Pecharunt is a small Pokémon resembling a piece of mochi. It has two forms it can take both inside and outside of battle. The first form resembles an upside-down peach, with a black circle at the center and a thin, vertical line splitting its body into two halves. Inside of this circle are two white semicircle eyes. It takes its second form upon opening up, revealing a smaller inner body resembling a peach's pit. It has a darker purple and pink body with two white eyes, below which is a white, ribbon-shaped mouth. On its head rests two purple flaps and a scorpion-like ponytail. It has two heart-shaped paws at the bottom of its body, along with three black dots on each side underneath them. The discarded shell floats on both sides of Pecharunt, forming spiky wing-like appendages. The inside of these shells have a bright pink glow, outlined in black. The bright pink extends slightly through the black outline in six thin lines.
Pecharunt stores its poison in its peach-shaped shell and uses this poison to create poisonous mochi and toxic chains, which are stored in its shell until needed to be used. It serves its mochi to Pokémon and humans, but may shoot them at their mouths if needed. The mochi draws out their desires and potential abilities, but the ones who taste it become chained to its will and fall under its control. The toxic mochi it makes is described as having a sweet taste. It is able to use its toxic chains in combat, as seen in its signature move, badly poisoning its enemies in the process, as well as to empower other Pokémon, using its toxins to enhance certain aspects of their bodies, such as their muscles, brain, or looks, as seen with the Loyal Three. Pecharunt's body emits a peach scent.
Humans under Pecharunt's control have purple eyes and are surrounded by a purple aura. The possessed humans also hold their arms while performing a chicken dance-like movement, repeating the word "mochi" constantly. However, in some cases like with Nemona, the possessed human can say more than one line. It can even command humans or even Pokémon to fight for it in battles. Pecharunt is capable of controlling multiple humans at once. It relies on others to fight for it due to its size. However, Pecharunt will fight back if its mind-controlled minions fail it. Capturing Pecharunt will free those under its control with no memories of being controlled. Pecharunt's mochis's effect on people are referred by Kieran as a curse.
It is the creator and the leader of the Loyal Three, in the past, it transformed Okidogi, Munkidori and Fezandipiti using the toxic chains it creates, granting them their wishes and, supposedly, their types: Fighting, Psychic, and Fairy as a result of their granted wishes; and Poison due to the chains's toxins. The trio follows Pecharunt loyally and they were together when they encountered Ogerpon and its partner. It can disguise itself as a toy and remain asleep for hundreds of years as seen at Peachy's, but it can be awakened by a Mythical Pecha Berry, a Pecha Berry of the highest quality produced once in every few years.
Pecharunt is the only known Pokémon capable of learning the move Malignant Chain. It is also the only known Pokémon that can have Poison Puppeteer as an Ability.
Pecharunt slumbering in the form of a doll
Pecharunt firing toxic mochi
Pecharunt's chains coming out of its shell
- Before the official reveal of Pecharunt, it appeared with its shell closed in Ogerpon's story told by Yukito in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: The Teal Mask. What appears to be a Pecharunt doll can be also seen at Peachy's in Mossui Town, which is later revealed in Mochi Mayhem to be the actual Pecharunt, simply slumbering after the Loyal Three's defeat at the hands of Ogerpon.
- While its shell is closed, Pecharunt's shape is similar to the shape of the Loyal Three's Toxic Chains' tips. This hints at the connection between the chains and the Pokémon.
- Pecharunt is the only Mythical Pokémon introduced in Generation IX.
- Pecharunt is the lightest Mythical Pokémon.
- Pecharunt is the only Poison-type Mythical Pokémon, excluding Arceus while holding a Toxic Plate.
- Pecharunt has the highest base Defense stat of all Ghost-type Pokémon.
- It is also tied with the Defense Forme Deoxys for the highest base Defense stat of all Mythical Pokémon.
- Pecharunt is the only Mythical Pokémon to have its English name be different from its Japanese name.
- Additionally, it is internally referred to as "dokutaro".
- All of Pecharunt's base stats being 88 (except for its Defense) mirrors the Loyal Three's shared base HP stat of 88. Pecharunt is also caught at level 88.
- All moves learned by Pecharunt via leveling up are learned at levels which are multiples of 8 (excluding level 1), similar to the Loyal Three.
- Pecharunt, Walking Wake, and Iron Leaves are the only Pokémon that can be registered but are not required for the completion of the Blueberry Pokédex.
- In addition, Pecharunt is the only Pokémon with this distinction that is not a Paradox Pokémon, instead being a Mythical Pokémon.
- During the final battle in Mochi Mayhem, Pecharunt either is the recipient of or subject to special reactions depending on whether the player has Ogerpon and/or any of the Loyal Three members in their party and uses them against it.
- If the player uses Ogerpon against it, a scene will play where Ogerpon shows visible distress and anger and yells "GRAH! Pon PON!!!", alluding to Pecharunt's actions against Ogerpon and her companion in the past.
- If the player uses any of the Loyal Three against it, a scene will play where Pecharunt reacts with visible shock and anger before yelling "Pechaaa! Chraaahhh!", likely due to the Loyal Three turning against it. It should be noted that the scene replays with each member when they are first used against it.
Origin
Pecharunt, together with Okidogi, Munkidori, Fezandipiti, and Ogerpon, may reference the Japanese folktale of Momotarō. The tale relates the titular Momotarō, a boy born from inside a peach, who traveled alongside a talking dog, monkey, and pheasant to fight a band of oni (a Japanese folkloric creature commonly equated to ogres in translations). Pecharunt appears to represent Momotarō himself. Its outer shell covering resembles a bisected peach or Pecha Berry, referencing how Momotarō was found as a baby inside a cut peach, also resembling a peach pit. Its habit of feeding others poisonous mochi is likely based on how Momotarō recruited his companions by feeding them millet dango, a type of mochi.
Name origin
Pecharunt may be a combination of peach or Pecha Berry and runt or petulant.
Momowarou may be a combination of 桃太郎 Momotarō, 桃 momo (peach), and 悪し waroshi (bad or inferior; the classical Japanese form of 悪い warui) or 和郎 warō (boy).
Dokutaro may be a combination of Doku (the Japanese word for poison) and Tarō (a Japanese given name or part of a name meaning eldest son) or from Momotarō.
For other sprites and images, please see Pecharunt images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
