Z-Crystal
A Z-Crystal (Japanese: Ｚクリスタル Z-Crystal) is an item required to upgrade moves to Z-Moves through the use of a Z-RingSM or Z-Power RingUSUM.
In the Alola region, Z-Crystals play an important role in the island challenge, as they provide proof of completing trials and grand trials, much like Gym Badges in other regions, though not all Z-Crystals are obtained in this manner. Like Sparkling Stones, the objects that are crafted into Z-Rings and Z-Power Rings, Z-Crystals are pieces of Necrozma that had chipped off and traveled to Alola through Ultra Wormholes. Z-Crystals are described as crystalized forms of Z-Power.
During the game, the player can obtain Z-Crystals for their Bag, which will be stored in a dedicated Bag section. These Z-Crystals can be used to create held items of the same name at will. A held Z-Crystal is automatically removed if the Pokémon is traded between players; however, some Pokémon received from in-game trades may be holding a Z-Crystal the player already has. This is in contrary to lore, where the Trainer will only need to own one Z-Crystal on their Z-Ring/Z-Power Ring, channeling the Z-Power onto their Pokémon.
Holding a Z-Crystal makes Rayquaza unable to Mega Evolve. If Arceus holds a type-specific Z-Crystal, its type changes to correspond to the Z-Crystal via its Multitype ability; unlike with Plates, however, its signature move, Judgment, remains unaffected.
Early concept and design development
A video focusing on the sound and music design of Pokémon Sun and Moon showcases an early build from 2015.[1] In this build, Z-Crystals seem to have had a different appearance, being 8-sided as opposed to being 5-sided. Instead of a 2D symbol representing a type, there was a 3D shape.
The animation for receiving a Z-Crystal shows another symbol rather than the usual Z-Power symbol used in the final version. Early concept art for the original Sun and Moon titles in the Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon Essentials Concept Art Book features a page on Z-Rings and how they interact with Z-Crystals. This page featured what would eventually become the Pikashunium Z, the Z-Crystal for Pikachu in a cap. This early Z-Crystal design had originally been designed to look like an entire Pikachu, rather than just its tail.
List of Z-Crystals
For each type
For specific Pokémon
In animation
Pokémon the Series
Z-Crystals first appeared in Alola to New Adventure!, where a Firium Z appeared on Kiawe's Z-Ring. He obtained it by completing Olivia's grand trial. Later in the same episode, Ash received an Electrium Z with his Z-Ring, from Tapu Koko. However, in the following episode, it shattered after Ash performed Gigavolt Havoc with Pikachu.
As revealed in To Top a Totem!, the island challenge is one way of obtaining Z-Crystals, though it is not necessarily the only way a Trainer can obtain them. Ash's goal in Alola was to complete the island challenge and collect the Z-Crystals in order to prove himself worthy of the power of Z-Moves.
A full set of replicas of the type-specific Z-Crystals were also shown to Ash and his classmates by Professor Kukui in A Team-on-Team Tussle!.
Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
- Ash obtained a Normalium Z from a Totem Gumshoos after completing the Verdant Cavern trial in To Top a Totem!. He first used it to use Breakneck Blitz in Trial and Tribulation!, together with Pikachu.
- Hala used his Fightinium Z with his Hariyama in his grand trial challenge with Ash in Trial and Tribulation!. Later in the episode, Ash obtained another Electrium Z from Tapu Koko after it swapped the Fightinium Z he was supposed to receive from Hala as a reward for completing his Melemele grand trial.
- Team Rocket obtained a Darkinium Z in A Team-on-Team Tussle!, which some Team Skull Grunts also tried to obtain from a nest of Alolan Rattata and Raticate, with one of the Raticate being a Totem Pokémon.
- Gladion used his Rockium Z with his Lycanroc to defeat Team Rocket in A Glaring Rivalry!. He obtained it by completing Olivia's grand trial prior to the episode.
- Oluolu, a famous Pokémon Base player, used his Snorlium Z in Pulling Out the Pokémon Base Pepper!.
- Olivia was revealed to own a Rockium Z in The Island Whisperer!.
- Lana was given a Waterium Z from a Totem Wishiwashi after completing the Brooklet Hill trial in Big Sky, Small Fry!.
- Ash obtained a Grassium Z from a Totem Lurantis after completing the Lush Jungle trial in Currying Favor and Flavor!.
- Ash obtained a Rockium Z from Olivia after completing the Akala Island grand trial in Trials and Determinations!.
- Ida used her Waterium Z in Balloons, Brionne, and Belligerence!.
- Ash obtained a Solganium Z from Nebby after it evolved into Solgaleo in Revealing the Stuff of Legend!.
- Ash gained the ability to temporarily transform his Electrium Z into a Pikashunium Z in 10,000,000 Reasons to Fight!, thus allowing Ash to use the Z-Move 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt. Each time its respective Z-Move is used, the Pikashunium Z reverts to an Electrium Z. After From Z to Shining Z!, it permanently stayed as a Pikashunium Z.
- The Masked Royal used his Incinium Z in Pushing the Fiery Envelope!.
- Ilima received an Eevium Z from Kagetora after defeating him in a battle in Turning Heads and Training Hard!.
- Jessie obtained a Mimikium Z from Acerola's Mimikyu, Mimikins, in Why Not Give Me a Z-Ring Sometime?.
- Ash obtained a Lycanium Z from Nanu after completing the Ula'ula Island grand trial in Guiding an Awakening!.
- Lillie received an Icium Z from an Alolan Sandslash after helping it to defeat a Tyranitar in Not Caving Under Pressure!.
- Gladion used his Normalium Z with his Silvally to give Z-Power to Necrozma in an attempt to free Nebby from its absorption in The Prism Between Light and Darkness!.
- Gladion obtained a Lunalium Z from Lunala in Securing the Future!.
- Pikala used her Pikanium Z in A Plethora of Pikachu!.
- Hapu was revealed to own a Groundium Z in That's Some Spicy Island Research!.
- Gladion used his Dragonium Z in Showdown on Poni Island!.
- Ida used her Primarium Z in Evolving Research!. She later gave it to Lana.
- Kiawe received a Flyinium Z from Tapu Fini in Run, Heroes, Run! after clearing a trial it had set up for him.
- Ash obtained a Steelium Z from Hapu in A Grand Debut!, with his Pikachu picking it as his Poni Island grand trial prize from a full set of type-specific Z-Crystals.
- A Buginium Z, Fairium Z, Ghostium Z, and Poisonium Z appeared in Beauty is Only Crystal Deep! as Z-Crystals stolen by a Pheromosa.
- Sophocles received a Buginium Z as a prize for winning the Vikavolt race in A High-Speed Awakening!.
- Mallow received a Grassium Z from Tapu Koko in A Recipe for Success! after she cleared a trial set up by Oranguru.
- Professor Kukui was revealed to have owned a Firium Z since he was a child in A Timeless Encounter!. In the same episode, Ash also received a Firium Z from a Totem Trevenant.
- Hau was revealed to have obtained a Decidium Z in Imitation Is the Sincerest Form of Strategy!.
- Gladion used a Ghostium Z in Enter the Champion!.
- Professor Kukui was revealed to own an Electrium Z in Z-Move Showdown!.
- Professor Kukui received a Tapunium Z from Tapu Koko in From Z to Shining Z!.
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
- The All-Out Brothers were revealed to own a Kommonium Z in All Out, All of the Time!.
In the manga
Pokémon Adventures
Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon arc
In Pokémon Move Specialist Professor Kukui, Olivia and Nanu attempted to use their respective Z-Crystals, Rockium Z and Darkinium Z, to perform their Z-Moves against each other during a practice battle between their Lycanroc and Alolan Persian. However, Hala interrupted the battle before either move could be properly executed. In the same chapter, Hala was also shown being in possession of a Fightinium Z.
In Homecoming and the Brilliant Professional Golfer, Kiawe found a Firium Z hidden in the fur of Sun's Litten, Dollar. After learning the proper Z-Move pose from Kiawe, Sun was successfully able to perform Inferno Overdrive with Dollar during a battle with Gladion.
In Shock!! Father in the Pendant!, Kahili was revealed to have spent six months gathering a multitude of Z-Crystals. In the same chapter, Hau was revealed to have obtained a Primarium Z.
In Transcend!! Ultra Necrozma!, an Ultranecrozium Z found by the Ultra Recon Squad was revealed to have been the cause behind Necrozma's transformation into Ultra Necrozma.
In the TCG
This listing is of cards featuring Z-Crystals in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
| Z-Crystals 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 | # |
| Flyinium Z: Air Slash | I | Unified Minds | 
|
195/236 | Sky Legend | 
|
045/054 |
| Normalium Z: Tackle | I | Unified Minds |
|
203/236 | Sky Legend |
|
044/054 |
| Dragonium Z: Dragon Claw | I | Cosmic Eclipse |
|
190/236 | SM-P Promotional cards | 359/SM-P | |
Gallery
Artwork
Standard
|
|
|
|
| Electrium Z | Fairium Z | Kommonium Z | Lunalium Z |
|
|
|
|
| Lycanium Z | Mimikium Z | Pikashunium Z | Solganium Z |
Pokémon Global Link
This is the artwork of the Z-Crystals on the Pokémon Global Link:
Concept art
|
|
| Concept art of the Z-Crystals introduced in Pokémon Sun and Moon | Concept art of the Z-Crystals introduced in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon |
|
|
| Concept art for a pedestal containing a Z-Crystal for Pokémon Sun and Moon | Concept art of the Z-Ring for Pokémon Sun and Moon, describing its connection with Z-Crystals |
Trivia
- The Japanese, Korean, and Chinese logos for Pokémon Sun and Moon all feature a Z-Crystal.
In other languages
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References
- ↑ "Roster -Behind the Scene- #2 GAME FREAK." Yamaha Music Japan MPP. YouTube.
See also
- Z-Ring
- Z-Power Ring
- Z-Power
- Z-Move
- Necrozma (game)
- Wishing Star
- Mega Stone
- Episodes in which a main character receives a Z-Crystal
| Held items |
|---|
| In-battle effect items Berries • Colored orbs • Drives • Power items Experience-affecting items • Gems • Incense • Mega Stones • Memories • Plates Stat-enhancing items • Type-enhancing items • Z-Crystals |
| Out-of-battle effect items Power items • Incense • Mail • Scarves |
|
This item article is part of Project ItemDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on all items. |
