Metapod is a Pokémon that resembles a green chrysalis. Its body is in the shape of a crescent with several segments making up the lower point. The front of its shell resembles a face with heavy-lidded eyes containing black colored pupils, white sclera, no irises and a sharply pointed nose. The back of its shell consists of several geometrically shaped portions and projections.
Its soft body is protected by a hard outer shell while it undergoes metamorphosis. While this shell is said to be as hard as steel, a sudden, powerful impact could cause its liquid innards to pop out, leaving it completely exposed. Metapod generally remains motionless, rebuilding its cells for evolution. If an enemy discovers Metapod, it is unable to do anything other than harden its outer shell. Metapod lives in temperate forests and jungles. Pikipek is a natural predator of Metapod.
Metapod also appeared in I Choose You!, which is set in a different continuity from the main series. It evolved from Caterpie during a battle against Pinsir and later evolved into Butterfree after a battle against Primeape.
Other
In Challenge of the Samurai, Samurai's Metapod battled Ash's own Metapod, but because both Metapod only knew Harden, the battle went on for hours until a swarm of Beedrill forced the battle to end.
In Caterpie's Big Dilemma, Zander's Caterpie evolved into a Metapod. It knocked down part of a radio tower so it could have a place to evolve at all, having become giant after eating some enhanced Rare Candies. It later evolved again to become a Butterfree.
In Butterfree and Me!, multiple Metapod evolved into Butterfree on Wayfarer Island. One Metapod had been befriended by Ash as a Caterpie, and Ash helped it eventually evolve into Butterfree.
Metapod, Caterpie's next stage. It has encased its body in a hard shell. This specimen reached this stage faster than any previously discovered Pokémon of this variety.
In File 1: Red, a Metapod was seen in Professor Oak's introduction, while another was under the ownership of Red. Red sent out Metapod during his Gym battle with Brock, where it was able to slow Onix down with String Shot but was defeated afterwards.
Ash's Caterpie evolved into Metapod in Play Misty For Me. It was depicted as slightly thinner than other Metapod, as well as having a large spike on its back.
Bugsy also uses two Metapod on his team, one the first appeared in Into the Unown. It again appeared in Ursaring Major where it, a Kakuna and Bugsy visited the Azalea Town's well where Team Rocket had been.
The shell covering this Pokémon's body is as hard as an iron slab. Metapod does not move very much. It stays still because it is preparing its soft innards for evolution inside the hard shell.
The shell covering this Pokémon's body is as hard as an iron slab. Metapod does not move very much. It stays still because it is preparing its soft innards for evolution inside the hard shell.
They also share the same base stat total, learnset, Ability, and EV yield.
This ties them as the evolved Pokémon with the lowest base stat total.
Metapod is the first Pokémon to evolve in a movie, and part of the first evolution cycle in an episode.
Until the release of Pokémon Platinum, when its pre-evolution became able to learn Bug Bite, Metapod was unable to damage Ghost-type Pokémon except by using Struggle. It shared this trait with Caterpie.
Due to this, it was impossible to complete a Generation I game using only Caterpie or Metapod since Struggle could not hit Ghost types at the time.
Metapod is usually depicted with white sclerae, such as in the games, TCG, and promotional illustrations, but it has yellow sclerae in the anime.
In the anime episode Challenge of the Samurai, the process of Metapod's evolution was similar to a real life butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. In laterepisodes, however, Metapod is shown to evolve like any other Pokémon.
Ume Aoki, a Japanese cartoonist famous for her work on the manga Hidamari Sketch and as the character designer for the anime Puella Magi Madoka Magica, utilizes a likeness of herself cosplaying as a Metapod to represent herself in her works.
In the Space World '97 Super Game Boy demo version of Pokémon Gold, Metapod has a unique orange sprite that is exclusive to the demo.
Origin
Metapod appears to be based on a butterflychrysalis, with its color and shape being similar to various swallowtail butterfly chrysalises.
Name origin
Metapod may be a combination of metamorphosis and pod (a shell containing seeds).
Transel may be a combination of transform (to change appearance) and cell (a small room) or shell. It also might be a pun on ランドセル randoseru (school bag).
In other languages
Language
Title
Meaning
Japanese
トランセル Transel
From トランス toransu and セル seru. Also likely a pun on ランドセル randoseru.