Aura Sphere Riolu

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Riolu
リオル Riolu
Aura Sphere Riolu.png
Riolu
Debuts in Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! (Part 1)
Gender Unknown*
Ability Steadfast*
Nature Serious*
Current location In the Lucario Kingdom (anime)
With the player (game)
HOME447.png
This Pokémon has not evolved.
Voice actor Japanese English
As Riolu Chinami Nishimura

The Aura Sphere Riolu (Japanese: はどうだん リオル Wave Bomb Riolu) is a special Aura Sphere-using Riolu that appeared in two media, in both the Pokémon game Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia and Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl of the anime.

In the games

Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia

Riolu was befriended by Kyle before moving to Almia (revealed in the Ranger Net mission Rescue Kidnapped Riolu!), and he seemed obsessed with Riolu beforehand. In the mission Rescue Kidnapped Riolu, Riolu should be saved from Team Dim Sun, as they will use it as weapon to restore them. It seems to have a connection with Kyle using Aura, since he used it to target to Team Dim Sun's hiding place when the lights went off. The Riolu is later captured by the player and can be sent to Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, or Platinum.

Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold and SoulSilver

A Riolu can be transferred from Shadows of Almia to a Generation IV game and obtained through Mystery Gift. This male Riolu knows Aura Sphere (which, in the main series, cannot ordinarily be learned by Riolu) and has his Original Trainer registered as Kyle, the character he befriended in Shadows of Almia.

Pokémon Info Trainer Memo Battle Moves Ribbons
Poké Ball summary IV.png RIOLU* Dex No. 0447 Serious nature. Fighting Aura Sphere Classic Ribbon
Lv. 30 Type   Ghost Shadow Claw
Spr 4p 447.png Fighting Unknown Pokémon Ranger Steel Bullet Punch
OT Kyle Apparently had a Fighting Drain Punch
ID No. 03208 fateful encounter at There is no limit to this Pokémon's availability.
It may be obtained on any date, beginning from
when it was released.
It was available in many countries.
Item Ability Lv. 30.
None None Steadfast  
The date this Pokémon was received is determined by the date on the DS when it was obtained from the Poké Mart.
This Pokémon is English in origin.
Can be obtained with: D P Pt HG SS
Obtained from: PBR Ranch Ra SoA GS Distribution

In the anime

Aura Sphere Riolu's Trainer

Riolu lives in the Lucario Kingdom. Its official title is Inheritor of the Aura, and it was specifically trained to learn Aura Sphere to defend the Kingdom. At some point, it was kidnapped by an evil organization and taken to a laboratory facility. It was freed in Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! (Part 1) by another group of people led by a man with equally dubious motives. Riolu initially trusted its rescuers as they were wearing the Lucario Kingdom crest on their clothes, but it escaped after overhearing their conversation and learning their true motives.

Riolu fled into a nearby forest, where it encountered Ash and his friends. As Ash tried to approach Riolu, it attacked him with Aura Sphere. When it tried to attack Ash again, Kellyn, a Pokémon Ranger, blocked it using his Vatonage Styler. Riolu tried to escape, but the group pursued it, as did Hunter J, who had been commissioned by Riolu's earlier rescuers.

To try and gain Riolu's trust, Kellyn gave it a small pouch containing a small wooden Riolu made by Riolu's caretaker. However, Riolu was still unsure whether to trust the group or not. After Kellyn explained Riolu's situation, Ash was eager to help it get back home. While traveling down a stream, the group was attacked again, this time by a group of Sharpedo belonging to J's Henchmen, which destroyed their boat. J appeared and attempted to capture Riolu, but she missed and instead took the wooden carving floating downstream. Riolu swam after the figurine, but it was caught up in a strong current and nearly drowning. Ash managed to save Riolu and returned the wooden carving to it, which caused Riolu to begin trusting him. While trying to escape, they were spotted by J and her henchmen, and, in an attempt to lure Riolu out, J's Salamence set the surrounding forest on fire.

J confronted Ash and captured Riolu in Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! (Part 2). Ash picked up the discarded wooden figurine and later sneaked aboard J's airship to rescue Riolu. J quickly ejected Ash from her aircraft and continued to the rendezvous point, where she delivered Riolu directly to her client. After realizing the strong Aura bond he shared with Riolu, Ash managed to track down Riolu, along with J and her client. Kellyn and Ash pursued the client through a cave and soon confronted him. The client dropped Riolu's glass case after his Aggron fell onto him. Ash quickly freed Riolu, who proceeded to use Aura Sphere to counter an incoming Hyper Beam. Pikachu used Volt Tackle to defeat the client, and Officer Jenny later made the final arrests. Afterwards, Riolu was reunited with its caretaker, and Ash returned the wooden carving to Riolu.

Personality and characteristics

Riolu is pure-hearted and sincere. It holds a deep respect for its homeland, the Lucario Kingdom, as evidenced by its attachment to a wooden carving made by its carer.

It was left traumatized and distrustful of humans after being constantly kidnapped by evil people. However, Riolu quickly struck up a friendship with Ash, as the two shared a similar Aura signature. This unique connection allowed the pair to communicate messages and images to one another, even when at a distance.

Moves used

Aura Sphere Riolu Aura Sphere.png
Using Aura Sphere
Move First Used In
Aura Sphere Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! (Part 1)*
A shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves.

Trivia

  • Riolu and Lucario are the only evolutionary line that has pre-capture VS. screens for both in Shadows of Almia.
  • Although he was not actually caught, Riolu's OT is Kyle.
  • Riolu has developed a connection with two humans that helped Kellyn at one point: Kyle in the games and Ash in the anime.

Related articles

For more information on this Pokémon's species, see Riolu.

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