Charmander (Pokémon): Difference between revisions

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This article is about the species. For a specific instance of this species, see Charmander (disambiguation).

Charmander ヒトカゲ Hitokage #004
Art by Ken Sugimori from FireRed and LeafGreen
Type Fire ' Unknown Unknown Blue-Striped Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown	Category Lizard Pokémon
Abilities Blaze Blue-Striped ----- Solar Power Hidden Ability
Exp. at Lv. 100 1,059,860
Regional Pokédex numbers Kanto #004 Johto #234 Hoenn #206 Sinnoh — Unova Not in any regional Pokédex
Regional Browser numbers Fiore R-140 Almia R-137 Oblivia R-206 N-062
Height 2'00" Imperial 0.6 m Metric 2'00"/0.6 m Red-Striped 0'0"/0.0 m Blue-Striped 0'0"/0.0 m
Weight 18.7 lbs. Imperial 8.5 kg Metric 18.7 lbs./8.5 kg Red-Striped 0.0 lbs./0.0 kg Blue-Striped 0.0 lbs./0.0 kg
Dex color Red	Catch rate 45 (5.9%)
Body style Blue-Striped	Footprint      Blue-Striped
Gender ratio Gender unknown Unknown 87.5% male, 12.5% female
Breeding Monster and Dragon groups 21 cycles (5355 minimum steps)
EV yield HP 0 Atk 0 Def 0 Sp.Atk 0 Sp.Def 0 Speed 1 Base Exp.: 62 Battle Exp.: 621*
External links On Smogon Pokédex: Generation I Generation II Generation III Generation IV Generation V Generation VI Generation VII Generation VIII Generation IX Artwork on Bulbagarden Archives

Charmander (Japanese: ヒトカゲ Hitokage) is a Template:Type2 Pokémon introduced in Generation I.

It evolves into Charmeleon starting at level 16, who evolves into Charizard starting at level 36.

Along with Bulbasaur and Squirtle, Charmander is one of three starter Pokémon available at the beginning of Pokémon Red, Green, Blue, FireRed, and LeafGreen.

It is also available in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, after obtaining all sixteen badges and defeating Red.

Biology

Physiology

Charmander is an orange reptilian creature resembling a bipedal salamander with some dinosaur qualities, particularly like those of theropods. Charmander has four small fangs visible on its upper and lower jaws, a cream underside and an expansive cream coloration on the sole of its foot. Its most notable feature is the flame burning on the tip of its tail, which is there even at birth. It is said that if this flame goes out, the Pokémon dies, although this has never happened in the anime, manga, or video games.

Charmander has been described as cute in appearance, but despite this one may have to regard it with caution as its slashing claws are sharp and strong, and thus potentially dangerous.

Gender differences

None.

Special abilities

Charmander can breathe fire, which allows them to use a wide range of Template:Type2 attacks. However, the strength of these are very closely connected to the strength and health of the Charmander, since it draws on the life force which fuels the flame on its tail to fuel the flames of its attacks. With time, it can learn powerful Fire-type techniques like Flamethrower and Fire Blast. It can even learn to breathe the blue flames of Dragon Rage. It can also use the flame on its tail to attack by swinging it about, or wield its small, yet sharp claws to use Slash. However, these attacks are usually weaker than those from the flames Charmander breathes.

Behavior

Charmander is easily the most mild-mannered of its evolution line. Its health and emotions can be easily read by paying attention to the flame on the tip of its tail. For example, if the flame grows suddenly, the Charmander is probably angered, and perhaps even using a Rage attack. It is scarce in the wild. Most are domestic Pokémon, raised to be distributed as starters by Professor Oak. As such, they are regarded as well-behaved Pokémon. It is often regarded as the most difficult Pokémon to start with because it has a disadvantage against the first two Gym Leaders in Kanto (Brock and Misty).

There are some who choose it anyway under the impression that it is stronger than Bulbasaur or Squirtle. However, while a Charmander can certainly grow to be a very powerful Pokémon, its strength in battle is very closely connected to its condition and health. Therefore, like a real fire, it must be tended to regularly and not strained or neglected. Most Trainers shouldn't have a problem with this, though impatient ones who expect it to be very strong right off the bat will have severe difficulty raising this Pokémon. A Trainer named Damian in Charmander the Stray Pokémon abandoned his completely because of this. They are also stubbornly loyal. In that same episode, Charmander wouldn't move from the rock, because Damian told it to wait. Ash had to carry it because it refused to move, even in the rain.

Habitat

Charmander is rarely found in the wild. Sometimes they can gather in extremely hot areas, such as active volcanoes. They can also thrive in craggy mountains or in rocky, heated crags and caves along the coast of the Sevii Islands. Their final evolution, Charizard, also inhabits the Charicific Valley or near mountain chains. However they are found far more often in the ownership of Trainers. It is normally native to Kanto.

Diet

Main article: Pokémon food

Their diet is the usual omnivorous diet of a Pokémon. The few places where Charmander can be seen in the wild, they usually hunt and gather in small packs, and will call others over if any sort of food is found.

In the anime

Major appearances

Charmander in the anime

Ash's Charmander

In Charmander the Stray Pokémon, Ash, Misty, and Brock came across a Charmander which had been abandoned by its Trainer, Damian, who only cared about strong Pokémon. At first, Charmander refused to leave the spot it was at, waiting for Damian to return. However, when a rainstorm picked up, Charmander grew ill and Ash took it to a Pokémon Center. Charmander realized that Damian was no good, and joined up with Ash. It has since evolved into Charmeleon, and then Charizard.

Ritchie's Charmander

Ritchie owned a Charmander named Zippo, which debuted in A Friend In Deed. Sometime before the Whirl Islands story arc, Zippo evolved into a Charmeleon.

Other

In Journey to the Starting Line, Gilbert was intended to start his journey as a Pokémon Trainer, but the trio of Kanto Starter Pokémon were scared off when Ash's Tauros stampeded through Professor Oak's house. Professor Oak, Tracey, Delia and Gilbert split up in order to find the three missing Pokémon. The Charmander was the first one to be found.

A Charmander stars in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters out of the Gate! as the leader of Team Go-Getters.

Minor appearances

Charmander was mentioned in the first episode of the anime, Pokémon - I Choose You!, as one of the three starter Pokémon new Trainers in Pallet Town can choose from. Ash dreamed of owning one, although it was his last choice of a starter coming after Squirtle and Bulbasaur. However, when he arrived at Oak's lab, he found out it was too late, as another Trainer who started the same day had already taken it.

A Charmander was used by one of the students of the Pokémon Trainer's School in Gonna Rule The School!.

Another Charmander was seen with Professor Oak in A Six Pack Attack! along with a Bulbasaur and Squirtle. Another was seen in The Right Place and The Right Mime, along with another Bulbasaur and Squirtle.

Pokédex entries

In the manga

In the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga

Main article: Ash's Charizard

Ash's Charmander makes a few appearances in the manga The Electric Tale of Pikachu.

The capture of Ash's Charmander diverges considerably from the anime. In the manga, Damian seems to have abandoned his Charmander at the beginning of the chapter Pikachu's Excellent Adventure, but it turns out that he had just been injured and went to the hospital.

Ash is shown to own a Charmander despite this, his own Charmander first appears in You Gotta Have Friends. Ash's Charmander's capture is not shown in the manga, instead, when Charmander first appears from its Poké Ball, it is simply stated that "Ash has been busy since the last comic".

Ash's Charmander reappears as a Charizard in the chapter The Indigo Finals at the Indigo Plateau Conference. In this chapter, Charizard battles Charley, Ritchie's own Charizard.

In the Magical Pokémon Journey manga

Main article: Peanut's Charmander

In Magical Pokémon Journey, the sickly Trainer Peanut owns an agressive Charmander. Peanut's Charmander first appears in the chapter Charmander's Peanut.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Main article: Blue's Charizard

Charmander debuted in the first round of the Red, Green & Blue arc, A Glimpse of the Glow, as one of Blue's first Pokémon, received from his grandfather Professor Oak. It has since evolved into Charmeleon before facing Brock of Pewter City, and then to Charizard before the Silph Co. battles against Team Rocket. The major powerhouse of his team with its newly learned Blast Burn attack, its battle skills (able to defeat Red's Poliwhirl easily even before evolving) are complimented by its fast flight, for which it was traded to Red during the FireRed & LeafGreen arc. It is worth noting that, as Charmeleon, it was accidentally traded to Red many years earlier.

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga

Main article: Kai Midorikawa's Charizard

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga series, Isamu Akai's rival, Kai Midorikawa, chose Charmander as his starter Pokémon. Kai's Charmander is mischievous and has a rivalry with Isamu Akai's Clefairy.

Kai's Charmander has evolved into Charizard. It seems to be able to skip the Charmeleon stage, as it was seen evolving directly into Charizard. Although it has devolved back to the Charmander stage, it currently seems to have permanently evolved back into Charizard.

In the Pokémon Zensho manga

In Pokémon Zensho, Satoshi chooses Charmander as his starter Pokémon, while Shigeru chooses a Squirtle.

In the TCG

Main article: Charmander (TCG)

Game data

Pokédex entries

Game locations

In side games

Held items

Game		Held Item(s)
Red*	Blue*	Bitter Berry (100%)
Yellow*
Stadium*		Normal Box (100%)*	Gorgeous Box (100%)*
Events*		Lucky Egg (100%)

Stats

Base stats

Pokéathlon stats

Type effectiveness

Learnset

By leveling up

By TM/HM

Generation V Other generations: I - II - III - IV - VI - VII - VIII - IX
TM		Move	Type	Cat.	Pwr.	Acc.	PP
	TM01	Claw Sharpen	Dark	Status	0000—	—}}—%	15
	TM02	Dragon Claw	Dragon	Physical	08080	100}}100%	15
	TM06	Toxic	Poison	Status	0000—	090}}90%	10
	TM10	Hidden Power	Normal	Special	0000—	100}}100%	15
	TM11	Sunny Day	Fire	Status	0000—	—}}—%	5
	TM17	Protect	Normal	Status	0000—	—}}—%	10
	TM21	Frustration	Normal	Physical	0000—	100}}100%	20
	TM27	Return	Normal	Physical	0000—	100}}100%	20
	TM28	Dig	Ground	Physical	08080	100}}100%	10
	TM31	Brick Break	Fighting	Physical	07575	100}}100%	15
	TM32	Double Team	Normal	Status	0000—	—}}—%	15
	TM35	Flamethrower	Fire	Special	09595	100}}100%	15
	TM38	Fire Blast	Fire	Special	120120	085}}85%	5
	TM39	Rock Tomb	Rock	Physical	05050	080}}80%	10
	TM40	Aerial Ace	Flying	Physical	06060	—}}—%	20
	TM42	Facade	Normal	Physical	07070	100}}100%	20
	TM43	Nitro Charge	Fire	Physical	05050	100}}100%	20
	TM44	Rest	Psychic	Status	0000—	—}}—%	10
	TM45	Attract	Normal	Status	0000—	100}}100%	15
	TM48	Canon	Normal	Special	06060	100}}100%	15
	TM49	Echo Voice	Normal	Special	04040	100}}100%	15
	TM50	Overheat	Fire	Special	140140	090}}90%	5
	TM56	Fling	Dark	Physical	0000—	100}}100%	10
	TM59	Devastate	Fire	Special	03030	100}}100%	15
	TM61	Will-O-Wisp	Fire	Status	0000—	075}}75%	15
	TM65	Shadow Claw	Ghost	Physical	07070	100}}100%	15
	TM75	Swords Dance	Normal	Status	0000—	—}}—%	30
	TM80	Rock Slide	Rock	Physical	07575	090}}90%	10
	TM87	Swagger	Normal	Status	0000—	090}}90%	15
	TM90	Substitute	Normal	Status	0000—	—}}—%	10
	TM94	Rock Smash	Fighting	Physical	04040	100}}100%	15
	HM01	Cut	Normal	Physical	05050	095}}95%	30
	HM04	Strength	Normal	Physical	08080	100}}100%	15
Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Charmander Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution of Charmander Click on the generation numbers at the top to see TM moves from other generations

By breeding

Generation V Other generations: II - III - IV - VI - VII - VIII - IX
Father	Move	Type	Cat.	Pwr.	Acc.	PP
	AncientPower	Rock	Special	60	100%	5
	Beat Up*	Dark	Physical	—	100%	10
	Belly Drum	Normal	Status	—	—%
	Bite	Dark	Physical	60	100%	25
	Counter*	Fighting	Physical	—	100%	20
	Crunch	Dark	Physical	80	100%	15
	Dragon Dance	Dragon	Status	—	—%	20
	Dragon Pulse	Dragon	Special	90	100%	10
	Dragon Rush	Dragon	Physical	100	75%	10
	Flare Blitz	Fire	Physical	120	100%	15
	Focus Punch	Fighting	Physical	150	100%	20
	Metal Claw	Steel	Physical	50	95%	35
	Outrage	Dragon	Physical	120	100%	10
Moves marked with an asterisk (*) must be chain bred onto Charmander in Generation V Moves marked with a double dagger (‡) can only be bred from a Pokémon who learned the move in an earlier generation. Moves marked with a superscript game abbreviation can only be bred onto Charmander in that game. Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Charmander Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution of Charmander Click on the generation numbers at the top to see Egg moves from other generations

By tutoring

By events

TCG-only moves

Side game data

Pokémon Pinball     Acquisition: Catch		Pokémon Pinball RS  N/A  Not available		Pokémon Trozei!    Rarity: Common
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team Body size: 1 Recruit rate: 11.7% Friend Area: Mt. Cleft Phrases 51%-100% HP My flame's small, but I'll do my best! 26%-50% HP My health is down to half. The flame is getting small, too. 1%-25% HP My flame is about to go out... Level up I leveled up. The flame on my tail grew bigger, too. Partner phrases 51%-100% HP The fire on my tail's blazing! Let's go for it, <name>! 26%-50% HP It's getting tougher... 1%-25% HP My fire's about to go out... <name>, help... Level up Yay! I leveled up!
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time, Explorers of Darkness, and Explorers of Sky Body size: 1 Recruit rate: 8.2% IQ group: C
Pokémon Ranger Group:  Fire  Poké Assist: ( Fire ) Field move: (Burn ×1) Loops: 3 Min. exp.: 25 Max. exp.: 39 Browser entry   Charmander shudders while breathing fire. It is the very picture of vitality.
Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia Group:  Fire  Poké Assist: ( Fire ) Field move: (Burn ×1) Browser entry   It attacks by spitting embers.
Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs Group: Poké Assist: Field move:  Fire  ( Fire ) Past ( Normal ) (Burn ×1) Past (Electrify ×1) Browser entry   It attacks by spitting fire.
Pokémon Rumble N/A Not Available Defense Speed N/A Not Available Defense Speed			Pokémon Rumble Blast N/A Not Available Defense Speed N/A Not Available Defense Speed N/A Not Available Defense Speed N/A Not Available Defense Speed
PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure PokéPark Pad entry: Charmander followed you through the Mysterious Tunnel, landing in the Lava Zone. He's one of your best friends. His great desire is to become stronger.
PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond Strong: {{{Park2strong}}} Weak: {{{Park2weak}}} PokéPark Pad entry: This Pokémon has no PokéPark Pad entry.
Pokémon Conquest HP: Move: {{{ConquestMove}}} Attack: Ability 1: {{{ConquestAbility1}}} Defense: Ability 2: {{{ConquestAbility2}}} Speed: Ability 3: {{{ConquestAbility3}}} Does not evolve. Range: 0 Perfect Links: {{{ConquestLink}}}

Evolution

Unevolved Charmander  Fire

Level 16 →

First evolution Charmeleon  Fire

Level 36 →

Second evolution Charizard  Fire  Flying

Sprites

Gen	Game
I	Red	Blue	Yellow		Red (Ja)	Green	Back
II	Gold	Silver	Crystal				Back
III	Ruby	Sapphire	Emerald		FireRed	LeafGreen	Back
IV	Diamond	Pearl	Platinum		HeartGold	SoulSilver	Back
V	Black	White	Black 2	White 2			Back

For other sprites and images, please see Charmander images on Bulbagarden Archives.

Trivia

• In the film Austin Powers in Goldmember, in the scene where the 'Godzilla' (Actually Foxxy Cleopatra, Austin and Nigel Powers' Mini trapped within a Godzilla float) moves about destroying everything, an actor in the foreground, wearing a Charmander suit, and another actor, in the background wearing a Pikachu suit, can be seen trying to move away from the ensuing chaos.
  • In the US T.V show, Malcolm in the Middle, a Charmander doll can be seen sitting on the bed in some episodes, along with a Squirtle doll.
• Charmander is the first Template:Type2 Pokémon and the first single-type Pokémon in National Pokédex order.
• In the first generation, Charmander's "back" is depicted as having a small line of spikes. The spikes were not shown in the sprites of later generations. Charmander also had these spikes in the Pokémon Adventures manga, the spikes were larger and easier to see. The spikes were also seen on Kai Midorikawa's Charmander from the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga. This spike can also be seen on the Green Charmander sprite.
• Charmander appears in the fewest anime episodes of any Kanto starter Pokémon; it only appears when owned by Ash, Ritchie, and in numerous other minor appearances. The other two starters, Bulbasaur and Squirtle, have been owned by other main characters.
• Charmander is the tallest of the Fire-type starters.
• Charmander is the only Fire-type starter that is in the Monster Egg Group.
• In the first generation, Charmander and its evolutionary line are capable of learning Leer. However, in later generations, this move is replaced by Scary Face, another intimidating move.
• In Generation IV, Charmander's level-up moveset is the fewest of all starter Pokémon.
• It is possible that Charmander's tail flame may be more resilient than a regular flame, as it has withstood being frozen in Ice attacks and hit by Water-type attacks in the games without death. Also, some Pokédex entries state Charmander's tail flame as "producing steam" when it rains, while a flame of the size of Charmander's tail would normally be put out by rain.
• Along with Bulbasaur and Squirtle, Charmander is the only starter Pokémon which is found in more than one regional Pokédex, being found in both Kanto's and Johto's.
• Charmander and its evolution family are the only Pokémon who have flames as part of their bodies that do not go out naturally (with the Pokémon still being alive).
• Charmander can learn the move Metal Claw by leveling up in Generation III, exclusively in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, but can only learn it by breeding in Generation IV and Generation V.
• Charmander has the longest name of all the non-evolved starter Pokémon. However, it ties with the evolved starters Charmeleon, Typhlosion and Feraligatr.

Origin

Bulbanews has an article related to this subject:

On the Origin of Species: Charmander

Charmander may have been partially inspired by the salamander, an amphibian bearing a slender body, short nose, and a long tail; it exhibits other physical lizard-like characteristics. The salamander and Charmander themselves may have been inspired by the mythological creature of the same name, the salamander; fire-spirits who survive in extreme heat or flames, sometimes creatively rendered and interpreted to be in the shape of lizards.

Name origin

Charmander is a portmanteau of the words char, to burn, and salamander. Hitokage, on the other hand, comes from 火蜥蜴, which is also salamander. 火 hi and 蜥蜴 tokage separately means "fire lizard."

In other languages

• Chinese (Hong Kong and Taiwan): 小火龍 Xiǎo Hǔo Lóng - "Little fire dragon".
• French: Salamèche - From Salamandre (salamander) and mèche (wick).
• German: Glumanda - Derived from Glut (ember, also the German translation for the move of the same name) and Salamander.
• Korean: 파이리 Fili - Derived from the English words fire (파이어) and lizard (리자드).

Related articles

• Ash's Charmander
• Zippo
• Peanut's Charmander
• Kai Midorikawa's Charmander
• Blue's Charmander

External links

• Charmander Fan, the fanlisting for Charmander

Notes

First partner trios

Kanto

Bulbasaur

Charmander

Squirtle

Johto

Chikorita

Cyndaquil

Totodile

Hoenn

Treecko

Torchic

Mudkip

Sinnoh

Turtwig

Chimchar

Piplup

Unova

Snivy

Tepig

Oshawott

Kalos

Chespin

Fennekin

Froakie

Alola

Rowlet

Litten

Popplio

Galar

Grookey

Scorbunny

Sobble

Paldea

Sprigatito

Fuecoco

Quaxly

See also: player's first Pokémon

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Pokémon

#005: Charmeleon →

This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon as a species.