Eevee

Eevee, known in Japan as Eievui (イーブイ, Ībui, meaning "evolve"), is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Eevee first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue. They have later appeared in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed adaptations of the franchise.

Known as the Evolution Pokémon,^[1] Eevee is a fennec-like Pokémon with an unstable genetic code, which allows it to evolve into eight different Pokémon depending on the situation. The first three of these evolutions, Vaporeon, Jolteon, and Flareon, are the result of Eevee being exposed to either a Water Stone, a Thunderstone, or a Fire Stone respectively. Two new evolutions were introduced in Pokémon Gold and Silver, Espeon and Umbreon, which involve maximum friendship with the Trainer and leveling up at a specific time of day, or leveling up while a Sun Shard or a Moon Shard, respectively, is in the player's bag in XD. Leafeon and Glaceon are the result of leveling up in areas that have either a Moss Rock or an Ice Rock respectively. The most recent evolution, Sylveon, evolves by leveling up with at least two hearts of affection from Pokémon-Amie and knowing a Fairy-type move.

Conception and creation

The design and art for Eevee and its evolutions were provided by Japanese video game designer and illustrator Ken Sugimori,^[2] a friend of the Pokémon franchises' creator, Satoshi Tajiri. In the original Japanese games, the Pokémon was known by its name Eievui, a name which has similar prefixes to its current English name. However, before the English versions of the games were released, Eevee was originally going to be named Eon rather than Eevee.^[3] It was later renamed shortly before the English releases of Pokémon Red and Blue.

Characteristics

Eevee is a mammalian creature with brown fur, a bushy tail that has a cream-colored tip, and a furry collar that is also cream-colored. Eevee has brown eyes, big ears, and pink paw pads. Eevee is said to have an irregularly shaped genetic structure, enabling it to evolve into multiple Pokémon.^[4] Eevee are quite rare,^[5] but are able to live almost anywhere, as they may evolve to suit their surroundings.^[6]

While appearing very simple in appearance, Eevee is best known for its unstable genetic code which allows it to change and mutate into different forms (through evolution) depending on its environment.^[7][8] As a result of its evolution, Eevee would become better suited to living in its surrounding environment.^[9] All of Eevee's evolutions are of unique typing in comparison to each other. In Pokémon Red and Green, the player was able to evolve his or her Eevee into one its first three evolutions (Vaporeon, Jolteon, or Flareon) by the use of an elemental stone (though only one can be obtained at a time). Starting from Pokémon Gold and Silver, the player could further evolve his or her Eevee into either an Espeon or an Umbreon by making the Eevee achieve maximum happiness (though the evolution depended on what time of day it was as Eevee evolved into Espeon at daytime while Eevee evolved into Umbreon at night). The final two evolutions of Eevee were obtainable upon the release of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. Leafeon, Eevee's grass type evolution, is obtainable upon leveling up near a moss rock, meanwhile Eevee's ice type evolution, Glaceon, is achieved by leveling up near an ice rock. These rocks are found in the Sinnoh and Unova regions. In Pokémon X and Y, Eevee gains a new evolution in the form of Sylveon, a Fairy-type.^[10][11]

Appearances

In the video games

In the Red, Blue, Yellow versions, the player receives one Eevee at the Pokémon Mansion in Celadon City, and they must trade to receive the Pokédex info on the other evolutions (Red, Blue, and Yellow only). In Pokémon Yellow, the player was to receive an Eevee from Professor Oak at the beginning of the game as the player's starter. However, the player's rival decides to take the Eevee before the player can obtain it. Due to this, the player is forced to choose the wild Pikachu that Professor Oak had caught earlier as a starter. The player's rival meanwhile evolves his Eevee into any of the three evolutions available, depending on the outcomes of the player's encounters with him in the early parts of the game. In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, after finding Bill in Ecruteak City, the player can go back to his house in Goldenrod City to receive an Eevee from him. In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl as well as Platinum, Eevee can be obtained by Bebe after getting the National Dex (In Platinum, Eevee can be obtained pre-National Dex). In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen as well as Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Eevee can be found in the same areas that it was obtained from the original games.

Eevee is a photographable Pokémon in Pokémon Snap. In Pokémon Stadium 2, Eevee stars in its own minigame called "Eager Eevee". Players have to run around in circles while Aipom raises and lowers a cover on berries. The object is to be among the first to grab some of the berries.^[12] In Pokémon XD, Eevee is featured as the main character's starter Pokémon. The player also has the option of evolving their Eevee into one of its evolutions that appeared prior to Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team, Eevee is available as the main protagonist, in the naive nature if the player chooses female. Eevee reappears as a starter Pokémon in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Sky. Eevee appears as a non-player character in PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure and its sequel, PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond, as do all of its then-seven evolutions.

In anime

In the anime, Eevee first appeared in The Battling Eevee Brothers. A little boy named Mikey was hiding the Evolution Pokémon from his three older brothers because they wanted him to evolve it. However, when Mikey's Eevee single-handedly defeated Team Rocket, they were able to accept the fact that Mikey wanted to keep his Eevee just the way it is.^[13] Ash's longtime rival Gary Oak uses an Eevee of great quality that eventually evolves into Umbreon. May has an Eevee that hatched from an egg, which she used in Pokémon Contests all across the Kanto and Johto region. When May traveled to Sinnoh, she took it to Route 217 to evolve into a Glaceon.^[14] The Kimono Girls who first appeared in the Pokémon Gold and Silver games, also make an appearance with their Pokémon (all of which are evolutions of Eevee) in Trouble's Brewing.^[15] The youngest of the Kimono girls had an unevolved Eevee (the only of the sisters to have one) in this episode though it later evolved into an Espeon later on in the episode "Espeon, Not Included".^[16]

In other media

In Pokémon Adventures, Red is in possession of an Eevee which had been experimented on by Team Rocket. As a result, it could transform back and forth from the three evolutions Vaporeon, Jolteon, and Flareon along with its base form, allowing it greater tactical ability in fighting other Pokémon. Eventually, it evolved into an Espeon, losing its special ability to interchange abilities. In the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga, the character Mikey (who appeared in the anime episode: "The Battling Eevee Brothers") makes an appearance with his own Eevee and within the chapter that he appears in, Mikey attempts to prove to his brothers that he doesn't need to evolve his Eevee to win battles.

In the crowdsourced social experiment, Twitch Plays Pokémon, an Eevee was the source of much frustration when, while trying to evolve it into a Vaporeon to learn the move Surf, the players accidentally used a Fire Stone on it, evolving it into a Flareon. This setback led to Flareon being called the "false prophet" and became one of the most famous moments of the event.^[17]

Promotion and reception

Since its debut appearance, Eevee and its evolutions have received generally positive reception. GamesRadar described Eevee as "one of the cutest and most varied of all Pokémon,"^[18] and in a later article described it as one of the most "enduringly popular."^[19] IGN called it "the most mystifying, peculiar, eccentric, and adaptable creature in the game."^[20] IGN editor “Pokémon of the Day Chick" also stated that Eevee was a creature that is a thousand times cuter than a puppy and she also stated that its evolutions were also powerful for a cute Pokémon.^[21] IGN's Jack DeVries cited Eevee as one of the cutest Pokémon.^[22] Eevee was noted as one of the most popular Pokémon at the offices of The Pokémon Company.^[23] Author Loredana Lipperini noted Eevee as being one of the "most mysterious" Pokémon in the series.^[24]

Due to its popularity, Eevee (and its evolutions) have frequently been used in much of the Pokémon merchandising such as toys.^[25] While Eevee and its evolutions have appeared in the Pokémon Trading Card game as common cards, they were featured in the recent release of the Majestic Dawn set as Eevee and its evolutions were of the main focus.^[26] Eevee, as well as its evolutions were also featured in the Burger King kid's meal promotion of Pokémon cards.^[27] Eevee has also been a part of various Nintendo events which allow the players to obtain special Pokémon that are being distributed [one example in Eevee's case was a shiny (a rare alternatively coloured Pokémon) Eevee distribution].^[28] Eevee was also one of the several first generation Pokémon to get a special DVD (Volume 6) with episodes starring itself during the 10th anniversary of the Pokémon series.^[29] Author Maria S. Barbo called Eevee the most unique Pokémon.^[30]

References

External links

• Eevee on Bulbapedia