Hitmontop is a vaguely humanoid Pokémon capable of spinning on its head. Its main body is spherical and mostly blue with a brown triangular patch on its chest. It has short legs with white bands near the hands and feet. The feet are large, blue and have a circular brown pad on the underside. It has a skinny brown tail that ends with a blue sphere with a spike on it. Its head is round and brown with flat, curved extensions on either side and a single spike on top. It has a beady, black eyes and spherical hands with no digits. Hitmontop is a male-only species with no female counterpart.
Hitmontop moves more quickly by spinning on the spike on its head than it does by walking normally. Capable of spinning at high speeds, it may bore into the ground similar to a drill. While spinning, Hitmontop delivers smooth, graceful kicks such as its former signature move, Triple Kick. As an urban species, it is often found in towns and cities.
Major appearances
Hitmontop debuted in Pikachu & Pichu as a resident of Big Town.
Hitmontop made his main series debut in Two Hits and a Miss, under the ownership of Chigusa. He assisted her in teaching students about making their Fighting-type attacks more graceful, among other tasks.
Butch has a Hitmontop, which debuted in The Mystery is History. He made further appearances in A Parent Trapped!, A Promise is a Promise, Showdown at the Oak Corral, and Putting the Air Back in Aerodactyl!.
One of the Invincible Pokémon Brothers, Kai, owns a Hitmontop, as seen in Gotta Catch Ya Later!. He assisted their Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee in their battle against Misty, but he was defeated by Pikachu's Thunderbolt.
A Hitmontop appeared in Pasta La Vista!, under the ownership of Terri. He was used to battle Team Rocket during an effort to rescue Master Hamm's Hitmonlee and Kyle's Hitmonchan.
A Hitmontop appeared in Good Friends, Great Training!, under the ownership of Tierno. He appeared when Tierno revealed his team to Ash, Serena, and Bonnie.
Minor appearances
A Hitmontop appeared in Doin' What Comes Natu-rally as one of the Pokémon participating in a street festival.
A Hitmontop appeared in Machoke, Machoke Man! as one of the Pokémon seen at the Cianwood Gym.
A Hitmontop appeared in Outrageous Fortunes, under the ownership of Mason. It went up against Delaney's Poliwrath and lost.
A Trainer's Hitmontop appeared in You're a Star, Larvitar!.
A Hitmontop appeared in Gary's demonstration in Johto Photo Finish, where it evolved from a Tyrogue.
A Hitmontop appeared in Gonna Rule The School!, under the ownership of the Pokémon Trainers' School.
A Coordinator's Hitmontop appeared in Deceit and Assist.
A Trainer's Hitmontop appeared in The Ole' Berate and Switch!.
A Hitmontop appeared in Borrowing on Bad Faith!.
A Hitmontop appeared in To Thine Own Pokémon Be True!, under the ownership of one of the participants of Pokémon Ping Pong Tournament.
A Coordinator's Hitmontop appeared in Dressed for Jess Success!.
A Hitmontop appeared in Yes in Dee Dee, It's Dawn!, under the ownership of a Pokémon Coordinator. He was used alongside a Corsola for the Double Performance required during the Daybreak Contest.
A Hitmontop appeared in The Power of Us, where it was among the Pokémon that could be caught during the Pokémon Catch Race.
Pokédex entries
Episode
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Pokémon
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Source
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Entry
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EP166
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Hitmontop
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Ash's Pokédex
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Hitmontop, the Handstand Pokémon. Hitmontop's smooth graceful kicks are deceptively powerful. Opponents may be surprised by their force, so beware.
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- Unlike Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan, none of Hitmontop's names in any language derive from famous people.
- Hitmontop can learn more priority moves than any other Pokémon, with 14 increased priority moves and two decreased priority moves.
- Though Hitmontop shares the Ability Steadfast with Tyrogue, a Steadfast Tyrogue cannot evolve into a Hitmontop with the same Ability, as Steadfast is Tyrogue's second Ability and Hitmontop's Hidden Ability.
Origin
Hitmontop is based on a top and a practitioner of capoeira. The fact that Tyrogue's Attack and Defense must be equal in order for it to evolve into Hitmontop is akin to how a top must be in equilibrium to remain upright.
Name origin
Hitmontop is a combination of hit, monster, and top (a reference to spinning tops and how it fights, by spinning on its head). The name is also related to Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan, both of which have been parallel evolutions to it since Generation II.
Kapoerer is derived from capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that often involves spinning one's legs in the air.