Venusaur
Encyclopedia
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 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 "Fushigibana" in Japanese, which is a combination of the word for mystery (fushigi) and the word for flower (hana). 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 Venusaur, which IGN
wrote is a combination of "venus" from the plant venus flytrap
and "saur" from dinosaur
.
Venusaur, known as the Seed
Pokémon, is the final stage in Bulbasaur evolution. The seed finally bloomed into a huge flower, vaguely resembling a Rafflesia
. The flower constantly draws in sunlight for nutrition, characterized by vivid colors and a soothing aroma, and power, which is much more substantial in the summer. They are always on the move to absorb more sunlight, though they usually remain quiet and still while absorbing it. After it rains, the aroma is much stronger, which attracts other Pokémon. Female Venusaur have a seed coming out of the flower. This makes it the only starter Pokémon to have a difference between genders. Being the final form of Grass starter, Venusaur can learn some of the most powerful moves such as Hyper Beam, Giga Impact and Frenzy Plant.
and in its remakes Pokémon Yellow and Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen
. It served as the mascot for both LeafGreen and the Japanese exclusive version of Red and Blue titled Pocket Monsters Green. It evolves from Ivysaur
which evolves from Bulbasaur
, one of the three starting Pokémon available to players in most of the above mentioned games; 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, Pokémon Rumble
, and PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure. In Super Smash Bros.
, it appears in the Saffron City stage and attacks anyone that comes within range of it. In Super Smash Bros. Melee
, Venusaur appears as a Pokémon that can be summoned from a Poké Ball to attack opponents as well as a collectible trophy.
. A wild one was leading an evolution ceremony for Bulbasaur in Kanto, while another was the ruler of a forest in Hoenn where grass Pokémon lived. May also had a Bulbasaur that evolved into a Venusaur. Besides, Venusaur has been owned by Drake of the Orange Crew, an artist called Gan Gogh, Noland the Factory Head and Spencer the Palace Maven of the Battle Frontier and a business man/guitarist called Jeremy. May also has a Venusaur in which she used to compete in contests. In the Pokémon Adventures
manga, the character Red receives a Bulbasaur from Professor Oak, which he nicknames Saur. It ultimately evolves into an Ivysaur, and 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 commented that Venusaur sets the standard for evolutions - namely that a Pokémon will start off "cute", and then become an "unsightly beast". He noted, however, that while ugly, Venusaur is also intimidating. GamesRadar noted Venusaur as Bulbasaur's greatest drawback, due to its lack of charm. GamesRadar's Carolyn Gudmundson named Venusaur the Pokémon of the week and called it one of her favourite Pokémon. She stated that she "just likes how ugly Venusaur gets" thought that Venusaur's face looks like a cat's. Another editor commented that the way his teeth stick out is the "manga cliche of how you draw a cat". Another editor commented that he liked the way how Bulbasaur's flower bloomed as it evolved into Ivysaur and then into Venusaur. GamesRadar's Raymond Padilla used Venusaur as an example of a Grass type Pokémon that was superior to the Pokémon Sunflora. IGN
's Pokémon of the Day Guy wrote that it was "more powerful and fierce compared to the little Bulbasaur" and that it was "another good beginner Pokémon". IGN's Pokémon Chick wrote that since Red and Blue, the Pokémon Charizard had "slightly surpassed Venusaur in terms of popularity". Authors Tracey West and Katherine Noll ranked Venusaur as the fifth best Grass type Pokémon. In a poll conducted by IGN
, it was voted as the 15th best Pokémon, and the staff stated in response that Venusaur didn't matter as much as Blastoise or Charizard, who ranked #3 and #1 respectively, because "water cannons or flying and breathing fire was more dangerous than… a flower".
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...
, Venusaur 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
Venusaur 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 "Fushigibana" in Japanese, which is a combination of the word for mystery (fushigi) and the word for flower (hana). 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 Venusaur, 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 "venus" from the plant venus flytrap
Venus Flytrap
The Venus Flytrap , Dionaea muscipula, is a carnivorous plant that catches and digests animal prey—mostly insects and arachnids. Its trapping structure is formed by the terminal portion of each of the plant's leaves and is triggered by tiny hairs on their inner surfaces...
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...
.
Venusaur, 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 final stage in Bulbasaur evolution. The seed finally bloomed into a huge flower, vaguely resembling a Rafflesia
Rafflesia
Rafflesia is a genus of parasitic flowering plants. It contains approximately 28 species , all found in southeastern Asia, on the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra, Thailand and the Philippines.Rafflesia was found in the Indonesian rain forest by an Indonesian guide working for Dr...
. The flower constantly draws in sunlight for nutrition, characterized by vivid colors and a soothing aroma, and power, which is much more substantial in the summer. They are always on the move to absorb more sunlight, though they usually remain quiet and still while absorbing it. After it rains, the aroma is much stronger, which attracts other Pokémon. Female Venusaur have a seed coming out of the flower. This makes it the only starter Pokémon to have a difference between genders. Being the final form of Grass starter, Venusaur can learn some of the most powerful moves such as Hyper Beam, Giga Impact and Frenzy Plant.
In the video games
Venusaur 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 served as the mascot for both LeafGreen and the Japanese exclusive version of Red and Blue titled Pocket Monsters Green. It evolves from 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...
which 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; 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, 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...
, and PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure. In Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros., known in Japan as , is a fighting game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on January 21, 1999, in North America on April 26, 1999, and in Europe on November 19, 1999. Super Smash Bros. is the first game in the Super...
, it appears in the Saffron City stage and attacks anyone that comes within range of it. 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...
, Venusaur appears as a Pokémon that can be summoned from a Poké Ball to attack opponents as well as a collectible trophy.
In other media
Venusaur has appeared several times in the animePokémon (anime)
, abbreviated from , is a children's TV anime series, which has since been adapted for the North and South American, Australian and European television markets...
. A wild one was leading an evolution ceremony for Bulbasaur in Kanto, while another was the ruler of a forest in Hoenn where grass Pokémon lived. May also had a Bulbasaur that evolved into a Venusaur. Besides, Venusaur has been owned by Drake of the Orange Crew, an artist called Gan Gogh, Noland the Factory Head and Spencer the Palace Maven of the Battle Frontier and a business man/guitarist called Jeremy. May also has a Venusaur in which she used to compete in contests. 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. It ultimately evolves into an Ivysaur, and 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 commented that Venusaur sets the standard for evolutions - namely that a Pokémon will start off "cute", and then become an "unsightly beast". He noted, however, that while ugly, Venusaur is also intimidating. GamesRadar noted Venusaur as Bulbasaur's greatest drawback, due to its lack of charm. GamesRadar's Carolyn Gudmundson named Venusaur the Pokémon of the week and called it one of her favourite Pokémon. She stated that she "just likes how ugly Venusaur gets" thought that Venusaur's face looks like a cat's. Another editor commented that the way his teeth stick out is the "manga cliche of how you draw a cat". Another editor commented that he liked the way how Bulbasaur's flower bloomed as it evolved into Ivysaur and then into Venusaur. GamesRadar's Raymond Padilla used Venusaur as an example of a Grass type Pokémon that was superior to the Pokémon Sunflora. 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 Pokémon of the Day Guy wrote that it was "more powerful and fierce compared to the little Bulbasaur" and that it was "another good beginner Pokémon". IGN's Pokémon Chick wrote that since Red and Blue, the Pokémon Charizard had "slightly surpassed Venusaur in terms of popularity". Authors Tracey West and Katherine Noll ranked Venusaur as the fifth best Grass type Pokémon. In a poll conducted by 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...
, it was voted as the 15th best Pokémon, and the staff stated in response that Venusaur didn't matter as much as Blastoise or Charizard, who ranked #3 and #1 respectively, because "water cannons or flying and breathing fire was more dangerous than… a flower".