Torchic

From Free net encyclopedia

Template:Pokeinfobox

Torchic (known as Template:Nihongo in Japanese) is one of the Template:Pokenum fictional species of Pokémon creatures from the multi-billion-dollar<ref>“Pokemon Franchise Approaches 150 Million Games Sold" PR Newswire. URL accessed on March 27, 2006.</ref> Pokémon media franchise – a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. Torchic is most famous for being one of the three Pokémon players can choose from at the beginning of their adventure in the Pokémon Ruby & Pokémon Sapphire and Pokémon Emerald versions of the Pokémon series. Its main purpose in the games, as with all other Pokémon, is to battle both "wild" Pokémon, which are untamed creatures encountered while the player passes through various environments, and "tamed" Pokémon that are owned by Pokémon trainers.

In all three games, Torchic appears as a small, clumsy chicken, with yellowish feathers and an orange body. It is often seen hopping randomly behind its trainer, the term given to any character in the Pokémon world who collects and battles Pokémon. Although its appearance gives an innocent and harmless impression, it has the ability to spit scorching flames at enemies from deep within the pit of its stomach.<ref name="dex">The in-game Pokédexes of the games (A copy of them from psypokes.com) URL accessed on April 12 2006.</ref>

Contents 1 Characteristics 2 In the Pokémon video games 3 In the Pokémon anime 4 In the Pokémon manga 5 In the Pokémon Trading Card Game 6 In other media 7 References 8 External links

Characteristics

As a species, Torchic are covered with a fluffy coat of down.<ref name="dex" /> Their small wings are useless for flying; but, as a Torchic evolves into its later forms (Combusken and Blaziken), claws slowly protrude from its wingtips, making it a vicious fighter. Torchic dislike darkness because it prevents them from seeing their surroundings (regardless of proficiency with fire techniques) <ref name="dex" />. Before its legs fully develop, a Torchic stays with its Pokémon trainer, following behind with unsteady, hopping steps as it learns to walk properly. Torchic have a sac filled with churning fire deep within their stomach, allowing them to give literal "warm hugs" to their trainers. This powerful fire also serves as a Torchic's ammunition in battles; when attacked, it retalliates by spitting fireballs (at temperatures of over 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit), often leaving the foe scorched black.<ref name="dex" />

In the Pokémon video games

One of the things consistent among most of the Pokémon games—spanning from Pokémon Red and Blue on the Nintendo Game Boy to the un-released Nintendo DS game, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl—is the choice of three different Pokémon at the start of the player's adventures; these three are often labelled "Starter Pokémon". Players can choose a Water-type, a Fire-type, or a Grass-type Pokémon indigenous to the region; an exception to this rule is Pokémon Yellow (a remake of the original games that follows the story of the Pokémon anime), where players are given a Pikachu—an Electric-type mouse famous for being the mascot of the Pokémon media franchise.<ref>Pokémon Yellow Critical Review Ign.com. URL accessed on March 27, 2006.</ref>

Torchic is the Fire-type choice in Pokémon Ruby, Pokémon Sapphire and Pokémon Emerald for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance. Choosing it as the player's starting Pokémon is considered more difficult than choosing the Grass-type (Treecko) or the Water-type (Mudkip), primarily because the first Hoenn Gym-leader, Roxanne, uses Rock-type Pokémon—such as Geodude—that have a natural resistance against Fire attacks.<ref>Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Starter Pokémon Evaluation (see "Starting Pokémon") Db.gamegaqs.com. URL accessed on April 12 2006.</ref>

Image:Torchic GBA.jpg

However, Torchic is the only Fire-type Pokémon available between Littleroot Town (where one can be obtained from Professor Birch) and Fiery Path (a mountainous region around a violent, active volcano). Grass-type Pokémon (such as Oddish, Sunkern and Shroomish) are very popular early in the game in all incarnations of the series and Torchic has a definitive type advantage against them.<ref name="grass">Pokémon Ruby and 'Sapphire Type-Effectiveness Chart Acheivebalance.com. URL accessed on April 12 2006.</ref> Torchic evolves into its Stage-1 form, Combusken, at level 16, and evolves into its Stage-2 form, Blaziken, at Level 36.<ref>Pojo Advance Pokédex Entry for Torchic Pojo.com. URL accessed on April 12 2006.</ref>

Although Torchic is described as sharing many qualities with a chicken, including weak wings, it was never grouped as a Flying-type Pokémon, making learnable Flying-type moves such as Peck and Mirror Move not particularly powerful compared to its Fire-type ones. Because of this, Torchic is often mistaken as a Flying-type, <ref>Incorrect Torchic Pokéx Entry Pokédream.con. URL accessed on April 12 2006.</ref> a similar problems that surrounds its Stage-1 evolution, Combusken.<ref>Incorrect Combusken Pokédex Entry Pokédream.con. URL accessed on April 12 2006.</ref> A possible reason for Torchic not being a dual Fire/Flying-type is that it evolves into Combusken, a dual Fire/Fighting-type.<ref name="grass" /> Further evidence for this is that Flying-types have a natural advantage over Fighting-types, making it super-effective against its own evolutionary chain.

Torchic has made cameo appearances in the Nintendo Game Boy Advance game, Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire (a sequel of the Nintendo Game Boy Color original, Pokémon Pinball); it also starred in the unpopular Nintendo GameCube game, Pokémon Channel, as well as Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. Torchic is also set to appear in the un-released, Pokémon Ranger, a Nintendo DS exclusive.<ref>List of Obtainable Pokémon in Pokémon Ranger Serebii.net. URL accessed on March 21 2006.</ref> Torchic also features in Pokémon Mysterious Dungeon and Pokémon Trozei.

In the Pokémon anime

Image:Torchic.png

The Pokémon anime series and films are a meta-series of adventures seperate from those in most of the Pokémon video games (with the exception of Pokémon Yellow, a game based on the anime storyline). The anime follows the quest of the main character, Ash Ketchum—an in-training Pokémon Master—as he and May (as well as several other companions) travel around the fictitious world of Pokémon along with their Pokémon partners, Pikachu and Torchic.

In the anime, May—Ash's female companion from the Hoenn region onward—chose Torchic as her starter Pokémon because she considered it to be cute (paralleling the Pokémon Adventures storyline of Sapphire and Chaka). May's young Torchic was very playful and fun; but, because of its aethstetic appeal, May frequently avoided using it in her Pokémon Contests, preferring to use Skitty, Bulbasaur, or Squirtle because of their superior strength. When Torchic communicates with other characters in the Pokémon anime—the only instance of a Torchic actually speaking—it calls out in its own unique language, which is comprised of the syllables "Tor" and "Chic".

Torchic first appeared in "Episode 277: Get The Show On The Road!", which also featured the anime debuts of Professor Birch and May.<ref name="show">Synopsis of Pokémon Anime; Episode 277. Get The Show On The Road! Serebii.net. URL accessed on March 21 2006.</ref> In "Episode 355: A Shroomish Skirmish", May's Torchic evolved into a Combusken in order to defend Ash's Corphish against an angry mob of newly-evolved Breloom.<ref>Synopsis of Pokémon Anime; Episode 358. A Shroomish Skirmish! Serebii.net. URL accessed on March 21 2006.</ref>

Another Torchic—being looked after by Nurse Joy of Slateport City—appeared in "Episode 310: Having A Wailord of a Time".<ref name="wailord">Synopsis of Pokémon Anime; Episode 310. Having A Wailord of a Time! Serebii.net. URL accessed on March 21 2006.</ref> When Nurse Joy had to leave the Pokémon Center, Ash's Pokémon couldn't control the aggressive Torchic, causing it to evolve into a Combusken; once Nurse Joy returned, however, the Combusken stopped Team Rocket's attempts to steal a Wailord and chose to stay with her and guard the Pokémon Center.

In the Pokémon manga

Sapphire, a female protagonist of Pokémon Adventures (a manga series based on the Advanced Generation games), has a Torchic named Chaka that she received from her father, Professor Birch. Chaka evolved into a Combusken during Sapphire's battle with Brawly, the Dewford Town Gym Leader, and then evolved again into a Blaziken while training for a battle with Winona, the Fortree City Gym Leader. Chaka was first used in battle (in "Chapter 183: VS. Torchic") against Ruby, Sapphire's rival.<ref>Synopsis of Pokémon Adventures Manga; Chapter 183. VS. Torchic Serebii.net. URL accessed on March 21 2006.</ref>

Torchic—being the basic evolution of Blaziken, one of the most over-used Pokémon—has appeared in starring roles in several other manga series. The main character of Pokémon Chamo-Chamo ☆ Pretty ♪ (a Magical Pokémon Journey spin-off) is an adamant female Torchic who has just moved to a new town with her trainer Haruka; this Torchic interacts with a number of other main characters—including Pikachu and Clefairy—as well as both a Poochyena and a Mightyena, brothers whom Torchic has problems dealing with (because of her hatred for Poochyena and her love for his old brother, Mightyena).

A third Torchic is the starter Pokémon of Brendan (the male character and rival in the Advanced Generation games) in the Pokémon spoof web-comic, Pebble Version.<ref>Unofficial Web Comic: Pebble Version Pebbleversion.com. URL accessed on March 18 2006.</ref> This feisty Torchic has a reputation for the running gag of using Ember—a weak Fire-type attack—on Brendan and other characters, including Professor Birch.<ref>Pebble Version Episode 24. Pebbleversion.com. URL accessed on March 18 2006.</ref>, and, like those in the anime, has evolved into a Combusken.

In the Pokémon Trading Card Game

Image:Rubysapphire torchic.JPG

The Pokémon Trading Card Game is a collectible card game similar in goal to a Pokémon battle in the video game series; players must use cards (with individual strengths and weaknesses) in an attempt to defeat their opponent by "knocking out" all of his cards. The game was first published in North America by Wizards of the Coast in 1999.

Most Torchic cards are typical, Basic Pokémon cards, and are primarily used to play stronger cards (such as Stage-1 Pokémon, like Raichu, or Stage-2 Pokémon, like Charizard). Some Torchic cards are identical in attack and defense to other Basic Fire-type Pokémon, such as Charmander or Cyndaquil. Torchic—like Treecko and Mudkip—has a number of appearances in the Pokémon Trading Card Game, appearing in EX Ruby and Sapphire (twice), EX Dragon, EX Emerald and EX Team Rocket Returns (as Torchic Star), every time as a Basic Fire-type.<ref>List of Torchic Appearances in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Psypokes.com. URL accessed on April 12 2006.</ref>

One rule when playing with the Star cards—including Torchic Star from the EX Team Rocket Returns set—is that Pokémon with significant terms in their titles (often used to denote Pokémon that are all part of one set) can only evolve into Pokémon that also share this term. Though there is no mention on how to evolve Star Pokémon, if the rule for other suffixes is followed, Torchic Star could only be replaced by a Combusken with Star in its title—a card which, at this point, does not exist.<ref>Pokémon Trading Card Game Rulebook on Illegal Evolutions Pokémon-tcg.com. URL accessed on April 13 2006.</ref> This makes Star cards somewhat impractical, since they cannot be upgraded from their Basic stage state; they are primarily savoured for their rarity instead.<ref>Trading Card information of Torchic Star Shuffleandcut.com URL accessed on March 27 2006.</ref>

In other media

Torchic has both been featured widely in Nintendo's marketing campaigns for various Pokémon video games as well as being one of the leading choices for Pokémon memorabilia. The drawings and sprite design of Torchic were created by Ken Sugimori's team for a 2003 release on the Nintendo Game Boy Advance.<ref>Pokémon Sapphire information Amazon.com. URL accessed on March 27, 2006.</ref> Like major Fire-types before it, such as Charmander,<ref>Charmander Overview and Merchandise List Thejapser.com. URL accessed on April 13 2006.</ref> Torchic's popularity is partially due to its aethstetic appeal.<ref name="dex" /> Torchic has also been promoted in this way in the Pokémon anime, where characters have shown a liking towards it because of its attractiveness.<ref name="wailord" /><ref name="show" />

Torchic's design has been used at times for various products, most of them coinciding with the releases of Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire.<ref>Torchic Product List Pokémoncenter.com. URL accessed on March 28 2006.</ref> A Torchic action figure was released by Hasbro as part of the Pokémon Advanced range;<ref>Hasbro Torchic Action Figure Hasbro.com. URL accessed on March 27 2006.</ref> the toy was packaged with a similar model—based on Sharpedo—and a collectable card detailing Torchic's evolutionary process.

Torchic was first released as a plush toy in the "Pokémon Advanced Mini Plush" series, along with similar products based on other Pokémon (including Plusle, Mudkip, and Minun).<ref>Hasbro Pokémon Advanced Mini Plush: Torchic Hasbro.com. URL accessed on March 27 2006.</ref> It was later re-released—in a larger, fluffier, and more solid form—as part of the "Pokémon Advanced Deluxe Plush" set, which saw a much more varied choice of designs compared to the original (including similar plush toys based on Metagross, Blastoise, Vigoroth, and Pikachu, among others).<ref>"Pokémon Advanced Deluxe Plush: Torchic", Hasbro.com. URL accessed on March 27 2006.</ref>

References

External links

General websites

• Pokémon.com
• Bulbapedia entry on Torchic species
  • Starter Pokémon Guide
  • Pokémon anime Combusken Guide
  • Pokémon Chamo Chamo Pretty Haruka Guide
  • Pokémon Chamo Chamo Pretty Clefairy Guide
• Serebii - Torchic Pokédex Entry
• PsyPoke - Torchic Pokédex and Usage Overview
  • Torchic sprite and artwork by Ken Sugimori
• Smogon - Torchic Tactical Data

Mercandise designs

• 1" Torchic Action Figure
• 10" Head Swaying Torchic Plush Toy
• Double Christmas Plush Set
• Treecko, Mudkip and Torchic Pillow Set
• Pokémon Mega Blocks: Build 'n' Battle Torchic

de:Flemmli sp:Torchic fr:Poussifeu it:Torchic ja:ポケモン一覧 pl:Torchic pt:Torchic