Bond Phenomenon

Ash and his Greninja have perfected the transformation

The Bond Phenomenon (Japanese: キズナ現象 Bond Phenomenon) is a transformation affecting Pokémon that was introduced in Pokémon the Series: XY. It is said to have some connection to the Pokémon's hidden potential, similar to Mega Evolution and Primal Reversion.

Unlike Mega Evolution or Primal Reversion, the transformation does not require any specific items for either the Trainer or the Pokémon, though in the games it requires the Ability Battle Bond. The only known Pokémon able to undergo this transformation is Greninja, whose alternate form is referred to as Ash-Greninja (Japanese: サトシゲッコウガ Satoshi Gekkouga). In this form, its strength increases and it gains the ability to form large Water Shurikens on its back, which it can use in battle to great effect.

Pokémon capable of Bond Phenomenon

Pokémon	Before Bond Phenomenon			After Bond Phenomenon
	Image	Type	Ability	Image	Type	Ability
Greninja		Water  Dark	Battle Bond		Water  Dark	Battle Bond

In the core series games

Main article: Greninja (Pokémon) → Form data

Bond Phenomenon made its core series debut in the form of a Greninja that can be transferred to Pokémon Sun and Moon from the Special Demo Version. This unique Greninja possesses the Battle Bond Ability, which triggers the transformation into Ash-Greninja after the opposing Pokémon has fainted and increases the power of Water Shuriken by approximately 33% (or more accurately, by a factor of 5448/4096). In addition, the base Battle Bond Greninja, before transforming, are treated as an alternate form separate from Greninja with Torrent or Protean. As of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Battle Bond no longer transforms Greninja into Ash-Greninja, currently making the form exclusive to Generations VII and VIII.

#0658 Greninja Battle Bond Greninja ♂ Level 36 (met at level 5) Type: Ability: Battle Bond Held item: None	ID: 131017 OT: サトシ Ash Sacha 지우 Satoshi Met: the Kalos region (fateful encounter) Nature: Random Ribbon: Souvenir Ribbon
Water Shuriken Water Special Aerial Ace Flying Physical Double Team Normal Status Night Slash Dark Physical
Games Method Region Location Duration SM hide all Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon Special Demo Version November 18, 2016 onwards
Moves in bold can be taught again at the Move Reminder as a special move if forgotten.
Date received is the date on the system when the gift is picked up from the deliveryman.
This Pokémon's origin is the same as the language chosen in the demo, regardless of the language of the receiving game.

Base stats

Generation VII

Stat		Range
		At Lv. 50	At Lv. 100
HP: 72		132 - 179	254 - 348
Attack: 145		135 - 216	265 - 427
Defense: 67		64 - 130	125 - 256
Sp. Atk: 153		142 - 225	279 - 445
Sp. Def: 71		68 - 135	132 - 265
Speed: 132		123 - 202	242 - 399
Total: 640
Minimum stats are calculated with 0 EVs, IVs of 0, and (if applicable) a hindering nature. Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and (if applicable) a helpful nature.

In the spin-off games

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

During Greninja's Final Smash, it temporarily transforms into Ash-Greninja while performing Secret Ninja Attack.

In the anime

Main series

Ash and Greninja activating the Bond Phenomenon

Depiction from the Ninja Village of a Greninja who achieved the transformation

Pokémon the Series: XY

In the Pokémon anime, Bond Phenomenon may be achieved when the trust between the Trainer and the Pokémon reaches maximum. While a Pokémon and Trainer are using this form, the Trainer shares the Pokémon's pain in the same place the Pokémon was dealt damage. The Trainer can also share the Pokémon's point of view. If the form is not mastered, the Trainer and Pokémon can pass out from exhaustion.

Bond Phenomenon first appeared in The Legend of the Ninja Hero! , in which a Greninja in its Battle Bond form, is shown on a shrine in the Ninja Village.

Bond Phenomenon makes its first proper appearance in A Festival of Decisions!, in which Ash's Frogadier evolved into Greninja and assumed the Ash-Greninja form. However, the transformation would not be addressed by name until Kalos League Passion with a Certain Flare!, in which Professor Sycamore, after researching the matter, reported his results to Ash and his friends.

Pokémon Journeys: The Series

In Catching the Aura of Fate!, Ash described that his ability to become one with Greninja felt similar to Lucario's Aura. Flashbacks to scenes that featured Ash-Greninja are changed to feature regular Greninja instead.

In the manga

Greninja in Pokémon Journeys: The Series

Pokémon Adventures

X & Y arc

In the Japan Mini-volume 6 for the X & Y arc, Y's Greninja, Croaky, was revealed to have Battle Bond as his Ability.

Pokémon Journeys: The Series

Ash's Greninja appeared in a fantasy in Legend? Check! Friends? Check!, where it was seen in its Ash-Greninja form.

In the TCG

In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, Ash's Greninja in its Ash-Greninja form is featured as a Promotional Pokémon card.

Related cards Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Card	Type	English Expansion	Rarity	#	Japanese Expansion	Rarity	#
Ash-Greninja		XY Black Star Promos		XY133	XY-P Promotional cards		218/XY-P
					XY-P Promotional cards		290/XY-P

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 牽絆現象 Hīnbuhn Yihnjeuhng Mandarin 牽絆現象 / 牵绊现象 Qiānbàn Xiànxiàng Danish Båndfenomen Dutch Vertrouwensbandfenomeen Finnish Sideilmiö French Phénomène de Synergie German Freundschaftsphänomen Italian Effetto Sintonia Korean 유대현상 Yudae Hyeonsang Norwegian Båndfenomen Polish Zjawisko Więzi Portuguese Brazil Fenômeno Vincular Portugal Fenómeno da ligação Russian Узы доверия Uzy doveriya Spanish Latin America Sinergia afectiva Spain Metamorfosis afectiva Swedish Bandfenomen Turkish Bağ Fenomeni Vietnamese Hiện tượng Kết nối

See also

• Battle Bond
• Mega Evolution
• Primal Reversion

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

This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.