Ash's Kingler

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Ash's Kingler
サトシのキングラー Satoshi's Kingler
Bag Poké Ball SV Sprite.png
Ash Kingler.png
Ash's Kingler
Debuts in Mystery at the Lighthouse
Caught at Route 25
Evolves in Round One - Begin!
Gender Unknown
Ability Unknown
Current location At Professor Oak's Laboratory
HOME098.png HOME099.png
This Pokémon spent 62 episodes as Krabby.
Voice actor Japanese English
As Krabby Rikako Aikawa
As Kingler Unshō Ishizuka

Ash's Kingler (Japanese: サトシのキングラー Satoshi's Kingler) was the seventh Pokémon acquired by Ash Ketchum in the Kanto region, and the first of Ash's Pokémon to primarily reside at Professor Oak's laboratory in Pallet Town.

History

Kanto

As a Krabby

Ash originally obtained it as a Krabby in Mystery at the Lighthouse, where he became angry at Misty for her saying that it was a fluke that he captured all his other Pokémon. Storming down to the beach, he discovered a minuscule Krabby and then made fun of it. Krabby challenged Ash, who fought it with a nearby stick and then captured it in a Poké Ball. Having six Pokémon already in his party at the time, the newly caught Krabby's Poké Ball was teleported away, much to Ash's surprise and concern. He soon learned that Krabby was sent to Professor Oak.

With Gary's bigger Krabby

Ash quickly rang Oak and became horrified that he thought Oak was eating his new Krabby. However, he became relieved that Oak was actually eating tofu and that Krabby was quite happy at Oak's lab. However, the happiness he felt at capturing his seventh Pokémon wore off as soon as Oak revealed that Gary had also captured a Krabby, although his was far larger in size. Gary later mocked Krabby himself in Showdown at the Po-ké Corral, degrading Krabby in comparison to his own.

Krabby's battling debut came in Round One - Begin!, when Ash used it during the first round of the Pokémon League against Mandi. He reasoned that Krabby would be perfect for a battle on the Water field despite Misty's protests that Ash should borrow one of her Pokémon as Krabby had never battled before. Ash retorted that he still had Squirtle and Pikachu as backups should Krabby fail.

It seemed at first that Misty's forebodings would prove true; Mandi's Exeggutor used Psychic to trap Krabby in a whirlpool. However, Krabby managed to escape and took control of the battle with ViceGrip. It avoided Exeggutor's Hypnosis and took victory with Leer and Stomp. The intensity of the battle caused it to evolve into a Kingler. It was able to finish the rest of the match single-handedly, defeating Mandi's Seadra by slowing it down with Bubble and then knocking it out with Crabhammer, and then taking out his Golbat with a Hyper Beam. This was despite Misty and Brock's real concerns about Kingler's ability to prevail against Seadra's speed and Golbat's air attacks.

Kingler, Muk and Tauros offering to fight Drake

Ash also used Kingler in his battle on the Ice field in Fire and Ice, where Kingler defeated Pete Pebbleman's Cloyster by hammering repeatedly on its shell with Crabhammer until it fainted. It then fought his Arcanine, but its Bubble was dodged by the Fire-type Pokémon, and then it was knocked out by Dragon Rage.

Kingler spent most of the time at Oak's lab as Ash and his his friends traveled the Orange Islands. Muk and Kingler offered to fight for Ash in the Orange Island Championship battle against Drake in Hello, Pummelo!, but Ash chose Tauros instead.

Johto

Ash used Kingler in Johto during the Whirl Cup tournament in The Perfect Match!, when Ash realized that he only had a single Water-type Pokémon, Totodile. He sent Bayleef to Oak's lab and Kingler joined his team. In the second round, after Totodile's loss to Poliwhirl, Kingler knocked out Poliwhirl with a powerful one-two punch Crabhammer. However, when Ash ordered it to use ViceGrip on Psyduck, the pain gave Psyduck the ability to tap into its Psychic powers and defeat Kingler with a Confusion attack. Kingler was sent back to Oak's lab afterwards.

Kingler's undoing at the Whirl Cup

In Love, Pokémon Style, Ash planned to use Kingler in the Johto League Silver Conference against Macy's array of Fire Pokémon, but it was injured while rescuing a trio of runaway Voltorb, who shocked Kingler when it caught them. Ash was later informed that Kingler would not be able to compete in the battle, but Squirtle arrived in time to fill Kingler's spot.

Advanced Generation

In Showdown at the Oak Corral, Kingler made a cameo appearance telling the other Pokémon about Cassidy and Butch.

Kingler currently resides at Professor Oak's Lab, where it quickly made friends with Ash's Corphish in The Right Place and the Right Mime.

Personality and characteristics

Ash and Kingler

In its debut, Krabby appeared to be fiery and brash, challenging Ash to a fight despite him not even being a Pokémon. However, upon capture Krabby mellowed significantly and became a very modest and quiet Pokémon. This is most likely due to its residence with Professor Oak, who said in Showdown at the Po-ké Corral that Pokémon take on the personality of the person who spends the most time with it. In battle, Kingler was quietly determined, not giving up against Mandi despite on face value being the underdog against all three of his Pokémon. Kingler was a very modest victor, happily hugging his Trainer, but not waving to the crowd or gloating at Mandi. These are more of Oak's traits coming through, as opposed to the rest of Ash's team.

This is most likely the reason Kingler never secured a permanent position on Ash's team. It has proven loyal and caring and strong in battle, but the very little time together has likely led Ash to feel more secure using his other Pokémon. Kingler, like Muk and Tauros, remains a trump card in Ash's arsenal.

Moves used

Ash Krabby Leer.png
Using Leer
as a Krabby
Ash Kingler Crabhammer.png
Using Crabhammer
Move First Used In
Harden Round One - Begin!
ViceGrip  Round One - Begin!
Leer Round One - Begin!
Stomp Round One - Begin!
Water Gun Round One - Begin!
Bubble Round One - Begin!
Crabhammer  Round One - Begin!
Hyper Beam Round One - Begin!
A shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves.

In the manga

In The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga

Ash's Kingler in The Electric Tale of Pikachu

Ash's Kingler appears in The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga. He caught it off-screen as a Krabby. He used it in Welcome to the Big Leagues, where it defeated a Golbat, allowing Ash to move on in the Indigo League tournament.

Moves used

Ash Kingler Crabhammer EToP.png
Using Crabhammer
Move First Used In
Crabhammer Welcome to the Big Leagues
A shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves.

Trivia

  • Kingler is the first and only Water-type Pokémon that Ash has owned that ever evolved under his ownership. It also was his only evolved Water type up until the capture of Palpitoad in Facing Fear with Eyes Wide Open!.
  • Kingler is the first and only one of Ash's Pokémon that evolved after its first battle. It is also Ash's only Pokémon to win in a Pokémon League match single handedly, excluding one on one matches.
  • Because of Kingler being injured by multiple Voltorb, it is the only one of Ash's Pokémon at the time not to participate in the Silver Conference.
  • Its last appearance was in The Right Place and the Right Mime, meaning it has been absent for more episodes than any of Ash's other Pokémon that are currently in his possession.
  • Kingler was the first Pokémon Ash caught that was transferred after he caught it.
  • Kingler has learned every move it knows in a single episode.

Related articles

For more information on this Pokémon's species, see Krabby and Kingler.


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