Kingler is a crustacean Pokémon resembling a crab. Its strong shell covers the outside of its body, featuring a red upper half and a light tan lower half. Its upper half is topped with six tall, thin spikes that resemble a crown. Its light tan arms are also connected to its upper body. Its lower half doubles as its jaw with six fangs overlapping its upper body. Its two outer fangs are much larger than the inner four and are roughly half as tall as Kingler's entire body. Its hips visibly protrude from its lower body and connect to its four long, thin legs. Each leg has a single, claw-like foot. Kingler's main feature is its red pincers. Its left claw is roughly twice as large as the other and hard as steel.
Kingler is often found on the edges of water, usually the ocean. It its powerful claws have 10,000 horsepower and are capable of prying open the shells of Shellder and Cloyster. While Kingler's large, left claw is its main tool for offensive maneuvers, it is so large and heavy that Kingler can barely lift it. It causes balancing problems and Kingler may quickly become fatigued from continuous use. However, it has been shown to communicate with other Kingler by waving its pincers around. In the past, Crabhammer was its signature move.
As Gigantamax Kingler, it has gained a larger, spikier appearance. The red half has become dark orange, while the light tan half is darkened. Three red clouds float around the crown spikes on head, The white sclera of eye becomes bright red. It now has foaming bubbles in the shape of a long beard. The right pincer of Kingler has become much larger as a result of Gigantamaxing. The inside of both pincers are colored white and orange. There is white armor striped thing inside pincers. The arms and legs both have several spikes. The claw-like foot changed to dark orange and is straight.
The left pincer of Gigantamax Kingler can destroy anything. The bubbles it releases are strongly alkaline. Should any opponent be hit by the bubbles, their bodies will quickly melt away.
A Kingler appeared in The Battle of the Badge, under the ownership of Giovanni. He used it in his Gym battle against Gary's Arcanine. Despite the type disadvantage, Kingler was defeated. He later loaned it to Jessie, James, and Meowth when he put them in charge of the Viridian Gym. Kingler managed to keep Ash's Bulbasaur at bay, but it was driven off by Pikachu. Another Kingler was seen being held in a cage.
Kingler, the Pincer Pokémon and the evolved form of Krabby. Kingler's larger pincer has immensely powerful crushing strength, but because of its weight, it is difficult to aim.
Ash has a Kingler that he caught off-screen. It was first seen defeating a Trainer in the Indigo League; it was later revealed that it evolved from a Krabby in doing so.
Much later, in My, My, My Mimic, a Kingler is shown being caught by Carr to try to ambush Red and Blue, but it is frozen and beaten by the newly arrived Lorelei.
Kingler has an enormous, over sized claw. It waves this huge claw in the air to communicate with others. However, because the claw is so heavy, the Pokémon quickly tires.
Kingler has an enormous, oversized claw. It waves this huge claw in the air to communicate with others. However, because the claw is so heavy, the Pokémon quickly tires.
Kingler shares its category name with Scizor. They are both known as the Pincer Pokémon, though Scizor was originally called the Scissors Pokémon.
Origin
Kingler is very similar to a fiddler crab or a terrestrial crab of the genus Cardisoma, which usually have one claw larger than the other. It may also draw inspiration from pliers and hammers. Conceptually, its crown of spikes and its name may allude to king crab.
Its Gigantamax form may be based on Japanese spider crabs with a bubble beard, that may be a reference to the fact that crabs blow bubbles to keep oxygen flowing to the gills when they are out of the water.
Name origin
Kingler may be a combination of king and fiddler, both of which are species of crab. It may also be a combination of "king" and "angler".
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.
Silver Leaf (100%)
For other sprites and images, please see Kingler images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
