Charmander (Pokmon) - Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokmon encyclopedia

Charmander (Japanese: ヒトカゲ Hitokage) is a Fire-type Pokémon introduced in Generation I.

It evolves into Charmeleon starting at level 16, which evolves into Charizard starting at level 36.

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

Biology

Charmander is a bipedal, reptilian Pokémon with a primarily orange body and blue eyes. Its underside from the chest down and the soles of its feet are cream-colored. It has two small fangs visible in its upper jaw and two smaller fangs in its lower jaw. A fire burns at the tip of this Pokémon's slender tail, which has blazed there since Charmander's birth.

The flame can indicate Charmander's health and mood, burning brightly when the Pokémon is strong, weakly when it is exhausted, wavering when it is happy, and blazing when it is enraged. It is said that Charmander would die if its flame were to go out. However, if the Pokémon is healthy, the flame will continue to burn even if it gets a bit wet and is said to steam in the rain. As shown in Pokémon Sleep, Charmander is known to sleep while curled up.[1] Supposedly, Charmander is drawing warmth from the flame on its tail. During quiet nights, one can hear the sound of a flame burning if you listen hard enough while Charmander sleeps.

Charmander can be found in hot, mountainous areas. It has been recently seen living in the Terarium of Blueberry Academy. However, it is found far more often in Trainers ownership. As shown in Pokémon Snap and New Pokémon Snap, Charmander exhibits pack behavior, calling others of its species if it finds food and watching the flames on each other's tails to ensure they don't go out.

Evolution

Charmander evolves into Charmeleon, which evolves into Charizard.

(For specifics on this Pokémon's evolution in the games, refer to Game data→Evolution data.)

Game data

NPC appearances

• In PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure Charmander is one of Pikachu's best friends. After falling through the mysterious tunnel, he almost lands into a pool of molten lava only to be saved by the zone leader, Blaziken where he was taken in as Blaziken's pupil and trained to become stronger. After he's been found, he journeys to the Meeting Place where he helps Piplup mend the balloon, and makes fireworks. He later accompanies Pikachu to the Sky Pavilion along with Piplup and Chikorita where he meets Mew. Once the Sky Prism has been restored, Charmander celebrates by firing off the fireworks he made.

Pokédex entries

Game locations

In side games

In events

In-game events

Wild Area News

Pokémon Global Link promotions

Held items

Pokémon caught in Generation I must be traded to a Generation II game in order for a held item to appear.

Stats

Base stats

Pokéathlon stats

Type effectiveness

Learnset

By leveling up

By TM

By breeding

TCG-only moves

Anime-only moves

Side game data

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team Body size: 1 Recruit rate: 11.7% Friend Area: Mt. Cleft Phrases 51%-100% HP My flame's small, but I'll do my best! 26%-50% HP My health is down to half. The flame is getting small, too. 1%-25% HP My flame is about to go out... Level up I leveled up. The flame on my tail grew bigger, too. Partner phrases 51%-100% HP The fire on my tail's blazing! Let's go for it, <name>! 26%-50% HP It's getting tougher... 1%-25% HP My fire's about to go out... <name>, help... Level up Yay! I leveled up!
Pokémon Ranger Group: Poké Assist: Field move: (Burn ×1) Loops: 3 Min. exp.: 25 Max. exp.: 39 Browser entry R-140 Charmander shudders while breathing fire. It is the very picture of vitality.
Pokémon Rumble Rush Walking Speed: 2.08 seconds Base HP: 45 Base Attack: 69 Base Defense: 47 Base Speed: 60
New Pokémon Snap Photodex entry #149 Charmander live together in groups so they can all watch each other’s tail and make sure the flames never go out. If you can only see one Charmander, look around—its friends are sure to be nearby.

In Pokémon GO, Charmander can be obtained by completing 1/4 of the Ticketed Special Research, A Tale of Tails.

Evolution data

Sprites

In the anime

Main series

Major appearances

Ash's Charmander

Charmander physically debuted in Charmander - The Stray Pokémon, where Ash, Misty, and Brock found him after he was abandoned by his Trainer, Damian, who only cared about raising strong Pokémon. At first, Charmander refused to leave the spot he was at, believing Damian would return for him. However, when a rainstorm picked up, Charmander grew ill and Ash took him to a Pokémon Center. Charmander realized that Damian was no good, and allowed Ash to catch him. He has since evolved into Charmeleon, and then Charizard.

Ash's Charmander also appeared in I Choose You!, which is set in a different continuity from the main series. In this continuity, it previously belonged to Cross and evolved into Charmeleon after defeating a Jigglypuff in battle. It later evolved into Charizard after battling Cross's Lycanroc.

Zippo

Ritchie owned a Charmander nicknamed Zippo, which debuted in A Friend In Deed. It would evolve into Charmeleon by its appearance in A Parent Trapped!.

Team Go-Getters

A Charmander starred in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters Out of the Gate! as the leader of Team Go-Getters.

Alain's Charmander

A Charmander appeared in a flashback in Mega Evolution Special I as the unevolved form of Alain's Charizard.

Trevor's Charmander

Trevor's Charmander first appeared in Summer of Discovery!. It would be revealed to have evolved into Charmeleon by A Legendary Photo Op!, and then into Charizard by A League of His Own!.

Leon's Charmander

In Sword and Shield: The Darkest Day!, Leon's Charizard was revealed to have been a Charmander in a flashback. It has since made more flashback appearances in Pokémon Journeys: The Series.

Other

In Journey to the Starting Line!, Gilbert intended to start his journey as a Pokémon Trainer, but the trio of Kanto first partner Pokémon were scared off when Ash's Tauros stampeded through Professor Oak's house. Professor Oak, Tracey, Delia, and Gilbert split up to find the three missing Pokémon. The Charmander was the first one to be found.

In A Six Pack Attack!, a Charmander went with Professor Oak on his trip to Hoenn along with a Bulbasaur and Squirtle.

In The Right Place and The Right Mime, another Charmander was seen in Professor Oak's possession, along with another Bulbasaur and Squirtle.

In The Fires of a Red-Hot Reunion!, a Charmander was part of Professor Oak's demonstration of the Kanto first partner Pokémon during the Kanto Fair. Another Charmander was owned by the Kanto Fair Host. Seeing it inspired Ash to bring his Charizard back onto his team.

Minor appearances

Charmander made its debut in Pokémon - I Choose You!, where Ash dreamed about one as his prospective first partner Pokémon.

In Battle Aboard the St. Anne, multiple Charmander were aboard the St. Anne.

In Hypno's Naptime, a Charmander was in HopHopHop Town's Pokémon Center.

In Pokémon Fashion Flash, a Charmander was on Scissor Street.

In The Ultimate Test, a Charmander appeared as an image in the dubbed version, while another was owned by the Pokémon League Admissions Exam instructor.

In The Breeding Center Secret, a Charmander was seen evolving on TV for a commercial about Cassidy's and Butch's breeding center, while another one appeared in said center.

In Pikachu's Vacation, a Charmander was at the Pokémon Theme Park.

In Friends to the End, a Trainer's Charmander was at the closing ceremonies of the Indigo Plateau Conference.

A Charmander appeared in the Japanese credits of Pikachu's Rescue Adventure.

A first partner Charmander appeared in a flashback in Don't Touch That 'dile.

A Charmander appeared in Gonna Rule The School!, under the ownership of the Pokémon Trainers' School. It was temporarily loaned to one of the school's underage students for use.

In The Right Place and the Right Mime, a Charmander was at Professor Oak's Laboratory.

In Meloetta's Moonlight Serenade, a Charmander was watching Meloetta's concert.

In a flashback in I Choose You!, a Charmander was chosen by Tierno as his first partner Pokémon.

In A Crowning Moment of Truth!, a Trainer's Charmander attended the Wela Fire Festival.

In Alola, Kanto!, a wild Charmander was sleeping at Professor Oak's Laboratory.

A Trainer's Charmander appeared in The Power of Us.

A Trainer's Charmander appeared in the Where Are You Going, Eevee? segment at the end of Lillier and the Staff!. It reappeared during a flashback in We Know Where You're Going, Eevee!.

In Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution, a Charmander was at Old Shore Wharf.

In Legend? Go! Friends? Go!, a Charmander was one of the first partner Pokémon Professor Cerise offered to Goh, but it was rejected.

A Charmander appeared in a fantasy alongside the other first partner Pokémon in Getting More Than You Battled For!.

A Trainer's Charmander appeared in Crowning the Chow Crusher!.

A Trainer's Charmander appeared in Sobble Spies a Stealthy Strategy!.

A Charmander appeared in This Could be the Start of Something Big!.

A Trainer's Charmander appeared in The Pendant That Starts It All (Part One). Another appeared under the ownership of a student of Indigo Academy.

Pokédex entries

Pokémon Origins

Red's Charmander

In Pokémon Origins, a Charmander was one of the three Pokémon Professor Oak gave Red and Blue to choose from to start their journey, with Red choosing Charmander. It later evolved into a Charmeleon between File 1: Red and File 2: Cubone and then a Charizard between File 2: Cubone and File 3: Giovanni.

Other

In File 1: Red, a Charmander was seen in Professor Oak's introduction.

In File 3: Giovanni, a Charmander was seen at Silph Co., while another was seen in a flashback, under the ownership of Giovanni.

Pokémon Generations

A Charmander appeared in the game intro-like opening sequence for The Adventure.

Pokémon: Twilight Wings

In Buddy, a Firebreather's Charmander was seen alongside its Trainer as they were putting on a fire-breathing display for a crowd.

GOTCHA!

A Charmander briefly appeared in GOTCHA!.

Pokémon Evolutions

A Charmander briefly appeared in The Discovery, inside Professor Oak's Laboratory. It was seen playing with its fellow first partner Pokémon.

POKÉTOON

A Charmander appeared in The Pancham Who Wants to Be a Hero, where it was trapped in a cave.

In the manga

The Electric Tale of Pikachu

Ash's Charmander makes a few appearances in The Electric Tale of Pikachu.

The capture of Ash's Charmander diverges considerably from Pokémon the Series. In the manga, Damian seems to have abandoned his Charmander at the beginning of the chapter Pikachu's Excellent Adventure, but it turns out that he had just been injured and went to the hospital.

Ash is shown to own a Charmander despite this, his own Charmander first appears in You Gotta Have Friends. Ash's Charmander's capture is not shown in the manga, instead, when Charmander first appears from its Poké Ball, it is simply stated that "Ash has been busy since the last comic".

Ash's Charmander reappears as a Charizard in the chapter The Indigo Finals at the Indigo Plateau Conference. In this chapter, Charizard battles Charley, Ritchie's own Charizard.

Magical Pokémon Journey

In Magical Pokémon Journey, the sickly Trainer Peanut owns an aggressive Charmander. Peanut's Charmander first appears in Charmander's Peanut.

Movie adaptations

A Charmander appeared in a flashback in ICYR1, under the ownership of Professor Oak.

Pokémon Journeys: The Series

A Charmander appeared in a flashback in Sword and Shield... The Legends Awaken! (Part 1), under the ownership of Leon. It is now his Charizard in the present day.

Pocket Monsters XY: The Legend of the Pokémon Dragon King

Akira owns a Charmander, as seen in LDK1. It evolved into a Charizard in the same chapter.

Pokémon Adventures

Red, Green & Blue arc

Charmander debuted in A Glimpse of the Glow. It first appeared in Red's fantasy, then as one of Blue's first Pokémon, received from his grandfather Professor Oak. He has since evolved into Charmeleon before facing off against Brock of Pewter City, and then to Charizard before the Silph Co. battles against Team Rocket.

In The Jynx Jinx, a Charmander appeared as a silhouette when Green talked about Mew.

X & Y arc

After X's Chespin, Marisso, lost to him in a battle, X decided to take him and named him Salamè in Chespin Sows the Seeds of Change. He later evolved into a Charmeleon alongside Marisso, who evolved into a Quilladin in Quilladin Stands.

Pokémon Gotta Catch 'Em All

A Charmander appeared in a background collage in Catch the Poliwag!.

A Charmander appeared in GDZ23.

A Charmander first appeared in GDZ33, under the ownership of a researcher.

Pokémon Pocket Monsters

In Pokémon Pocket Monsters, Red's rival, Green, chose Charmander as his first partner Pokémon. Green's Charmander is mischievous and has a rivalry with Red's Clefairy. Green's Charmander has evolved into Charizard. It seems to be able to skip the Charmeleon stage, as it was seen evolving directly into Charizard. Although it has devolved back to the Charmander stage, it currently seems to have permanently evolved back into Charizard.

Blue also owns a Charmander.

Pokémon Zensho

In Pokémon Zensho, Satoshi chooses Charmander as his first partner Pokémon.

In the TCG

Other appearances

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Charmander appears as a trophy.

Trophy information

"A Lizard Pokémon. It just downright likes hot stuff. The always-burning tail indicates its mood--waving gently when content and burning intensely when angry. If the tail were to go out, it would be the end of Charmander's life. Its tail is believed to emit steam when it rains. Charmander evolves into Charmeleon by leveling up."

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Charmander appears as a Spirit.

POKÉMON Detective Pikachu

Multiple Charmander appeared in POKÉMON Detective Pikachu.

Celestial

Charmander appeared in the music video for Celestial.

Trivia

• Charmander, Cyndaquil, and their respective evolutionary lines have exactly the same base stats in the same distribution.

Cultural impact

• Niue released a one-dollar coin featuring Charmander as part of a commemorative promotion for the Pokémon franchise, with Charmander on one side and the nation's coat of arms on the other.

Design variations

In its Generation I sprites and original key artwork, Charmander's "back" is depicted as having a small line of spikes. The spikes were not shown in the sprites and artwork of later generations. Blue's Charmander also had these spikes in the Pokémon Adventures manga, where the spikes were larger and easier to see. The spikes were also seen on Green's Charmander from the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga.

Additionally, Charmander is depicted with an inconsistent number of fingers in its designs. The original sprites designed by Atsuko Nishida for Pokémon Red and Green featured three fingers, while the artwork Ken Sugimori drew based on those sprites had four fingers. Currently, the TCG, animated TV shows, movies, and specials, as well as artwork unrelated to games and merchandise, use the three-fingered hand design; while the 3D models and the artwork based on those (such as the ones made for Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!) feature the four-fingered hand design.

Origin

Charmander's design was based on Charizard in such a way that it was surprising to see it evolving into the latter Pokémon.[2] In particular, Charmander was designed as a lizard.[2] Based on its name, Charmander is also based on a salamander, which are amphibians that physically resemble lizards. In folklore and mythology, salamanders are often thought of as fire spirits capable of surviving in extreme heat or flames. As Charizard is based on a European dragon, Charmander's lizardlike design seems to reference how Western dragons in folklore are heavily inspired by lizards and other reptiles, as well as how various types of lizards are likened to (and named after) dragons due to this connection. Its bipedal design resembles a baby theropod dinosaur.

Name origin

Charmander is a combination of char (to burn) and salamander, as stated in the January 1999 "POCKEMON JOURNAL" on the official Game Freak website.[3] Alternatively, in a 2016 interview with Tsunekazu Ishihara by INSIDE, Charmander is stated to be a combination of charcoal (carbon residue produced by strongly heating wood) and Salamandra (a genus of salamander including four species of fire salamander).[4]

Hitokage may be a combination of 火 hi (fire) and 蜥蜴 tokage (lizard), forming together the word 火蜥蜴 hitokage (mythical salamander).

In other languages

See also

References

External links

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