Hitmonlee is a brown colored, human-shaped Pokémon. He has three-fingered hands and three claw-like toes. Hitmonlee has segmented, cream-colored arms and legs. Hitmonlee has almond-shaped eyes with black rings around them and appears to lack a nose and mouth.
Gender differences
Hitmonlee is a male-only species with no female counterpart.
Special abilities
Hitmonlee knows several kick-based moves, including the rarely seen Blaze Kick. His leg muscles have the special ability to freely stretch and compress. Hitmonlee also has a few mental-based moves such as Meditate and Mind Reader. As with other Template:Type2 Pokémon, Hitmonlee is capable of a few Template:Type2 moves and Earthquake.
Master Hamm used a Hitmonlee against his son Kyle, a cook, in Pasta la Vista. If the Dojo Master won, he would retire, and Kyle would have to give up his shop for the Dojo. If Kyle won, it would all stay the same. Ash, and May ended up taking the place of the two. As it was a draw, Kyle and his father decided to both work at the restaurant while Kyle's girlfriend Terri took up ownership of the Dojo.
Hitmonlee later appears as one of Bruno's Pokémon, who destroyed Bill's house. Bruno explains that Hitmonlee's legs are so flexible, it's impossible to locate the position of its knees and attack them.
When released from a Poké Ball, Hitmonlee will preform a Hi Jump Kick dealing a great amount of damage on whoever it hit. Hitmonlee did not return in Super Smash Bros. Melee and was replaced by Scizor who attacks in a similar way.
Game data
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation I.
Hitmonlee's legs freely contract and stretch. Using these springlike legs, it bowls over foes with devastating kicks. After battle, it rubs down its legs and loosens the muscles to overcome fatigue.
Hitmonlee's legs freely contract and stretch. Using these springlike legs, it bowls over foes with devastating kicks. After battle, it rubs down its legs and loosens the muscles to overcome fatigue.
Its legs freely stretch and contract. Using these springlike limbs, it bowls over foes with devastating kicks. After battle, it rubs down its tired legs.
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Shiny Hitmonlee's legs have changed from purple to staying gray compared to the normal sprite.
Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan are the only Pokémon that weren't previously related through an evolution family, then later gained a shared pre-evolution.
Hitmonlee is able to use its legs to swim very well as seen in Mewtwo Returns.
Despite its Pokémon Crystal Pokédex entry stating that it can execute every known kick, Hitmonlee can not learn Low Kick or Triple Kick without the use of a cheating device.
Ironically, considering that this Pokémon is based on the use of its feet, all of its Generation II sprites depict it with two left feet. Also, its Yellow sprite has a right foot in place of a left foot — its actual right foot is too indistinct to tell which foot it is.
Hitmonlee is the only Pokémon to learn Mega Kick by leveling up.
Ironically, Taekwondo, the martial art that Hitmonlee seems to reference is mostly defensive, while Tyrogue evolves into Hitmonlee due to having a higher Attack stat. This is also present with Hitmonchan, as Boxing is mostly offensive.
In Generation I, Hitmonlee had 3 signature moves; Rolling Kick, Jump Kick, and Hi Jump Kick. In Generation III, Hi Jump Kick became available to Meditite and Medicham, and in Generation IV, Jump Kick became available to Buneary and Lopunny, leaving Hitmonlee with only 1 signature move; Rolling Kick. However, due to having 3 signature moves in Generation I, it tied the current record for signature moves, currently held by Porygon-Z and Vespiquen. While Rolling Kick also became available to Hitmontop in Generation II, Hitmonlee and Hitmontop are in the same evolution family, which means it counts as a signature move for both of them.
In Pokémon Platinum, Hitmonlee is the one of the few Pokémon not in the Sinnoh Dex, and not introduced in Generation IV to have a new sprite. Ninetales, Primeape and Registeel are the others, although Registeel's sprite isn't completely new, as it is the same as its European Diamond and Pearl sprite.
Origin
It may be a personification of Taekwondo, a martial art that focuses on kicking and strengthening legs. Hitmonlee bears resemblance to Blemmyes due to his lack of an actual head.
Name origin
Hitmonlee's name can be broken down into hit, monster and Lee - as in Bruce Lee; perhaps meaning "the monster that hits like Bruce Lee". The name is also related to Hitmonchan and Hitmontop, both of which are parallel evolutions to it as of Generation II. Its Japanese name comes from the world's first kickboxer, Tadashi Sawamura.
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.
For other sprites and images, please see Hitmonlee images on Bulbagarden Archives.
