User:Spriteit/Kanto first partner Pokémon
The Kanto first partner Pokémon are the Pokémon chosen by Trainers at the start of their journey in Kanto. These are traditionally given out by Professor Oak and are to be used to battle the first wild Pokémon that the Trainer encounters.
In Pokémon Red and Blue and Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, the player can choose a Fire-, Water-, or Grass-type first partner Pokémon at level 5.
List of Kanto first partner Pokémon and their Evolutions
Forms
The fully evolved Kanto first partner Pokémon each have at least one Mega Evolution, with Charizard having two Mega Evolutions, and a Gigantamax form.
- Mega Evolutions
- Gigantamax forms
In the core series games
Availability
As first partner
| Game(s) | First partner | Location/Acquisition | Other effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| RGB/RB | 
|
Professor Oak's Laboratory: after attempting to leave Pallet Town | Rival chooses: 
|
|
|
Rival chooses: 
| ||
|
|
Rival chooses:
| ||
| FRLG |
|
Professor Oak's Laboratory: after attempting to leave Pallet Town | Rival chooses: Roaming Pokémon: 
|
|
|
Rival chooses: Roaming Pokémon: 
| ||
|
|
Rival chooses: Roaming Pokémon: 
|
As gifts
| Game(s) | Pokémon | Location/Acquisition | Other effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Y |
|
Cerulean City: from a a girl if the player has caught at least 30 Pokémon | None |
|
|
Route 24: from a boy if the player has caught at least 50 Pokémon | None | |
|
|
Vermilion City: from Officer Jenny if the player has caught at least 60 Pokémon | None | |
| HGSS |
|
Professor Oak's Laboratory: from Professor Oak after defeating Red (choose one) | None |
| XY |
|
Pallet Town: from Professor Oak after defeating Red (choose one) | None |
  
|
Friend Safari | None | |
| USUM |
|
Melemele Island: Island Scan | None |
| PE |
|
Cerulean City: from a a girl if the player has caught at least 30 Pokémon | None |
|
|
Route 24: from a boy if the player has caught at least 50 Pokémon | None | |
|
|
Vermilion City: from Officer Jenny if the player has caught at least 60 Pokémon | None | |
| SwSh | 
|
Postwick: from Leon after defeating him | None |
| SwSh (IA) |
|
Master Dojo: after clearing Mustard's first trial (choose one) | Honey's team will include: 
|
|
|
Honey's team will include: 
| ||
| SwSh (CT) |
|
Dynamax Adventures | None |
| BDSP |
|
Grand Underground: in the wild, after obtaining the National Pokédex | None |
| SV (ID) |
|
Terarium (Coastal Biome/Savanna Biome/Canyon Biome): in the wild, after upgrading the biomes through the League Club Room | None |
Base stat comparison
| Pokémon | HP | Attack | Defense | Sp. Attack | Sp. Defense | Speed | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
45
|
49
|
49
|
65
|
65
|
45
|
318 |
 |
80
|
82
|
83
|
100
|
100
|
80
|
525 |
 |
80
|
100
|
123
|
122
|
120
|
80
|
625 |
 |
39
|
52
|
43
|
60
|
50
|
65
|
309 |
 |
78
|
84
|
78
|
109
|
85
|
100
|
534 |
 |
78
|
130
|
111
|
130
|
85
|
100
|
634 |
 |
78
|
104
|
78
|
159
|
115
|
100
|
634 |
 |
44
|
48
|
65
|
50
|
64
|
43
|
314 |
 |
79
|
83
|
100
|
85
|
105
|
78
|
530 |
 |
79
|
103
|
120
|
135
|
115
|
78
|
630 |
In the spin-off games
Pokémon Trading Card Game
In Pokémon Trading Card Game, each of the three starter decks is based on one of the Kanto first partner Pokémon. They are listed in this order: Charmander & Friends Deck, Squirtle & Friends Deck, and Bulbasaur & Friends Deck. Each deck includes the three evolutionary stages of the respective first partner Pokémon.
Super Smash Bros. series
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the Pokémon Trainer has a team of different evolutionary stages of Kanto first partner Pokémon: Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard.
In the anime
Pokémon the Series
Over the course of Pokémon the Series, Professor Oak has given away three of the Kanto first partner Pokémon, two of which were to new Trainers. Gary Oak and May both received a Squirtle, and Gilbert began his journey with a Bulbasaur. Despite not having known to handout a Charmander, Professor Oak has been shown with all three first partner Pokémon in his possession. Professor Oak has also given out a Pikachu to Ash when he was late to his pick up his first partner Pokémon and had missed out on receiving one of the usual three choices.
It is revealed in Pokémon the Series: XY that Professor Sycamore gave Shauna, Tierno and Trevor a Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Charmander respectively, and in the Mega Evolution Specials that Alain was given a Charmander as well.
Pokémon Origins
In Pokémon Origins, Red's main Pokémon is his first partner, a Charmander he received from Professor Oak. It eventually evolves into Charizard and becomes able to Mega Evolve into Mega Charizard X through a Key Stone and Charizardite X Red received as a thank-you gift from Mr. Fuji.
I Choose You!
I Choose You!, a movie that started a separate continuity from the main Pokémon the Series continuity, focused on the developing friendship between Ash and the Pikachu he received from Professor Oak. In this continuity, Gary also started with a Squirtle, while the Oak's Bulbasaur and Charmander were revealed to have been picked by alternate versions of Marina and Tierno, respectively.
Pokémon Evolutions
In Pokémon Evolutions, although Professor Oak doesn't hand out any of the Kanto first partner Pokémon in this series, he is shown to have them in his possession.
In the manga
Pokémon Adventures
In Pokémon Adventures, Professor Oak is shown to give Pokémon alongside Pokedexes for Trainers he thinks are especially talented. Most characters are shown to already own another Pokémon before receiving their partner from Professor Oak. Gifted Pokémon include Charmander to his grandson Blue and Bulbasaur to Red. Professor Oak also possessed a Squirtle that was stolen by Green.
Professor Sycamore was also shown to be in possession of the Kanto first partner Pokémon and while Squirtle and Bulbasaur remained under his care, he Charmander to X which he nicknamed Salamè.
Pokémon Pocket Monsters
In Pokémon Pocket Monsters, Professor Oak is depicted distributing the choice of one out of three first partner Pokémon - Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle - to Pokémon Trainers as they begin their journeys, much like in other media. Green chooses Charmander as his first partner Pokémon, and while Red was offered the choice as well, he decided to keep a Clefairy that he met on his way to Professor Oak's lab as his first partner instead.
Pokémon Zensho
In Pokémon Zensho, much like in the Pokémon Red and Green games on which the manga was based, Professor Oak offers Satoshi and Shigeru their choice of one out of three first partner Pokémon - Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle. Satoshi chooses Charmander, while Shigeru chooses Squirtle, leaving Bulbasaur with Professor Oak.
Trivia
- The Kanto first partner Pokémon have several unique distinctions.
- They are the first trio of first partners to have received Mega Evolutions and Gigantamax forms.
- They can be obtained in the most games of all first partner Pokémon, as they have appeared in 20 core series games in Japan (19 internationally).
- They are the only first partner Pokémon where all of the members appear in more than one regional Pokédex: Kanto's, Johto's, and Kalos's.
- The Charmander line also appears by itself in the Galar regional Pokédex, while the Bulbasaur and Squirtle lines appear in the Isle of Armor regional Pokédex.
- They are the only ones to have all been owned by both Ash and one of his friends at some point in their evolutionary lines: May owns a Venusaur and a Wartortle, while Kiawe owns a Charizard.
- They are also the only full set of first partners that Ash has obtained where every member was owned by a previous Trainer.
See also
