Charmander is a bipedal, reptilian Pokémon with an orange body, though its underside and soles are cream-colored. It has two small fangs visible in its upper and lower jaws and blue eyes. Its arms and legs are short with four fingers and three clawed toes. A fire burns at the tip of this Pokémon’s slender tail, and has blazed there since Charmander’s birth. The flame can be used as an indication of Charmander's health and mood, burning brightly when the Pokémon is strong, weakly when it is exhausted, wavering when it is happy, and blazing when it is enraged. It is said that Charmander dies if its flame goes out.
Charmander can be found in hot, mountainous areas. However, it is found far more often in the ownership of Trainers. As shown in Pokémon Snap, Charmander exhibits pack behavior, calling others of its species if it finds food.
In Charmander - The Stray Pokémon, Ash, Misty, and Brock came across a Charmander which had been abandoned by its Trainer, Damian, who only cared about strong Pokémon. At first, Charmander refused to leave the spot it was at, waiting for Damian to return. However, when a rainstorm picked up, Charmander grew ill and Ash took it to a Pokémon Center. Charmander realized that Damian was no good, and joined up with Ash. It has since evolved into Charmeleon, and then Charizard.
In Journey to the Starting Line, Gilbert was intended to start his journey as a Pokémon Trainer, but the trio of Kanto Starter Pokémon were scared off when Ash's Tauros stampeded through Professor Oak's house. Professor Oak, Tracey, Delia and Gilbert split up in order to find the three missing Pokémon. The Charmander was the first one to be found.
Charmander was mentioned in the first episode of the anime, Pokémon - I Choose You!, as one of the three starter Pokémon new Trainers in Pallet Town can choose from. Ash dreamed of owning one, although it was his last choice of a starter coming after Squirtle and Bulbasaur. However, when he arrived at Oak's lab, he found out it was too late, as another Trainer who started the same day had already taken it.
Two Charmander appeared in The Breeding Center Secret. One was seen evolving on TV for a commercial about Cassidy's and Butch's breeding center, while the other one appeared in the said center.
A Charmander under the ownership of an unknown Trainer, appeared in Friends to the End, during the closing ceremonies of the Indigo League.
The capture of Ash's Charmander diverges considerably from the anime. In the manga, Damian seems to have abandoned his Charmander at the beginning of the chapter Pikachu's Excellent Adventure, but it turns out that he had just been injured and went to the hospital.
Ash is shown to own a Charmander despite this, his own Charmander first appears in You Gotta Have Friends. Ash's Charmander's capture is not shown in the manga, instead, when Charmander first appears from its Poké Ball, it is simply stated that "Ash has been busy since the last comic".
Charmander debuted in the first round of the Red, Green & Blue arc, A Glimpse of the Glow, where one appeared in a fantasy explanation of Red and as one of Blue's first Pokémon, received from his grandfather Professor Oak. It has since evolved into Charmeleon before facing Brock of Pewter City, and then to Charizard before the Silph Co. battles against Team Rocket. The major powerhouse of his team with its newly learned Blast Burn attack, its battle skills (able to defeat Red's Poliwhirl easily even before evolving) are complimented by its fast flight, for which it was traded to Red twice, during both the Gold, Silver & Crystal arc and the FireRed & LeafGreen arc. It is worth noting that, as Charmeleon, it was accidentally traded to Red many years earlier.
Another Charmander appeared as a silhouette when Green explains about Mew in The Jynx Jinx.
Green's Charmander has evolved into Charizard. It seems to be able to skip the Charmeleon stage, as it was seen evolving directly into Charizard. Although it has devolved back to the Charmander stage, it currently seems to have permanently evolved back into Charizard.
"A Lizard Pokémon. It just downright likes hot stuff. The always-burning tail indicates its mood--waving gently when content and burning intensely when angry. If the tail were to go out, it would be the end of Charmander's life. Its tail is believed to emit steam when it rains. Charmander evolves into Charmeleon by leveling up."
Game data
NPC appearances
In PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure Charmander is one of Pikachu's best friends. After falling through the mysterious tunnel, he almost lands into a pool of molten lava only to be saved by the zone leader, Blaziken. He was then taken in as Blaziken's pupil and trained to become stronger. After he's been found, he journeys to the Meeting Place where he helps Piplup mend the balloon, and makes fireworks. He later accompanies Pikachu to the Sky Pavilion along with Piplup and Chikorita where he meets Mew. Once the Sky Prism has been restored, Charmander celebrates by firing off the fireworks he made.
The flame that burns at the tip of its tail is an indication of its emotions. The flame wavers when Charmander is enjoying itself. If the Pokémon becomes enraged, the flame burns fiercely.
The flame that burns at the tip of its tail is an indication of its emotions. The flame wavers when Charmander is happy, and blazes when it is enraged.
The flame that burns at the tip of its tail is an indication of its emotions. The flame wavers when Charmander is enjoying itself. If the Pokémon becomes enraged, the flame burns fiercely.
Charmander followed you through the Mysterious Tunnel, landing in the Lava Zone. He's one of your best friends. His great desire is to become stronger.
Niue released a one-dollar coin featuring Charmander as part of a commemorative promotion for the Pokémon franchise, with Charmander on one side and the nation's coat of arms on the other.
In the first generation, on its sprite and first artwork, Charmander's "back" is depicted as having a small line of spikes. The spikes were not shown in the sprites and artwork of later generations. Blue's Charmander also had these spikes in the Pokémon Adventures manga, where the spikes were larger and easier to see. The spikes were also seen on Green's Charmander from the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga.
Charmander is the tallest Fire-type starter Pokémon.
Charmander has the longest name of all unevolved starter Pokémon.
Charmander is the only Fire-type starter Pokémon that is not a member of the Field Egg Group.
Charmander appears to be predominantly reptilian in origin, and may have been partially inspired by the mythical salamander (as opposed to the real-world amphibian of the same name which inspired its mythical counterpart). This salamander was a fire-spirit capable of surviving in extreme heat or flames, and it is sometimes creatively rendered or interpreted in the shape of a lizard.
Physically, Charmander has a slender body, a short nose, and a long tail, as well as other lizard-like characteristics. The fact that it does not undergo a metamorphosis stage (beyond its own evolutionary pattern) but instead grows into a larger version of itself as it matures, among other things, indicate that Charmander has more in common with reptiles (such as lizards) than with amphibians (such as real-world salamanders).
Charmander's Hidden Ability, Solar Power, may have drawn inspiration from the spotted salamander. In July and August 2010, this species was identified as the first known photosynthetic vertebrate animal, capable of converting energy from sunlight.
Name origin
Charmander is a portmanteau of the words char (to burn) and salamander.
Hitokage comes from 火蜥蜴 (salamander): 火 hi (fire) and 蜥蜴 tokage (lizard).
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
Lucky Egg (100%)
Charizardite Y (100%)
For other sprites and images, please see Charmander images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
