Baby Pokémon
Baby Pokémon are the lowest stage of Pokémon evolution. The concept was introduced in Generation II, along with breeding.
Baby Pokémon can be classified as such by these four rules:
- Can be obtainable by hatching an Egg.
- Must be the lowest form in a family chain.
- Must be able to evolve at least once.
- In the Undiscovered Egg Group.
The majority of baby Pokémon were introduced after their first-stage evolutions, with the exceptions of Togepi and Riolu. To achieve evolution, many require maximized friendship. Others will evolve by level up, but as the generations passed more complex methods of evolution were introduced.
In the video game series, the only way to obtain most baby Pokémon is through breeding. On occasion, non-player characters will give the player an Egg containing a baby Pokémon, and this Pokémon typically cannot be obtained in any other method, except for breeding. Generation III introduced the first baby Pokémon able to be caught in the wild: Wynaut on Mirage Island. In Generation IV, many other baby Pokémon were also available, relatively easily, in the wild. Players may still find it preferable to breed though, for the benefit of Egg moves (as many baby Pokémon have very limited movepools).
All baby Pokémon are unable to breed unless they evolve into one of their higher forms, and are all in the Undiscovered Egg Group. This is presumably due to their infantile state.
From Generation III onwards, most new baby Pokémon can only be obtained by making the parent in their evolutionary line hold a specific Incense before breeding, explaining why parent Pokémon available in previous generations were unable to produce these Eggs in those generations. For example, Marill, who was introduced in Generation II, could not produce Azurill Eggs until the introduction of the Sea Incense in Generation III.
About half of all baby Pokémon are part of a three-stage evolutionary line, that is, they evolve again after evolving from their baby form. Only one of these, however, is achieved by level up, with the others requiring use of either an evolutionary stone or held item to evolve a second time.
From Generation VI onwards, baby Pokémon caught in the wild are guaranteed to have three random IVs of 31, because they are in the Undiscovered Egg Group.
Baby Pokémon were eventually introduced in the Pokémon Trading Card Game as well.
List of baby Pokémon
In the anime
All baby Pokémon have appeared in the anime so far, with some belonging to main characters. While most of them appear in the Pikachu Shorts regularly, all have had major appearances in the anime. In some cases, other newborn Pokémon are called baby Pokémon as well.
Baby Pokémon usually have childish personalities, but some begin to show signs of maturity after gaining experience or evolving, such as when Brock's Bonsly gave up bottle-feeding. However, Paul's Elekid was shown to have inherited his harsh personality. This is not limited to owned Pokémon, as Where No Togepi Has Gone Before! portrays a wild Togepi with mischievous intentions.
Pichu first appeared in The Apple Corp stealing apples from Charmaine's apple orchard.
In Wish Upon a Star Shape, a Cleffa fell from a spaceship that belonged to the kleptomaniac Clefairy from Clefairy Tales.
Igglybuff twins belonging to Brittany appeared in Same Old Song and Dance practicing for a concert.
An abandoned Tyrogue appeared in A Tyrogue Full of Trouble.
In The Screen Actor's Guilt, Brad Van Darn owned a Smoochum. His agent is afraid that Brad's image as an action star would be ruined if this was made public.
A Trainer named Satchel was trying to get his Magby to evolve for the Silver Conference in You're A Star, Larvitar and succeeded. It reappeared in Address Unown! where it was part of an Unown's dimension.
Three Chingling appeared in The Bells Are Singing! under Francesca's ownership.
Ash used a Mantyke for the second leg of the Pokémon Triathlon in One Team, Two Team, Red Team, Blue Team!.
Several baby Pokémon including Pichu, Cleffa, Wynaut, Smoochum, Igglybuff and Azurill appeared in The Brockster Is In!.
Misty's Togepi
- Main article: Misty's Togepi
In Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon, Ash finds an Egg that hatches into a Togepi in Who Gets to Keep Togepi?. Since Misty is the first thing the Baby Pokémon sees, it believes she is its mother. It later evolved in A Togepi Mirage.
Paul's Elekid
- Main article: Paul's Elekid
Paul owned an Elekid that he used to battle Ash's Pikachu in When Pokémon Worlds Collide! and Roark in Shapes of Things to Come. It evolved into Electabuzz in Smells Like Team Spirit, and evolved into Electivire off-screen, prior to Casting a Paul on Barry!.
Misty's Azurill
- Main article: Misty's Azurill
Misty was seen with an Azurill in The Scheme Team, it was hatched from the egg that Tracey's Marill produced.
Recurring Wynaut
- Main article: Wynaut (anime)
Wynaut first appeared during the Blackthorn City arc (Fangs for Nothin' - Why? Wynaut!), but Jessie's Wobbuffet, Ash's Bayleef and Ash's Noctowl were the only ones to see it.
Nando's Budew
- Main article: Nando's Budew
Budew made its first major appearance in Dawn of a New Era!. It was owned by a minstrel called Nando and used in battle against Dawn's Piplup and Ash's Pikachu. It evolved into Roselia in the second battle. It later evolved into Roserade prior to Coming Full-Festival Circle!.
Brock's Bonsly
- Main article: Brock's Bonsly
In From Cradle to Save, Brock captured a Bonsly and took care of him. He evolved into Sudowoodo in Leave it To Brocko!.
James's Mime Jr.
- Main article: James's Mime Jr.
James obtained a Mime Jr. from his "Nanny and Pop-Pop" in Sweet Baby James.
Brock's Happiny
- Main article: Brock's Happiny
Brock's Egg hatched into a Happiny in One Big Happiny Family!. Unusually, in contrast to Happiny's extremely low Attack stat in the games, she has amazing strength and can run with, pummel, and carry many heavy items and Pokémon for its size, such as having the ability to fling her Trainer into the air with ease and carrying Ash's Grotle around in Jumping Rocket Ship!. She evolved into a Chansey in The Brockster Is In!.
May's Munchlax
- Main article: May's Munchlax
May captured a Munchlax in Berry, Berry Interesting and has used it in several Contests. It is her only Pokémon that likes her cooking.
Aura Sphere Riolu
- Main article: Aura Sphere Riolu
Riolu was featured in both parts of Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu!. This Riolu had been trained to use Aura Sphere and was unnaturally strong. It was taken away from the lab by J's henchmen to exploit it, but Ash and his friends returned it to its kingdom with Kellyn's help. This Riolu developed a strong bond with Ash.
Cameron's Riolu
- Main article: Cameron's Riolu
Cameron's Riolu first appeared with its Trainer in Goodbye, Junior Cup - Hello Adventure!. It evolved into Lucario in Cameron's Secret Weapon!.
In the TCG
This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Baby Pokémon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game. All of these cards (minus Pokémon Collector) have the Poké-Body "Sweet Sleeping Face".
| Baby Pokémon Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Card | Type | English Expansion |
Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion |
Rarity | # |
| Cleffa | 
|
HeartGold & SoulSilver | 
|
17/123 | HeartGold Collection | 
|
049/070 |
| Pichu | 
|
HeartGold & SoulSilver |
|
28/123 | SoulSilver Collection |
|
031/070 |
| Smoochum | 
|
HeartGold & SoulSilver |
|
30/123 | HeartGold Collection |
|
037/070 |
| Tyrogue | 
|
HeartGold & SoulSilver |
|
33/123 | SoulSilver Collection |
|
048/070 |
| Igglybuff |
|
HeartGold & SoulSilver | 
|
44/123 | SoulSilver Collection |
|
050/070 |
| Pokémon Collector | Su | HeartGold & SoulSilver |
|
97/123 | SoulSilver Collection |
|
068/070 |
| Elekid |
|
Triumphant |
|
21/102 | Clash at the Summit |
|
028/080 |
| Magby | 
|
Triumphant | 
|
41/102 | Clash at the Summit |
|
012/080 |
| Cleffa |
|
Call of Legends |
|
24/95 | |||
| Tyrogue |
|
Call of Legends |
|
36/95 | |||
| Magby |
|
Call of Legends |
|
46/95 | |||
| Mime Jr. |
|
Call of Legends |
|
47/95 | Lost Link |
|
016/040 |
Trivia
- Out of eighteen baby Pokémon, seven of them evolve into Pokémon belonging to the Fairy Egg Group and six others evolve into Pokémon that belong to the Human-Like Egg Group.
- Of all post-Generation II baby Pokémon, only Azurill and Munchlax evolve by friendship alone (not requiring a certain time of day). In the anime, these two baby Pokémon are owned by two of Ash Ketchum's previous traveling companions, Misty and May.
- All baby Pokémon that were introduced in Generation II that evolve by friendship can evolve further using evolutionary stones.
- Tyrogue is the only baby Pokémon with a branched evolution.
- Riolu is the only baby Pokémon introduced after Generation II that can be bred without requiring one of its parents to be holding an incense.
- Most baby Pokémon can learn Uproar via Move Tutor, while their evolved forms cannot.
- May, James, and Brock got their baby Pokémon (Munchlax, Mime Jr., and Bonsly respectively) following the pattern of premiering in a movie and then being captured by one of the main characters. In all cases, the premiered Pokémon is not the same character as the one caught, just the same species. In some cases, this may be a result of the writers deciding a Pokémon works well with the group after they are shown together. Munchlax came after Destiny Deoxys and Mime Jr. and Bonsly came after Lucario and the Mystery of Mew.
