Cloning

This article is about the process of genetic duplication. For the glitch, see cloning glitches.

Cloning is a process that creates a genetic duplicate of a being that is or was alive.

In the anime

The Mewtwo Balls

Cloning has appeared a few times in the anime. Its most prominent appearance is in Mewtwo Strikes Back.

In The Uncut Story of Mewtwo's Origin, Dr. Fuji creates an enhanced clone of Mew as requested by Giovanni in exchange for funding his primary project, a (failed) attempt to clone his dead daughter Amber, and three test clones of the Kanto first partner Pokémon.

In Mewtwo Strikes Back, Mewtwo itself makes clones (Japanese: コピーポケモン Copy Pokémon) of various Pokémon belonging to the Trainers who have come to New Island. Mewtwo captures the target Pokémon in special Poké Balls called "Mewtwo Balls"—even those currently in their Poké Balls can be caught by these—then sends these Balls through a special cloning machine. All of Mewtwo's clones appear to have been created fully-grown, unlike Fuji's clones. All cloned Pokémon—excluding Mewtwo—appear identical to a normal Pokémon of their species, though a few of the clones have multiple black horizontal marks on their bodies.

Mewtwo's clones reappeared in Mewtwo Returns.

Cloning also plays a role in Genesect and the Legend Awakened, in which another Mewtwo was cloned from Mew's DNA by an unknown group.

Cloned Pokémon seen in the anime

Mewtwo and its clones

Mewtwo Bulbasaurtwo Charmandertwo Squirtletwo Pikachutwo Venusaurtwo Charizardtwo Blastoisetwo Meowthtwo Psyduck Vulpix Gyarados Seadra Nidoqueen Golduck Tentacruel Vaporeon Pidgeot Scyther Hitmonlee ♂ Sandslash Dewgong Rhyhorn Wigglytuff Vileplume Ninetales Rapidash

In the spin-off games

Pokémon GO

In Pokémon GO, Clone Pokémon were made available, in celebration of Pokémon Day and the release of Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution on Netflix, from February 25 to March 2, 2020. While the first partner Pokémon were found in Raid Battles, Pikachu appeared as a photobomb encounter. When caught, Venusaur would know the move Frenzy Plant, Charizard will know Blast Burn, and Blastoise will know Hydro Cannon. Clone Pokémon also cannot Mega Evolve.

Clone Venusaur	Clone Charizard	Clone Blastoise	Clone Pikachu

Trivia

Baby clone Nidoqueen and Rhyhorn

• In an interview with @Gamer magazine, Junichi Masuda and Ken Sugimori revealed that there was originally going to be a Pokémon based on Dolly, the first cloned sheep, but was deemed "too controversial."
• In the anime, cloned Pokémon appear to be fertile, even those that would normally not be. Baby Rhyhorn and Nidoqueen (not Nidoran♀) are seen in Mewtwo Returns.
• Notably, Nidoqueen was able to breed despite being part of the No Eggs Discovered egg group, meaning that it cannot breed at all. Even before the concept of breeding, the Pocket Monsters Encyclopedia states that upon evolving from Nidoran♀, Nidorina are unable to lay eggs. Additionally, baby Nidoqueen were shown rather than its first-stage of its evolution, Nidoran♀. Whether the cloned Nidoqueen being able to breed baby Nidoqueen is a property of cloned Pokémon or an oversight by the animators is unknown.

External links

• Cloning on Wikipedia

Pokémon forms and variants Permanent: Shiny Pokémon (GO) • Alternately colored Pokémon (animated series) Gender differences • Form differences (GO) Brilliant Pokémon • Alpha Pokémon Transformations: Mega Evolution (Shuffle • Masters • GO) • Primal Reversion (GO) • Bond Phenomenon Ultra Burst • Dynamax (GO) • Gigantamax • Eternamax • Terastal phenomenon Groups: Totem Pokémon • Noble Pokémon • Titan Pokémon Regional forms: Alolan • Galarian • Hisuian • Paldean Analogous: Paradox Pokémon • Ecologically similar Pokémon Pikachu variants: Surfing Pikachu • Flying Pikachu • Cosplay Pikachu • Pikachu in a cap Miscellaneous: Fusions (GO) • Giant Pokémon • Spiky-eared Pichu • Partner Pokémon (LGPE) Side series original: Shadow Pokémon • Shadow Lugia Spin-off original: Shadow Pokémon (GO) • Primal Dialga • Toy Pokémon (Rusty Pokémon) Shadow Mewtwo • Pokéxel • Illumina phenomenon Animated series original: Pink Butterfree • Clone Pokémon • Crystal Onix Mirage Pokémon • Meta Groudon • Green-crystal Deoxys Manga original: Thu-Fi-Zer • Black Fog • Black Tyranitar