Manga move errors

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In the Pokémon manga, a situation will sometimes occur in which a Pokémon knows a move it cannot learn legally in any of the games. It is unknown whether these are actual mistakes, a writing policy of not having to stick to the games too closely, or merely the Pokémon using an attribute that shares the name of a move in the games.

Occasionally, in-game event Pokémon that can be transferred onto the main series games have a move that is not normally included in that Pokémon's moveset (a prime example being Pokémon Box Ruby & Sapphire, which gave away four separate Pokémon with moves that were not normally available to that specific Pokémon).

List of manga Pokémon with moves that they cannot learn in the games

Former errors

Ash & Pikachu

Artwork Name Move First use Notes Picture
341Corphish.png Ash's Corphish Water Gun A 'Thank You' That Transcends Time Ash's Corphish used Water Gun. However, Corphish was unable to learn Water Gun until Generation VIII. Ash Corphish Brock Marshtomp Water Gun AP.png

Pokémon Adventures

Artwork Name Move First use Notes Picture
006Charizard.png Blue's Charizard Fly Kalling Kadabra Blue's Charizard used Fly. However, Charizard was unable to learn Fly until Pokémon Yellow. Blue Charizard Fly.png
064Kadabra.png Sabrina's Kadabra Hypnosis Kalling Kadabra Sabrina's Kadabra used Hypnosis. However, Kadabra was unable to learn Hypnosis until Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Sabrina Kadabra Hypnosis Adventures.png
144Articuno.png Articuno from Thu-Fi-Zer Gust The Winged Legends Articuno from Thu-Fi-Zer used Gust. However, Articuno was unable to learn Gust until Generation II. Thu-Fi-Zer Gust.png
146Moltres.png Moltres from Thu-Fi-Zer Gust The Winged Legends Moltres from Thu-Fi-Zer used Gust. However, Moltres was unable to learn Gust until Generation VIII. Thu-Fi-Zer Gust.png
024Arbok.png Agatha's Arbok Bind Weezing Winks Out Agatha's Arbok used Bind. However, Arbok was unable to learn Bind until Generation V. Agatha Arbok Bind.png
260Swampert.png Ruby's Mumu Hydro Cannon The Final Battle VIII Ruby's Mumu used Hydro Cannon. However, Swampert was unable to learn Hydro Cannon until Generation IV. Mumu Silver Feraligatr Hydro Cannon.png
257Blaziken.png Sapphire's Chic Blast Burn The Final Battle VIII Sapphire's Chic used Blast Burn. However, Blaziken was unable to learn Blast Burn until Generation IV. Exbo Chic Blast Burn.png
254Sceptile.png Emerald's Sceptile Frenzy Plant The Final Battle VIII Emerald's Sceptile used Frenzy Plant. However, Sceptile was unable to learn Frenzy Plant until Generation IV. Megaree Emerald Sceptile Frenzy Plant.png
395Empoleon.png Platinum's Empoleon Vacuum Wave Floatzel and Jetsam Platinum's Empoleon used Vacuum Wave. However, Empoleon was unable to learn Vacuum Wave until Generation IX. Platinum Empoleon Vacuum Wave.png
646Kyurem.png Zinzolin's Kyurem Sheer Cold The Final Battle: Crushed Ambition Zinzolin's Kyurem used Sheer Cold. However, Kyurem was unable to learn Sheer Cold until Generation VIII. Kyurem Sheer Cold Adventures.png
701Hawlucha.png Essentia's Hawlucha Brave Bird Hawlucha Attacks Essentia's Hawlucha used Brave Bird. However, Hawlucha was unable to learn Brave Bird until Generation VIII. Essentia Hawlucha Brave Bird.png
702Dedenne.png Bonnie's Dedenne Electric Terrain Xerneas Gives Bonnie's Dedenne used Electric Terrain. However, Dedenne was unable to learn Electric Terrain until Generation VIII. Bonnie Dedenne Alexa Heli Electric Terrain Adventures.png
742Cutiefly.png Lillie's Cutiefly Pollen Puff Regeneration!! The Power of the Sun and the Moon! Lillie's Cutiefly used Pollen Puff. However, Cutiefly was unable to learn Pollen Puff until Generation IX. Lillie Cutiefly Pollen Puff Adventures.png
Mentioned only
Artwork Name Move First use Notes
576Gothitelle.png A Team Plasma Grunt's Gothitelle Hypnosis At Liberty on Liberty Garden A Team Plasma Grunt's Gothitelle was revealed to know Hypnosis, but the move was executed off-panel. However, Gothitelle was unable to learn Hypnosis until Generation VIII.
661Fletchling.png Y's Fletchy Ember Fast-Thinking Froakie Y told her Fletchy to use Ember, but the move was never seen being executed. However, Fletchling is unable to learn Ember before Generation VIII.

Pokémon Pocket Monsters

Sprite Name Move First use Notes Picture
035Clefairy.png Red's Clefairy Tackle Pikachu Was Kidnapped!! Red's Clefairy uses Tackle. However, Clefairy was unable to learn Tackle until Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Red Clefairy Tackle PMRS.png
173Cleffa.png Cleffa Tackle Clefairy Becomes a Father…?! A Cleffa uses Tackle in this chapter. However, Cleffa was unable to learn Tackle until Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Cleffa Tackle PM.png

Pokémon Zensho

Sprite Name Move First use Notes Picture
059Arcanine.png Blaine's Arcanine Fire Spin Cinnabar Island Blaine's Arcanine uses Fire Spin in the chapter. However, Arcanine was unable to learn Fire Spin until Generation II. Blaine Arcanine Fire Spin Zensho.png

Unresolved Errors

Ash & Pikachu

Artwork Name Move First use Picture
025Pikachu.png Ash's Pikachu Tackle One Half Of A Poké Ball Ash Pikachu Tackle AP.png
277Swellow.png Ash's Swellow Tackle Battle Till The End! Drake, One Of The Elite Four!l Ash Swellow Tackle AP.png
144Articuno.png Noland's Articuno Tackle Off To The Battle Frontier! Noland Articuno Tackle AP.png

Pokémon Adventures

Artwork Name Move First use Picture
0124Jynx.png Ken's Jynx Psybeam The Jynx Jinx Ken Jynx Psybeam.png
145Zapdos.png Zapdos from Thu-Fi-Zer Gust The Winged Legends Thu-Fi-Zer Gust.png
068Machamp.png Blue's Machamp Slam A Charizard... and a Champion Blue Machamp Slam.png
177Natu.png Crystal's Natee Fly A Flaaffy Kerfuffle Natee Fly.png
261Poochyena.png Ruby's Nana Hyper Beam The Beginning of the End with Kyogre & Groudon XIV Nana Poochyena Hyper Beam.png
448Lucario.png Riley's Lucario Bonemerang Deprogramming Porygon-Z Riley Lucario Bonemerang Adventures.png
489Phione.png Phione Heart Swap Different Dimension Battle XI Phione Heart Swap Adventures.png
042Golbat.png Petrel's Golbat Lick All About Arceus V Petrel Golbat Lick Adventures.png
517Munna.png Black's Musha Teleport School of Hard Knocks Musha Munna Teleport.png
447Riolu.png Korrina's Riolu Bone Rush Connecting with Gardevoir Korrina Riolu Bone Rush Adventures.png
725Litten.png Sun's Dollar Tackle The Announcement and the Prize Dollar Tackle.png
810Grookey.png Henry's Twiggy Leafage Crackle!! Practice Battle Henry Grookey Leafage Adventures.png
264Linoone-Galar.png A Team Yell Grunt's Galarian Linoone Sucker Punch Zap!! A Rising Beam of Light Team Yell Linoone Sucker Punch Adventures.png
Mentioned only
Artwork Name Move First use Notes
106Hitmonlee.png Bruno's Hitmonlee Shadow Ball Yellow arc Bruno's Hitmonlee was revealed to know Shadow Ball on the official web site. However, Hitmonlee is unable to learn the move.
728Popplio.png Hau's Popplio Bubble The Delivery of Rotom and the Girl Professor Kukui mentioned that his Popplio, which he later gave to Hau, used Bubble. However, Popplio is unable to learn the move.

Pokémon Colosseum Snatchers

Artwork Name Move First use Picture
293Whismur.png Folly and Trudly's Whismur Tackle PCS1 Whismur Tackle PCS.png

Pokémon Pocket Monsters

Artwork Name Move First use Picture
035Clefairy.png Red's Clefairy Barrier The Big Battle In The Viridian Forest!! Red Clefairy Barrier PM.png
035Clefairy.png Red's Clefairy Transform Take Out The Rival Onix!! Red Clefairy Transform PM.png
068Machamp.png Green's Machamp Comet Punch The Pokémon Banana League (Part 2) Green Machamp Comet Punch PM.png
035Clefairy.png Red's Clefairy Hypnosis Great Discovery of the Fossil of the Era!! Red Clefairy Hypnosis PMDP.png

Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys

Artwork Name Move First use Picture
016Pidgey.png Gold's Pidgey Peck The Legendary Pokémon Appears! Gold Pidgey Peck Golden Boys.png
153Bayleef.png Gold's Bayleef Stomp Extreme Power!! The Friday Pokémon Gold Bayleef Stomp Golden Boys.png

Pokémon Zensho

Sprite Name Move First use Picture
004Charmander.png Satoshi's Charmander Tackle Prologue: Pallet Town Satoshi Charmander Tackle Zensho.png

How I Became a Pokémon Card

Pokémon in How I Became a Pokémon Card will often use moves that they cannot learn in the games. However, this is because this series is based on the Pokémon Trading Card Game, so the "illegal" moves Pokémon use in this series are moves from their TCG cards.

See also

Move errors in various Pokémon canons
Animated seriesMangaGameTCG


Project Manga logo.png This article is part of Project Manga, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each series of Pokémon manga.