Ledian is a coleopteraninsectoidPokémon that resembles a slightly humanoid ladybug. It has a pair of black antennae, a black spot in the center of its forehead and on the back of its head, blue eyes, and a cream-colored area around its mouth; the rest of its head is red. The antennae are shorter on the female than on the male. Its back and the top of its elytra are red with black spots, while the underside of its body and elytra are cream-colored. Underneath its elytra are a pair of clear wings. Its neck and limbs are black. It has four arms with white hands that resemble boxing gloves and a pair of legs with red feet.
Ledian sleeps wrapped in leaves or grass in temperate and tropical forests during the day. At night, it flutters around scattering a glowing powder that is thought to bring good luck. It is believed to use starlight as energy and the patterns on its back grow larger or smaller depending on the number of stars in the sky. In addition to starlight, it loves to eat Berries. A weak fighter, it tries for quantity over power by throwing a barrage of punches with all four of its arms.
When the stars flicker in the night sky, it flutters about, scattering a glowing powder. (Pokémon Red, Silver, or Crystal inserted) The star patterns on its back grow larger or smaller depending on the number of stars in the night sky. (Pokémon Blue, Gold, or Yellow inserted)
It is said that in lands with clean air, where the stars fill the sky, there live Ledian in countless numbers. There is a good reason for this - the Pokémon uses the light of the stars as its energy.
It is said that in lands with clean air, where the stars fill the sky, there live many Ledian. For good reason, they use the light of the stars as energy.
It is said that in lands with clean air, where the stars fill the sky, there live Ledian in countless numbers. There is a good reason for this—the Pokémon uses the light of the stars as its energy.
When night falls, Ledian flutters about, scattering a sparkling dust. It seems very drawn to anything that lights up—maybe because it uses starlight as energy.
In Zoroark: Master of Illusions, a Ledian living in Crown City surrounded Zorua with several other Pokémon at the park to attack him, angry for what Zoroark did to the city. Before a fight broke out, Celebi calmed the attackers down.
Despite multiple Pokédex entries describing its nocturnal behavior, wild Ledian are almost always encountered exclusively during the morning or daytime.
Despite its category and Silver/FireRed Pokédex entries, Ledian's five spots are neither star-shaped nor are they arranged in a typical star pattern.
The many references to stars are likely development leftovers referring to Ledian's beta design, in which the spots were star-shaped.
Ledian could not learn any Bug-type or Flying-type moves until Generation III. Therefore, a Ledian in Generation II could not receive STAB unless it possessed the appropriate Hidden Power.
Its level up learnset contained only Normal-type and Psychic-type moves until Generation IV. It did not contain any Bug-type moves until Generation IV or any Flying-type moves until Generation VII.
Origin
Ledian seems to be based on a ladybug, particularly the Asian ladybeetle or seven-spot ladybird due to its bright red color and black spots. Its nocturnal habits and bioluminescence may be inspired by fireflies. Its humanoid body and large, ovoid head and eyes, as well as its affinity to the stars, are also reminiscent of aliens, such as the grey alien.
Ledian bears a very significant resemblance to Pulseman, another character made by Game Freak, Pokémon creators. It also make take inspiration from various tokusatsu shows featuring costumed-superheroes, with helmets resembling insects and flashy martial arts attacks (like Ledian's Comet Punch). Pulseman the character resembles such superheroes and Pulseman the game has combat and graphics inspired by tokusatsu show tropes.
The "Five-star" species name for Ledian may come from the Japanese name for seven-spot ladybird which is literally called 七星瓢虫 seven-star ladybug.
Name origin
Ledian and Redian may be a combination of ladybug or ladybird, red, and possibly alien or guardian.
In other languages
Language
Title
Meaning
Japanese
レディアン Redian
From ladybug or ladybird, red, and possibly alien or guardian
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.