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Shiftry is a bipedal, portly Pokémon that appears to be made of wood. A shaggy white mane covers most of its face and trails down its back. Long pointed ears poke out the top of its mane, and it has a long, pointed nose and a large mouth with teeth that are usually bared. Its eyes are yellow with black sclerae. This Pokémon's feet resemble Japanese tengu-geta. Three broad leaves with brown spokes form each of its hands and are used to create powerful winds close to 100 feet (30 meters) per second in speed. A female will have smaller leaves than the male.
Shiftry is a wicked, mysterious, and very rare Pokémon that lives atop ancient trees in deep tropical forests. It arrives with chilly, wintry winds and is feared by people as the guardian of the forest. It is able to read an opponent's mind, and then take preemptive action. In the anime, it was shown to lead large groups of Seedot and Nuzleaf.
Shiftry, the Wicked Pokémon. Shiftry is a mysterious creature that lives deep within the forest. They are said to live in the tops of trees that are over a thousand years old.
Shiftry is a mysterious Pokémon that is said to live atop towering trees dating back over a thousand years. It creates terrific windstorms with the fans it holds.
Shiftry's large fans generate awesome gusts of wind at a speed close to 100 feet per second. The whipped-up wind blows anything away. This Pokémon chooses to live quietly deep in forests.
It is said to arrive on chilly, wintry winds. Feared from long ago as the guardian of forests, this Pokémon lives in a deep forest where people do not venture.
Shiftry is a mysterious Pokémon that is said to live atop towering trees dating back over a thousand years. It creates terrific windstorms with the fans it holds.
Shiftry's large fans generate awesome gusts of wind at a speed close to 100 feet per second. The whipped-up wind blows anything away. This Pokémon chooses to live quietly deep in forests.
Shiftry's evolutionary line can be seen as a counterpart to Ludicolo's family. All members of their respective families are part Grass-type, they first evolve at level 14, a respective Evolution stone is used to reach the final stage, both of them are version-exclusive between Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, and both are based on yōkai: Shiftry's family is based on the tengu and Ludicolo's family is based on the kappa.
Shiftry's evolutionary line may be included in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield because of the abundance of oak trees in the real world counter part to the Galar region; the United Kingdom, but also the fact that english men were often depicted as tengu in Japan's anti-foreigner propaganda during the mid 1800's.
Origin
Shiftry appears to be based on a mature oak tree and a 天狗 tengu - Japanese yōkai that use their supernatural powers to protect forests and enjoy playing cruel tricks on people. Like Shiftry, tengu are often depicted with long noses, flowing white hair, and wearing single-toothed wooden sandals called geta. They also wield magical fans that have the power to stir great winds, similar to Shiftry's large, leafy hands and ability to learn moves such as Whirlwind and Hurricane. Shiftry is also reminiscent of a nutcracker doll due to its wooden, humanoid body, large mouth, and its first evolutionary stage being based on a nut.
Name origin
Shiftry may be a combination of shifty (tricky or deceitful) and tree.
Dirteng may be a combination of dark or dirty (tricky or deceitful) and 天狗 tengu.
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.