Pokemon of the Day
Posted by Justin on November 4, 2010
Todays pokemon of the day is one of my personal favorites: MAGIKARP!!!
Number: 129 Type: Water Evolves from: None Evolves into: Gyarados
Magikarp (コイキング Koikingu?, Koiking), known as the Fish Pokémon, is a reddish-orange, medium-sized fish. Its notable characteristics include large, heavy scales. Its fins are primarily white, but it has two stiff, three-peaked fins on its back and stomach which are both yellow. It also has long barbels, which are white on females and tan on males. Although this Pokémon is capable of surviving in even the most polluted ponds,[56] it is usually overlooked by trainers because it is pathetically weak.[57] Even in the heat of battle it will do nothing but flop around. They are normally seen using Splash, which is unusual, as it makes them easy targets to predators.[58] Before the species multiplied, it is believed that the ancestors of Magikarp were actually much stronger than the Magikarp seen today,[59] and this belief has led scientists to research this species.[60] Long-lived Magikarp are able to utilize their immense splashing power to leap high enough to jump mountains.[61] Magikarp is found in many bodies of water, such as lakes, rivers, and ponds.[62] It is not a strong swimmer, and currents in the water will sweep it downstream.[63]
In the video game series, Magikarp is seen commonly when fishishing with an Old or Good Rod. Outside of the main series, in Pokémon Stadium, Magikarp featured in its own mini game called “Magikarp Splash”, in which players must Splash high enough to hit the button at the top of the screen as many times as it can.
In the anime, Magikarp has appeared several times, most notably as the subject of a running gag in which a salesman attempts to trick Team Rocket into buying Magikarp in various guises, the first one being in Battle Aboard the St. Anne.[64] In The Joy of Pokémon, a Nurse Joy from the Orange Islands befriended a giant Magikarp that saved her as a child. It evolved into an equally large Gyarados, but it remained friendly.[65] In The Wacky Watcher, Ash, Misty and Tracey help a Pokémon Watcher named Darcy Quinn observe the migration and evolution of a school of Magikarp.[66] Another, in Ya See We Want an Evolution, was nicknamed the strongest Magikarp. This Magikarp was unique in that it was in fact able to battle surprisingly well, even giving Pikachu a hard time.[67]
GamesRadar described it as “[t]he ultimate in useless Pokémon”, though noted its evolution Gyarados as one of the “most well-known” characters in the series.[68] IGN called it “possibly the most docile, unassuming, and weak of all the monsters in the Pokémon world”.[69] They further described it as serving solely as comic relief, until its evolution into Gyarados.[70] Die Hard GameFAN editor M.L. Kennedy listed Magikarp as his favourite Pokémon along with Psyduck, stating that it teaches children the lesson that life isn’t fair.[71] The book Gaming Cultures and Place in Asia-Pacific cited it as an example of a common recurring and weak element in the games, whose presence rather than function was to emphasize the exclusivity and strength of other, rarer creatures for players to find.[72] GameDaily named Magikarp as the fifth best Pokémon they would like to eat, noting that there are numerous recipes for fish.[73]
