Bulbasaur (Pokémon)

This article is about the species. For a specific instance of this species, see Bulbasaur (disambiguation).

**Bulbasaur** (Japanese: **フシギダネ** *Fushigidane*) is a dual-type {{Grass}}/{{Poison}} Pokémon introduced in Generation I.

It evolves into Ivysaur starting at level 16, which evolves into Venusaur starting at level 32.

Along with Charmander and Squirtle, Bulbasaur is one of three starter Pokémon of Kanto available at the beginning of Pokémon Red, Green, Blue, FireRed, and LeafGreen.

## Biology

Bulbasaur is a small, quadruped Pokémon that has blue-green skin with darker green patches. It has red eyes with white pupils and scleras and pointed, ear-like structures on top of its head. Its snout is short and blunt, and it has a wide mouth. A pair of small, pointed teeth are visible in the upper jaw when its mouth is open. Each of its thick legs ends with three sharp claws. On its back is a green plant bulb, which is grown from a seed planted there at birth. The bulb provides it with energy through photosynthesis as well as from the nutrient-rich seeds contained within.

As mentioned in the anime, starter Pokémon are raised by Breeders to be distributed to new Trainers. Having been domesticated from birth, Bulbasaur is regarded as both a rare and well-behaved Pokémon. It is known to be extremely loyal, even after long-term abandonment. Bulbasaur has also shown itself to be an excellent caretaker, even having a special technique called the "Bulba-by." To perform this technique, Bulbasaur uses its vines to pick up a young Pokémon and soothingly rocks it in the air.
It is found in grasslands and forests throughout the Kanto region. However, due to Bulbasaur's status as starter Pokémon, it is hard to come by in the wild and generally found under the ownership of a Trainer. It has been observed that a Bulbasaur's bulb will flash blue when it is ready to evolve. If it does not want to evolve, it struggles to resist the transformation. Many Bulbasaur gather every year in a hidden garden in Kanto to evolve into Ivysaur in a ceremony led by a Venusaur

## Game data

### Stats

#### Base stats

 * Minimum stats are calculated with 0 EVs, IVs of 0, and a hindering nature, if applicable.

* Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and a helpful nature, if applicable.

* This Pokémon's  Special  base stat in Generation I was **65**.

### Learnset

#### By tutoring

 * A black or white abbreviation in a colored box indicates that Bulbasaur can be tutored the move in that game
* A colored abbreviation in a white box indicates that Bulbasaur cannot be tutored the move in that game
* **Bold** indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Bulbasaur
* *Italic* indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution of Bulbasaur
* Click on the generation numbers at the top to see Move Tutor moves from other generations

### Sprites

File:001MS.png For other sprites and images, please see Bulbasaur images on the Bulbagarden Archives.

## Trivia

* In the Japanese Pokémon Red, Green, and Blue, international Pokémon Red and Blue, and Japanese Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, Professor Oak classifies Bulbasaur as the "plant Pokémon" (Japanese: しょくぶつポケモン) when the player is about to choose it as their starter, using the term while referring to its {{Grass|*<type>*}}. In the English versions of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, he calls it the "grass Pokémon".
	+ This also occurs in the first episode of Pokémon Origins.

 File:Niue Dollar Pokemon.png
* Niue released a one-dollar coin featuring Bulbasaur as part of a commemorative promotion for the Pokémon franchise, with Bulbasaur on one side and the nation's coat of arms on the other.
* Bulbasaur's evolution family is the only starter Pokémon evolution family to have each member appear at least once in the Super Smash Bros. series.
* Bulbasaur and its evolutions share their category with Sunkern. They are all known as the Seed Pokémon.
* Bulbasaur's number in the National Pokédex and the Fiore Browser are the same: 001.
* Due to the censor that prevents Pokémon with offensive nicknames being traded on the GTS, a Bulbasaur with an English name couldn't be traded on the GTS without a nickname in Pokémon Black and White.
* In Pokémon Gold and Silver, Bulbasaur is programmed to be able to learn Charm through breeding, but no other Pokémon in the Grass or Monster Groups can legitimately learn it to pass down as an Egg Move in those games. In Generation III and IV, Bulbasaur can inherit the move from Shroomish by chain breeding; in Generation V on, Bulbasaur can inherit the move directly from Cottonee.

### Origin

Bulbasaur appears to be based primarily on some form of reptile, specifically mammal-like reptiles known as *Dicynodonts* from the Permian period. Along with visible ears and no genuine metamorphosis stage (evolution aside), Bulbasaur appears to have more in common with mammals than amphibians such as frogs and toads, which metamorphose from one definite creature into another as they mature as opposed to just growing into a larger adult version of itself the way that Bulbasaur does. Alternatively, Bulbasaur's large rounded snout, wide mouth, wide-set eyes, blotch-patterned skin, and quadruped-like movements are vaguely similar to those of certain amphibians, such as the common toad. Since Bulbasaur's "ears" do not in fact have hollows, they may actually be similar to the glands present behind the eyes of many species of frogs and toads.

The bulb on its back may resemble that of a lily or onion.

#### Name origin

Bulbasaur is a combination of *bulb* (a rounded underground storage organ present in some plants, notably those of the lily family) and *saur* (Ancient Greek for *lizard*).

Fushigidane literally means "*isn't it strange?*" and is also a pun on 不思議種 *fushigidane* (mysterious bulb).

## Related articles

* Ash's Bulbasaur
* May's Bulbasaur
* Shauna's Bulbasaur
* Saur
* Bulbasaur (MPJ)

## External links

* Article on Wikipedia

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