Ivysaur
Encyclopedia
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 adaptations of the franchise.
for the first generation of Pocket Monsters games Red and Green, which were localized outside of Japan as Pokémon Red and Blue
. Originally called "Fushigisou" in Japanese, Nintendo decided to give the various Pokémon species "clever and descriptive names" related to their appearance or features when translating the game for western audiences as a means to make the characters more relatable to American children. As a result it was renamed Ivysaur, which IGN
wrote is a combination of the plant "ivy
" and "saur" from dinosaur
.
Ivysaur, known as the Seed
Pokémon, is the evolved form of Bulbasaur
. Aside from becoming taller and heavier than Bulbasaur, its trademark bulb becomes a pink flower bud, and four leaves now appear at the base of this bud. The Pokémon's legs are more stout, allowing it to hold up the bigger bulb, yet limiting its previous ability to stand on its hind legs. Its eyes now look more aggressive and intimidating. Like before, Ivysaur and its bulb share a mutualistic relationship; bathing in sunlight allows both to continue growing. Eventually, the bud will give off a sweet scent, a signal that it will bloom soon, and that its host will evolve. An Ivysaur will spend more time bathing in sunlight in order to reach evolution.
and in its remakes Pokémon Yellow and Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen
. It evolves from Bulbasaur
,one of the three starting Pokémon available to players in most of the above mentioned games, and then into its final form, Venusaur
, the mascot of LeafGreen and the Japanese-only Pokémon Green. In Yellow, Bulbasaur was available at a later point in the game. It has since appeared in every main Pokémon title since. Outside of the main series, Venusaur appears in Pokémon Pinball
, Pokémon Trozei!
, the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon
titles, the Pokémon Ranger
titles, and Pokémon Rumble
.
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
, Ivysaur is a playable character, under the command of the Pokémon Trainer. The Trainer also has Squirtle
and Charizard
, all three of which can be switched between; unlike the other fighters, these Pokémon become fatigued and consequently weaker, and must be switched out long enough to recover.
's Bulbasaur decides not to evolve into an Ivysaur. Ash's friend May, however, has a young female Bulbasaur that evolves into Ivysaur, then into Venusaur.
In the Pokémon Adventures
manga, 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. In Chapter 30, "Zap, Zap, Zapdos!", Red uses Saur to defeat Lt. Surge's Zapdos
. In Chapter 33, "The Winged Legends", Red's Ivysaur evolves into a Venusaur to team up with Blue's Charizard
and Green's Blastoise
, to defeat Sabrina's Zapmolcuno (a merged form of Zapdos, Moltres
and Articuno
) and destroy Team Rocket's control on Saffron City, splitting the three birds in the process.
editor Brett Elston called Ivysaur the "middle child" of the Bulbasaur evolutionary line, due to it not being as cute as Bulbasaur, yet not as intimidating as Venusaur. However, he described him as a necessary step in the line. An editor for UGO Networks called Ivysaur lame in Brawl and that while it was better than Squirtle
it was inferior to Charizard
. Salon
s Nick Gillespie called Ivysaur "a blue-green toad with what looks to be a garlic clove on its back".
IGN
's Lucas M. Thomas and Matt Casamassina wrote that because Chikorita used Razor Leaf in Brawl, Ivysaur likely won't, which they found strange since Ivysaur is "an older and more venerable monster" than Chikorita. Thomas wrote that Ivysaur was proof that four-legged characters can work in Super Smash Bros. IGN's Richard George wrote that Ivysaur in Brawl is "likely to be underestimated at first, but it has some great moves when used properly". IGN editor Lucas M. Thomas wrote it was less recognized than Bulbasaur and Venusaur until it appeared in Brawl. He wrote that it was a "beast to deal with" and is "not too shabby for a monster formerly only known as an in-betweener".
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. Created 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...
, Ivysaur first appeared in the video 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...
and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed adaptations of the franchise.
Concept and characteristics
Ivysaur was one of several different designs conceived by Game Freak's character development team and finalized 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...
for the first generation of Pocket Monsters games Red and Green, which were localized outside of Japan as 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...
. Originally called "Fushigisou" in Japanese, Nintendo decided to give the various Pokémon species "clever and descriptive names" related to their appearance or features when translating the game for western audiences as a means to make the characters more relatable to American children. As a result it was renamed Ivysaur, which 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...
wrote is a combination of the plant "ivy
Ivy
Ivy, plural ivies is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern Africa and across central-southern Asia east to Japan and Taiwan.-Description:On level ground they...
" and "saur" from dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
.
Ivysaur, known as the Seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
Pokémon, is the evolved form of Bulbasaur
Bulbasaur
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,...
. Aside from becoming taller and heavier than Bulbasaur, its trademark bulb becomes a pink flower bud, and four leaves now appear at the base of this bud. The Pokémon's legs are more stout, allowing it to hold up the bigger bulb, yet limiting its previous ability to stand on its hind legs. Its eyes now look more aggressive and intimidating. Like before, Ivysaur and its bulb share a mutualistic relationship; bathing in sunlight allows both to continue growing. Eventually, the bud will give off a sweet scent, a signal that it will bloom soon, and that its host will evolve. An Ivysaur will spend more time bathing in sunlight in order to reach evolution.
In the video games
Ivysaur first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and BluePokémon 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...
and in its remakes Pokémon Yellow and 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...
. It evolves from Bulbasaur
Bulbasaur
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,...
,one of the three starting Pokémon available to players in most of the above mentioned games, and then into its final form, 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 mascot of LeafGreen and the Japanese-only Pokémon Green. In Yellow, Bulbasaur was available at a later point in the game. It has since appeared in every main Pokémon title since. Outside of the main series, Venusaur appears in Pokémon Pinball
Pokémon Pinball
is a pinball-based Pokémon spin-off video game for the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on April 14, 1999, and in North America on June 28, 1999. In it, the ball is a Poké Ball, and most of the objects on the table are Pokémon-related....
, Pokémon Trozei!
Pokémon Trozei!
, released as Pokémon Link! in Europe, is a Pokémon-themed puzzle video game for the Nintendo DS. It was released in Japan on October 20, 2005, in North America on March 6, 2006, in Australia on March 30, 2006, and in Europe on May 5, 2006.-Gameplay:...
, the 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.-...
titles, the Pokémon Ranger
Pokémon Ranger
is an action/role-playing video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS video game console. The game was released at various dates, varying between continents. The game was first released in Japan on March 22, 2006 and was later released in North America and...
titles, and Pokémon Rumble
Pokémon Rumble
Pokémon Rumble is a Pokémon video game for WiiWare. It was developed by Ambrella. Pokémon Rumble was rated "E10+" by the ESRB, making it the first Pokémon video game to be given an ESRB rating higher than "E" for Everyone...
.
In Super Smash Bros. 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...
, Ivysaur is a playable character, under the command of the Pokémon Trainer. The Trainer also has 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...
and Charizard
Charizard
Charizard, known in Japan as , is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Charizard first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and subsequent sequels. They have later appeared in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and...
, all three of which can be switched between; unlike the other fighters, these Pokémon become fatigued and consequently weaker, and must be switched out long enough to recover.
In other media
In the animated series, Ash KetchumAsh 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 Bulbasaur decides not to evolve into an Ivysaur. Ash's friend May, however, has a young female Bulbasaur that evolves into Ivysaur, then into Venusaur.
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, 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. In Chapter 30, "Zap, Zap, Zapdos!", Red uses Saur to defeat Lt. Surge's Zapdos
Zapdos
is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Zapdos is one of the three winged mirages along with Articuno and Moltres. It was originally conceived by Game Freak's character development team and finalized by Ken Sugimori...
. In Chapter 33, "The Winged Legends", Red's Ivysaur evolves into a Venusaur to team up with Blue's Charizard
Charizard
Charizard, known in Japan as , is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Charizard first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and subsequent sequels. They have later appeared in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and...
and Green's Blastoise
Blastoise
Blastoise, known in Japan as , is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Blastoise first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed...
, to defeat Sabrina's Zapmolcuno (a merged form of Zapdos, Moltres
Moltres
is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Moltres first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and later in subsequent sequels. Moltres is one of the three winged mirages, along with Articuno and Zapdos...
and Articuno
Articuno
Articuno, known as in Japan, is a fictional character in the Pokémon franchise. Articuno is one of the three winged mirages, along with Zapdos and Moltres. It is a large bird, noted for its ability to control cold. Articuno was one of many designs conceived by Game Freak and finalized by Ken...
) and destroy Team Rocket's control on Saffron City, splitting the three birds in the process.
Reception
GamesRadarGamesRadar
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 called Ivysaur the "middle child" of the Bulbasaur evolutionary line, due to it not being as cute as Bulbasaur, yet not as intimidating as Venusaur. However, he described him as a necessary step in the line. An editor for UGO Networks called Ivysaur lame in Brawl and that while it was better than 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...
it was inferior to Charizard
Charizard
Charizard, known in Japan as , is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Charizard first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and subsequent sequels. They have later appeared in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and...
. Salon
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
s Nick Gillespie called Ivysaur "a blue-green toad with what looks to be a garlic clove on its back".
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...
's Lucas M. Thomas and Matt Casamassina wrote that because Chikorita used Razor Leaf in Brawl, Ivysaur likely won't, which they found strange since Ivysaur is "an older and more venerable monster" than Chikorita. Thomas wrote that Ivysaur was proof that four-legged characters can work in Super Smash Bros. IGN's Richard George wrote that Ivysaur in Brawl is "likely to be underestimated at first, but it has some great moves when used properly". IGN editor Lucas M. Thomas wrote it was less recognized than Bulbasaur and Venusaur until it appeared in Brawl. He wrote that it was a "beast to deal with" and is "not too shabby for a monster formerly only known as an in-betweener".