Whiscash (Japanese: ナマズン Namazun) is a dual-type Water/Ground Pokémon introduced in Generation III.
It evolves from Barboach starting at level 30.
Biology
Whiscash is a dark blue, catfish-like Pokémon with a yellow underbelly. It has a cavernous mouth with light blue lips that have short, thin whiskers growing from the lower lips. Long, yellow barbels grow from its cheeks, and there is a yellow marking on its forehead that resembles a W. The light blue dorsal fin has a pattern of three spots arranged in a triangle, while its horizontal tail fin lacks spots. Its pectoral fins and belly fins match its main body color.
Whiscash uses its caudal fin to cause earthquakes that can extend for over three miles by hitting the bottom of swamp beds. Whiscash can predict when natural earthquakes will occur. It also uses these massive earthquakes to drive away any foes that come near it, going on rampages in the process. This behavior, along with sightings of Whiscash's leaping from lakes, has caused people to mistaken it for starting earthquakes. It lives in a nest at the bottom of ponds and swamps, and is territorial over them. Whiscash tends to wait silently for prey to come to it. This gluttonous fish will eat anything that is alive, sometimes whole, and has been shown in the anime to eat inanimate objects as well. Whiscash also has a diet of consuming mud. Whiscash has poor eyesight, so it has to use its whiskers to detect a prey's vibration.
Evolution
Whiscash evolves from Barboach.
(For specifics on this Pokémon's evolution in the games, refer to Game data→Evolution data.)
Game data
NPC appearances
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation III.
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Generation III
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Hoenn #128
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Kanto #—
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Ruby
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Whiscash is extremely territorial. Just one of these Pokémon will claim a large pond as its exclusive territory. If a foe approaches it, it thrashes about and triggers a massive earthquake.
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Sapphire
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If Whiscash goes on a wild rampage, it sets off a quake-like tremor with a radius of over three miles. This Pokémon has the ability to predict real earthquakes.
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Emerald
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Mysteriously, it can foretell earthquakes. In the daytime, it sleeps in mud at the bottom of a pond. When it awakens, it continually feeds throughout the night.
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FireRed
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It makes its nest at the bottom of swamps. It will eat anything - if it is alive, Whiscash will eat it.
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LeafGreen
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Generation IV
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Sinnoh #081
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Johto #—
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Diamond
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It is very territorial. It repels foes by setting off tremors that extend over a three-mile radius.
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Pearl
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As a result of causing tremors by thrashing about, it developed the ability to foretell real earthquakes.
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Platinum
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It is extremely protective of its territory. If any foe approaches, it attacks using vicious tremors.
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HeartGold
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It claims a large swamp to itself. If a foe comes near it, it sets off tremors by thrashing around.
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SoulSilver
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Generation V
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Unova #—
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Black
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It is extremely protective of its territory. If any foe approaches, it attacks using vicious tremors.
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White
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Black 2
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It is extremely protective of its territory. If any foe approaches, it attacks using vicious tremors.
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White 2
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Generation VI
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Kalos Mountain #041
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Hoenn #133
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X
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It claims a large swamp to itself. If a foe comes near it, it sets off tremors by thrashing around.
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Y
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It makes its nest at the bottom of swamps. It will eat anything - if it is alive, Whiscash will eat it.
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Omega Ruby
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Whiscash is extremely territorial. Just one of these Pokémon will claim a large pond as its exclusive territory. If a foe approaches it, it thrashes about and triggers a massive earthquake.
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Alpha Sapphire
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If Whiscash goes on a wild rampage, it sets off a quake-like tremor with a radius of over three miles. This Pokémon has the ability to predict real earthquakes.
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Generation VII
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Alola S M : #094
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Alola US UM : #114
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Kanto #—
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This Pokémon has no Pokédex entries in Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.
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Sun
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A glutton that devours anything that moves, it quietly lurks at the bottom of swamps, lying in wait for prey.
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Moon
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Sighting Whiscash leaping from the water is believed to herald an earthquake.
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Ultra Sun
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Whiscash shakes the ground at high intensities to intimidate its opponents. It swallows its prey whole—along with mud from the swamp floor.
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Ultra Moon
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Its vision is not that good. It senses vibrations in the water with its whiskers to determine the location of its prey.
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Generation VIII
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Galar #229
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Galar Isle of Armor #138
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Galar Crown Tundra #061
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Sinnoh #081
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Hisui #098
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Sword
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It makes its nest at the bottom of swamps. It will eat anything—if it is alive, Whiscash will eat it.
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Shield
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It claims a large swamp to itself. If a foe comes near it, it sets off tremors by thrashing around.
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Brilliant Diamond
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It is very territorial. It repels foes by setting off tremors that extend over a three-mile radius.
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Shining Pearl
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As a result of causing tremors by thrashing about, it developed the ability to foretell real quakes.
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Legends: Arceus
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Strikes its caudal fin against the swamp bed to shake the ground and startle its prey. It will then swallow the fleeing prey whole. People mistook this behavior as the cause of earthquakes.
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Generation IX
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Paldea #169
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Kitakami #163
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Blueberry #—
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Scarlet
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It is extremely protective of its territory. If any foe approaches, it attacks using vicious tremors.
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Violet
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Sighting Whiscash leaping from the water is believed to herald an earthquake.
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Game locations
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation III.
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Generation IV
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Diamond
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Pearl
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Routes 205, 208, 210, 212, 227, and 228, Celestic Town, Eterna City, Great Marsh, Mt. Coronet, Oreburgh Gate, Ravaged Path (Super Rod)
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Platinum
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HeartGold
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SoulSilver
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Pal Park
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Generation VIII
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Sword
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Shield
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Expansion Pass
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Brilliant Diamond
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Shining Pearl
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Routes 205, 208, 210, 212, 227, and 228, Celestic Town, Eterna City, Great Marsh, Mt. Coronet, Oreburgh Gate, Ravaged Path (Super Rod) Grand Underground - Fountainspring Cave, Riverbank Cave, Still-Water Cavern, Swampy Cave, Bogsunk Cavern (After obtaining TM99 (Waterfall))
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Legends: Arceus
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In side games
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation III.
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In events
Games
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Event
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Language
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Location
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Level
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Distribution period
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DP
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Yamamoto Whiscash
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Japanese
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Japan
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51
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March 21 to April 9, 2007
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Held items
Stats
Base stats
Stat
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Range
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At Lv. 50
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At Lv. 100
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110
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170 - 217
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330 - 424
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78
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74 - 143
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144 - 280
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73
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70 - 137
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135 - 269
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76
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72 - 140
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141 - 276
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71
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68 - 135
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132 - 265
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60
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58 - 123
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112 - 240
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Total: 468
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Other Pokémon with this total
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- Minimum stats are calculated with 0 EVs, IVs of 0, and (if applicable) a hindering nature.
- Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and (if applicable) a helpful nature.
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Pokéathlon stats
Type effectiveness
Under normal battle conditions in Generation IX, this Pokémon is:
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Learnset
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- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Whiscash
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Whiscash
- Click on the generation numbers at the top to see level-up moves from other generations
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- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Whiscash
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution or an alternate form of Whiscash
- Click on the generation numbers at the top to see TM moves from other generations
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- Moves marked with an asterisk (*) must be chain bred onto Whiscash
- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Whiscash
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Whiscash
- Click on the generation numbers at the top to see Egg moves from other generations
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- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Whiscash
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Whiscash
- Click on the generation numbers at the top to see moves from other generations
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Side game data
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Pokémon Rumble Rush
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Walking Speed: 2.22 seconds
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Base HP: 61
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Base Attack: 77
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Base Defense: 54
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Base Speed: 60
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Evolution data
Sprites
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation III.
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In the anime
Major appearances
Whiscash debuted in Whiscash and Ash. A fisherman named Sullivan had been hunting one nicknamed Nero for fifty years because of its huge size. After Ash had battled Nero and retrieved his Badge Case that it had eaten, Sullivan used it as his chance to finally catch Nero. However, even after Sullivan used a Master Ball, Nero simply swallowed the Ball and swam away.
Other
Multiple Whiscash were set to appear in an episode that would air between Solid as a Solrock and Vanity Affair. However, the episode ultimately never aired anywhere in the world due to an earthquake that occurred in Japan sometime before its scheduled air-date.
In Eight Ain't Enough!, Juan's Whiscash was the third Pokémon that he used for the second half of his Gym battle against Ash. The Whiskers Pokémon was able to defeat Corphish but was defeated by Swellow.
In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters Out of the Gate!, a Whiscash assigned Team Go-Getters and Team Meanies to rescue Pichu's brother, Pikachu.
Minor appearances
In Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, the Marina Group used a Whiscash for their Marina Underwater Pokémon Show.
A Whiscash appeared in Drifloon On the Wind!.
In One Big Happiny Family!, Jessie's fantasy featured a Whiscash.
In Strategy Begins at Home!, Team Rocket was fishing for Goldeen in a lake that had a Whiscash.
In Securing the Future!, a Whiscash joined the rest of Alola in showering Necrozma with light so it could return to its normal form.
A Whiscash appeared in Pikachu's Exciting Adventure!.
Pokédex entries
Episode
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Pokémon
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Source
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Entry
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AG075
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Whiscash
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May's Pokédex
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Whiscash, the Whiskers Pokémon. Whiscash has strong territorial instincts and goes berserk when any enemy approaches, creating earthquakes.
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In the manga
Pokémon Adventures
Mr. Briney owns a Whiscash. He uses it to predict the massive, constant earthquakes to determine when he could go fishing, among other reasons. It first appeared in Stick This in Your Craw, Crawdaunt! I.
Wallace's Whiscash, nicknamed Phillip, is primarily used for Contests. He first appeared in I More Than Like You, Luvdisc I.
The Battle Tower rented a Whiscash, which was stolen by Guile Hideout in The Final Battle VII.
Pokémon Ruby-Sapphire
A Whiscash appeared in I've Got A Big Fish!!.
In the TCG
- Main article: Whiscash (TCG)
Trivia
Origin
Whiscash is based on Namazu, a catfish in Japanese mythology that causes earthquakes (also note Whiscash's Japanese name "Namazun"). Its move Future Sight and ability Anticipation also alludes to this myth, which possibly originated from the observation that catfish are capable of predicting earthquakes and become agitated a few hours before their occurrence. Namazu is sometimes depicted as a dragon-serpent, which may explain why it can learn the move Dragon Dance. The yellow zigzag on Whiscash's head is similar to a crown.
Since its pre-evolved form appears to be based on a loach, it may also draw inspiration from loach catfish. Whiscash could also be based on Electric catfish due to being able to learn the move Spark.
Name origin
Whiscash may be a combination of whisker, mustache, and possibly catfish. The first letter of its English name may also come from the "W" shaped symbol on its head.
Namazun may be derived from 鯰 namazu (catfish) or 大鯰 Ōnamazu, a catfish in Japanese mythology which caused earthquakes.
In other languages
Language
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Title
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Meaning
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Japanese
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ナマズン Namazun
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From 鯰 namazu or 大鯰 Ōnamazu
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French
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Barbicha
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From barbillon, poisson-chat, and a pun on barbiche
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Spanish
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Whiscash
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Same as English name
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German
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Welsar
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From Wels and Barthaar or Zar
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Italian
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Whiscash
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Same as English name
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Korean
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메깅 Meging
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From 메기 megi and king
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Mandarin Chinese
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鯰魚王 / 鲶鱼王 Niányúwáng
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From 鯰魚 / 鲶鱼 niányú and 王 wáng
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Cantonese Chinese
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鯰魚王 Níhmyùhwòhng
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From 鯰魚 níhmyùh and 王 wòhng
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More languages
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Hindi
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मिलाची Milachi
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Thai
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นามาซูน Namasun
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Transcription of Japanese name
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Related articles
External links
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This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
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