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Revision as of 13:17, 4 December 2012 by RiverShock(talk | contribs)(→Trivia: Mew has never been able to learn an accuracy-focusing move as far as I can tell, and can only learn OHKO moves in Generation I. Also, Mew is not listed on Poliwrath's page.)
Articuno takes the form of a large bird with predominantly blue plumage. Its coloring is a cyan on its long streamer-like tail and head crest. Its head crest is simple, consisting of three rhombus-shaped feathers on its forehead. Its body is a sky blue, growing lighter on its chest and belly. Its most distinctive feature is its large wings, which look like they are made of ice. It has a small gray beak and thin, similarly colored legs.
Gender differences
Articuno is a genderless species.
Special abilities
When Articuno flaps its wings, it can chill the moisture in the air around it, making snow fall.
Behavior
Articuno is one of the legendary birds of Kanto. Articuno is more passive than its counterparts are; due to its isolation in the highest mountains, Articuno dislikes battling. It also flies from icy mountain to icy mountain. It is a poorly understood species, believed by many to be pure myth. According to legend, it appears before doomed travelers lost in icy regions. It is impossible to tell if these are valid sightings, as doomed travelers would have no way of passing on their story of the sighting, or merely delusions of the dying. It is described as being spectacular in flight: with its long tail streaming behind it, and its wings shining like ice. It is said to cause snow to fall when it flies, and has the potential ability to create blizzards.
Articuno lives in cold, isolated locations, such as mountain peaks. Articuno are known to roost inside the Seafoam Islands of Kanto, Frosty Forest and Mt. Avalanche in the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon world, and Mt. Sorbet in Oblivia. Articuno is an extremely rare Pokémon. In Platinum, it roams around Sinnoh, showing that it can withstand warmer temperatures.
Articuno made its anime debut in the episode Freeze Frame. It appears toTeam Rocket early in the episode, and then to Ash, Todd, Misty, and Brock. Travelers say that the Articuno watch over them on their journeys through the mountains of Johto. Nurse Joy says that Articuno has a nest in all the high mountains and cold places in the world, and flies from nest to nest bringing cold weather with it.
Articuno, the Freeze Pokémon. This Legendary Pokémon, with wings like thin sheets of ice, is believed to possess the ability to freeze water vapor and create snow.
Articuno appears in the eighth chapter of the Magical Pokémon Journey manga, The Legendary Articuno!. In The Legendary Articuno!, there is an Articuno atop a mountain used by a ski resort. This Articuno is rumored to spirit away the lives of lost travelers, but in reality, it is a friendly Pokémon that runs a Snowcone shop. Pikachu, Clefairy and Jigglypuff enter a Snowcone-eating contest at Articuno's shop, and Articuno also rescues an injured Hazel.
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
Articuno is shown to seal itself in a block of ice when it senses the presence of an enemy. It strongly dislikes confrontation. However, in Pokémon Adventures volume 3, Team Rocket was able to temporary get hold of it, together with Moltres and Zapdos. It was used by the then-Rocket Executive Koga to try to finish Red and Blue and succeeded in freezing them, but that turned out to be a strategy to let the ninja master's guard down and attack him from behind when Blue's Charizard unfroze them. After his defeat, it is called upon by Sabrina's Kadabra with Zapdos and merged to form Zapmolcuno, a combination that proved almost unstoppable until Saur, the Ivysaur it knocked out of the wall, saved its Trainers with a web created using Vine Whip and evolved to Venusaur to deliver the final blow with Charizard and Blasty. It at last regains its freedom after the defeat and splits from its fellow birds.
Much later, in the GSC saga, it reappears under Green's possession with its fellow birds and is lent to Red in the battle against Will and Karen, who nearly overwhelmed the three with Ho-Oh and Lugia. Since it has not been seen since, it has either been kept in the box or released, its true status unknown.
Articuno was one of the first four Pokémon designs revealed when the Pokémon 151 brand was first announced. In the shirt design, an Articuno is rising out of the right side with the number 144 on its chest.
When released from a Poké Ball, Articuno will use a Blizzard attack that freezes any opponent that is caught in it for a few seconds.
Trophy information
Clouds gather, the barometer plunges, and fresh snow falls from the frigid air when this legendary Pokémon takes wing. Graceful and elegant, it boasts long tail feathers that flap in the wind and are lovely to behold. As would be expected, its combat moves are based on its cold nature; they include Ice Beam and Blizzard.
Articuno is a legendary bird Pokémon that can control ice. The flapping of its wings chills the air. As a result, it is said that when this Pokémon flies, snow will fall.
Articuno is a legendary bird Pokémon that can control ice. The flapping of its wings chills the air. As a result, it is said that when this Pokémon flies, snow will fall.
In the second episode of the anime, there is an engraving on a wall in the Viridian City Pokémon Center that depicts the legendary birds. Ash mistakes the Articuno engraving as Ho-Oh. While the blue coloration of the stone indicates the Ice type, and the wings and crest feathers are those of Articuno, the multiple tail feathers look nothing like Articuno's tail, being more similar in appearance to those of Ho-Oh.
In Red, Blue, and Yellow, as well as FireRed and LeafGreen, there are binoculars in the gate separating Fuchsia City from Route 15, through which Articuno can be seen flying toward the sea. In a bout of continuity, or possibly an oversight by the designers, it is still visible in the binoculars if it is captured or defeated in the Seafoam Islands.
Articuno is the first legendary Pokémon in National Pokédex order, and the first Pokémon in National Pokédex order to make its anime debut in a movie.
Articuno was the last Generation I Pokémon to be introduced in the anime, and the only one that did not appear in Season 1, if movies and banned episodes are included (Mew is the last if its appearances in movies are not counted).
Articuno is the only Pokémon other than Smeargle and Poliwrath* that is able to learn an accuracy-focusing move and a OHKO move, learning Mind Reader and Sheer Cold. An Articuno using this combination can be fought in the Battle Subway.
Origin
This Pokémon's appearance is based on the Simurgh , deriving from the Persian رخ rokh, which is that of a giant arctic bird. Also, its long tail and small body may be reference to the rare bird, the quetzal. It is also anatomically very similar to the White-throated Magpie-jay.
Name origin
Articuno is a combination of arctic (far northern regions of the globe) and uno (Spanish for one, indicating that it is the first in the series of Kantolegendary birds).
Freezer is literally freezer (that which freezes).
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.
BrightPowder (100%)
For other sprites and images, please see Articuno images on Bulbagarden Archives.
