From Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia.

Poliwag (Japanese: ニョロモ Nyoromo) is a Water-type Pokémon introduced in Generation I.

It evolves into Poliwhirl starting at level 25, which evolves into Poliwrath when exposed to a Water Stone or into Politoed when traded holding a King's Rock.

Biology

Poliwag is a Pokémon resembling a blue, spherical tadpole. It has large eyes and pink lips that can also act as suction cups for rocks. Its skin is very thin, but flexible and difficult to puncture. There is a black and white swirl on its abdomen, which is actually its internal organs showing through its semitransparent skin. The swirl is clearer following a meal and will have a white tinge if the Pokémon is affected by disease. The direction of the belly spiral differs by area; the equator is thought to have an effect on it.

It has newly developed legs that are poor at walking and no arms. It has a long, thin tail surrounded by a light-blue, semitransparent fin. Its tail makes it a powerful swimmer. It loves to waddle on land despite the dangers. However, it will quickly return back into the water should it see danger. It cannot walk on land well unless trained everyday.

Because of its ineptitude on land, Poliwag is more likely to be found swimming in small freshwater ponds and lakes. In the anime, Poliwag feeds on salveyo weed, which can only be found on clear lake bottoms.

In the anime

In the main series

Major appearances

Misty caught a Poliwag in The Stun Spore Detour, which eventually evolved in The Totodile Duel into a Poliwhirl and then into a Politoed during Outrageous Fortunes.

Other

In Gonna Rule The School, the Pokémon Trainers' School lent a Poliwag to Max. He used it in a battle against Tommy, who was training with a Magby. It helped defeat Team Rocket later on.

In Like It Or Lup It!, a Poliwag was part of a group also consisting of a Wooper and a Quagsire, and led by a Golduck.

Minor appearances

Poliwag debuted in Primeape Goes Bananas.

A Poliwag appeared in a fantasy in the banned episode EP035.

A Poliwag appeared in A Chansey Operation.

A Poliwag appeared as an image in The Ultimate Test.

A Poliwag appeared in The Breeding Center Secret.

In Showdown at the Po-ké Corral, multiple Poliwag were living at Professor Oak's Laboratory.

In Pikachu's Vacation, a Poliwag was at the Pokémon Theme Park.

In Pallet Party Panic, a Poliwag was at a party in Pallet Town.

In Pikachu Re-Volts, Cassidy and Butch controlled a Poliwag at Mandarin Island North.

A Poliwag appeared in Marina's fantasy in Bye Bye Psyduck.

In The Joy of Pokémon, a Trainer's Poliwag was treated by the Nurse Joy of an unnamed island.

In The Power of One, multiple Poliwag sensed the disturbance caused by Lawrence III.

Multiple wild Poliwag appeared in Pikachu's Rescue Adventure.

In The Fire-ing Squad!, seven Poliwag competed in the Fire and Rescue Grand Prix.

A Poliwag appeared in a fantasy in The Totodile Duel.

In Carrying On!, a sick Poliwag was in Way Away Island's Pokémon Center.

In Got Miltank?, a Poliwag lived at a Pokémon-exclusive oasis.

In Octillery The Outcast and Dueling Heroes, a Trainer's Poliwag competed in the Whirl Cup.

Multiple Poliwag appeared in Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias.

In The Legend of Thunder!, a Poliwag was at a Pokémon Center.

In A Family That Battles Together Stays Together!, Flint revealed that the reason he had fallen in love with Lola was the precision of her Poliwag's Hydro Pump against his Graveler, now a Golem. It reappeared in a fantasy in Grating Spaces!.

A Poliwag appeared in The Scheme Team.

A Coordinator's Poliwag appeared in The Saffron Con.

A Poliwag appeared in On Olden Pond as a resident of an old lake.

A Coordinator's Poliwag appeared in Harley Rides Again.

In Curbing the Crimson Tide!, Hiroshi's Poliwag battled a disguised Scizor known as "Red Lightning". It was defeated and had markings scribbled on its face afterwards.

In Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, the Marina Group used a Poliwag for their Marina Underwater Pokémon Show.

In Once More With Reeling!, a Coordinator's Poliwag competed in the Terracotta Contest.

In Not on MY Watch Ya Don't!, a Poliwag was hypnotized and kidnapped by Team Rocket.

In Up Close and Personable!, a Poliwag was living at the lake near the Pokémon Summer Academy.

A Poliwag appeared in Jessie's fantasy in One Big Happiny Family!.

A Poliwag appeared in Bagged Then Tagged!.

In Coming Full-Festival Circle!, multiple Poliwag listened to Nando as he played his music.

A Poliwag briefly appeared in League Unleashed!, under the ownership of a girl.

A Poliwag appeared in The Dream Continues!.

In a flashback in Giving Chase at the Rhyhorn Race!, a Poliwag startled a young Serena, which resulted in her injuring her knee.

A Trainer's Poliwag appeared in Adventures in Running Errands!.

In The Legend of the Ninja Hero!, a Poliwag was living in the Ninja Village.

A Trainer's Poliwag appeared in A League of His Own!.

A Trainer's Poliwag appeared in Rocking Kalos Defenses!.

Two Poliwag appeared in Alola to New Adventure!, with one under the ownership of a Trainer and the other being wild.

A Poliwag appeared in The Guardian's Challenge!.

In Yo, Ho, Ho! Go, Popplio!, a Poliwag was walking along an island where Ash, his classmates, and Professor Kukui were taking a break from fishing.

A Trainer's Poliwag appeared in I Choose You!.

A Trainer's Poliwag appeared in Balloons, Brionne, and Belligerence!.

Two Poliwag appeared in Alola, Kanto!, with one under the ownership of a Trainer, while the other was in a lake.

Two Poliwag appeared in Dewpider Ascending!, with one appearing at the Pokémon School.

A Trainer's Poliwag appeared in Tough Guy Trials!.

A Trainer's Poliwag appeared in A Young Royal Flame Ignites!.

Multiple Trainers' Poliwag appeared in The Power of Us.

In I Choose Paradise!, a Poliwag was at the Pokémon Paradise Resort.

In Securing the Future!, two Poliwag joined the rest of Alola in showering Necrozma with light so it could return to its normal form.

A Poliwag appeared in Keeping Your Eyes on the Ball!.

A Poliwag appeared in Pikachu's Exciting Adventure!.

Two Trainers' Poliwag appeared in League Offenders and Defenders!.

A Trainer's Poliwag appeared in Z-Move Showdown!.

A Trainer's Poliwag appeared in Exhibition Unmasked!.

In From Z to Shining Z!, a Trainer's Poliwag watched the battle between Ash's Pikachu and Tapu Koko.

Multiple Poliwag appeared in a flashback in Enter Pikachu!, with one under the ownership of a Trainer and the rest being wild.

Five Poliwag appeared in Legend? Go! Friends? Go!.

In Dreams Are Made of These!, Goh caught a Poliwag during a Pokémon Orienteering competition. It has since made further appearances in Pokémon Journeys: The Series.

In Caring for a Mystery!, five Poliwag battled a wild Riolu after it attacked them.

A Trainer's Poliwag appeared in JN025.

A Trainer's Poliwag appeared in JN027.

Two Trainers' Poliwag appeared in JN033.

Pokédex entries

Episode Pokémon Source Entry EP110 Poliwag Ash's Pokédex Poliwag, the Tadpole Pokémon. It has no arms, but its tail makes it a strong swimmer.

Episode Subject Source Entry EP110 Salveyo weed Ash's Pokédex An effective Stun Spore antidote can be made by boiling the leaves of the Salveyo weed. Salveyo weed is found on clear lake bottoms wherever Vileplume live. Poliwag are also found in the vicinity of this plant.

In Pokémon Origins

Two Poliwag appeared in File 3: Giovanni.



In the manga

In the Ash & Pikachu manga

In Do Your Best Bulbasaur!!, a Poliwag was at Professor Oak's Laboratory.

In The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga

Misty is shown with a Poliwag in Clefairy Tale. It later evolved into a Poliwhirl.

In the Magical Pokémon Journey manga

A Poliwag appeared in How Do You Do, Pikachu?.

In the Pocket Monsters manga

Two Poliwag appeared in JNM08.

In the Pocket Monsters HGSS manga

A Poliwag appeared in PMHGSS01.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Main article: Poli Main article: Polibo

In Bulbasaur, Come Home!, a Poliwag escaped from Professor Oak's Laboratory.

In Danger: High Voltorb, a flashback showed Red's Poliwhirl, nicknamed Poli, as a Poliwag. He has since evolved into Poliwrath.

In Murkrow Row, Gold has a Poliwag, which was one of the many Pokémon raised in the house he lived in. He was lost when Team Rocket stole Gold's backpack and his Poké Ball was lost when it fell into the water. Gold eventually retrieved Poliwag at the Famous Fishing Zone from a wild Granbull that was stealing to draw attention so that it could get its jaw healed. He evolved into a Poliwhirl in Ampharos Amore, and then into a Politoed utilizing a trade with his held King's Rock.

In Slugging It Out With Slugma, a Poliwag was at Earl's Pokémon Academy in Violet City.

In Scizor Defends, multiple Poliwag were living at the Pokémon Village. One of them reappeared in Charizard Transforms.

A Poliwag appeared in Malamar Traps.

A Poliwag appeared in Chesnaught Protects.

A Poliwag appeared in a flashback in Yveltal Steals.

A Poliwag appeared in True Identity and the Totem Pokémon of Brooklet Hill.

In the Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys manga

A Trainer's Poliwag appeared in Let's Fight For The Future!!.

In the Pokémon Gotta Catch 'Em All manga

Shu caught a Poliwag in Catch the Poliwag!.

A Poliwag appeared in GDZ23.

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga

A Poliwag appeared in Demanding Tests at the Pokémon School!.

Ruby has a Poliwag, as seen in Something Happened!! Let's Go After Pikachu!!.

In the Pokémon Ruby-Sapphire manga

Ruby has a Poliwag at his house, as seen in Something Happened!! Let's Go After Pikachu!!.

In the TCG

In the TFG

One Poliwag figure has been released.

Game data

NPC appearances

Pokémon Pinball: A Poliwag appears on the Blue Table, and earns the player points when it is hit.

Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon: A Poliwag, along with three Poliwrath, appear as the boss of Poliwrath River.

Pokédex entries

Game locations

In side games

In events

Held items

Stats

Base stats

Pokéathlon stats

Type effectiveness

Learnset

Generation VIII Other generations: II - III - IV - V - VI - VII Game Move Type Cat. Pwr. Acc. PP This Pokémon learns no moves by tutoring. Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Poliwag

indicates a move that gets when used by Poliwag Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution of Poliwag

indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution of Poliwag Click on the generation numbers at the top to see Move Tutor moves from other generations

Side game data

Evolution

Sprites

Trivia

Poliwag is Satoshi Tajiri's favorite Pokémon.

In its FireRed Pokédex entry, it is stated Poliwag has black skin. The Ruby and Sapphire Pokédex entry for Poliwhirl states that Poliwhirl's skin is covered in oily fluid—if the same applies to Poliwag, it might be a case similar to the common bilberry: the berry itself is black but covered in a wax-like coating that makes it look blue.

In The Official Pokémon Handbook, published by Scholastic, the back cover says "Did you know that the swirls on Poliwhirl's stomach changes direction when it evolves into Poliwag?" However, Poliwhirl evolves from , not into, Poliwag.

, not into, Poliwag. Generation V changed Poliwag's base Experience yield from 77 to 60, making it the only Pokémon whose base Experience yield is the same as its National Dex number.

Poliwag shares its species name with Poliwhirl, Poliwrath, and Tympole. They are all known as the Tadpole Pokémon.

Prior to Generation VI, Poliwag and Ditto had the same cry.

A prototype design of Poliwag was shown on Game Freak's official Japanese website in 1997.

Origin

Poliwag is based on a tadpole. The spiral pattern on its belly is supposed to represent how the intestines of tadpoles are sometimes seen through their transparent skin.[1]

Name origin

Poliwag is a corruption of polliwog (outdated term for tadpole). Wag may refer to its long tail, although it is worth noting that polliwog literally means "head-wiggle."

Nyoromo may be a combination of ニョロニョロ nyoronyoro (the sound of slithering) and 子供 kodomo (child).

In other languages

This section is incomplete.

Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.

Reason: needs Icelandic meaning.

Language Title Meaning Japanese ニョロモ Nyoromo From ニョロニョロ nyoronyoro and 子供 kodomo French Ptitard From petit and têtard Spanish Poliwag Same as English name German Quapsel From Kaulquappe Italian Poliwag Same as English name Korean 발챙이 Balchengi From 발 bal and 올챙이 olchaeng'i Cantonese Chinese 蚊香蝌蚪 Mānhēungfōdáu From 蚊香 and 蝌蚪 Mandarin Chinese 蚊香蝌蚪 Wénxiāngkēdǒu From 蚊香 and 蝌蚪 More languages Hindi पॉलीवॅग Poliwag Transcription of English name Icelandic Fjölli * Lithuanian Polivagas From English name Russian Поливаг Polivag Transcription of English name Thai เนียวโรโมะ Nyoromo Transcription of Japanese name





Related articles

Notes



