Professor Tangrowth (Japanese: モジャンボはかせDr. Mojumbo) is a supporting character of Pokémon Pokopia. He is a Tangrowth and the last remaining Pokémon in Kanto before Ditto came along,[2] and teaches Ditto the basics of life in town.[3] According to his Pokédex entry, he is a Professor form Tangrowth.
Evoking the appearance of a Pokémon Professor, Professor Tangrowth has a unique appearance compared to regular Tangrowth, with white vines covering the top half of his body. He wears and uses human tools,[3] namely a broken pair of glasses, a stick, and a TM on top of his head that evokes a medical doctor's head mirror.
History
Background
Prior to the disappearance of humans, when Professor Tangrowth was still a young Tangela, he was found injured and weak by a Pokémon Professor, who healed him with a Potion, causing the Pokémon to take a liking to them and follow them home.[4] Now living with the professor, he started playing with their grandchild and even other Pokémon Trainers who come to visit. During that time, he also became interested in human devices and activities, seeming intrigued by the professor working on a computer and looking enthralled by things such as Pokédexes and Poké Balls.[5] He would later demonstrate a strong understanding of the purpose and operation of most common human technology, ostensibly as a result of its observations.
While humanity is evacuated into space, all Pokémon, including Tangela, would be stored in a massive computer system as part of the "Pokémon Conservation Project". However, when the professor entrusted him to other project members to store him away, Tangela ran off, likely to try and get back home. The day of departure had arrived, but Tangela was nowhere to be found, leading to the professor leaving the Pokémon behind.[6] After the humans' disappearance and his evolution into Tangrowth, he found and wore the professor's favorite glasses on his chest.[7]
As of the start of Pokémon Pokopia, Professor Tangrowth lives in a cave in the Withered Wasteland. Upon meeting Ditto, he encourages it to use its transformations to help other Pokémon and restore their habitats, and resolves to investigate the mystery of what happened to the humans with its help. He accompanies Ditto to each area it visits except Palette Town, typically idling near the local Pokémon Center.
Personality and characteristics
Professor Tangrowth has the Appraise specialty, which indicates that he can identify any lost relics brought to him. Tangrowth possesses an intelligent, curious, and experimental mind, always looking for new clues to the past and new discoveries. This desire to learn is not purely academic, as it seemingly stems from wanting to know where his original Trainer went following humankind's disappearance, believing that he and Ditto can solve the mystery together. His knowledge of the human world and technology is impressive, but not encyclopedic, as he will regularly not know the function of lost relics brought to him, including battle items which would normally be used by Pokémon. His unusual intelligence was noted by his Trainer back when they was raising him as a Tangela. Professor Tangrowth is also a friendly and jolly individual, always eager to find ways to help his fellow Pokémon, rebuild their habitats, and engage in the various parties they throw.
According to the Pokédex, Professor Tangrowth's ideal habitat type is humid, and his favorite items are those with "lots of nature", "complicated stuff", "letters and words", "strange stuff", "group activities", and "dry flavors".
Professor Tangrowth is the only Pokémon in Pokopia that cannot appear on Cloud Islands, as the Professor's treasure trove used to create its habitat cannot be replicated.
Professor Tangrowth is seemingly the sole non-Legendary Pokémon to survive the end of the world, outside of those inside of Poké Balls and the Pokémon Conservation Project. How exactly he survived is left up to interpretation.
References
↑Confirmed via gender differences as well as several entries of Professor's diary.
↑"When this Pokémon was still a Tangela, it lived with a human professor. It now wears that professor's favorite pair of glasses on its chest." - Pokédex entry
