Garchomp is a bipedal, draconian Pokémon that is primarily dark blue in color. It has red on its underbelly from the lower jaw to the middle of the abdomen, including the undersides of its arms. A patch of gold comes to a point below the red on its belly, and a golden star shape adorns the tip of its snout. Garchomp has horn-like appendages that resemble a jet or plane's engines, giving it an appearance similar to a hammerhead shark. These allow it to sense its prey from a long distance. Its large mouth features razor-sharp teeth. The feet have three white talons, and each arm has a single large, white claw for a hand. Curved fins sprout from the arms, creating wings that allow Garchomp to fly. It also has a large dorsal fin and another on its tail that resembles a sharktailfin. The male's dorsal fin has a notch on it. Pairs of small, white spikes protrude from its upper arms and legs, and there are gill-like slits on the sides of the neck. The eyes are intense, with black scleras and gold-colored irises.
When Garchomp Mega Evolves, it grows in size and several of its features become more angular, including its head and shoulders. A row of five tooth-like spikes sprouts from each side of its abdomen, and red spikes grow from its knees. The claws and fins on its arms melt from the excessive Mega Evolution energy and morph together to form sharp, red blades. In this state, Garchomp is known to become mad with rage, and in its anger, slices the ground to pieces with its scythe-like blades.
Garchomp can fly at an incredible speed—helped by the fine scales on its body that reduce drag—to catch its prey. It preys on bird Pokémon, and is known to eat entire flocks of them whole. Garchomp is a cave-dweller and is seldom seen in the wild.
NA:Garchomp looks like a plane's engines mixed with a hammerhead shark. There's something about it that we just find so appealing - we have to get one! Garchomp is capable of folding up its body and spreading its wings, letting it move at Mach speed! Garchompite will Mega Evolve Garchomp into Mega Garchomp, increasing its power even more!
PAL:There's something about Garchomp that appeals to the kid in all of us. It's basically a mach-speed flying dinosaur with spikes. What's not to love? When it folds up its body and extends its wings for flight, you might mistake it for a jet plane. And with a little Garchompite, it can Mega Evolve for extra firepower!
Appearance-wise, Garchomp seems like a cross between a European dragon, various species of sharks (including the hammerhead), and possibly a dromaeosaurid or other theropod dinosaur. In particular, considering Garchomp's saurian build with sharklike features, it may be a visual play on the Carcharodontosaurus, a theropod dinosaur whose name means "shark-toothed lizard". Its design also strongly resembles a jet aircraft.
Name origin
Garchomp may be a combination and corruption of gore (a projecting point), guard or Carcharodon (the scientific name for sharks) and chomp. Gar may also derive from garpike (a species of fish somewhat similar in appearance), gargantuan (relating to its size) or gargoyle which occasionally bears a likeness to European dragons.
Gaburias may be a combination of がぶがぶ gabugabu (onomatopoeia for gulping) or がぶりと gaburito (bite or chew) and アース āsu (earth) or Carcharias.
In other languages
Language
Title
Meaning
Japanese
ガブリアス Gaburias
From がぶがぶ gabugabu, がぶりと gaburito, and earth or Carcharias
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.