Ash's Charizard
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Ash's Charizard (Japanese: サトシのリザードン Satoshi's Lizardon) was the fifth Pokémon acquired by Ash Ketchum in the Kanto region.
History
Charizard was originally obtained as a Charmander in Charmander – The Stray Pokémon. The Charmander was abandoned by Damian, and Ash and his friends found and nurtured it back to health. Charmander then chose to join Ash. It was immediately one of Ash's most used Pokémon, defeating such opponents as a Golem, a Jynx, Koga's Golbat, Erika's Weepinbell, and a Primeape (which Ash subsequently captured).
Charmander evolved into Charmeleon in March of the Exeggutor Squad and quickly lost its loyalty to Ash, attacking a Paras when Ash was trying to deliberately lose in order to help Paras evolve (The Problem with Paras). A few episodes down the line, it evolved again into Charizard in Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon to battle an Aerodactyl. From the time of its becoming Charmeleon to the Orange Islands episode Charizard Chills, Charizard refused to obey Ash, the only exception being when he decided to test his strength against Blaine's powerful Magmar during Ash's attempts to win a Volcano Badge. Charizard's disloyalty especially hurt Ash the most during the Indigo League championships, causing Ash to forfeit the fifth round when it refused to battle Ritchie's Pikachu, Sparky.
Before Charizard Chills Charizard was still disobedient towards Ash. In the episode Navel Maneuvers, Charizard, Pikachu and Bulbasaur were used in the second round of the match between Ash and Danny. Charizard was initially unwilling to participate, and Danny nearly won. However, Charizard unwillingly helped when it tried to use Flamethrower on Ash but missed and carved an ice pillar into a sled. This meant Ash won the round and was able to continue the match.
After Charizard Chills, it became one of Ash's most reliable Pokémon, and has been considered his strongest. In this episode, Charizard was frozen by Tad's Poliwrath's Ice Beam; Ash stayed up all night trying to thaw it out and, in the process, reminded Charizard of everything Ash had done for it since it was a Charmander. Charizard's respect for and loyalty to Ash returned overnight.
It participated in Ash's Gym battle against Luana, where it fought Luana's Alakazam and Marowak alongside Ash's Pikachu in the series' first double battle. The two Pokémon initially had trouble collaborating, but eventually managed to work together: Pikachu helped to free Charizard from Alakazam's Psychic attack and Charizard caught Pikachu after it was hit by Marowak's Body Slam attack. Charizard was also used in Ash's Orange League battle against Drake. Charizard defeated Drake's Electabuzz and also fought Dragonite before it fainted.
It participated in Ash's first Johto Gym battle against Falkner, where it defeated Falkner's Pidgeot despite the latter's impressive Speed. In Charizard's Burning Ambition, Ash left his Charizard in the Charicific Valley with Liza to train and become more powerful. While there, it took the role of bodyguard for Liza's Charizard, Charla, and the two seem to have struck up a romantic relationship. Liza occasionally visits the Dragon's Valley in Blackthorn City alongside the two Charizard. One such visit (Great Bowls of Fire! and Better Eight Than Never) coincidentally occurred when Ash was there for his final Johto gym battle, resulting in Charizard helping Ash defeat Clair's newly-evolved Dragonair in his rematch with her by causing the water in the gym's pool to evaporate with its Flamethrower and Fire Spin, thus depriving Dragonair of its protection.
Ash later used Charizard in the Silver Conference during his fight against Gary Oak in Can't Beat the Heat! (during which it decisively defeated Gary's Blastoise despite the type disadvantage and having already defeated Gary's Scizor and Golem). It was then used in Ash's fight against Harrison, where it was defeated by Harrison's Blaziken after a tough fight despite it having a type advantage. However, Charizard injured Blaziken so badly that it couldn't fight the next day.
Charizard can be called upon at any time. In The Symbol Life, it returned for Ash's first Battle Frontier battle, where it took on Noland's Articuno at the Battle Factory. Despite Articuno's effort and use of Water Pulse, Charizard won by using Overheat, which it had just learned; using the unorthodox strategy of catching Articuno as it tried to use Steel Wing; and using its trademark move, Seismic Toss.
Charizard also battled alongside Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Pikachu in a four-on-four battle against Brandon's Pokémon in Gathering the Gang of Four!, but despite a good fight, it was defeated by Brandon's Dusclops.
Moves used
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Moves improvised
- Aerial Submission was used by Charizard in Volcanic Panic. Charizard spins while flying, causing damage to Blaine's Magmar, who was clinging on to Charizard.
- Flaming Seismic Toss was used in Better Eight Than Never which is a combination of Charizard's Seismic Toss and Fire Spin along with Dragonair's Dragon Rage.
In the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga
Ash's Charizard makes a few appearances in the manga series The Electric Tale of Pikachu. The circumstances in which Ash captures a Charmander appear to be different in the manga. While Damian appears in Pikachu's Excellent Adventure, he was separated from his Charmander because he was injured, not because he abandoned it. At the end of the chapter, the two reunite in the Hidden Village.
Despite this difference, Ash is still seen owning a Charmander, which first appears in You Gotta Have Friends. Charmander's capture is not shown in the manga, instead, it is explained that "Ash has been busy since the last comic!" when Charmander first appears from its Poké Ball.
Later in the manga, Ash's Charmander reappears as a Charizard. In the manga, Charizard is much more violent, and can normally only be calmed by a torch that Ash carries around, which contains a flame from Moltres.
In The Indigo Finals, during Ash's battle against Ritchie, both Trainers send out a Charizard as their last Pokémon. Ash's Charizard goes berserk and severely injures Ritchie's, to the point that it's shown bleeding heavily from multiple wounds. Overwhelmed by guilt, Ash leaves the arena, thus forfeiting the battle even though he technically won. It is later mentioned that Ritchie's Charizard will be okay.
Trivia
- Out of all of Ash's Pokémon, Charizard has used the most moves, a total of 16 (17 if the unused Mega Punch is counted).
- During Tanks a Lot!, Brock mentioned that Charizard was male when saying that Charizard could use his Flamethrower to destroy the Arbo-Tank, but since this only occurred in the dub it is uncertain how dependable this information is. Further hints to Charizard's gender were applied with the introduction of Charla.
- Charizard was the first of Ash's starter Pokémon to evolve to its final stage.
- Charizard was the first Pokémon in the anime to have defeated a legendary Pokémon.
- Currently, Charizard is the only Pokémon Ash has had that refused to obey him after evolving. Every other Pokémon obeyed him without question following their evolutions.
Related articles
- For more information on this Pokémon's species, see Charmander, Charmeleon, and Charizard.
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| For a list of Pokémon Ash has temporarily owned, used, or commanded, see here | ||||||
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This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |
