Bond Phenomenon

Ash and his Greninja have perfected the transformation

Bond Phenomenon (Japanese: キズナ現象 Bond Phenomenon) is a transformation affecting Pokémon that was introduced in the XY series. It is said to have some connection to the Pokémon's hidden potential.

Unlike Mega Evolution or Primal Reversion, the transformation does not require any specific items for either the Trainer or the Pokémon. So far, the only known Pokémon to have this transformation is Greninja. In this form, the strength of Greninja's legs are superior to that of an ordinary Greninja. Additionally, it gains the ability to form large-sized Water Shurikens on its back.

In the games

Bond Phenomenon made its core series debut in the form of a Greninja that can be transferred to Pokémon Sun and Moon from the Special Demo Version. This unique Greninja possesses the Battle Bond Ability, which triggers the transformation after the opposing Pokémon has fainted and increases the power of Water Shuriken. This alternate form is called Ash-Greninja (Japanese: サトシゲッコウガ Satoshi Gekkouga).

SM Special Demo Version
Types: Water Dark Ability: Battle Bond Held item: None Greninja♂ Lv.36 Water Shuriken Water Special   --       Aerial Ace Flying Physical   --       Double Team Normal Status   --       Night Slash Dark Physical   --

Ash-Greninja also appears in Pokémon Shuffle, Pokémon Picross, and Pokémon Tretta.

In the anime

Depiction from the Ninja Village of a Greninja who achieved the transformation

In the Pokémon anime, Bond Phenomenon first appeared in A Festival of Decisions!, in which Ash's Frogadier evolved into Greninja and assumed the Ash-Greninja form. However, the transformation would not be addressed by name until Kalos League Passion with a Certain Flare!, in which Professor Sycamore, after researching the matter, reported his results to Ash and his friends.

In the anime, Bond Phenomenon may be achieved when the trust between the Trainer and the Pokémon reaches maximum. While a Pokémon and Trainer are using this form, the Trainer shares the Pokémon's pain in the same place the Pokémon was dealt damage. The Trainer can also share the Pokémon's point of view. If the form is not mastered, the Trainer and Pokémon can pass out from exhaustion.

In the TCG

In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, Ash's Greninja in its Ash-Greninja form is featured as a Promotional Pokémon card.

Related cards Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Card	Type	English Expansion	Rarity	#	Japanese Expansion	Rarity	#
Ash-Greninja		XY Black Star Promos		XY133	XY-P Promotional cards		218/XY-P

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 牽絆現象 Hīnbuhn Yihnjeuhng Mandarin 牽絆現象 / 牵绊现象 Qiānbàn Xiànxiàng Danish Følelsesmæssigt båndfenomen Dutch Vertrouwensbandfenomeen Finnish Sideilmiö French Phénomène de Synergie German Freundschaftsphänomen Italian Effetto Sintonia Korean 유대현상 Yudae Hyeonsang Norwegian Følelsesmæssigt båndfenomen Polish Zjawisko więzi Portuguese Brazil Fenômeno Vincular Portugal Fenómeno da ligação Russian Узы доверия Uzy doveriya Spanish Latin America Sinergia afectiva Spain Metamorfosis afectiva Swedish Starkt känslomässigt bandfenomen

See also

• Mega Evolution
• Primal Reversion

This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.