Raikou
ライコウ Raikou
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Artwork from G/S/C
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| EV yield
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HP
0
| Atk
0
| Def
0
| Sp.Atk
1
| Sp.Def
0
| Speed
2
| Exp.
216
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Raikou (Japanese: ライコウ Raikou) is an Electric-type legendary Pokémon.
It is not known to evolve into or from any other Pokémon.
It is, along with Entei and Suicune, one of the legendary beasts created by Ho-Oh after the burning of the Brass Tower.
Biology
Physiology
Raikou is a yellow tiger-like creature with black stripes that resemble lightning bolts and a white under-side. Raikou has a skinny, light-blue tail with a star-shaped formation at the end. Raikou appears to have a purple cape that is supposedly made of thunderclouds. Most of Raikou's face is white with a light-blue "X" on its face and a gray crest on its forehead. Raikou has red eyes and long fangs in its upper jaws that make its appearance similar to the sabre-tooth cat.
Gender differences
Raikou is a genderless species.
Special abilities
Raikou has the ability to shoot bolts of lightning from the rain clouds on its back. Raikou can also attack using its fangs and has limited mental powers.
Behavior
Raikou is normally distrustful of humans due to the fact that humans have tried to capture the Legendary Beast of Thunder for many centuries, though it has shown some friendship with those that just wish to help it. Raikou tends to show up either when there is a thunderstorm or when other Electric-type Pokémon are in danger.
Habitat
As a member of the legendary beast trio, Raikou is constantly on the move and seems to lack any set place where they show up.
Diet
- Main article: Pokémon food
In the anime
Raikou first appeared in Houndoom's Special Delivery. It was spotted by Togepi and a Houndoom before it disappeared.
Raikou also appeared in the Pokémon Chronicles episode, The Legend of Thunder!.
The Mauville City Gym Leader Wattson owns many Raikou robots which he uses in his Gym.
Pokédex entries
| Episode
| Pokémon
| Pokédex
| Entry
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| The Legend of Thunder!
| Raikou
| Jimmy's Pokédex
| Raikou, The Thunder Pokémon. It's said to have descended to earth on a cloud of lightning.
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| This concludes the entries from the Original series.
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In the manga
Raikou was awakened by Yellow along with its two counterparts, and the three raced around Kanto and Johto looking for Trainers to help them defeat the Mask of Ice to free Ho-Oh. Raikou eventually pairs up with Lt. Surge, and later Gold.
Anabel also owns a Raikou in the Battle Frontier saga. It has been confirmed that it is the same Raikou as the one that befriended Gold. Raikou is more powerful than other Electric-type Pokémon in the manga because billowing thunder clouds follow it everywhere, allowing it to perform powerful attacks more quickly than regular Electric Pokémon.
In the TCG
- Main article: Raikou (TCG)
Other appearances
When released from a Poké Ball, Raikou releases a powerful Spark attack that electrocutes any opponents that get caught in it. Raikou is the only legendary beast that does not return in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
Game data
Pokédex entries
| Gen
| Game
| Pokédex entry
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| I
| This Pokémon was not available in Generation I.
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| II
| Gold
| The rain clouds it carries let it fire thunderbolts at will. They say that it descended with lightning.
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| Silver
| A Pokémon that races across the land while barking a cry that sounds like crashing thunder.
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| Crystal
| This rough Pokémon stores energy in its body, then sweeps across the land, shooting off electricity.
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| Stadium 2
| The rain clouds it carries let it fire thunderbolts at will. They say that it descended with lightning.
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| III
| Ruby
| Raikou embodies the speed of lightning. The roars of this Pokémon send shock waves shuddering through the air and shake the ground as if lightning bolts had come crashing down.
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| Sapphire
| Raikou embodies the speed of lightning. The roars of this Pokémon send shock waves shuddering through the air and shake the ground as if lightning bolts had come crashing down.
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| Emerald
| Raikou embodies the speed of lightning. Its roars send shock waves shuddering through the air and ground as if lightning bolts were crashing down.
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| FireRed
| This Pokémon races across the land while barking a cry that sounds like crashing thunder.
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| LeafGreen
| The rain clouds it carries let it fire thunderbolts at will. They say that it descended with lightning.
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| IV
| Diamond
| It is said to have fallen with lightning. It can fire thunderbolts from the rain clouds on its back.
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| Pearl
| It is said to have fallen with lightning. It can fire thunderbolts from the rain clouds on its back.
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| Platinum
| It is said to have fallen with lightning. It can fire thunderbolts from the rain clouds on its back.
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Game locations
In side games
Base stats
Type effectiveness
| Weak to
| Resistant to
| Immune to
| Normal effectiveness
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Learnset
Raikou is capable of learning the following moves in Generation IV.
- Moves in bold are damaging moves to which STAB applies.
None.
Special moves
Side game data
Evolution
Sprites
Trivia
Raikou in
Jimmy's Pokédex.
- Raikou is the only Pokémon in the anime whose image on the anime Pokédex was of stylized art rather than Ken Sugimori's official artwork for it.
- In the 4Kids dub of the anime, Raikou's name is frequently mispronounced as rai-kuu, rather than rai-ko.
- Raikou's sprites in Pokémon Gold and Silver portrayed it as having an orange cape, lacked the four-point star on its face, had no fangs, no ears, and an additional black hood on the back of its neck. All these errors were corrected in Pokémon Crystal.
- Raikou is also the only pre-Generation IV legendary Pokémon that Ash hasn't encountered in the anime. However, he did see three mecha-Raikou inside Wattson's Mauville.
- Raikou is also currently the only legendary Pokémon from Generation II to not appear in a feature movie (although a Ho-Oh featured in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew was Mew in disguise).
- In the anime, the four-pointed star on its face is blue, while in the games it is white for Pokémon Crystal, silver in Generation III, and light blue in Generation IV.
- Raikou, along with Suicune and Entei had their backsprites changed during the transition from Diamond and Pearl to Platinum.
- Raikou is the only Pokémon of its trio that has a tail.
Origin
Raikou is based on the 雷獣 raijū, a thunder demon of Japanese lore.
Name origin
The name in Japanese could be taken to mean 雷光, raikou, lightning. It could also be a combination of 雷 rai, thunder and 皇 kō, emperor.
In other languages
Related articles
External links
Notes
( Electric )
Body size: 2
For other sprites and images, please see Raikou images on Bulbagarden Archives.
