Starmie is a Pokémon that resembles two violet starfish with five appendages each. The front starfish has a golden formation in the center. In the center of the golden casing is its red jewel core, which can glow in seven colors and has developed to resemble a cut precious stone. The second starfish is semi-attached to the back of the first and can spin 360 degrees. This rotational action is how Starmie swims through the ocean. It can also launch itself out of the water and fly through the air for short periods, as seen in Pokémon Snap.
From its core, Starmie can emit electrical waves that are powerful enough to reach the furthest parts of the universe. The multi-color glowing of its core is also believed to be a method of communication inside the species. As seen in the anime, the core will go dark if Starmie is knocked unconscious and will sometimes flicker if Starmie is low on health. Because of its body shape and habit of sending transmissions skyward, some people believe this Pokémon to be extraterrestrial. Starmie is rarely seen in the wild, but can be found in the deepest parts of the ocean. It is Lumineon's favorite food.
In the main series
Major appearances
Starmie debuted in The Water Flowers of Cerulean City. Misty used it in battle fairly often, but preferred to use her Staryu more. In The Misty Mermaid, she left it at the Cerulean Gym for her sisters.
Other
A Starmie appeared in Bye Bye Psyduck, under the ownership of Marina. It was used to battle Misty, facing off against a Golduck that was under her command at the time. It was defeated when the force of Golduck's Hyper Beam shattered its Light Screen.
A Starmie appeared in Misty Meets her Match, under the ownership of Rudy, the Gym Leader of Trovita Island. It was used in his battle against Ash, where it battled Squirtle and was defeated by its newly-learned Hydro Pump. Starmie reappeared in a flashback in Hello, Pummelo!.
A wild Starmie appeared in Going for the Gold!, where it attacked Team Rocket's submarine with Thunderbolt.
Minor appearances
A Starmie appeared in Battle Aboard the St. Anne, where it was defeated by Ash's Raticate.
A Starmie appeared in The Battling Eevee Brothers during the evolution party in Stone Town.
A Starmie appeared in Pikachu's Vacation as one of the Pokémon seen at the Pokémon Theme Park.
A Starmie appeared in Celebi: The Voice of the Forest.
Multiple Starmie appeared in Showdown at the Po-ké Corral, where they were among the Pokémon living at Professor Oak's Laboratory. They reappeared in The Rivalry Revival.
A Trainer's Starmie appeared in The Lost Lapras, where it was among the Pokémon brought to the Pokémon Center.
A Starmie appeared in Pikachu Re-Volts, where it was among the Pokémon controlled by Cassidy and Butch at Mandarin Island North.
Multiple Starmie appeared in The Power of One.
A Starmie appeared in Flower Power as a part of Florando's annual Pokémon Exhibition.
A Starmie appeared in Tricks of the Trade as one of the Pokémon seen at the Pokémon Swap Meet in Palmpona.
A Trainer used a Starmie in Hook, Line, and Stinker to aid him in the annual Seaking Catching Competition.
A Starmie appeared in Beauty and the Breeder, under the ownership of a Pokémon Breeder participating in a Pokémon breeding competition.
Four Trainers' Starmie appeared in Ariados, Amigos as one of the Pokémon seen at the Pokémon Jujitsu Academy.
A Starmie appeared in the opening intro of Celebi: The Voice of the Forest, which was reused for Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias.
A Starmie appeared in The Joy of Water Pokémon as an inhabitant of Lake Lucid.
A Starmie appeared in Around the Whirlpool as one of the Pokémon stolen from the Pokémon Center of Blue Point Isle.
Two Starmie appeared in The Legend of Thunder!. One was swimming in a lake, while the other was swimming in the Pokémon Center's pool.
A Starmie appeared in Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias, under the ownership of a competitor in the Tour de Alto Mare.
A Starmie appeared during a flashback in From Cradle to Save, where it was used by Jessie.
A Starmie appeared in the opening sequence of Lucario and the Mystery of Mew.
A Starmie appeared in Dawn of a Royal Day!, under the ownership of a Coordinator who was participating in the Arrowroot Contest.
Multiple Starmie appeared in Kalos, Where Dreams and Adventures Begin!.
A Starmie appeared in I Choose You!.
A wild Starmie appeared in Alola, Kanto!.
In Pokémon Origins
Red battled Misty's Starmie in File 2: Cubone and won off-screen.
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
- Main article: Misty's Starmie
Starmie, one of Misty's Pokémon, makes a cameo in Gyarados Splashes In! in one of her Poké Balls. It, however, debuts later in its round Suddenly Starmie, where it defeated Red in the Cerulean Gym. It allows her to read and pass on a Pokémon's thoughts using an ancient language that is easily decoded.
A Starmie appeared as a silhouette when Green talks about Mew in The Jynx Jinx.
Two Starmie first appeared in Some Things Are Better Left Unown, with one under the ownership of Sird and the other under the ownership of Archie.
Emerald used a Starmie caught by Crystal for his Battle Pike challenge in Moving Past Milotic.
Four Starmie appeared in Standing in the Way with Starmie, under the ownership of Guile Hideout.
A Starmie appeared in Unleashing the Incredible Z-Move.
A Starmie appeared in PASM16, where it was seen inside Aether Paradise.
In the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga
- Main article: Misty's Starmie
Like in the anime, Misty owns a Starmie in The Electric Tale of Pikachu. It had a minor appearance in Pikachu's Excellent Adventure, where it was used to rehydrate Ash after he started crying over being separated from Pikachu.
Rudy's Starmie also appears in the manga adaptation. Like in the anime, Starmie battled Ash's Squirtle, and gave the Tiny Turtle Pokémon trouble with its Thunderbolt attack.
In the Pokémon Zensho manga
- Main article: Misty's Starmie
Misty sent out her Starmie for Satoshi's second Gym battle challenge. However, it could not battle as Satoshi had trouble dealing with water and the battle was officially called off.
- Despite being a genderless Pokémon, Staryu and Starmie were programmed to learn Egg moves in Gold and Silver; however, due to being genderless, these were unobtainable. This was fixed in Crystal.
- In the Japanese exclusive Pokémon Stadium, Starmie seems to have originally been a lot more rubbery than it is now, as its limbs stretch when it's hit.
Origin
Starmie appears to be a stylized starfish. Given its ties to outer space, it may also be a pun on a literal star.
Starmie's gem being cut evokes the idea of some form of jewelry. Notably, the eight facets prominently witnessed upon Starmie's gemstone (adjacent to the center facet) would be called the star facets, were it a real jewel.
Starmie also bears some resemblance to the Star of Ishtar. Ishtar, also called Inanna, is known as Queen of Heaven.
Name origin
Starmie may be derived from star (referring to its shape) and mie, which may involve 珠 mi (gem or jewel), referring to its core. In English, mie may be a corruption of me (the personal pronoun), in contrast to the yu (you) in Staryu. This pun is not present in the Japanese names since Staryu's Japanese name is different from its English name.