In commemoration of Nintendo’s 135ᵗʰ anniversary, September 20 to 30 is NIWA Cross-Wiki Week. Click here for event details and the possibility to win a $20/€20 Nintendo eShop gift card. Please remember to follow the manual of style and code of conduct at all times. Check the Bulbagarden home page for up-to-date Pokémon news and discuss it on the forums or in the Bulbagarden Discord server.
Buneary is a small, bipedal, rabbit-like Pokémon with brown ears that can curl up. It has two types of fur covering its body: a light tan fleece that covers much of its lower body, feet, and the tips of its ears, and a smooth, chocolate-colored pelt on the upper half of its body. It has a small, triangular pink nose, pink paw pads on the undersides of its feet, and small tan spots above its eyes. It has a small brown puff of a tail.
Buneary almost always keeps one of its ears rolled up. Although Professor Laventon had hypothesized that this is done to protect its hearing, in actuality, Buneary rolls its ears so it can quickly unroll them and launch them as an attack. The attack is strong enough to hurt grown-ups and crush boulders and increases in power as Buneary trains to use it. Buneary can also use this technique to jump really high, by slamming its ears towards the ground. Buneary's arms and legs are weaker by comparison. If Buneary senses danger, it perks up both ears; conversely, if Buneary rolls both of its ears in, it is a sign that it is unhealthy. On cold nights, Buneary sleeps with its head tucked into its fur. It lives in forests, though it can also be found on icy mountains.
A Buneary appears under the ownership of Keira in Boogying with Buneary. Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum find Buneary, who had wandered away from its Trainer, at the entrance to Hearthome City. After punching Pearl in the jaw, the Trainer tried to catch it, but the elusive Pokémon evaded the group and returned to its Trainer.
"A Rabbit Pokémon. It rolls up its long ears, then unrolls them with great force to slap enemies. This attack stings enough to make adults jump. It uses its ears not only to attack, but also to sense danger--they stand straight up when it senses a threat. Its fluffy fur lets it sleep in warmth and comfort on cold nights. When it levels up, it evolves into Lopunny."
Game data
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation IV.
My hypothesis as to why Buneary rolls up its ears is that its hearing is far too keen. I surmise that the Pokémon protects its hearing by limiting the sound that may enter its ears.
Buneary will not appear in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time until a rescue mission involving it has been completed, using a Wonder Mail code such as the following:
Buneary appears to be based on a rabbit. The cream colored fluff on its lower body may be based on a skirt and the rolled up ear may be a kind of a fashionable hat.
Name origin
Buneary may be a combination of bunny and ear.
Mimirol may be a combination of 耳 mimi (ear) and roll (referring to its rolled-up ears).
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.