Bulbasaur
Encyclopedia
Bulbasaur, known as in Japan, is a Pokémon species in Nintendo
and Game Freak
's Pokémon
franchise. Designed by Ken Sugimori
, their name is a combination of the words "bulb" and "dinosaur." First appearing in Pokémon Red and Blue
as a Starter Pokémon, they later appeared in subsequent sequels, spin-off games, related merchandise, and animated and printed adaptations of the franchise.
Known as the Seed Pokémon, Bulbasaur can survive for days without eating because the bulb on its back stores energy. Bulbasaur is a central character in the anime, being one of Ash
's main Pokémon for the first season, and a different one later being obtained by May. It is featured in various manga, and is owned by main protagonist Red in the Pokémon Adventures
manga. Bulbasaur has been featured in varying pieces of merchandise, including toys and plush dolls.
, a friend of the creator of the Pokémon games, Satoshi Tajiri
. The species first appeared as one of three starter Pokémon the player could choose from at the beginning of the initial Game Boy
games, Pokémon Red and Blue
, released in Japan
in 1996. Its Japanese name, Fushigidane, is a combination of the Japanese
words for and . In translating the game for English speaking
audiences, Nintendo
gave the Pokémon "cleverly descriptive names" related to their appearance or features as a means to make the characters more relatable to American children; thus Bulbasaur, relating to both its dinosaur appearance and the large garlic-shaped bulb on its back.
and frog
Pokémon that move on all four legs, and have light blue-green bodies with darker blue-green spots. As a Bulbasaur undergoes evolution into Ivysaur
and then later into Venusaur
, the bulb on its back blossoms into a large flower. The seed on a Bulbasaur's back is planted at birth, and then sprouts and grows larger as the Bulbasaur grows. The bulb absorbs sunlight
which makes it grow. For this reason, Bulbasaur enjoy soaking up the sun's rays, and can survive for days without eating because the bulb stores energy. In the Pokémon anime, the character Ash Ketchum
has a Bulbasaur who is portrayed as being brave but also stubborn. The distinctive differences of Bulbasaur from other Pokémon such as Diglett are well understood by children and so motivate their play and trading of the creature.
. Along with Charmander
and Squirtle
, Bulbasaur is a starter Pokémon the player can choose from at the beginning of the games. Bulbasaur's grass type is in contrast to Charmander's fire type and Squirtle's water type. Bulbasaur and the other starters from Red and Blue are replaced by Pikachu
in Pokémon Yellow, the only starter available in it. Instead, they are obtained throughout the game from several trainers. In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen
, remakes of Red and Blue, Bulbasaur is selectable as a starter Pokémon once again, along with Charmander and Squirtle. In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
, after obtaining all sixteen badges and defeating Red, the player can chose to obtain either Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle.
The Nintendo 64
spin-off Pokémon Stadium
, and other spin-offs such as Pokémon Mystery Dungeon
, give the player a choice of a Bulbasaur (among fifteen other Pokémon), and in Pokémon Snap
, Bulbasaur are one of the Pokémon that the player can photograph. Bulbasaur also appears in Hey You, Pikachu!
as a supporting character who lives in the Ochre Woods and makes the five recipes with Pikachu's help. In Super Smash Bros. Melee
and Brawl
, Bulbasaur appears as one of the obtainable trophies.
. Before joining Ash's team, it lived with a girl named Melanie, who took care of abandoned Pokémon. Bulbasaur was given to Ash, but it was pessimistic about him. However, its loyalties began to improve and it eventually became one of Ash's most faithful Pokémon. May catches a Bulbasaur while traveling in a grass-type Pokémon nature reserve
during her journey in Hoenn. Bulbasaur defends her from the other grass Pokémon in the forest, who see her as a threat, and when May leaves, Bulbasaur decides to go with her. She later makes a guest appearance on the series and it is revealed that her Bulbasaur has fully evolved into a Venusaur.
In the original Japanese version the two Bulbasaur are each played by separate seiyū
, Ash's Bulbasaur by Megumi Hayashibara
and May's by Miyako Itō
. In the English dub
, they are both voiced
by Tara Jayne until Michelle Knotz took over the job for the 9th season.
series. In Pokémon: Pikachu Shocks Back, Electric Pikachu Boogaloo, and Surf’s Up, Pikachu!, which loosely parallel the storyline of the anime, Pikachu is separated from Ash temporarily, and travels with a Bulbasaur to a secret Pokémon village in the mountains. Later, Ash finds Pikachu and catches the Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur accompanies Ash throughout his journeys in the Orange Islands, and eventually fights in the final showdown with Drake, the Orange Crew Supreme Gym Leader. In Magical Pokémon Journey
, a character named Pistachio has a female Bulbasaur (nicknamed Danerina in the Japanese version), who is infatuated by him.
In Pokémon Adventures
, a manga based on the plot of the Pokémon Red and Blue games, the character Red receives a Bulbasaur from Professor Oak, which he nicknames Saur. In Chapter 15, "Wartortle Wars", it evolves into an Ivysaur after battling a wild Mankey.
Bulbasaur is the main character of two Pokémon children's books
, Pokémon Tales Volume 3: Bulbasaur’s Trouble and Bulbasaur’s Bad Day, published in 1999 and 2000 respectively by Sagebrush
. In Pokémon Tales Volume 3: Bulbasaur’s Trouble, Bulbasaur resolves an argument between two other Pokémon. In Bulbasaur’s Bad Day, Meowth
traps Bulbasaur in a pit and it has to outwit Team Rocket (the antagonist
s of the Pokémon anime) to escape.
s sold by Hasbro
in the United States, while Tomy
in Japan sold extensive merchandise of the character, including vinyl dolls, wind-up model kits, and terry cloth bean bags. It has also been used in promotional merchandising at fast-food chains such as McDonald's
and Burger King
. Bulbasaur has also been included in various versions of the Pokémon painting on ANA Boeing 767s
. The island nation of Niue
issued a commemorative coin with a legal tender value of one crown which has a Bulbasaur on the reverse side.
reporter Dennis Michael described Bulbasaur as one of the "lead critters" of the games and "perhaps the Carmen Miranda
of Pokémon figures." Bulbasaur was selected as one of the top ten Pokémon by fans who voted at Pokemon.com.
In an IGN
biography page, Bulbasaur is described as "the odd man out" in the Pokémon Red and Blue
game due to the fact that it represented neither color, thought added "it’s perhaps the best-known grass-type Pokémon, even though it’s a little bit more animal than vegetable", as well as noting its popularity with new players of the games. IGN
editor "Pokémon of the Day Chick" agreed, despite the fact its later evolutions were "slightly" eclipsed by Charizard, and also praised the anime incarnation for its attitude. GamesRadar
editor Brett Elston described Bulbasaur as being popular for more than just being the first Pokémon numerically, citing its moveset and evolutions. Fellow GamesRadar editor Carolyn Gudmundson, in an article on the "top 7 gut-wrenching choices", listed the choice between fire, grass, or water with Bulbasaur a frontrunner, due to being a dinosaur as well as being grass type, though found its later evolutions "ugly" and "charmless".
According to a panel of 5 - 8 year olds assembled by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin
in 1999, Bulbasaur was one of the children's three favorite Pokémon. One boy in a study by Dafna Lemish and Linda Renee-Bloch identified with Bulbasaur's attributes of being "strong and also cute". Lemish and Renee-Bloch feel that the importance of cuteness is an example of the "appropriation of Japanese values" in an Israeli context, and note that boys' desire for strength has been correlated with "a desire for social interaction".
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
and Game Freak
Game Freak
is a Japanese video game developer that currently creates games exclusively for Nintendo. It has developed the Pokémon series of role-playing games and several other games.-History:...
's Pokémon
Pokémon
is a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
franchise. Designed by Ken Sugimori
Ken Sugimori
is a Japanese video game designer, illustrator, manga artist, and director. He is most famous as the character designer and art director for the Pokémon franchise. Sugimori is also credited with the art direction for other titles, including Pulseman. Sugimori drew all of the original 151 Pokémon...
, their name is a combination of the words "bulb" and "dinosaur." First appearing in Pokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red Version and Blue Version, originally released in Japan as , are role-playing games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. They are the first installments to the Pokémon series. They were first released in Japan in 1996 as Red and Green, with Blue being...
as a Starter Pokémon, they later appeared in subsequent sequels, spin-off games, related merchandise, and animated and printed adaptations of the franchise.
Known as the Seed Pokémon, Bulbasaur can survive for days without eating because the bulb on its back stores energy. Bulbasaur is a central character in the anime, being one of Ash
Ash Ketchum
Ash Ketchum, known as for all appearances in Japan, is a fictional character in the Pokémon franchise owned by Nintendo. He was created by, and named after, Satoshi Tajiri as the protagonist of the anime and manga series, as well as on various merchandise related to the franchise...
's main Pokémon for the first season, and a different one later being obtained by May. It is featured in various manga, and is owned by main protagonist Red in the Pokémon Adventures
Pokémon Adventures
Pokémon Adventures, released in Japan as , is a Pokémon-related manga based on the video games. Satoshi Tajiri once stated that the Pocket Monsters Special series is closest to what he imagined the Pokémon world to be:...
manga. Bulbasaur has been featured in varying pieces of merchandise, including toys and plush dolls.
Conception and design
The design and art direction for Bulbasaur was provided by Ken SugimoriKen Sugimori
is a Japanese video game designer, illustrator, manga artist, and director. He is most famous as the character designer and art director for the Pokémon franchise. Sugimori is also credited with the art direction for other titles, including Pulseman. Sugimori drew all of the original 151 Pokémon...
, a friend of the creator of the Pokémon games, Satoshi Tajiri
Satoshi Tajiri
is a Japanese video game designer best known as the creator of Pokémon and the founder of development company Game Freak, Inc. An avid fan of arcade games, Tajiri wrote for and edited his own video gaming fanzine Game Freak with Ken Sugimori, before evolving it into a development company of the...
. The species first appeared as one of three starter Pokémon the player could choose from at the beginning of the initial Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
games, Pokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red Version and Blue Version, originally released in Japan as , are role-playing games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. They are the first installments to the Pokémon series. They were first released in Japan in 1996 as Red and Green, with Blue being...
, released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 1996. Its Japanese name, Fushigidane, is a combination of the Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
words for and . In translating the game for English speaking
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
audiences, Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
gave the Pokémon "cleverly descriptive names" related to their appearance or features as a means to make the characters more relatable to American children; thus Bulbasaur, relating to both its dinosaur appearance and the large garlic-shaped bulb on its back.
Characteristics
In the Pokémon franchise, Bulbasaur are small, squat reptilianReptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
and frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
Pokémon that move on all four legs, and have light blue-green bodies with darker blue-green spots. As a Bulbasaur undergoes evolution into Ivysaur
Ivysaur
Ivysaur, known in Japan as , is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Ivysaur first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed...
and then later into Venusaur
Venusaur
Venusaur, known in Japan as , is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Venusaur first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed...
, the bulb on its back blossoms into a large flower. The seed on a Bulbasaur's back is planted at birth, and then sprouts and grows larger as the Bulbasaur grows. The bulb absorbs sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight, in the broad sense, is the total frequency spectrum of electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. On Earth, sunlight is filtered through the Earth's atmosphere, and solar radiation is obvious as daylight when the Sun is above the horizon.When the direct solar radiation is not blocked...
which makes it grow. For this reason, Bulbasaur enjoy soaking up the sun's rays, and can survive for days without eating because the bulb stores energy. In the Pokémon anime, the character Ash Ketchum
Ash Ketchum
Ash Ketchum, known as for all appearances in Japan, is a fictional character in the Pokémon franchise owned by Nintendo. He was created by, and named after, Satoshi Tajiri as the protagonist of the anime and manga series, as well as on various merchandise related to the franchise...
has a Bulbasaur who is portrayed as being brave but also stubborn. The distinctive differences of Bulbasaur from other Pokémon such as Diglett are well understood by children and so motivate their play and trading of the creature.
In the video games
Bulbasaur made its video game debut on February 27, 1996, in the Japanese-language games Pocket Monsters Red and GreenPokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red Version and Blue Version, originally released in Japan as , are role-playing games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. They are the first installments to the Pokémon series. They were first released in Japan in 1996 as Red and Green, with Blue being...
. Along with Charmander
Charmander
Charmander, known as in Japan, is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Charmander first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed...
and Squirtle
Squirtle
Squirtle, known as in Japan, is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. It was originally conceived by Game Freak's character development team and finalized by Ken Sugimori...
, Bulbasaur is a starter Pokémon the player can choose from at the beginning of the games. Bulbasaur's grass type is in contrast to Charmander's fire type and Squirtle's water type. Bulbasaur and the other starters from Red and Blue are replaced by Pikachu
Pikachu
is one of the species of Pokémon creatures from the Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. As do all Pokémon, Pikachu fight other Pokémon in battles central to the anime, manga, and games of the series...
in Pokémon Yellow, the only starter available in it. Instead, they are obtained throughout the game from several trainers. In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen
are enhanced remakes of the original Pokémon Red and Blue video games, which were released in 1996. The new titles were developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance and have compatibility with the Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter, which originally came bundled with...
, remakes of Red and Blue, Bulbasaur is selectable as a starter Pokémon once again, along with Charmander and Squirtle. In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
are enhanced remakes of the 1999 video games Pokémon Gold and Silver. The games are part of the Pokémon series of role-playing video games, and were developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS...
, after obtaining all sixteen badges and defeating Red, the player can chose to obtain either Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle.
The Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
spin-off Pokémon Stadium
Pokémon Stadium
Pokémon Stadium, known as in Japan, is a strategy game developed by Nintendo EAD with the assistance of Creatures and HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released on April 30, 1999 in Japan, February 29, 2000 in North America, and April 7, 2000...
, and other spin-offs such as Pokémon Mystery Dungeon
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon
- Manga :*Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Ginji's Rescue Team, manga adaption of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team*Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blazing Exploration Team, manga adaption of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time, Explorers of Darkness, and Explorers of Sky.-...
, give the player a choice of a Bulbasaur (among fifteen other Pokémon), and in Pokémon Snap
Pokémon Snap
is a first-person rail shooter and simulation video game developed by HAL Laboratory with Pax Softnica and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It is part of the Pokémon series, and one of the first console games based on the Pokémon series...
, Bulbasaur are one of the Pokémon that the player can photograph. Bulbasaur also appears in Hey You, Pikachu!
Hey You, Pikachu!
Hey You, Pikachu!, known in Japan as , is a Nintendo 64 video game developed by Ambrella and published by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 1998, and in North America on November 6, 2000....
as a supporting character who lives in the Ochre Woods and makes the five recipes with Pikachu's help. In Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBM or simply as Melee, is a crossover fighting game released for the Nintendo GameCube shortly after its launch in . It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 game Super Smash Bros., and the predecessor to the Wii game Super Smash...
and Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
, Bulbasaur appears as one of the obtainable trophies.
In the anime
Scenes from the Pokémon anime have depicted both the characters Ash and May training a Bulbasaur at different times, with Ash's Bulbasaur garnering more prominence within the storylines. Ash’s Bulbasaur has remained with Ash longer than all of his other Pokémon, with the exception of his PikachuPikachu
is one of the species of Pokémon creatures from the Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. As do all Pokémon, Pikachu fight other Pokémon in battles central to the anime, manga, and games of the series...
. Before joining Ash's team, it lived with a girl named Melanie, who took care of abandoned Pokémon. Bulbasaur was given to Ash, but it was pessimistic about him. However, its loyalties began to improve and it eventually became one of Ash's most faithful Pokémon. May catches a Bulbasaur while traveling in a grass-type Pokémon nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
during her journey in Hoenn. Bulbasaur defends her from the other grass Pokémon in the forest, who see her as a threat, and when May leaves, Bulbasaur decides to go with her. She later makes a guest appearance on the series and it is revealed that her Bulbasaur has fully evolved into a Venusaur.
In the original Japanese version the two Bulbasaur are each played by separate seiyū
Seiyu
Voice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
, Ash's Bulbasaur by Megumi Hayashibara
Megumi Hayashibara
is a Japanese voice actress, singer, radio personality, and lyricist from Tokyo. She is currently affiliated with Aksent. Her nicknames include: Megu-san, Megu-nee, Bara-san, Kakka, and Daijin...
and May's by Miyako Itō
Miyako Ito
is a Japanese voice actress and part of Ken Production.-Voice roles:* Deltora Quest as Kree and Joanna* Katanagatari as Rinne Higaki* Kotenkotenko as Kotenko * Kyoro-chan as Kyoro-chan* Mermaid Melody as Hippo* Paranoia Agent as Additional Voices...
. In the English dub
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
, they are both voiced
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
by Tara Jayne until Michelle Knotz took over the job for the 9th season.
In other media
Bulbasaur is featured in an eclectic range of different Pokémon mangaPokémon (manga)
There are various Pokémon manga series. The manga are usually published in Japan by Shogakukan, and translated into English in North America by Viz Media and Chuang Yi in English in Asian countries...
series. In Pokémon: Pikachu Shocks Back, Electric Pikachu Boogaloo, and Surf’s Up, Pikachu!, which loosely parallel the storyline of the anime, Pikachu is separated from Ash temporarily, and travels with a Bulbasaur to a secret Pokémon village in the mountains. Later, Ash finds Pikachu and catches the Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur accompanies Ash throughout his journeys in the Orange Islands, and eventually fights in the final showdown with Drake, the Orange Crew Supreme Gym Leader. In Magical Pokémon Journey
Magical Pokémon Journey
Magical Pokémon Journey, known in Japan as , is a shōjo manga series set in the fictional universe of the Pokémon franchise. The manga is by Yumi Tsukirino and serialized by Shogakukan in the manga magazine Ciao, and collected in ten bound volumes.The main character, Hazel , sets off to catch...
, a character named Pistachio has a female Bulbasaur (nicknamed Danerina in the Japanese version), who is infatuated by him.
In Pokémon Adventures
Pokémon Adventures
Pokémon Adventures, released in Japan as , is a Pokémon-related manga based on the video games. Satoshi Tajiri once stated that the Pocket Monsters Special series is closest to what he imagined the Pokémon world to be:...
, a manga based on the plot of the Pokémon Red and Blue games, the character Red receives a Bulbasaur from Professor Oak, which he nicknames Saur. In Chapter 15, "Wartortle Wars", it evolves into an Ivysaur after battling a wild Mankey.
Bulbasaur is the main character of two Pokémon children's books
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
, Pokémon Tales Volume 3: Bulbasaur’s Trouble and Bulbasaur’s Bad Day, published in 1999 and 2000 respectively by Sagebrush
Sagebrush Corporation
Sagebrush Corporation is the former name for Tandem Library Group, an American company based in Topeka, Kansas. While known as Sagebrush Corporation, the company produced library automation software, sold books under the "Sagebrush Education Resources" name, and provided data services, including...
. In Pokémon Tales Volume 3: Bulbasaur’s Trouble, Bulbasaur resolves an argument between two other Pokémon. In Bulbasaur’s Bad Day, Meowth
Meowth
Meowth, known as in original Japanese language versions, is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Meowth first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and...
traps Bulbasaur in a pit and it has to outwit Team Rocket (the antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
s of the Pokémon anime) to escape.
Promotion and merchandising
Bulbasaur has been featured in varying pieces of merchandise, including toys and plush dolls. Bulbasaur has been depicted in action figureAction figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
s sold by Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
in the United States, while Tomy
TOMY
is a Japanese toy, children's merchandise and entertainment company created from the March 2006 merger of two companies: Tomy and long-time rival, Takara...
in Japan sold extensive merchandise of the character, including vinyl dolls, wind-up model kits, and terry cloth bean bags. It has also been used in promotional merchandising at fast-food chains such as McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
and Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
. Bulbasaur has also been included in various versions of the Pokémon painting on ANA Boeing 767s
Pokémon Jet
refers to a number of aircraft operated by Japanese airline All Nippon Airways which is a member of Star Alliance in a promotional Pokémon livery. The exteriors of the aircraft are painted with pictures of various Pokémon and the interiors are decorated with a Pokémon theme.-History:After the...
. The island nation of Niue
Niue
Niue , is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the "Rock of Polynesia", and inhabitants of the island call it "the Rock" for short. Niue is northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest, and the Cook Islands to...
issued a commemorative coin with a legal tender value of one crown which has a Bulbasaur on the reverse side.
Reception and legacy
CNNCNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
reporter Dennis Michael described Bulbasaur as one of the "lead critters" of the games and "perhaps the Carmen Miranda
Carmen Miranda
Carmen Miranda, GCIH was a Portuguese-born Brazilian samba singer, Broadway actress and Hollywood film star popular in the 1940s and 1950s. She was, by some accounts, the highest-earning woman in the United States and noted for her signature fruit hat outfit she wore in the 1943 movie The Gang's...
of Pokémon figures." Bulbasaur was selected as one of the top ten Pokémon by fans who voted at Pokemon.com.
In an IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
biography page, Bulbasaur is described as "the odd man out" in the Pokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red Version and Blue Version, originally released in Japan as , are role-playing games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. They are the first installments to the Pokémon series. They were first released in Japan in 1996 as Red and Green, with Blue being...
game due to the fact that it represented neither color, thought added "it’s perhaps the best-known grass-type Pokémon, even though it’s a little bit more animal than vegetable", as well as noting its popularity with new players of the games. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
editor "Pokémon of the Day Chick" agreed, despite the fact its later evolutions were "slightly" eclipsed by Charizard, and also praised the anime incarnation for its attitude. GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
editor Brett Elston described Bulbasaur as being popular for more than just being the first Pokémon numerically, citing its moveset and evolutions. Fellow GamesRadar editor Carolyn Gudmundson, in an article on the "top 7 gut-wrenching choices", listed the choice between fire, grass, or water with Bulbasaur a frontrunner, due to being a dinosaur as well as being grass type, though found its later evolutions "ugly" and "charmless".
According to a panel of 5 - 8 year olds assembled by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin was a daily newspaper based in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the second largest daily newspaper in the state of Hawaii...
in 1999, Bulbasaur was one of the children's three favorite Pokémon. One boy in a study by Dafna Lemish and Linda Renee-Bloch identified with Bulbasaur's attributes of being "strong and also cute". Lemish and Renee-Bloch feel that the importance of cuteness is an example of the "appropriation of Japanese values" in an Israeli context, and note that boys' desire for strength has been correlated with "a desire for social interaction".