Munchlax
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Munchlax (ゴンベ Gonbe in Japanese, Mampfaxo in German and Goinfrex in French) is a fictional character from the Pokémon franchise. It was the first of the “preview” Pokémon to the fourth generation of games, cards and anime, having been released prior to the release of the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl versions for Nintendo DS.
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Name Origin
Munchlax is a portmanteau of munch and lax. Munch meaning large bite/chew noisily, lax meaning 'muscles relatively relaxed'. If not, lax could possibly originate from the word relax.
It's Japanese name, Gonbe, is thought to be a combination of the final sylable of Snorlax (Kabigon) and a "be" (pronounced "bay") possibly standing for baby (Kabigon baby).
Also, Gombei is a very old-fashioned Japanese given name for a man. A person whose name is not known (a John Doe) is Na-nashi no Gombei in Japanese. Many names ending in "be" (or "bei") were common in the Edo period and afterward. Examples include Jimbei, Kambei, and (without the rendaku) Jihei, and Mohei.
Also, Gonbé is the name of a place in Africa.
Characteristics
Munchlax behaves quite opposite of its evolution, Snorlax, as it is somewhat hyperactive. It does not mind walking and running from place to place as it looks for food. It is generally seen in urban city streets where it scrounges for food, even in trash cans. It is similar to Snorlax in this respect; it is almost always hungry.
Many have speculated that its design origins come from Baby P, the main protagonist of the movie Dawl.
In the video games
Unlike the other fourth-generation preview Pokémon, Munchlax has already been seen in several video games released in both sides of the Pacific. The first was in Pokémon Dash, as a racing opponent in normal GP. Next, in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, one particular Munchlax sometimes eats the Poké Snacks the player leaves to lure wild Pokémon. If it does this, the owner will give you more Poké Snacks as well as other items.
Munchlax is promised to be among the slew of new Pokémon to be found in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. As the baby form of Snorlax, it is expected to be obtained by breeding Snorlax, probably under special circumstances not seen in previous games. (To compare, the second-generation Pokémon Marill can be bred to create the third-generation Pokémon Azurill in the third generation of games, but only if the female Marill is holding an item found in these particular games.) Munchlax is expected to have high hit points among baby Pokémon, as well as knowledge of the move Rollout.
In the anime
Movie Appearances
Image:Munchlax in Destiny Deoxys.jpgMunchlax’s official debut, long before the release of Diamond and Pearl, was in the seventh Pokémon movie, Destiny Deoxys. In it, a lone Munchlax lives among the alleyways and meadows of LaRousse City and occupies itself by playing a kicking variation of basketball with bottles and trash cans. It steals the picnic food of Ash and his friends during the night before Deoxys attacks. Later, when the security system of the city goes haywire and everyone inside is swarmed by security cubes, Munchlax evolves into Snorlax to keep itself afloat. Its belly then serves as a physical stepping stone for Ash to climb up to the chief robot that controls the system in order to shut it down.
- The Munchlax May owns appears in the 8th movie Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew.
Television Appearances
Later on in the anime series, Ash and the gang find a wild Munchlax, which May captures, in "Berry, Berry Interesting." It is also the only Pokémon that wasn't affected by and actually liked May's Purple Surprise (which is why May persued to and succeeded in catching Munchlax). When May saw Munchlax busy and tried to catch it, it almost ate the Poké Ball. A second later, the Poké Ball activated from inside Munchlax's mouth and was caught. In the episode following it, May receives Professor Oak's special Snorlax pokéblock recipe. Now rechristened May's Pink Surprise, it will, when fed to Munchlax, makes it bloated and satiated. It doesn't often obey May. Once it comes out of its Poké Ball it always scrounges for food, even in the middle of a battle. Munchlax seems to pay homage to the behavioral issues of Misty's Psyduck, albeit with a higher level of intelligence.
In other properties
In the trading card game
Although Munchlax has not appeared yet in a localized card game expansion, it has appeared several times on Japanese promotional cards, including one appearance each in two promotional Japanese half-decks that have been released alongside the seventh and eighth Pokémon movies.