Weaponry in the Pokémon world

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In the anime

Weaponry, mainly firearms, have appeared in the anime numerous times. While there is generally no concern with this as weapon use is rather mild, an extreme case caused one episode to be banned. Weapons in the anime were a common occurrence in the first half of the Original series, but when the Johto League story arc premiered, all kinds of real-life weapons were practically absent from the show, aside from weapons associated with Team Rocket's mechas.

Weaponry continued appearing from the Advanced Generation series onwards, though less often.

Episode Details Image
Challenge of the Samurai

The boy dressed as a samurai pulls out a katana (samurai sword) on several occasions during the episode, but never uses it. The sword is actually just a harmless plastic replica.

EP004 Plastic Sword.png
Bulbasaur and the Hidden Village

Brock uses a hunting knife to cut down a net trap that had caught Ash, Misty, and Pikachu.

EP010 knife.png
Here Comes the Squirtle Squad!

Team Rocket use a bazooka, albeit with cherry blossom petals as ammunition, and a submachine gun to carry out an armed robbery of the Poké Mart for bomb ingredients. Shortly thereafter, the store owners and customers mistake Ash for a member of Team Rocket trying to rob the store again and point several handguns, shotguns, and assault rifles at Ash's head. Later in the episode, Team Rocket use the bombs that they had previously stolen to try to destroy the Squirtle Squad.

EP012 bazooka.png
Mystery at the Lighthouse

Jessie and James try to ward off the Dragonite approaching Bill's lighthouse by using bazookas with live missiles.

EP013 bazooka.png
Beauty and the Beach

Team Rocket try to destroy Porta Vista by firing a missile at the city.

EP018 Heat Missile.png
Tentacool & Tentacruel

Nastina and her army use tanks, assault rifles, and rocket launchers to try to kill the Tentacool. She also fires several rounds from a tank, even once at Team Rocket. Team Rocket, Nastina, and her army also attempt to use biological weapons to destroy the Tentacool.

Nastina and her machine guns.png
The Ghost of Maiden's Peak

During the flashback to the war 2,000 years prior, armored soldiers are seen carrying spears. Later, Jessie fires a bazooka at the Ghost of Maiden's Peak (a disguised Gastly) to no effect.

EP020 Bazooka.png
Bye Bye Butterfree

When Ash and his friends infiltrate Team Rocket's hideout where they have stashed all the stolen Butterfree, they attack Ash and Misty's Pokémon with sledgehammers and a clamp. Jessie even manages to hit Misty's Starmie with a sledgehammer.

EP021 Clamp.png

EP021 Sledgehammer.png

Haunter vs. Kadabra

Haunter pulls out a spherical bomb from its mouth, which explodes in its and Sabrina's faces.

EP024 Bomb.png
Pokémon Scent-sation!

Team Rocket uses a small but powerful bomb that explodes and blows a hole through the roof of the Celadon City Gym, as well as setting the Gym on fire.

EP026 Bomb.png
Dig Those Diglett

The foreman uses a hammer to attack the Diglett, although the Diglett retreat into the ground before the hammer can hit them. This may be a reference to the game Whac-A-Mole.

EP031 Hammer.png
The Ninja-Poké-Showdown

While wandering in the labyrinth of the Fuchsia Gym, Aya uses shuriken to pin Ash to a wooden trap door. Meowth also uses Koga's Voltorb as exploding bowling balls to attack Ash and his friends.

EP032 Stars.png
The Flame Pokémon-athon!

Right after the race begins, Team Rocket use a slingshot to hit a Trainer's Tauros in the face, causing it to run into a Nidorina, which takes them out of the race and into a fight.

EP033 Slingshot.png
The Kangaskhan Kid

This violent episode had much weaponry use throughout. In the first few minutes of the show, Ash tries to capture what he thinks is a Chansey but it turns out to be Safari Ranger Jenny wearing a Chansey hat. She then aims an M1 carbine at the group and orders Ash to drop the Poké Ball. James uses a tranquilizer gun to knock out the Kangaskhan. Tommy uses a boomerang as a weapon, hitting Ash in the face with it. With it, he also knocks the fuel cap off of Team Rocket's mecha, leaking fuel everywhere; combined with Ash's Charmander's Flamethrower attack set the mecha ablaze. Then, Tommy's parents crash into the mecha with a helicopter to save Tommy, Ash, and his friends. Throughout the episode, hammers, logs, and fists are used to hit people.

James tranquilizer gun.png

Jenny rifle.png

EP035

This episode was banned due to the Safari Zone Warden pointing a revolver at Ash and even firing at Team Rocket. Team Rocket even held Kaiser hostage and pointed guns at him. Due to this, it left a major plot hole in the anime. Dubs were made, but never aired. Team Rocket also uses a bomb to hurt the Pokémon in the Dragon Valley in order to fish out a Dratini living there.

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EP038

While Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu, and Team Rocket are inside the computer system, a virus clean-up software represented as a floating ambulance fires missiles at Porygon while the whole group is riding on it.

EP038 Antivirus.png
Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon

Team Rocket used a large amount of dynamite to blow up Grandpa Canyon.

EP046 Dynamite.png
Princess vs. Princess

Before the final match of the Princess contest between Misty and Jessie, James and Meowth are dressed up in Mafia-style clothing and Meowth is holding a Thompson submachine gun. Meowth then asks Jessie "You want us to take care of her?"

EP052 Thompson.png
The Purr-fect Hero

At the beginning of the episode, Ash and Brock tell Misty that Kids' Day should be a boy's holiday only, because of the Princess festival that had recently occurred. The next scene shows Brock dressed up in samurai armor and holding a katana.

Brocks katana.png
The Case of the K-9 Caper!

Early in the episode, Ash and his friends come across a policeman acting as a burglar fleeing. Ash tries to order Pikachu to stop him, but the policeman is holding a pistol, which scares Pikachu. Also, Team Rocket use two gases as weapons to dull the Pokémon's sniffing ability and to cause the character's voices to become high-pitched. One substance may be Gloom pollen, as it is labeled with a Gloom, the same color as one, and accompanied by the same sound effect as Gloom's pollen. The latter is implied to be helium.

EP054 Pistol.png

EP054 Biological Weapons.png

Pokémon Paparazzi

At the start of the episode, Ash panics and tries to get everyone down to the ground when he sees a glint of light from Todd's camera, which he assumes to be the scope of a sniper rifle. When Team Rocket captures Pikachu, James throws two bombs at Todd and Ash. James's third bomb blows up in his face after he is distracted by Ash's photo.

EP055 Bomb.png
It's Mr. Mime Time

Team Rocket use a tank with live rockets to viciously attack Ash, Misty, Brock, Stella, and her Pokémon.

Tank EP064.png
Make Room for Gloom

When Ash, Pikachu, Misty, and Brock arrive at the Xanadu nursery, they start peeking through the glass dome that is the nursery. They then encounter a man named Potter who is holding something that they mistake as a flamethrower. It is then revealed to be a garden spray.

EP068 The Mistaken Flamethrower.png
To Master The Onixpected!

Team Rocket successfully fire two rounds of a rocket launcher at an Onix. It emerges unscathed and chases after them.

EP071 Rocket Launcher.png
Pallet Party Panic

Team Rocket attacks Pallet Town by throwing bombs at the townspeople.

EP081 Bombs.png
Shell Shock!

James throws a bomb at Umberto and many people hit it away until Ash gets it. He then throws it away and it explodes.

EP089 Bomb.png
Stage Fight!

Team Rocket fires two live Magikarp look-alike torpedoes at the Pokémon Showboat.

EP090 Magikarp Torpedo.png
Bound for Trouble

Team Rocket fire a beam cannon at Ash, Misty, Tracey, and Psyduck.

EP104 Beam Cannon.png
Charizard Chills

Team Rocket use buzzsaws to attack Ash, Pikachu, and Charizard.

EP105 Buzzsaws.png
Viva Las Lapras

The two antagonists in this episode, Captain Crook and Scuz, fire cannons with live cannonballs at Ash, his Pikachu, and Lapras.

EP113 Cannons.png
The Whistle Stop

James fires a bazooka loaded with a net to pin down Ash, Brock, Misty, and Arielle.

EP128 Missiles.png
The Poké Spokesman

Team Rocket uses a rocket launcher with live missiles to attack the criminals' hideout in order to rescue Simon. This scene was removed for the dub.

EP195 Deleted Scene.png
The Big Balloon Blow-up

During the balloon race, Jessie and James use a rocket launcher to shoot down Ash and Skyler's balloons.

EP202 Missiles.png
A Poached Ego!

Rico uses an FN P90.

AG006 FN P90.png
A Togepi Mirage!

The royal army of the Mirage Kingdom use spears as weapons.

AG045 Spears.png
Crazy as a Lunatone!

This is one of the few occurrences of live missiles appearing in this arc of the Pokémon anime. Minor villains use live missiles to destroy the meteor containing Lunatone.

AG089 Missiles.png
Losing Its Lustrous!

Mars detonates explosive charges inside the ruins of Celestic Town, causing a diversionary panic and serious damage to an archaeological site and landmark of Sinnoh.

DP096 Detonator.png
Saving the World From Ruins!

Mars threatens to destroy Iron Island with a remote-controlled demolition system, but when she triggers the explosives, the attempt is foiled by Riley and his Lucario.

DP111 Explosives.png
Stealing the Conversation!

Team Rocket attack Ash and his friends with a bowling pin mecha that's armed with bowling pin missiles. Also, it is shown that this episode's Officer Jenny uses three bowling balls to incapacitate and arrest criminals despite its potential to cause serious blunt force trauma in real life at the high speeds with which she throws them.

Bowling Pin Robot.png
Noodles! Roamin' Off!

Meowth fires a bazooka to save Jessie and James from being blasted by a shiny Metagross's Hyper Beam.

DP117 Rocket.png
Trials and Adulations!

Team Rocket try to attack Aggron and Mamoswine with a Golem mecha armed with rock-shaped missiles.

Mecha AG154.png
Pillars of Friendship!

Hunter J's airship attacks Regigigas, Regirock, Regice, and Registeel with Lasers.

J ship laser.png
Frozen on Their Tracks!

Meowth fires a bazooka loaded with a capture bag at Pikachu's group.

DP130 Bazooka.png
Gateway to Ruin!

Agent Looker fights off several Galactic Grunts armed with staffs.

DP136 Bos.png
An Egg Scramble!

Meowth uses a bazooka with a retractable grappling hand to steal Dawn's Cyndaquil Egg.

DP143 Bazooka.png
The Treasure Is All Mine!

The treasure chest that contains a love letter from James' childhood fired live missiles which caused damage to Growlie, and even had a laser gun that sent Team Rocket blasting off.

DP153 Treasure Robot.png
Dreams by the Yard Full!

Team Rocket's scanning machine attacks Ash and his friends with blue particle blasts.

Team Rocket Mecha BW006.png
A Rival Battle for Club Champ!

Team Rocket are found and entrapped by Officer Jenny and a sizable squad of Unova policemen armed with batons.

BW010 Batons.png
A Night in the Nacrene City Museum!

Ash and his friends are attacked by a sword-wielding suit of medieval armor controlled by a Yamask.

BW014 Knight.png
Gotta Catch A Roggenrola!

Team Rocket tests out the Roggenrola Cannon, an experimental energy weapon built by Dr. Zager that uses a hexagonal array of 19 Roggenrola which are energized and forced to use a combined and intensified Flash Cannon. When they try to use it directly on Ash and his friends, the 18 captive Roggenrola disable the weapon by taking control of their core energies and overloading its systems with a reverse-polarity charge.

Team Rocket Mecha BW034.png
Beheeyem, Duosion, and the Dream Thief!

Officer Jenny uses a small breaching charge to destroy a glass balcony door.

BW045 Breaching Charge.png
Ash and N: A Clash of Ideals! Looker uses a pipe while fighting against Team Plasma. BW121 Looker Pipe.png
Team Plasma and the Awakening Ceremony!
A Pokémon of a Different Color! Under the command of Meowth, James holds and Jessie fires a bazooka loaded with a capture bag to catch a shiny Druddigon. BW136 Bazooka.png
Pikachu's Vacation

Meowth pulls out a bomb in attempt to stop all the noise that Pikachu and all the other Pokémon have been making trying to rescue Charizard.

Meowth Bomb PK01.png
The Power of One

Lawrence III's flying machine attacks Fire Island with a turret that can project ice energy blasts. Later, it is shown attacking Articuno with fire energy blasts.

Lucario and the Mystery of Mew

During the flashback to the war 2,000 years prior, armored soldiers are seen carrying swords and shields.

Arceus and the Jewel of Life

The past soldiers of Michina are armed with sasumata (Japanese man catchers).

M12 Spears.png


In the games

Game Details Image
Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen In Generation I, numerous trainers are armed with whips, including Cooltrainers, Team Rocket Grunts, Rockers, Tamers, and Gym Leader Sabrina. For the Generation III remakes, most lost these whips, but Tamers did retain them. Spr FRLG Tamer.png
Gold, Silver, Crystal,
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum,
HeartGold, SoulSilver, Black, White,
Black 2 and White 2 Versions
The Policeman trainer class are armed with batons. Spr BW Policeman.png
X and Y While there is no real world analogue for the ultimate weapon, in terms of purpose and destructive capabilities it can be classified as a fictional weapon of mass destruction. Photo Spot Geosenge Town Weapon.png


In Pokémon designs

Pokémon themselves are the primary reason weaponry is sparse in the Pokémon world: Pokémon battles are the main method of fighting, and thus Pokémon themselves can be considered the weapons. In fact, early design documents for the first Pokémon games mentions that they considered having trainers fight alongside their Pokémon, but this was removed because "If you can fight on your own, what’s the point of having Pokémon?" [1]

However, many Pokémon use held tools, and a portion of these can be classified as weapons. Others are modeled after real-world weaponry.

Pokémon who use weapons

Pokémon Details Image
Farfetch'd This Pokémon wields a leek which its Pokédex entry states is used "like a sword". 083Farfetch'd.png
Cubone and Marowak These Pokémon wield clubs made out of bones. 105Marowak.png
Oshawott, Dewott and Samurott These Pokémon wield scalchops and seamitars, specialized blade weapons made out of shells. 501Oshawott.png


Pokémon who are based on weapons

Pokémon Details Image
Blastoise Blastoise's design contains aspects of a tank, most significantly the cannons which emerge from turrets on its shell. These aspects become more defined when Blastoise Mega Evolves. 009Blastoise-Mega.png
Remoraid and Octillery Remoraid's design is based off a revolver, while its evolution Octillery is based off a cannon. 223Remoraid.png224Octillery.png
Axew, Fraxure and Haxorus These Pokémon have protruding fangs based off axes. 612Haxorus.png
Honedge, Doublade and Aegislash These Pokémon are swords which have been possessed by ghosts. 681Aegislash.png


References

Project Anime logo.png This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of the Pokémon anime.