Dusknoir is a primarily black Pokémon that somewhat resembles a cyclops. Its cylindrical head is light gray with a single eye that has a yellow iris and a red pupil. Its eyelid resembles a smiling mouth, with its red eye being a tongue. There is a yellow band near the top of its head, and a short, yellow antenna with a disc-shaped tip extends from on top. Six flat projections extend from the base of its neck and surround its head, resembling an upturned collar. Dusknoir has well-developed arms with two yellow bands near its wrists and large, gray hands. On the front of its torso are two almond-shaped markings, and on its back are two circular markings. Both sets of markings resemble eyes. A yellow band encircles its body, zigzagging along the front and forming a long curve around the back. It has a wispy tail in place of feet.
The antenna on Dusknoir's head allows it to receive transmissions from the spirit world, which tell it to bring people there. Dusknoir usually appears to those who are dead and bring their souls to the afterlife. Because of this, people highly fear Dusknoir. Sometimes, Dusknoir may accidentally take away the souls of those still alive, though this rarely happens. However, the anime has shown it protecting innocent people from being taken to the spirit world. It is unknown if Dusknoir has a will of its own, or if it is forced to follow the bidding of the transmissions it receives. The band on its body can open, similar to a mouth. Dusknoir is capable of using its belly mouth to swallow its target whole. It also uses this ability to take spirits into its body and carry them home or as it travels to unknown places. Dusknoir only consumes spectral essence, leaving only the empty remains of living beings untouched.
Evolution
Dusknoir evolves from Dusclops and is the final form of Duskull.
Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon: The same Dusknoir from Explorers of Time, Darkness, and Sky appears as a recruitable character after completing his request via the Connection Orb.
Spoilers end here.
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation IV.
Comes to those whose lives have come to an end and escorts their souls to the afterlife. Known to mistakenly take the souls of those who yet have life left in them, albeit rarely.
Evolves from Dusclops after knocking out a Warrior's Pokémon in a manner that allows recruitment, while its own Warrior is equipped with a Reaper Cloth
Dusknoir debuted in Ghoul Daze!, where it tried to protect humans from a ghost girl who was trying to send them to the spirit world. However, Dusknoir was often blamed for the trouble that the girl caused.
Dusknoir, the Gripper Pokémon. It receives electrical waves from the spirit world with its antenna and is said to take people to the spirit world as well.
Dusknoir debuted in All About Arceus II, under the ownership of Hiro. It was seen with its Trainer just after the Ecruteak Gym had been destroyed by Arceus. Later, after the battle with Arceus had ended, it accompanied its Trainer to the Sinjoh Ruins.
In the novelisation of the Ghoul Daze! episode included in the Pokémon Annual 2010, Dusknoir is described on multiple occasions as being metallic.
Origin
Dusknoir appears to be a ghostly cyclops. A Japanese one-eyed mountain-dwelling creature named the Yamawaro may also have been the inspiration for this Pokémon. Like Dusclops, due to its round shape and a single eye, it may also be based on the Chōchin-obake, while it guiding lost spirits to the spirit world is similar to the Grim Reaper guiding deceased people to the afterlife. The face on its belly may be based on Jack-o-lanterns. Its ability to receive transmissions from the world of spirits may be based on paranormal explanations for electronic voice phenomena.
Name origin
Dusknoir may be a combination of dusk and noir (French for black).
Yonoir may be a combination of 妖魔 yōma (ghost) or 夜 yoru (night) and noir.
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.