From Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia.

Metapod (Japanese: トランセル Transel) is a Bug-type Pokémon introduced in Generation I.

It evolves from Caterpie starting at level 7 and evolves into Butterfree starting at level 10.

Biology

Metapod is a Pokémon that resembles a green chrysalis. Its body is crescent-shaped with several segments making up the lower point. The front of its shell resembles a face with heavy-lidded eyes and a sharply pointed nose. The back of its shell consists of several geometrically shaped portions and projections.

Its soft body is protected by a hard outer shell while it undergoes metamorphosis. While this shell is said to be as hard as steel, a sudden, powerful impact could cause its liquid innards to pop out, leaving it completely exposed. Metapod generally remains motionless, rebuilding its cells for evolution. If an enemy discovers Metapod, it is unable to do anything other than harden its outer shell. Metapod lives in temperate forests and jungles. Pikipek is a natural predator of Metapod.

In the anime

In the main series

Metapod's original evolution method in the anime

Major appearances

Ash had a Metapod that he caught as a Caterpie and evolved in Ash Catches a Pokémon, thus also marking the species' debut. It eventually evolved into Butterfree in Challenge of the Samurai, following an attack by a horde of Beedrill.

Metapod also appeared in I Choose You!, which is set in a different continuity from the main series. It evolved from Caterpie during a battle against Pinsir and later evolved into Butterfree after a battle against Primeape.

Other

In Challenge of the Samurai, Samurai's Metapod battled Ash's own Metapod, but because both Metapod only knew Harden, the battle went on for hours until a swarm of Beedrill forced the battle to end.

In Gettin' The Bugs Out, Bugsy used a Metapod during his Gym battle against Ash, facing Chikorita and Pikachu before being defeated by the latter's Thunderbolt. Unlike most Metapod, this one was actually able to fight back by using Tackle. More Metapod were seen inside the Azalea Gym in the same episode.

In Caterpie's Big Dilemma, Zander's Caterpie evolved into a Metapod. It knocked down part of a radio tower so it could have a place to evolve at all, having become giant after eating some enhanced Rare Candies. It later evolved again to become a Butterfree.

In Butterfree and Me!, multiple Metapod evolved into Butterfree on Wayfarer Island. One Metapod had been befriended by Ash as a Caterpie, and Ash helped it eventually evolve into Butterfree.

Minor appearances

In Celebi: The Voice of the Forest, Ash and Sam witnessed multiple Metapod evolving into Butterfree.

A Metapod appeared in The Breeding Center Secret.

In Tracey Gets Bugged, a Metapod was among the Bug-type populace of Murcott Island.

A wild Metapod appeared in Pikachu's Rescue Adventure.

In Illusion Confusion!, a Metapod was one of the illusions created by a group of Haunter and Gengar.

In Gonna Rule The School!, the Pokémon Trainers' School lent a Metapod to the school's underage students for use in lessons.

A Metapod appeared in Riding the Winds of Change!.

A Metapod appeared in Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel.

In Lillie's Egg-xhilarating Challenge!, a Metapod played in Lillie's garden. It appeared again in The Ol' Raise and Switch!.

In I Choose Paradise!, a Trainer's Metapod was at the Pokémon Paradise Resort.

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

In The Battlefield of Truth and Love!, a Metapod watched Bewear and Stufful put on a performance in their hot springs.

In Working My Way Back to Mew!, Goh caught a Metapod. It has since made further appearances in Pokémon Journeys: The Series.

Pokédex entries

Episode Pokémon Source Entry EP003 Metapod Ash's Pokédex Metapod, Caterpie's next stage. It has encased its body in a hard shell. This specimen reached this stage faster than any previously discovered Pokémon of this variety.

Episode Pokémon Source Entry AG142 Metapod May's Pokédex Metapod, the Cocoon Pokémon. Metapod is the evolved form of Caterpie. Using a hard shell to protect its body, it prepares for its next evolution.

Episode Pokémon Source Entry BW130 Metapod Ash's Pokédex Metapod, the Cocoon Pokémon. Metapod's vulnerable body is surrounded by its hard shell, which protects it while it waits to evolve.

In Pokémon Origins

In File 1: Red, a Metapod was seen in Professor Oak's introduction, while another was under the ownership of Red. Red sent out Metapod during his Gym battle with Brock, where it was able to slow Onix down with String Shot but was defeated afterwards.



In the manga

In The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga

Ash's Caterpie evolved into Metapod in Play Misty For Me. It was depicted as slightly thinner than other Metapod, as well as having a large spike on its back.

In the How I Became a Pokémon Card manga

Midori was shown to have a Metapod.

In the Magical Pokémon Journey manga

A Metapod fell down from a tree in Clefairy Comes Through. Though Hazel put it back where it was, it fell again.

Pokédex entries

Manga Chapter Entry Magical Pokémon Journey PPP02 ★Metapod (Cocoon Pokémon)★ Metapod is unable to move on its own. Its only attack method is "harden."

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Main article: Kitty

Metapod's first appearance is a cameo in Bulbasaur, Come Home! as one of the Pokémon that gets out of its Poké Ball in Professor Oak's Laboratory.

In The Might of... Metapod?, Yellow's Caterpie, which was called "Kitty", briefly evolved into Metapod before evolving again into Butterfree during Yellow's showdown with Lance.

Bugsy also uses two Metapod on his team, one the first appeared in Into the Unown. It again appeared in Ursaring Major where it, a Kakuna and Bugsy visited the Azalea Town's well where Team Rocket had been.

A wild Metapod appeared in the Wild Area in PASS04.

According to the Pokédex at the end of Volume 1, Red appears to have captured a Caterpie which evolved into a Metapod and then a Butterfree.

In the Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys manga

Bugsy's Butterfree was first seen as a Metapod in Let's Aim For The Goal!. It evolved prior to Gold And Black VS. Team Rocket.

In the Pokémon Gotta Catch 'Em All manga

A Metapod appeared in Shu and Pikachu's Debut!.

A Metapod appeared in GDZ23.

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga

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

A Metapod appeared in The Hardest Bug Pokémon Wins?!, under the ownership of Bugsy. It evolved into a Butterfree.

In the TCG

Other appearances

Metapod appears as a Spirit.

Game data

NPC appearances

Pokédex entries

In side games

Game locations

In side games

Held items

Stats

Base stats

Pokéathlon stats

Type effectiveness

Learnset

Generation VIII Other generations: I - II - III - IV - V - VI - VII Level Move Type Cat. Pwr. Acc. PP 01 1 Harden Normal Status 0000 — 00— —% 30 Evo. Evo. Harden Normal Status 0000 — 00— —% 30 Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Metapod

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

indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution of Metapod Click on the generation numbers at the top to see level-up moves from other generations

Generation VIII Other generations: I - II - III - IV - V - VI - VII TM Move Type Cat. Pwr. Acc. PP TM82 TM82 Electroweb Electric Special 055 55 095}} 95% 15 TR46 TR46 Iron Defense Steel Status 0000 — 00—}} —% 15 Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Metapod

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

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

Generation VIII Other generations: II - III - IV - V - VI - VII Parent Move Type Cat. Pwr. Acc. PP This Pokémon learns no moves by breeding. Moves marked with an asterisk (*) must be chain bred onto Metapod in Generation VIII

onto Metapod in Generation VIII Moves marked with a double dagger (‡) can only be bred from a Pokémon who learned the move in an earlier generation.

Moves marked with a superscript game abbreviation can only be bred onto Metapod in that game.

Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Metapod

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

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

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 Metapod

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

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

By a prior evolution

Side game data

Evolution

Sprites

Trivia

Metapod shares its category with Kakuna, Silcoon, and Cascoon. They are all known as the Cocoon Pokémon. They also share the same base stat total, learnset, Ability, and EV yield. This ties them as the evolved Pokémon with the lowest base stat total.

Metapod is the first Pokémon to evolve in a movie, and part of the first evolution cycle in an episode.

Until the release of Pokémon Platinum, when its pre-evolution became able to learn Bug Bite, Metapod was unable to damage Ghost-type Pokémon except by using Struggle. It shared this trait with Caterpie. Due to this, it was impossible to complete a Generation I game using only Caterpie or Metapod since Struggle could not hit Ghost types at the time.

Metapod is usually depicted with white sclerae, such as in the games, TCG, and promotional illustrations, but it has yellow sclerae in the anime.

In the anime episode Challenge of the Samurai , the process of Metapod's evolution was similar to a real life butterfly emerging from its cocoon. In later episodes, however, Metapod is shown to evolve like any other Pokémon.

, the process of Metapod's evolution was similar to a real life butterfly emerging from its cocoon. In later episodes, however, Metapod is shown to evolve like any other Pokémon. Ume Aoki, a Japanese cartoonist famous for her work on the manga Hidamari Sketch and as the character designer for the anime Puella Magi Madoka Magica , utilizes a likeness of herself cosplaying as a Metapod to represent herself in her works.

and as the character designer for the anime , utilizes a likeness of herself cosplaying as a Metapod to represent herself in her works. In the Space World '97 Super Game Boy demo version of Pokémon Gold, Metapod has a unique orange sprite that is exclusive to the demo.

Origin

Metapod appears to be based on a butterfly chrysalis, with its color and shape being similar to those of the black swallowtail, pipevine swallowtail, and polydamas swallowtail.

Name origin

Metapod is a combination of metamorphosis and pod (referring to its chrysalis state).

Transel may be a combination of transform and cell or shell.

In other languages

Language Title Meaning Japanese トランセル Transel From トランス toransu and セル seru . Also likely a pun on ランドセル randoseru . French Chrysacier From chrysalide and acier Spanish Metapod Same as English name German Safcon From safe and cocoon Italian Metapod Same as English name Korean 단데기 Tandegi From 단단하다 dandanhada and 번데기 beondegi Cantonese Chinese 鐵甲蛹 Titgaapyúng

鐵甲蟲 Titgaapchùhng * From 鐵甲 titgaap and 蛹 yúng

From 鐵甲 titgaap and 蟲 chùhng Mandarin Chinese 鐵甲蛹 / 铁甲蛹 Tiějiǎyǒng From 鐵甲 / 铁甲 Tiějiǎ and 蛹 yǒng More languages Hebrew מטפוד Metapod Transcription of English name Hindi मेटापॉड Metapod Transcription of English name Lithuanian Metapodas From English name Russian Метапод Metapod Transcription of English name Thai ทรานเซล Transel Transcription of trademarked Japanese name





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