Grimer is a purple pile of poisonous sludge. It has saucer-like eyes and a gray mouth. Grimer may be distantly related to Koffing, another Pokémon that is associated with pollution.
Gender differences
None.
Special abilities
Grimer emits a very pungent, noisome odor. Since Grimer's body lacks a solid form, it can slip through the smallest of openings. Grimer's germ-infested entrails cause the ground that it passes over to be unable to bear any plant life.
As far as Grimer's skills in battle are concerned, Grimer mainly attacks by flinging poisonous Sludge (or mud) at its foes. Grimer can also wield fire, electricity, and various Ghost-type attacks. Grimer is part of one of the four Pokémon evolutionary lines that can use Gunk Shot.
When Celadon CityGym LeaderErika was a youngster, she got lost one day and ran into a Grimer. However, a Gloom chased the Grimer off and saved her.
Ash and co. first encountered this filth-ridding Pokémon in Sparks Fly for Magnemite. They were gumming up the turbines in the powerplant in Gringy City. Grimer and Muk chased Ash, Misty and Brock after a negative comment on how they smelled was made. Magnemite and Magneton chased them off, leaving Ash to capture the Muk making another strong battler.
In the manga
Koga wears a Grimer on his shoulder in the form of a ninja outfit in Pokémon Special. He used it extensively to smother Green, preventing him from breathing.
His daughter, Janine, is later seen with a Grimer. She uses it against Falkner during the Gym Leader faceoff, using its Minimize attack to outwit his Noctowl.
Grimer's sludgy and rubbery body can be forced through any opening, however small it may be. This Pokémon enters sewer pipes to drink filthy wastewater.
Grimer emerged from the sludge that settled on a polluted seabed. This Pokémon loves anything filthy. It constantly leaks a horribly germ- infested fluid from all over its body.
Grimer's name seems to be a corruption of grime, dirt. Its Japanese name may be derived from べとべと betobeto and べたべた betabeta, both meaning sticky. The German name, Sleima, sounds like "Slimer", a slimy ghost from Ghostbusters.
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.