Kanto first partner Pokémon

The Kanto first partner Pokémon are the trio of —, , and Power Up with the Pin Bags: Pokémon Pixel Pin Collector Collection at the Pokémon Center | Pokemon.com (archived)—chosen by s at the start of their journey in Kanto. These are traditionally given out by Professor Oak and are to be used to battle the first wild Pokémon that the encounters.
In official contexts, the group is referred to descriptively in several ways, including "Kanto first partner Pokémon"PUMA × Pokémon: Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle & Pikachu Puma White Jersey T-Shirt - Adult | Pokémon Center Official Site (archived), "Kanto's first partner Pokémon", "first partner Pokémon from the Kanto region"Pokémon TCG: TAG TEAM Generations Premium Collection | Pokemon.com (archived), and more. However, there are many places where this group is clearly delineated such that it does not include or —who are also first partner Pokémon from Kanto-based games—such as "Pikachu and all three Kanto first partner Pokémon"Pokémon Center × Fossil: Kanto First Partners Black Leather Bronson Card Case | Pokémon Center Official Site (archived) or an explicit list. 
For information about Pikachu and Eevee in other Kanto-based games, see Pikachu (Yellow) and Partner Pokémon (Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!).
==List of Kanto first partner Pokémon and their Evolutions==
===Forms===
The fully evolved Kanto first partner Pokémon each have at least one Mega Evolution, with Charizard having two Mega Evolutions, and a Gigantamax form.
;Mega Evolutions
;Gigantamax forms
==In the core series games==
===Availability===
====As first partner====
In these games, the player obtains their first partner Pokémon at level 5.
Game(s)	First partner	Location/Acquisition 	Other effects
/ 	 	Professor Oak's Laboratory: after attempting to leave Pallet Town	chooses:
/ 	 	Professor Oak's Laboratory: after attempting to leave Pallet Town	chooses:
/ 	 	Professor Oak's Laboratory: after attempting to leave Pallet Town	chooses:
 	 	Professor Oak's Laboratory: after attempting to leave Pallet Town	chooses: Roaming Pokémon:
 	 	Professor Oak's Laboratory: after attempting to leave Pallet Town	chooses: Roaming Pokémon:
 	 	Professor Oak's Laboratory: after attempting to leave Pallet Town	chooses: Roaming Pokémon:
====Other methods====
Game(s)	Pokémon	Location/Acquisition 	Other effects
 	 	Cerulean City: received from a girl if the partner Pikachu's friendship is 147 or higher 	None
 	 	: from a boy 	None
 	 	Vermilion City: from Officer Jenny if the player has beaten the Vermilion Gym 	None
 	 	Professor Oak's Laboratory: from Professor Oak after defeating (choose one) 	None
 	 	Lumiose City: from Professor Sycamore after defeating him 	None
 	 	Friend Safari 	None
 	 	Melemele Island: 	None
 	 	Cerulean City: from a a girl if the player has caught at least 30 Pokémon 	None
 	 	: from a boy if the player has caught at least 50 Pokémon 	None
 	 	Vermilion City: from Officer Jenny if the player has caught at least 60 Pokémon 	None
 	 	Postwick: in Leon's room after defeating him 	None
() 	 	Master Dojo: after clearing Mustard's first trial (choose one) 	Honey's team will include:
() 	 	Master Dojo: after clearing Mustard's first trial (choose one) 	Honey's team will include:
() 	 	Dynamax Adventures 	None
 	 	Grand Underground: in the wild, after obtaining the National Pokédex 	None
() 	 	Terarium (Coastal Biome/Savanna Biome/Canyon Biome): in the wild, after upgrading the biomes through the League Club Room	None
===Base stat comparison===
|}
==In the spin-off games==
===Pokémon Duel===
In , all Kanto first partner Pokémon and their evolutions received figures.
							
							
===Pokémon GO===
In , all three Kanto first partner Pokémon can be caught and encountered along with their Evolutions. When the player first starts the game, they have the option to choose either Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle as their first capture.
===Pokémon Trading Card Game===
In the video game, each of the three starter decks is based on one of the Kanto first partner Pokémon. They are listed in this order: , , and . Each deck includes the three evolutionary stages of the respective first partner Pokémon.
===Pokémon Masters EX===
In , the player character chooses an Egg that hatches into one of the Kanto first partner Pokémon in the tutorial, which they form a sync pair with. After this, the player can form more sync pairs with the Kanto first partner Pokémon by receiving Eggs from Professor Bellis, which may hatch into one of the Kanto first partner Pokémon.
Several other characters form sync pairs with the Kanto first partner Pokémon or their evolutions. can be obtained through the Trainer Lodge, while the others can be obtained through various sync pair scouts.
|}
===Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series===
In the , the Kanto first partner Pokémon can be selected as the and their partner, with the only exceptions being and the three Japan-exclusive WiiWare games. The trio's evolved forms can also be recruited in the games out of the main character roles.
===Pokémon Rumble series===
In the Pokémon Rumble series, all three Kanto first partner Pokémon can be caught and encountered along with their Evolutions.
===Pokémon Shuffle===
In , all three Kanto first partner Pokémon can be caught and encountered along with their Evolutions. They can also undergo .
Dex#	NDex	Icon	Pokémon	Type	Attack Power	Attack Power	Max RML	Initial	Alternate	Ameliaicons
Dex#	NDex	Icon	Pokémon	Type	Lv 1 	Max 	Max RML	Initial	Alternate	Ameliaicons
List #	Pokémon	Pokémon 	Type 	Description/Notes	Gauge 	Gauge	Max MSU
List #	Pokémon	Pokémon 	Type 	Description/Notes	Default	Maxed	Max MSU
003 	 	Mega 	Erases all Pokémon in the five columns to the left and right.	 	9 	3 	
006 	 	Mega X 	Erases all Pokémon in an X-shaped pattern.
* Charizard begins as a -type before Mega Evolving.	16 	3 	 	
006 	 	Shiny Mega X	Erases Pokémon and disruptions around two spots you tap.
* Erases five tiles in a + shape surrounding each spot. Does not activate if the foe is defeated. Only gives 3 seconds to tap. Can erase fewer than 2. (maximum 10 icons erased)
* Shiny Charizard begins as a -type before Mega Evolving.	20 	5 	15 	
006 	 	Mega Y 	Erases all Pokémon in a Y-shaped pattern. 	 	10 	3 	
006 	 	Shiny Mega Y	Erases a jagged line of Pokémon vertically.
* Actually erases two jagged lines of Pokémon vertically. These lines cannot cross. (maximum 12 icons erased)	11 	6 	5 	
009 	 	Mega 	Erases all Pokémon within two spaces of the match.
* If more icons of this Pokémon are adjacent to the match, then for each additional icon, one more Pokémon is erased in that direction.	 	8 	4 	
===Pokémon Sleep===
In , the three Kanto first partner Pokémon can be obtained by filling their Friendship Points after a sleep session.
===Pokémon UNITE===
In , the three Kanto first partner Pokémon have Unite licenses and can be played as in Unite Battles. While and were included in the base game, was added to the game on September 1, 2021. Charizard additionally is one of the Pokémon that Trainers can select first, with Erbie having its Unite license as one of the options the player can take from him after completing the game's tutorial.
===Super Smash Bros. series===
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the has a team of different evolutionary stages of Kanto first partner Pokémon: , , and .
===Pokkén Tournament===
Blastoise is a playable Battle Pokémon in Pokkén Tournament DX for the Nintendo Switch version. Blastoise was added as part of Battle Pack DLC on March 23, 2018. Charizard was also a playable in all versions.
==In animation==
===Pokémon the Series===
Over the course of Pokémon the Series, has given away three of the Kanto first partner Pokémon, two of which were to new Trainers. Gary Oak and both received a , and began his journey with a . Despite not having known to handout a , Professor Oak has been shown with all three first partner Pokémon in his possession. Professor Oak has also given out a to when he was late to his pick up his first partner Pokémon and had missed out on receiving one of the usual three choices.
It is revealed in Pokémon the Series: XY that Professor Sycamore gave , and a Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Charmander respectively, and in the Mega Evolution Specials that Alain was given a Charmander as well.
===Pokémon Origins===
In Pokémon Origins, 's main Pokémon is his first partner, a he received from Professor Oak. It eventually evolves into and becomes able to Mega Evolve into Mega Charizard X through a Key Stone and Charizardite X Red received as a thank-you gift from Mr. Fuji.
===I Choose You!===
I Choose You!, a movie that started a separate continuity from the main Pokémon the Series continuity, focused on the developing friendship between and the he received from . In this continuity, Gary also started with a , while the Oak's Bulbasaur and Charmander were revealed to have been picked by alternate versions of and , respectively.
===Pokémon Evolutions===
In Pokémon Evolutions, although Professor Oak doesn't hand out any of the Kanto first partner Pokémon in this series, he is shown to have them in his possession.
==In the manga==
===Pokémon Adventures===
In Pokémon Adventures, is shown to give Pokémon to Trainers he thinks are especially talented, gifting Charmander to his grandson and Bulbasaur to . Professor Oak also possessed a Squirtle that was stolen by .
Professor Sycamore is also shown to be in possession of the Kanto first partner Pokémon. While Squirtle and Bulbasaur remain under his care, he gave Charmander to .
===Pokémon Pocket Monsters===
In Pokémon Pocket Monsters, is depicted distributing the choice of one out of three first partner Pokémon - , or - to Pokémon Trainers as they begin their journeys, much like in other media. chooses as his first partner Pokémon, and while was offered the choice as well, he decided to keep a that he met on his way to Professor Oak's lab as his first partner instead.
===Pokémon Zensho===
In Pokémon Zensho, much like in the games on which the manga was based, Professor Oak offers and their choice of one out of three first partner Pokémon - , or . Satoshi chooses Charmander, while Shigeru chooses Squirtle, leaving Bulbasaur with Professor Oak.
==Trivia==
* The Kanto first partner Pokémon have several unique distinctions.
** They are the first trio of first partners to have received Mega Evolutions and Gigantamax forms.
** They can be obtained in the most games of all first partner Pokémon, as they have appeared in 20 core series games in Japan (19 internationally).
** They are the only first partner Pokémon where all of the members appear in more than one regional Pokédex: Kanto's, Johto's, Unova’s, and Kalos's.
*** The line also appears by itself in the Galar regional Pokédex, while the and lines appear in the Isle of Armor regional Pokédex.
** They are the only ones to have all been owned by both and one of at some point in their evolutionary lines: owns a and a , while Kiawe owns a .
*** They are also the only full set of first partners that Ash has obtained where every member was owned by a previous .
* In Generation III, the Kanto first partner Pokémon are featured in the background of the Retro Mail.
* Prior to , individually obtaining all Kanto first partner Pokémon and their evolutionary forms would require nine saved games of Pokémon Red or Blue (Japanese Red, Green, or Blue). This was the largest group of mutually exclusive Pokémon in the history of the core series games.
* The Bulbasaur line is the only one of the first partner Pokémon family to have the .
** Additionally, this first partner line is also the only one to have each member appear at least once in the Super Smash Bros. series.
==References==
==Related articles==
* First partner Pokémon
* Mega Evolution
* Gigantamax