Tangela is covered with thick blue vines that obscure its face so only its eyes can be seen. These vines are covered in fine hair, and they give it a round shape. It is unknown what it looks like without them. The vines are always growing, and can be replaced if lost or damaged. It has a pair of red boot-like feet, but no visible arms.
Tangela can ensnare and entangle anything that moves too close to it with its vines. The vines constantly jiggle and sway, unnerving enemies and deterring herbivores that might mistake Tangela for a shrub. Tangela's vines will snap off easily and painlessly if the target pulls on them, suggesting that the ensnaring is intended to scare off potential predators. Tangela can usually be found in grassy plains.
Erika used a Tangela when Ash battled her for the Rainbow Badge in Pokémon Scent-sation!. Erika's Tangela is a strong Pokémon that manages to use its vines and Stun Spore in order to incapacitate the enemy. In its battle against Ash, it managed to take out Bulbasaur by using this combination. Erika then recalled Tangela when Ash sent out his Charmander. Erika's Tangela appeared in an alternate reality of the Pokémon anime in I Choose You! where it was seen battling Pikachu.
Tangela's first real appearance was in Blame it on Eevee like her counterparts in other media, Erika of Pokémon Adventures has a Tangela in her arsenal. This Tangela goes by the nickname Angela in the English translations, or Mon-chan in Japanese.
In A Flaaffy Kerfuffle a Tangela appeared where it was one of the Pokémon in Professor Oak's fantasy when he explains that trainers should only have six Pokémon with them.
In the W Mission Story: Pokémon Ranger - the Comic manga
Tangela is one of the Pokémon Lunick captures in the adaptation ofPokémon Ranger. Lunick uses Tangela's vines to rescue a girl from a burning building.
Tangela's vines snap off easily if they are grabbed. This happens without pain, allowing it to make a quick getaway. The lost vines are replaced by newly grown vines the very next day.
Its vines snap off easily and painlessly if they are grabbed, allowing it to make a quick getaway. The lost vines are replaced by new growth the very next day.
Tangela's vines snap off easily if they are grabbed. This happens without pain, allowing it to make a quick getaway. The lost vines are replaced by newly grown vines the very next day.
In the Pokémon Red and Blue beta, Tangela was originally known as "Meduza," a name derived from the Greek mythological character Medusa.
Origin
Tangela is likely based on Medusa, a gorgon of Greek mythology, who had a head of snakes and turned any creature that saw her into stone. The tentacles on Tangela, however, are vines. Its Crystal sprite shows it curling into a ball, meaning it may also have design elements from tumbleweed or bird-cage plants. It may also be based on a Green Man, a motif that is represented as a face surrounded by leaves and vines.
Name origin
Tangela may be a combination of tangle and Medusa (referring to its vines resembling a snake hairstyle like Medusa's).
Monjara may be based on もじゃもじゃ mojamoja (shaggy or unkempt). It may also include monster.