Mean Look (move)
Mean Look くろいまなざし Dark Look | ||||||||||||
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Mean Look (Japanese: くろいまなざし Dark Look) is a non-damaging Normal-type move introduced in Generation II.
Effect
Generation II
Mean Look prevents the target from switching out or fleeing (including via Teleport). It bypasses accuracy checks to always hit, unless the target is in the semi-invulnerable turn of a move such as Dig or Fly. The effect only applies as long as the Pokémon that used it remains in battle.
It will hit the target even if it has used Protect or Detect.
The affected Pokémon can still switch out via Baton Pass, but in that case, the Pokémon that switches in will now be affected. Conversely, the Pokémon that used Mean Look can switch out with Baton Pass and the effects of Mean Look will still apply. Also, if the affected Pokémon is Roared at or hit with a Whirlwind, they will still be switched out.
If a wild Pokémon uses Mean Look on the player's Pokémon, the player will be unable to escape.
Generations III and IV
Pokémon affected by Mean Look can escape (but not switch out) if the Pokémon has the Ability Run Away or is holding a Smoke Ball.
It is now blocked by Protect and Detect.
Pokémon affected by Mean Look can now switch out with U-turn.
Mean Look can be used as the first move of a Pokémon Contest combination, causing Destiny Bond and Perish Song to score double the normal appeal if used in the next turn. It can also be used to finish a combination, with the user gaining 2 bonus appeal points if Curse was used in the previous turn.
Generation V
If a Pokémon traps a target with Mean Look and then switches with Baton Pass, the target will no longer be trapped.
Pokémon affected by Mean Look can also switch out with Volt Switch.
Also, Dragon Tail and Circle Throw will force the affected Pokémon to switch out.
Generation VI onwards
Mean Look no longer affects Ghost-type Pokémon. It will now hit the target even if it has used Protect, Detect, or Spiky Shield, but will fail if the target is protected by Crafty Shield.
Pokémon affected by Mean Look can also switch out with Parting Shot and Flip Turn.
Mean Look can also be used as part of a Contest Spectacular combination, causing certain moves (Explosion, Memento, Perish Song and Self-Destruct) to give an extra three appeal points if used in the next turn.
If powered up by a Normalium Z into Z-Mean Look, the user's Special Defense stat is raised by one stage.
Description
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Learnset
By leveling up
By breeding
# | Pokémon | Types | Parent Egg Groups |
Egg Move | |||||||||
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II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | ||||||
088 | ![]() |
Grimer |
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Amorphous | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔BDSP | ✔ | |
088 | ![]() |
Grimer Alolan Form |
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Amorphous | ✔ | ||||||||
163 | ![]() |
Hoothoot |
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Flying | ✔USUM | ✔BDSP | |||||||
203 | ![]() |
Girafarig |
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Field | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔BDSP | ✔ | ||||
280 | ![]() |
Ralts |
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Human-Like | Amorphous | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
302 | ![]() |
Sableye |
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Human-Like | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔BDSP | |||||
359 | ![]() |
Absol |
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Field | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
495 | ![]() |
Snivy |
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Field | Grass | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||||
551 | ![]() |
Sandile |
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Field | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
574 | ![]() |
Gothita |
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Human-Like | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
624 | ![]() |
Pawniard |
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Human-Like | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
629 | ![]() |
Vullaby |
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Flying | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||||
701 | ![]() |
Hawlucha |
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Flying | Human-Like | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move. |
Special move
Generation V
# | Pokémon | Types | Egg Groups | Obtained with | ||
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553 | ![]() |
Krookodile |
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Field | Dream World - Rugged Mountain | |
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move. |
By event
Generation V
# | Pokémon | Types | Egg Groups | Obtained with | ||
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235 | ![]() |
Smeargle |
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Field | 2013 World Championships Smeargle | |
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move. |
In other games
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series
In Red Rescue Team, Blue Rescue Team, Explorers of Time, Darkness and Sky, Mean Look is a move with 12PP and 100% accuracy. The user targets enemy in front of them and inflicts Leg/Shadow Hold status condition. This move is affected by Magic Coat and Taunt.
Pokémon UNITE
In Pokémon UNITE, Mean Look is Umbreon's first move. It is obtained by evolving into Umbreon at level 4 and upgrading Swift into it instead of Foul Play. The user pins an opposing Pokémon. For a short time, the opposing Pokémon becomes surrounded by a black zone, which it cannot leave. While the user is in the black zone, its basic attacks become boosted attacks, and it deals increased damage. At level 10, the black zone's duration is increased.
Description
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In the anime
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Absol | Dusknoir | Watchog | Haunter |
The user affixes the foe with a dark, arresting look, causing the target to become trapped in the battle. | |||
Pokémon | Method | ||
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User | First Used In | Notes | |
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Haunter's eyes glow light-purple, preventing the opponent from escaping. | ||
Morty's Haunter | From Ghost to Ghost | Debut | |
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Misdreavus opens its eyes wide and its body flashes black. The opponent can no longer run away from the battle. | ||
Nelson's Misdreavus | Entei at Your Own Risk | None | |
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Dusclops's iris glows purple and it releases a black ring of energy from its eye at the opponent. When the ring hits the opponent, the opponent becomes surrounded by a purple aura, causing the opponent to no longer be able to be recalled into its Poké Ball. | ||
Brandon's Dusclops | Gathering the Gang of Four! | None | |
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Dusknoir's iris glows purple and it releases a black ring of energy from its eye at the opponent. When the ring hits the opponent, it flips around so it is above the opponent, and it falls down onto it. The ring then disappears and the opponent's body flashes black, preventing it from escaping. | ||
Conway's Dusknoir | Working on a Right Move! | None | |
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Watchog closes its eyes and its body becomes surrounded in a dark purple aura. It then opens its eyes and they glow bright red. The purple aura then rises into the air and forms an eye with a black pupil. The eye then becomes surrounded in a magenta aura, and multiple smaller eyes with a magenta outline appear around it and spread throughout the battlefield. The opponent's body then becomes surrounded in a magenta aura. Once it does, the eyes disappear and the opponent can no longer be recalled. If the Trainer tries, a purple force field appears around the opponent. | ||
Lenora's Watchog | The Battle According to Lenora! | None | |
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Gengar's irises and pupils turn purple, with a light-purple glow around them. The opponent then glows purple, with its eyes glowing bright red, and a dark-purple, shadowy mist appears around the opponent's body as the opponent turns towards Gengar. | ||
Alva's Gengar | Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel | None | |
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Absol's eyes glow red and a dark, ghostly aura surrounds it. The aura then extends and surrounds the opponent, making them freeze in fear. | ||
Lusamine's Absol | Rescuing the Unwilling! | None | |
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Sableye's eyes flash red and then a dark purple and shadowy aura shaped like its face is fired at the opponent. After the attack hits, the opponent's body becomes outlined in a dark purple aura and struggles to be able to move. | ||
Nanu's Sableye | Guiding an Awakening! | None |
In the manga
Be the Best! Pokémon B+W
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Watchog | |||
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The user projects an evil eye at the opponent, scaring it and preventing it from running. | |||
Pokémon | Method | ||
User | First Chapter Used In | Notes | |
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Watchog projects an evil eye at the opponent, scaring it and preventing it from running. | ||
Monta's Watchog | Let's Master Pokémon Capturing! | Debut |
Pokémon Adventures
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Smoochum | |||
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The user fires black eye beams at the opponent, preventing them from escaping. | |||
Pokémon | Method | ||
User | First Chapter Used In | Notes | |
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Smoochum fires black eye beams at the opponent from her eyes, stunning it and preventing it from escaping. | ||
Crystal's Chumee | Slugging It Out with Slugma | Debut |
Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys
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Gastly | Gengar | The effect | |
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The user looks at the opponent and eyes are targeted at it. | |||
Pokémon | Method | ||
User | First Chapter Used In | Notes | |
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Gastly makes a scary face at the opponent and at least five eyes are targeting it. | ||
Black's Gastly | Extreme Power!! The Friday Pokémon | Debut | |
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Gengar makes a scary face at the opponent and a few eyes are targeting it, causing the opponent to shudder in fear. | ||
Morty's Gengar | A Promise Given to Miltank | None |
Pokémon Pocket Monsters
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Umbreon | |||
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Multiple eyes appear which prevents the foe from doing anything. | |||
Pokémon | Method | ||
User | First Chapter Used In | Notes | |
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Umbreon looks at the foe and multiple eyes appear. | ||
Karen's Umbreon | A Challenge to the Elite Four! | Debut |
In other generations
Core series games
Side series games
Spin-off series games
Trivia
- In Generation III, the status screen erroneously states that the move has 100% accuracy, even though it ignores accuracy and evasion checks.
- The stock image used in the battle animation of Mean Look from Generation VII onwards appears to be based on Espurr's eyes, which can't itself learn the move. This trait is shared with Tearful Look and Baby-Doll EyesVII+.
In other languages
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Variations of the move Mean Look | ||
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This article is part of Project Moves and Abilities, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on two related aspects of the Pokémon games. |
- Moves
- Moves that can target any adjacent Pokémon
- Normal-type moves
- Beauty moves
- Status moves
- Generation II moves
- Trapping moves
- Moves that cannot miss
- Moves usable in Pokémon Sword and Shield
- Moves usable in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
- Moves in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity
- Moves in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX