Due to its marine nature, shape and association with {{wp|shellfish}}, Slowpoke may be based on various species of {{wp|otter}}s. It may also be based on a {{wp|giant salamander}}.
Due to its marine nature, shape and association with {{wp|shellfish}}, Slowpoke may be based on various species of {{wp|otter}}. It may also be based on a {{wp|giant salamander}}.
Slowpoke are large pink creatures which resemble a cross between a salamander and a hippopotamus. Their tails becomes lighter towards the tip, they have curled ears, and have tan muzzles.
Gender differences
None.
Special abilities
Slowpoke have unusual tails which drip a sweet-tasting sappy substance. This substance is attractive to many species of fish, and can be used as a lure. Also, if their tail is cut off, it'll grow back quickly. Unfortunately, Slowpoke are extremely stupid, and tend to forget what they are doing.
Slowpoke are amphibious creatures of notoriously dim intellect. They take a long time to respond to outside stimuli, it takes as much as five seconds for it to process pain. Its tail is particularly numb to pain, it takes more than a day for it to feel when it has been bitten on its tail. Although they are generally seen as being extraordinarily stupid, they are very gentle and caring, as well as skilled fishermen. Unfortunately, they are easily distracted and forget what they were doing. Although many view Slowpoke as largely useless creatures, many folktales surround Slowpoke, including the belief that their yawns cause rain.
Slowpoke uses its tail to catch prey by dipping it in water at the side of a river.
In the anime
Slowpoke in the anime
Major appearances
Slowpoke's first major role was in The Evolution Solution. Ash and co. asked for the help of Professor Westwood V to help figure out why Slowpoke only evolved into Slowbro when a Shellderclamped on its tail (a question that was giving Professor Oak a headache). Westwood's Slowpoke evolved when a Shellder that Jessie caught clamped on to the Dopey Pokémon's tail.
Enlighten Up! introduced practitioners of a religion similar to Buddhism that see Slowpoke's empty head as a sign of enlightenment and worship by meditating along with Slowpoke and Slowbro.
A group of Slowpoke were trying to reach a King's Rock to evolve into Slowking in A Crowning Achievement. One finally succeeded at the end.
Minor appearances
Slowpoke's first appearance was a brief one in Island of the Giant Pokémon. Ash's Pokémon asked it for help, but it didn't respond. It evolved into a Slowbro at the very end of the episode.
In Teddiursa's Picnic, a herd of Slowpoke in Azalea Town had their tails cut off by Team Rocket, causing the Slowpoke Well to stop providing water. Gold proceeds to tire one out with his Aipom, prompting it to yawn and therefore cause the well to start flowing again.
Slowpoke is a Pokéfloat. It initially has its tail curled towards its body but the tail lazily becomes straight and fighting moves there until Wooper appears.
Slowpoke uses its tail to catch prey by dipping it in water at the side of a river. However, this Pokémon often forgets what it's doing and often spends entire days just loafing at water's edge.
It catches prey by dipping its tail in water at the side of a river. But it often forgets what it is doing and spends entire days just loafing at water's edge.
In the anime, Slowpoke evolves into a Slowbro if a Shellder bites its tail. It will evolve into a Slowking if one bites its head while it has the King's Rock on it.
The Japanese and international Pokémon Silver have different sprites for Slowpoke, with the Japanese versions having the same striped bellies that Slowbro and Slowking sport. It is unknown why this was changed. However, its striped underside is still partially visible in all of its Gold and Crystal sprites.
Like Mantyke, Slowpoke evolves when another Pokémon attaches to it (as seen in the anime). However, proximity-based evolution (requiring Mantyke and Remoraid to be in the same party) did not exist in Generation I, so Shellder has no bearing on Slowpoke's evolution.
Slowpoke is the only Pokémon whose multiple evolutions have different total EV yields: it evolves at level 37 into a Pokémon with an EV yield of 2 (Slowbro), but when traded holding a King's Rock, it evolves into a Pokémon with an EV yield of 3 (Slowking). The only other Pokémon with an EV yield of 1 who evolve directly into a Pokémon with an EV yield of 3 are Paras (evolves into Parasect at level 24), Nosepass (evolves into Probopass upon gaining a level at Mt. Coronet), and Larvesta (evolves into Volcarona at level 59).
Slowpoke's National Dex number is the whole number portion of its weight in pounds. It is one of only two Pokémon with this distinction; the other is Scyther.
Origin
Due to its marine nature, shape and association with shellfish, Slowpoke may be based on various species of otter. It may also be based on a giant salamander.
Name origin
A slowpoke is simply a term for someone who is slow. It can be also a combination of slow and poke (an abbreviation of Pokémon). The yado in Yadon may be from 宿借り yadokari, hermit crab. Alternatively, it may also be derived from 宿主 yadonushi, (parasitic) host. Also, 鈍感 donkan means thickheaded or stolid, and 鈍 don means slow, dull, or stupid.
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.
King's Rock (8%)
Lagging Tail (5%)
For other sprites and images, please see Slowpoke images on Bulbagarden Archives.
