Regional form

File:Normal and Alolan Vulpix anime.png
A **regional form** (Japanese: **リージョンフォーム** *Region Form*), also known as a **regional variant** in Generation VII, is an alternate form of a Pokémon species that is found in a specific region. These forms differ from those found in the region where the Pokémon was introduced — even, in all cases so far, to the point of having a different type. As of Generation VIII, Pokémon can have the following regional forms:

* **Alolan Form** (Japanese: **アローラのすがた** *Alola Form*) in Alola, known as an **Alola Form** in Generation VII;
* **Galarian Form** (Japanese: **ガラルのすがた** *Galar Form*) in Galar;
* **Hisuian Form** (Japanese: **ヒスイのすがた** *Hisui Form*) in Hisui.

As of Generation VIII, 52 Pokémon are known to have regional forms, and 53 regional forms are known in total. Apart from Meowth, which has two, each Pokémon with a regional form has only one.

## Description

In the Alola, Galar, and Hisui regions, certain Pokémon species have regional forms. A Pokémon in these forms are described as such; for example, Sandshrew in its Alolan Form is referred to as Alolan Sandshrew and Ponyta in its Galarian Form is referred to as Galarian Ponyta. Apart from a few cases, the original forms of these Pokémon have no separate regional name.

While regional forms take on the above name scheme in the Pokédex, some of them also have alternative names that are not used by the Pokédex, but may be used by the general public in reference to them. For example, according to the Pokédex, Alolan Vulpix goes by an older name: *Keokeo*.

Pokémon with regional forms have uniquely adapted to habitats that are different than those where its species naturally live in other parts of the world. As such, many things may be different about them, from their appearance and way of living to even their type, moves, Template:Abilities, base stats, height, and weight. This is analogous to a form of real-world evolution known as peripatric speciation, where a population that is isolated from the rest of the species develop unique traits and eventually evolve into a new species.

When breeding Pokémon whose offspring have a regional form, the offspring will normally take on the form corresponding to the region in which it was bred, regardless of its parents' forms. However, if one of the parents of the same evolutionary family held an Everstone when the Egg was produced, the offspring will be the same form as that parent.

## Alolan Form

### Generation VII

In Pokémon Sun and Moon, if a Pokémon evolves from a species that does not have an Alolan Form to one that does, such as Cubone, it will always evolve into its Alolan Form and cannot evolve into its normal form. In Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, the Pokémon will evolve into its Alolan Form while in Alola itself, but can also evolve into its normal form while in Ultra Space.

While Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! take place in Kanto, players can import Alolan Forms from Pokémon GO or receive them from in-game trades.

### Generation VIII

Alolan Forms of Pokémon present in the Galar Pokédex are unavailable by normal means in Pokémon Sword and Shield and can be obtained by transferring them from Generation VII. Alolan forms of Pokémon included in The Isle of Armor expansion are available as rewards for finding hidden Alolan Diglett on the Isle of Armor, and Alolan Exeggutor, and Marowak can be obtained from in-game trades with Regina, in exchange for their respective Kantonian forms. In The Crown Tundra, certain Alolan Forms can be obtained from Dynamax Adventures. An Alolan Meowth also makes a cameo appearance in the NPC Pokémon Camp on Route 7.

### List of Alolan Forms

A total of eighteen Alolan Forms were introduced in Generation VII, all for Pokémon introduced in Generation I.

## Galarian Form

While only Pokémon introduced in Kanto have Alolan Forms, Pokémon introduced both in and after Generation I can have Galarian Forms. Additionally, several Pokémon in their Galarian Forms have an evolution that their regular form does not.

### List of Galarian Forms

A total of nineteen Galarian Forms were introduced in Generation VIII. Thirteen of these forms were introduced in the launch versions of Pokémon Sword and Shield, with the remaining six introduced through updates and downloadable content additions to the games.

## Hisuian Form

Like in the Galar region, Pokémon introduced both in and after Generation I have Hisuian Forms. Notably, these forms were introduced after their region's debut, as Hisui is a version of the Sinnoh region from the distant past.

### List of Hisuian Forms

A total of sixteen Hisuian Forms were introduced in Generation VIII.

## Verelan Form

With the Verela region, Pokémon Azure, Rose, and Sage introduced the idea that variants from other regions can be found (in the wild) in a region, with some of the above Hisuian forms also being found here. Most of these Hisuian (now known as Sinnohan) variants were introduced to Verela long ago. However, Alolan and Galarian forms cannot be found naturally in the Verela region, and are only found at Crystal Ridge thanks to the space distortions occurring there.

Verela also introduced split Evolutions for some of its Pokémon when they Evolve into a regional form: Alolan Raichu, though not found in the wild, can be obtained by feeding a Pikachu a Big Malasada, and Togepi can Evolve into a normal Togetic by using an Oval Stone.

### List of Verelan Forms

A total of 21 Verelan Forms were introduced in Generation AN-I.

## Zantarean Form

Unlike Alolan Forms, there are Zantarean Forms of Pokémon from beyond Generation I.

While Sewaddle and its Evolutions do have unique variants found in the Zantaru region, they do not have different types, Abilities, or stats, only different appearances; therefore, they are not considered regional forms.

### List of Zantarean Forms

A total of 11 Zantarean Forms were introduced in Generation AN-II. Zantarean Borazo and Aidastro are only available in the postgame; it is used to hint at Pokémon Violet and Scarlet.

## Syraiki Form

Unlike Alolan Forms, there are Syraiki Forms of Pokémon from beyond Generation I. However, none of them have separate Evolutions like the Galarian forms.

While Sewaddle and its Evolutions do have unique variants found here, they do not have different types, Abilities, or stats, only different appearances. They still are given colloquial names in Xureen and Silati, however.

### List of Syraiki Forms

A total of eight Syraiki Forms were introduced in Generation AN-III.

## Xureeni Form

Unlike Alolan Forms, there are Xureeni Forms of Pokémon from beyond Generation I.

Xureen also introduced colloquial names for each of these Pokémon - while they are still classified as variants by the Pokédex, people in the region will frequently use different names to refer to them versus its original form's name, to avoid confusion. This is labeled here as well.

### List of Xureeni Forms

A total of 14 Xureeni forms were introduced in Generation AN-IV. This includes Arcadian Eevee, who is considered to be a Xureen-introduced variant.

## Similar concepts

### Variant Pokémon

Main article: Variant Pokémon
 File:Orange Islands Butterfree.png
Prior to Generation VII, there were already certain Pokémon that had variations depending on their native geographical area, but, unlike regional forms, these Pokémon do not appear to have adapted to selective pressures; rather, their differences are purely aesthetic, with their type, moves, Template:Abilities, height, and weight remaining the same.

* The Generation I Pokédex entries for Arbok state that there are six variations of its face-like hood markings that differ between areas. Eight designs are known, but only three have appeared in the core series games (with a fourth in Pokémon Ranger). In Pokémon Adventures, Arbok gains a special ability depending on its pattern.
* In Sinnoh, Shellos and Gastrodon have different appearances on each side of Mt. Coronet. East Sea Shellos and Gastrodon only appear east of Mt. Coronet, whereas West Sea Shellos and Gastrodon only appear on the west side.
	+ Other regions that include these Pokémon also have specific forms of these Pokémon that naturally occur (i.e. can be found in the wild) - Kalos has the West Sea variant, while Galar and Alola have the East Sea variant, although in Pokémon X and Y and Pokémon Sun and Moon, trading can be performed to obtain the other variant. Hoenn is the only other region besides Sinnoh that is confirmed to have both variants naturally.
* Mantyke's Pokédex entry in

## Regional form

 says that the pattern on its back varies from region to region. While it has the same appearance in all Generation IV games (due to using the same sprites), the "face" from Generation V onward appears wider.
* Vivillon, which was introduced in Generation VI, has a different appearance depending on where the game it was created in is from in the real world.

### Convergent adaptation

Introduced in Generation IX, some Pokémon are in a reverse situation to a typical regional form. Based on a real-world biological concept known as convergent evolution, these Pokémon are not considered the same species, despite being similar to each other. Generally, this is the result of evolving to fulfill similar niches to each other, rather than through any direct shared ancestry.

* Wiglett is a Pokémon similar to Diglett, but is not Diglett's Paldean Form. Both are burrowing Pokémon with a largely cylindrical shape and whose models and artwork show them constantly partially burrowed, but the former is the Garden Eel Pokémon, while Diglett more closely resembles a mole.

## Trivia

 File:Alolan Evolution VII.png
* In Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, when a Pokémon undergoes evolution into a regional form, the background in the evolution animation is green, as opposed to the blue background for all other Pokémon. Conversely, when a Pokémon Egg hatches into a regional form, the background is blue instead of yellow. Additionally, a different arrangement of the evolution music is played in both of these situations.
* Meowth is the only Pokémon to have both an Alolan and Galarian Form.
	+ It is also the only Pokémon to have both a regional form and a Gigantamax form.
* There are no Grass-type, Flying-type, Normal-type, Celestial-type or Bug-type regional variants that weren't already that type in their base form.
* All fully evolved Galarian Form Pokémon and/or their regional evolved forms have a signature move or a signature Ability.
	+ Galarian Slowbro, Galarian Slowking, and Galarian Stunfisk are the only Pokémon to have both a signature move and Ability.
* Slowpoke is the only Pokémon in the main series:
	+ That has a regional form that has a branched evolution.
	+ To not only not gain a new type in its regional form, but also lose one type without changing the other.
	+ Whose regional form has its own cry.
		- Some of these characteristics are used by regional variants in Generation AN-I through AN-III, such as Arcadian Eevee.
* In the main series, no Pokémon that were introduced in Generation IV, Generation VI, or Generation VII have a regional form.
* Slowbro is the only Pokémon to have both a regional form and a Mega Evolution in the main series.
* A male Team Yell Grunt in the booth at the Spikemuth Gym arena will offer to trade the player his Mr. Mime which he calls Kantonian.
* The Legendary birds are the only Legendary Pokémon with regional forms.

## In other languages

*Alola Form***SMUSUMPE** / *Alolan Form***SwSh**

*Alolan <Pokémon>*

*Galarian form*

*Galarian <Pokémon>*

## See also

* List of Pokémon with form differences
* List of Pokémon with gender differences
* Variant Pokémon
* Mega Evolution
* Primal Reversion
* Bond Phenomenon
* Ultra Burst
* Dynamax

1. ↑ Hau refers to the Meowth the player's Template:Al owns as a "Kantonian Meowth" in Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
2. ↑ In Pokémon Sword and Shield, a Team Yell Grunt in Spikemuth will offer to trade the player a Mr. Mime, which he refers to as a "Kantonian Mr. Mime".