in its own unique language, which is comprised of the syllables "Tor" and "Chic".

May's Torchic first appeared in Episode 277, "Get The Show On The Road!", which also featured the anime debuts of Professor Birch and May.^[17][18] In Episode 355, "A Shroomish Skirmish", May's Torchic evolved into a Combusken to defend Ash's Corphish against a mob of Breloom.^[19][20]

Another Torchic—being looked after by Nurse Joy of Slateport City—appeared in Episode 310: "Having A Wailord of a Time". When Nurse Joy had to leave the Pokémon Center, Ash's Pokémon couldn't control the aggressive Torchic, causing it to evolve into a Combusken; once Nurse Joy returned, however, Combusken stopped Team Rocket's attempts to steal a Wailord and chose to stay with her and guard the Pokémon Center.^[21][22]

[edit] Pokémon manga

Sapphire, a female protagonist of Pokémon Adventures (a manga series based on the Advanced Generation games), has a Torchic, named Chaka, that she received from her father, Professor Birch.^[23][24] Chaka evolved into a Combusken during Sapphire's battle with Brawly, the Dewford Town Gym Leader,^[25] and then evolved again into a Blaziken while training for a battle with Winona, the Fortree City Gym Leader.^[26] Chaka was first used in battle, in Chapter 183, "VS. Torchic", against Ruby, Sapphire's rival.^[27]

The Torchic character itself appears in starring roles in several other manga series. The main character of Pokémon Chamo-Chamo Pretty (a Magical Pokémon Journey spin-off) is a female Torchic who has just moved to a new town with her trainer, Haruka. Torchic interacts with a number of other main characters—including Pikachu and Clefairy,^[28] as well as both Poochyena and Mightyena.^[29]

[edit] Pokémon Trading Card Game

Torchic as a Basic Fire Pokémon (EX Ruby and Sapphire 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.^[30] The game was first published in North America by Wizards of the Coast in 1999, until Pokémon USA, Inc started publishing the series in 2003.^[31]

Most Torchic cards are typical, basic Pokémon cards and are primarily used to play stronger cards (such as Stage-1 Pokémon, like Raichu, or Stage-2 Pokémon, like Charizard).^[32] Some Torchic cards are identical in attack and defense to other Basic Fire-type Pokémon, such as Charmander or Cyndaquil. Torchic, like Treecko and Mudkip, have a number of appearances in the Pokémon Trading Card Game, including the EX Ruby and Sapphire (twice), EX Dragon, EX Team Rocket Returns (as Torchic "Star"), EX Emerald,^[33] EX Holon Phantoms,^[34] and EX Crystal Guardians (twice) set, every time as a Basic Fire-type.^[35] A Torchic also appears in the EX Team Rocket Returns set, alongside Bulbasaur, on the Trainer card, Venture Bomb.^[36]

One rule when playing with Star cards—including Torchic Star from the EX Team Rocket Returns set—is that Pokémon with significant terms in their titles (often used to denote Pokémon that are all part of one set) can only evolve into Pokémon that also share this term. Though there is no mention on how to evolve Star Pokémon, if the rule for other suffixes is followed, Torchic Star could only be replaced by a Combusken Star card—a card which, at this point, does not exist.^[37] This makes Star cards somewhat impractical, since they cannot be upgraded from their Basic stage state; they are primarily savoured for their rarity instead.^[38]

[edit] Torchic in other media

An individual cosplaying as Torchic at Japan Expo 2006

Torchic have both been featured widely in Nintendo's marketing campaigns for various Pokémon video games as well as being one of the leading choices for Pokémon memorabilia. The drawings and sprite design of Torchic were created by Ken Sugimori's team for a 2003 release on the Nintendo Game Boy Advance.^[39] Like major Fire-types before it, such as Charmander,^[40] Torchic's popularity is partially due to its aesthetic appeal. Torchic have been promoted in this way in the Pokémon anime, where characters have shown a liking towards it because of its attractiveness.^[22][41]

Torchic's design has been used at times for various products, most of them coinciding with the releases of Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire.^[42] A Torchic action figure was released by Hasbro as part of the Pokémon Advanced range;^[43] the toy was packaged with a similar model—based on Sharpedo—and a collectible card detailing Torchic's evolutionary process. The Torchic was first released as a plush toy in the "Pokémon Advanced Mini Plush" series, along with similar products based on other Pokémon (including Plusle, Mudkip, and Minun).^[44] It was later rereleased—in a larger, fluffier, and more solid form—as part of the "Pokémon Advanced Deluxe Plush" set, which saw a much more varied choice of designs compared to the original (including similar plush toys based on Metagross, Blastoise, Vigoroth, and Pikachu, among others).^[45]

In 2004, two Torchic design toys, the "Torchic Plush Keychain" and "Plush Bean Bag Torchic", were part of a major recall by Tomy of 13 plush Pokémon toys. Due to a manufacturing fault, tips of needles were left in the stuffing, causing makers to replace the toys with compensation or replacements.^[46]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

This article contains Japanese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of kanji or kana.

• Pokémon.com
• Bulbapedia entry on Torchic species
  • Starter Pokémon Guide
  • Pokémon anime Combusken Guide
  • Pokémon Chamo Chamo Pretty Haruka Guide
  • Pokémon Chamo Chamo Pretty Torchic Guide
• Torchic’s fourth-generation Pokédex entry on Serebii.net
• PsyPoke - Torchic Pokédex and Usage Overview
  • Torchic sprite and artwork by Ken Sugimori
• Smogon - Torchic Tactical Data
• WikiKnowledge.net’s entry for Torchic Previously hosted by Wikibooks