In the main series
Major appearances
Hitmonchan debuted in The Punchy Pokémon, under the ownership of a Trainer named Anthony. He was entered in the P1 Grand Prix, but ended up losing to a Hitmonlee stolen by Team Rocket because the match was sabotaged.
A Hitmonchan appeared in The Lost Lapras, under the ownership of an obnoxious Trainer who used him to attack a beached Lapras.
A Hitmonchan appeared in Stage Fight!, under the ownership of Roger. It was a major performer in a Pokémon show about a boxing match between him and a glove-wearing Machoke.
A Hitmonchan appeared in Chikorita's Big Upset as part of a group of Fighting-type Pokémon that roamed the streets of the city as a gang.
In A Tyrogue Full of Trouble, Black Belt Kiyo owned a Hitmonchan and fought alongside him to break a rolling boulder. He later used Hitmonchan in battle during an attempt to capture a wild Tyrogue.
A Hitmonchan appeared in Gotta Catch Ya Later!, under the ownership of one of the Invincible Pokémon Brothers. It battled against Misty's Politoed but was defeated. It reappeared in Cerulean Blues, where it was used in a battle against Misty's Staryu, which it lost on a technicality.
Another classic replay of the Hitmonlee versus Hitmonchan battle was performed in Pasta La Vista. A Trainer named Kyle owned a Hitmonchan that was used in battle to decide the fate of his father's fighting dojo.
Minor appearances
A Hitmonchan appeared in Showdown at Dark City as one of the Pokémon owned by a Yas Gym Trainer.
In Riddle Me This, Hitmonchan was one of the Pokémon shown in an exercise Gym. Team Rocket tried to steal the group of Fighting-type Pokémon, but were stopped by Ash and his friends.
Bruno used a Hitmonchan in To Master the Onixpected!.
A Trainer's Hitmonchan appeared in Friends to the End, during the closing ceremonies of the Indigo League.
A Hitmonchan appeared in Pikachu Re-Volts, where it was among the Pokémon controlled by Cassidy and Butch at Mandarin Island North.
Rudy had a Hitmonchan in Misty Meets Her Match.
A Hitmonchan appeared in The Power of One.
A Hitmonchan was seen in a dojo in Wired for Battle!.
A Hitmonchan appeared in Two Hits and a Miss as one of many Pokémon in a Fighting-type dojo.
A Hitmonchan appeared in Beauty and the Breeder, where he participated in a Pokémon beauty contest.
A Trainer's Hitmonchan appeared in Extreme Pokémon!, where it was participating in the Extreme Pokémon Race.
A Hitmonchan appeared in Saved by the Beldum, where it was among the Pokémon seen during the Ever Grande Conference.
A Hitmonchan made a brief cameo in a console fighting game in Two Degrees of Separation!.
A Trainer's Hitmonchan appeared in Glory Blaze! as a participant in the Hearthome City Tag Battle Competition.
A Trainer's Hitmonchan appeared in I Choose You!.
Pokédex entries
In Pokémon Origins
Kiyo's Hitmonchan briefly appeared in File 3: Giovanni.
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
- Main article: Monlee
Crystal is seen with a Hitmonchan nicknamed Monlee which he first appeared in Slugging Out with Slugma, in her capture team, who is capable of blindingly fast punching attacks. In Lively Larvitar, the origin of Crystal's Hitmonchan is revealed: he, along with Crystal's Natu, Parasect, and Cubone, were wild Pokémon living in Mt. Mortar and had fought with a local Arcanine that had gone berserk from a severe eye injury. Hitmonchan became Crystal's arms while hers were being healed.
Bruno has a Hitmonchan which first appeared in Punching Poliwrath. He is capable of using Fire Punch, Thunder Punch, and Ice Punch at high caliber. Bruno remarks that Hitmonchan is like having three Pokémon in one.
A Hitmonchan statue was seen in Cianwood City Gym in Scrappy Skarmory.
In The Last Battle XIII a Hitmonchan was one of the Pokémon sent to help the fight in Ilex Forest.
Multiple Hitmonchan were used by Team Galactic Grunts in Halting Honchkrow.
In Out-Odding Oddish, a Hitmonchan appeared in the Pokéathlon.
In the Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys manga
In Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys, Gold borrows a Hitmonchan to use in a tournament in Let's Use Fighting Type Pokémon!!.
In the Pocket Monsters HeartGold & SoulSilver Go! Go! Pokéathlon manga
A Hitmonchan appeared in Pocket Monsters HeartGold & SoulSilver Go! Go! Pokéathlon.
In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga
- Main article: Giovanni's Hitmonchan
Giovanni was shown to have a Hitmonchan which debuted in Finish Off Team Rocket!!.
Hitmonchan is one of Bruno's Pokémon in the Pokémon League as seen in Clefairy's Under Training!!.
Kiyo has a Hitmonchan which appeared in The Mysterious Underground Amusement Park.
A Hitmonchan appeared in Pokémon New Year.
- Hitmonchan learns the most increased-priority moves by leveling up out of all Pokémon, with six.
- Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee are the only Pokémon not previously related through an evolution family that later gained a shared pre-evolution.
Origin
Hitmonchan may be a personification of boxing. The colors of Hitmonchan's gloves in its normal and Shiny colorations are a reference to the red corner and blue corner in boxing. Its Gold, HeartGold, Generation V, and X Pokédex entries mention that it needs a short break after fighting for three minutes, which is a reference to the duration of rounds in boxing.
Name origin
Hitmonchan is a combination of hit, monster, and Chan (a reference to Jackie Chan). The name is also related to Tyrogue's other evolutions, Hitmonlee and Hitmontop.
Ebiwalar is derived from the Japanese world champion boxer Hiroyuki Ebihara.