It is not known to evolve into or from any other Pokémon.
It is often considered to be closely related to Ho-Oh, even sometimes as its polar opposite. Silver represents Lugia as "guardian of the seas", and Gold represents Ho-Oh as "guardian of the skies."
Lugia are very large creatures which bear a resemblance to something between a dragon, a plesiosaur, and a bird. They are primarily pale silver-white, but have blue undersides with slightly varying tones. They have a somewhat beak-like, ridged mouths, although they have teeth on their lower jaw. Their head has a point to the back, and Lugia’s eyes have pointed blue or black spikes on them. Lugia have long slender necks and their bodies are smooth and streamlined, with the exception of dark blue or black spike-like protrusions which run down the length of their back, and two smaller ones on the ends of their tails. It has large wings that resemble hands.
Gender differences
Lugia is a genderless species. However, unlike most legendary Pokémon, young Lugia have been observed (though only in the anime), suggesting that there is a breeding population of these creatures.
Special abilities
Lugia is the leader of the legendary birds. When the they fight over territory, Lugia is the only Pokémon that can quell their ceaseless fighting, as observed in the second Pokémon movie. Much like the birds, it possesses the ability to control the weather; most notably it can calm and give rise to storms. It is said that a light flutter of their wings is capable of causing winds powerful enough to tear down cliffs. If it were to flap its wings it could hypothetically spawn storms lasting as long as 40 days. It is highly intelligent, and because of the devastating power it could accidentally inflict, it isolates itself deep underwater and tends to sleep in solitude. It can shoot incredibly powerful beams from its mouth when in danger and is constantly protected from harm inside a deflective sphere of psychic energy. Lugia is also shown to be able to use telepathy, as seen in The Power of One, while communicating with Ash.
Not very much is known about the behavior of Lugia, as they are fantastically rare and elusive Pokémon. Lugia have been on occassion observed with their offspring, suggesting that unlike other legendary Pokémon, they have a breeding population. However, this is only shown in the anime, and whether or not they can breed in the games is still unknown. They are generally known to be peaceful, protective, calm, modest and benevolent; it is believed the reason they tend to isolate themselves from civilization is to protect humans and other Pokémon from their great powers. However, like all creatures, they can become enraged if they feel threatened, particularly if they are protecting their young. Because of this, contact with Lugia is best done carefully, most attempts at capturing one of these magnificent creatures has ended poorly, and is ill advised as their role in controlling world climate is still not well understood.
Lugia usually live very deep on the ocean floor, not because they are natural sea-dwellers, but because they fear that they can accidentally cause untold devastation. Lugia are typically spotted near the Whirl Islands of Johto and, when disturbed, flying high in the sky.When captured they like to be next to water or listen to it.
As deep sea dwellers, it is shown that this Pokémon feeds on seaweeds. However, since its appearance seems to be based on a sea dragon or a whale, it is possible that Lugia feeds on small aquatic Pokémon as well.
A parent Lugia and its child (nicknamed Silver by Oliver) lived near Silver Rock Isle in the Whirl Islands. Dr. Namba attempted to capture both the parent Lugia and Silver for Giovanni in The Mystery is History, A Parent Trapped. and A Promise is a Promise. It is interesting to note that Ash and Misty (Brock was not along with them) act as if this was their first time seeing a Lugia, as if the second movie never took place. Meowth, as well, said that he'd "never seen a Pokémon like that before!" On the contrary, the dub pays mention of the Lugia that was seen in the Orange Islands, with both James and Ash stating that it was "like" the one they'd seen in the Orange Islands. In both versions, Ash first refers to the baby Lugia as a "mysterious Pokémon."
Lugia saved Ash, Misty and Brock from being sucked into a whirlpool in Around the Whirlpool.
In the manga
The Elite Four tried to exterminate humans using a Lugia in the Yellow arc. The Masked Man apparently caught Lugia twice (its plucked feather item Silver Wing is shown under his possession several years ago, only to be stolen by Green), but both times it went back to the wild along with Ho-Oh. It was first encountered in Volume 7 as a being of shimmering light (long before most Generation II Pokémon were known) when Lance summoned it to aid his schemes of eliminating most of mankind, but it wasn't until much later in Volume 12 that it was properly identified as Lugia. Besides the two, it was also controlled for some time by Will and Karen while they were under the Masked Man's jurisdiction.
When released from a Poké Ball, Lugia will fly up and return in the background where it unleashes a powerful Aeroblast on the stage.
Melee trophy information
The waters of the Whirl Islands are home to this legendary Pokémon, whom very few have seen. Lugia live quietly in the deepest ocean trenches for one very good reason: its combined aerial and psychic powers are so strong as to be extremely dangerous. The special moves of this gargantuan creature include the destructive wind assault known as Aeroblast.
Game data
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation II.
Lugia's wings pack devastating power - a light fluttering of its wings can blow apart regular houses. As a result, this Pokémon chooses to live out of sight deep under the sea.
Lugia is so far the only legendary Pokémon to appear in three consecutive normal episodes of the anime.
Lugia and Latias are the only legendary Pokémon in the anime to be seen being able to produce offspring.
Lugia has been the mascot of 3 games, namely: Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Pokemon Silver and Pokemon Soul Silver making him the record holder of most number of time used as a game mascot.
On a related note, certain episodes show parent Lugia and a younger Lugia, the child. This shows that there is likely a breeding population of Lugia. The only other attempt to have another of a legendary Pokémon was in the case of Mewtwo, as it was created an enhanced clone of Mew.
Lugia has the second highest Special Defense of all Psychic-types, only being beaten by Deoxys in Defense forme.
Lugia is tied with Ho-Oh and Rayquaza for highest base stat total of all Flying-types. Together with Mewtwo it has the highest base stat total of all Psychic-types.
In HeartGold and SoulSilver versions, when the Kimono girls are summoning the legendary Pokémon, they dance clockwise for Ho-Oh and counter-clockwise for Lugia.
Lugia seems to represent the moon and shares this distinction with Lunatone
Origin
Lugia is based on Ryūjin, a dragon who was the Shinto god of the sea, and lived on the ocean's floor. This can be further evidenced through its shiny form's colors, red and white, which were the colors of the coral in which the palace of Ryūgū-jō was made of. Appearance-wise, Lugia seems to be based on the Stegosaurus (back plates and tail spikes) and the Plesiosaur (long neck and swimming ability). Lugia may also be based on the Wyvern; a type of dragon that stands on two legs, has wings, a barbed or spiked tail, and usually has a long neck.
Name origin
Lugia's name may come from lutetium, a silverish element, which in turn is named after Lutetia, the Roman name for Paris, the city of light. Possibly also lugeo, meaning to lie dormant, alluding to the way Lugia lies at the bottom of the sea. The Lu- may come from luna, meaning moon. Lugia's name may be based on the Beluga whale, a white whale of the Arctic Ocean whose white coloration, marine habitat, and body shape are similar to Lugia.
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.
For other sprites and images, please see Lugia images on Bulbagarden Archives.
