From Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia.

Arceus (Japanese: アルセウス Arceus) is a Normal-type Mythical Pokémon introduced in Generation IV.

While it is not known to evolve into or from any other Pokémon, Arceus will change type when it is holding a Plate or type-specific Z-Crystal.

Like Darkrai and Shaymin before it, Arceus was not officially recognized by Nintendo until February 14, 2009, the year of its debut movie. It was officially revealed to international audiences on August 3, 2009.

Arceus is known as "The Original One", as it is said that it created Sinnoh and Ransei, and possibly the entire Pokémon universe, along with the lake guardians and creation trio.

It is the trio master of both the lake guardians and the creation trio.

Biology

Arceus is a white equine resembling a qilin or centaur with a gray, vertically-striated underside. The striated pattern has similar recurrences on the underside of its mane, tail, and face. Its four pointed feet are tipped with gold hooves. Its long mane juts away from its head, and its face is gray, with green eyes and red pupils, and a green circular pattern below its eyes. Arceus also has a streak of gold coloration on its head, and ears that point upward. Its neck is fairly long, with two pairs of extrusions to the sides, and a flap-like feature on the neck's underside that is colored white like much of the body. Arceus also has a golden cross-like wheel attached to its body by its round abdomen, which changes color along with its eyes and hooves based on its current type, which depends on the plate or type-specific Z-Crystal that it wields. The wheel also has four jewels attached to it. The pattern of striated gray of Arceus's underbelly resumes past Arceus's waist. Its limbs have gray undersides and extrusions at the tops of the legs. Arceus's tail is fairly like its mane in terms of shape and coloration. According to legend, it shaped the Pokémon universe using its 1000 arms.

Arceus is thought to have created the Sinnoh region and possibly the entire Pokémon world, the lake guardians Uxie, Azelf, and Mesprit; and the creation trio Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina. Because of this, Arceus is thought to be one of the most long-lived of all Pokémon species. It has the power to recreate the creation trio as well, presumably to guard the dimensions when a Trainer has caught one of them. According to the anime, its power can also bring back things that it once destroyed, make certain things vanish into thin air, or to halt time.

Arceus is shown to care for and safeguard the planet in ancient times and protected it from cataclysms such as meteors, and it would show gratitude and compassion in return to those who treated it with equal kindness. Arceus does not suffer fools gladly, and it will attack in a violent rampage if betrayed or deceived. It also holds long grudges if betrayed by those it considered friends. In Arceus and the Jewel of Life, it is said to "feed" off the energy of the elemental plates. It is the only known Pokémon that can learn Judgment.

In the anime

Major appearances

Arceus debuted in Arceus and the Jewel of Life. It was angry at the people of Michina Town for Damos's unwitting betrayal of it in ancient times, and so it attempted to destroy the land. When Ash, his friends, and Sheena were teleported by Dialga to ancient times, they directly influenced the event, changing the future for the better so that Arceus will stop its destruction.

Other

Arceus appeared in Hoopa and the Clash of Ages. Following the devastating incident at Dahara City, Ash, his friends, Baraz, Meray, and Hoopa saw it floating in the sky before it soared away.

Minor appearances

Fire type Arceus in the anime

Ghost type Arceus in the anime

In the manga

In the movie adaptations

Arceus appears as a central character in the Arceus and the Jewel of Life manga adaptation, reprising its role from the movie. After Arceus saved the world from a meteor, Damos took care of it. It gave Damos the Jewel of Life to make the land of Michina Town rich and fertile. Damos then "betrayed" Arceus, and it has been outraged ever since.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

In the HeartGold & SoulSilver chapter, Arceus appears as one of the main antagonists, where it plans on destroying humanity due to its mistrust of humans. It was the target of Team Rocket's plans to create Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina. It first appeared in With a Little Help From Hitmonchan.



In the TCG

Arceus appears in the TCG in all types but Dragon and Fairy, and a player can have as many Arceus cards in their deck as they like, unlike all other cards in the game (besides Basic Energy cards). Cards based on Arceus first appeared in the Arceus expansion set.

Other appearances

Arceus appears as a Poké Ball summon in game. It uses Gravity to produce a shockwave that brings opponents downwards.

Trophy information

A Pokémon said to have hatched from an egg that appeared from nothing. Newly hatched, it created the world and the sky. Its Gravity attack will bring any fighter in midair crashing down to earth. No ground below you? Looks like you're going to go plummeting off the stage as if you'd been hit by a Meteor Smash!

Arceus appears as a Pokémon summoned from the Poké Ball, retaining its behavior from the previous game. It also appears as a Spirit.

Game data

NPC appearance

Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon: Arceus appears when Dark Matter begins trying to take the Tree of Life to the sun, leading the other Pokémon in attempting to stop its ascent. He is able to telepathically reach the player thanks to Mewtwo and transports them to the Tree of Life's roots to confront Dark Matter. When Dark Matter regenerates itself and sends out a massive shockwave, Arceus and the other legendary Pokémon gathered to stop the Tree of Life are immediately turned to stone. After Dark Matter is defeated, Arceus will remain at the top of Destiny Tower.

Pokédex entries

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation IV. Generation IV Sinnoh

#— Johto

#— Diamond It is described in mythology as the Pokémon that shaped the universe with its 1,000 arms. Pearl It is told in mythology that this Pokémon was born before the universe even existed. Platinum It is said to have emerged from an egg in a place where there was nothing, then shaped the world. HeartGold According to the legends of Sinnoh, this Pokémon emerged from an egg and shaped all there is in this world. SoulSilver Generation V Unova

#— Black It is said to have emerged from an egg in a place where there was nothing, then shaped the world. White Black 2 It is said to have emerged from an egg in a place where there was nothing, then shaped the world. White 2 Generation VI Kalos

#— Hoenn

#— X According to the legends of Sinnoh, this Pokémon emerged from an egg and shaped all there is in this world. Y It is told in mythology that this Pokémon was born before the universe even existed. Omega Ruby According to the legends of Sinnoh, this Pokémon emerged from an egg and shaped all there is in this world. Alpha Sapphire It is told in mythology that this Pokémon was born before the universe even existed. Generation VII Alola

#— Kanto

#— This Pokémon has no Pokédex entries in Generation VII. Generation VIII Galar

#— This Pokémon has no Pokédex entries in Generation VIII.

Game locations

Arceus was originally intended to appear in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum in the Hall of Origin when summoned using an event item called the Azure Flute. However, the Azure Flute was never distributed, although the text seen when receiving the 20th Anniversary Arceus states that Arceus could first be obtained in Diamond and Pearl in the Hall of Origin.

In side games

Arceus and the hero of Pokémon Conquest

Arceus and the heroine of Pokémon Conquest

A statue of Arceus can be found in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky at Destiny Tower.

In events

Pokémon Global Link promotions

Held items

Stats

Base stats

Pokéathlon stats

No Plate equipped

With a Plate equipped

With Fist Plate

With Sky Plate

With Toxic Plate

With Earth Plate

With Stone Plate

With Insect Plate

With Spooky Plate

With Iron Plate

With Flame Plate

With Splash Plate

With Meadow Plate

With Zap Plate

With Mind Plate

With Icicle Plate

With Draco Plate

With Dread Plate

Type effectiveness

For the type effectiveness when Arceus is holding a Plate, see type chart. In Generation IV, if Arceus was hacked to be ???-type, this Pokémon is damaged normally by moves of all types.

Learnset

Generation VIII Other generations: IV - V - VI - VII This Pokémon is unavailable within Generation VIII.

Click on the generation numbers above to see Arceus's learnsets from other generations.





Side game data

Evolution

Forms

Sprites

Trivia

???-type Arceus

Origin

Arceus appears to be particularly based on a creator deity, present in many world cultures. Arceus's stance and general form are similar to Egyptian bull and calf idols, particularly Apis. Based on its appearance and attack movements in the 3D games, Arceus may be modeled after a horse or qilin. The arc on its back may be inspired by the Dharmachakra, or the Bhavacakra, used to represent a concept similar to the reincarnation in Hinduism.

The conception of the first god might be influenced by the Shinto gods Kuninotokotachi and Amenominakanushi, who summoned Izanami and Izanagi to create Japan with the spear. It may also be a reference to the qilin, a Chinese mythical creature. Its myth is nearly identical to the world egg, found in creation myths of many cultures and civilizations. Arceus may also represent or be inspired by the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, who, in Buddhism, is either pictured with eleven heads and one thousand arms (the latter of which is mentioned in Arceus's Pokédex entry) or in a white, four-armed manifestation (which could look similar to Normal-type Arceus).

Name origin

Arceus may be a combination of arch- (most extreme, highest), archon (a Greek word that means "ruler" or "lord"), arcanus (Latin for secret, mystery), archaic (ancient), αρχή arkhē (Greek for beginning), or archetypus (Latin for original), and deus (Latin for god). It may also derive from aureus (golden, in reference to its hooves and wheel), arc (round or ring), arcessere (Latin for to summon), or Archeus (an aspect of the astral plane). It may also be a reference to Arcesius, the king of Ithaca mentioned in the Odyssey that was a son of Zeus.

In other languages

Language Title Meaning Japanese アルセウス Arceus From a combination of arch, archon, arcanus (Latin for secret/sacred mystery), archaic (ancient), αρχή arkhē (Greek for beginning), or archetypus (Latin for original), and deus (Latin for god). May also derive from aureus (golden), arc (round or ring), or Archeus (an aspect of the astral plane). French Arceus Same as Japanese name Spanish Arceus Same as Japanese name German Arceus Same as Japanese name Italian Arceus Same as Japanese name Korean 아르세우스 Arceus Transliteration of Japanese name Cantonese Chinese 阿爾宙斯 Ayíhjauhsī Mandarin-based transliteration of its Japanese name. Also a portmanteau of 阿爾法 áyíhfaat and 宙斯 Jauhsī . Mandarin Chinese 阿爾宙斯 / 阿尔宙斯 Ā'ěrzhòusī Transliteration of its Japanese name. Also a portmanteau of 阿爾法 / 阿尔发 ā'ěrfǎ and 宙斯 Zhòusī . More languages Greek Αρκέους Arkéous Transcription of English name Russian Аркеус Arkeus Transcription of English name Thai อาร์เซอุส Arceus Transcription of trademarked Japanese name





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