Ash's Lucario
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Ash's Lucario (Japanese: サトシのルカリオ Satoshi's Lucario) was the third Pokémon that Ash caught in Pokémon Journeys: The Series, and his fifty-fifth overall.
In the anime
History
Lucario's Egg was originally found in the Sinnoh region. Despite being passed from one Day Care worker to another for a long time, it seemed unwilling to hatch. Eventually, the Egg made its way to the Kanto region, coming under the care of the Nurse Joy working in Vermilion City.
While Ash battled Hayden in Caring for a Mystery!, the Egg sensed the strong Aura being emitted by the former and reacted to it. Ash also felt the Egg calling for him. While Pikachu was being treated at the Pokémon Center, Ash followed the call to the room where the Egg was being kept. When the Egg reacted to Ash's presence by rolling towards him, Nurse Joy decided to entrust its care to him.
The following night, the Egg hatched into a Riolu. As Ash wasn't exuding the same Aura as he had earlier, Riolu didn't recognize him and instantly fled from the Cerise Laboratory and started attacking various wild Pokémon, although all of them were too strong for it. Ash finally caught up to Riolu as it was getting attacked by an Onix. During the battle against the Rock Snake Pokémon, Riolu recognized Ash's Aura as the same one it had sensed earlier. With both Pikachu and Riolu attacking Onix, Ash was soon able to drive it away, and then, he took Riolu to the Pokémon Center to be healed. After Nurse Joy treated Riolu, it expressed willingness to be caught by Ash, which he agreed to.
In A Little Rocket R & R!, Ash used Riolu to battle Team Rocket Grunts trying to steal Pokémon at the Resort Area, but it was defeated by their Purugly.
In A Festival Reunion!, when Ash traveled to Shalour City to participate in a Battle Festival Challenge in order to raise his World Coronation Series rank, Riolu sensed the Aura emanating from Korrina's Lucario and led Ash and his other Pokémon to it. Korrina took a liking to Riolu and encouraged it to become stronger with Ash. Riolu instantly started admiring to Korrina's Lucario, and it came to the point that when Ash was about to start his battle with Korrina in the Battle Festival Challenge, it showed eagerness to battle, but Ash decided to go with his more experienced Pokémon. During and after the battle, even though Lucario had been defeated, Riolu still showed great admiration towards its evolved form.
In Toughing It Out!, Riolu battled a Galarian Farfetch'd. With a new array of moves at its disposal, it was able to defeat the Farfetch'd, which later joined Ash's team.
In Betrayed, Bothered, and Beleaguered!, Ash used Riolu in his World Coronation Series match against Tony. Riolu succeeded in defeating Tony's Electabuzz, increasing Ash's World Coronation Series rank in the process.
In Solitary and Menacing!, Ash took Riolu with him to the Fighting Dojo in Saffron City, where it was used to battle a Black Belt's Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee. During Ash's World Coronation Series match against Bea, Riolu volunteered to battle her Grapploct, only to be defeated, losing the match and causing Ash's World Coronation Series rank to go down.
In Making Battles in the Sand!, Ash used Riolu in two World Coronation Series matches, with the first against an Octillery and the second against a Tentacruel. After his loss against Bea, Ash was insistent on Riolu fighting from a distance, but as they had not trained in this fighting style, Riolu lost both of these battles, resulting in Ash dropping back to the Normal Class.
In Octo-Gridlock at the Gym!, Riolu battled Grapploct again following Pikachu's defeat during Ash's second battle against Bea at the Cianwood Gym. Using a new strategy, Riolu managed to use its opponent's arms to its own advantage. Despite this, the battle ended in a draw.
In Sword and Shield, Slumbering Weald!, Riolu was used alongside Pikachu and Dragonite to battle a rampaging Gigantamax Centiskorch. Despite their best efforts, the Centiskorch was only defeated when Leon arrived.
In Sword and Shield: "From Here to Eternatus!", Riolu was sent out to battle Rose's Copperajah and Ferrothorn with Pikachu. In the next episode, it evolved into Lucario while protecting Ash and Pikachu from Copperajah and Ferrothorn's attacks. Ash commanded it to use Vacuum Wave, but Lucario instead used its Aura powers to contact him and requested to use Aura Sphere instead. Ash agreed, and they used it to defeat each of Rose's Pokémon. Lucario then assisted Leon in stopping Eternatus from attacking Galar. With the assistance of Zacian and Zamazenta, Lucario, Pikachu, and Cinderace combined their powers and weakened Eternatus until it collapsed. Ash and Goh then caught Eternatus and sealed it away, putting an end to the Darkest Day.
In Getting More Than You Battled For!, Ash sent Lucario out to battle Mewtwo on Cero Island, teaming up with Goh's Cinderace after Pikachu had been defeated. However, despite putting in its best effort, Lucario stood no chance against the Genetic Pokémon and was defeated by a massive Shadow Ball.
In Trials of a Budding Master! Lucario, alongside Pikachu and Gengar, were shown in a still image montage of battles Ash had to reach rank 451 prior to the episode. It was later seen sparring with Dragonite alongside the rest of Ash's team at Cerise Park.
In JN077, Lucario was the first Pokémon Ash sent out during his World Coronation Series match against Volkner, going up against his Luxray. Lucario was recalled after being overwhelmed by a combination of Electric Terrain and Rising Voltage. Lucario was later sent out to battle Electivire, who managed to paralyze Lucario with Thunder Punch before being recalled and replaced by Fan Rotom. Lucario was able to withstand a powered-up Hex and an Air Slash from Rotom before defeating it with Reversal. Lucario subsequently fought against Luxray again and managed to tie with it, thanks to the damage previously dealt on it by Gengar.
Personality and characteristics
Lucario, like other members of its species, responds to Aura. As such, it developed a subconscious connection to Ash before it even hatched. As a Riolu, it displayed a very headstrong personality, attacking wild Pokémon and even Ash, as if it had something to prove. Despite being a baby Pokémon, it disliked being coddled and generally seemed very independent. At the same time, it appeared to respect Ash as a Trainer, and it could be seen following him and Pikachu around Cerise Laboratory. This is in contrast to the other Pokémon Ash has caught in Pokémon Journeys: The Series, who generally wander around and do their own thing. It also had an eagerness to battle, as seen in Toughing It Out!, when it let itself out of its Poké Ball on its own to battle a Galarian Farfetch'd.
After evolving, Lucario's control of Aura improved, as seen in Sword and Shield... The Legends Awaken!, where it used its Aura to tell Ash it had learned Aura Sphere. In JN076, it used its ability to see Auras to locate a Bruxish during the Pokémon Catching Adventure Race. It also seems for have attained a more stoic personality, although it is still prone to actions immaturity, as demonstrated in A Close Call... Practically!, where Goh's Cinderace's cheerful personality and antics clashed with its stoic attitude and caused it to get frustrated at Cinderace on multiple occasions, even angrily chasing it when pushed far enough.
Moves used
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| A † shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Moves improvised
| Picture | First Used In | Moves Involved | Partnered With |
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A Close Call... Practically! | Aura Sphere and Pyro Ball | Goh's Cinderace |
| Description: A combination of Aura Sphere and Pyro Ball. Lucario launches an Aura Sphere while Cinderace kicks a Pyro Ball and the two attacks converge into a fireball surrounded by light blue streaks of energy. | |||
Artwork
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| Artwork for Children's Day by Shūhei Yasuda |
Artwork for Happy Sunshine Day in 2020 by Shūhei Yasuda |
Artwork for Find the difference |
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| Third poster for the Japanese version of Pokémon Journeys: The Series |
Fourth poster for the Japanese version of Pokémon Journeys: The Series |
Cover for the Pocket Monsters Original Soundtrack |
In the manga
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
Lucario debuted as a Riolu in JNM08, where it hatched from an Egg.
In JNM11, Riolu was sent out to battle Bea's Grapploct. It was defeated by Grapploct's Liquidation.
In JNM14, Riolu evolved into a Lucario during a battle against Rose and his Copperajah.
Moves used
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| A † shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves. | |||||||||||||||||||
In the games
Pokémon GO
On November 6, 2020, as part of Pokémon GO's Animation Week 2020 event, which was based on Pokémon Journeys: The Series, several Pokémon based on those that Ash and Goh encountered in the anime appeared more frequently in the wild, in raids, from 7 km Eggs, and during surprise encounters, with Riolu appearing only in 7 km Eggs. The event ran from November 6, 2020, at 8:00 a.m., to November 12, 2020, at 10:00 p.m. local time.
Trivia
- As a Riolu, Lucario was Ash's first:
- Capture of a Generation IV Pokémon since Gible in Gotta Get a Gible!, 483 episodes earlier.
- Baby Pokémon.
- Pokémon in Pokémon Journeys: The Series to not be obtained in its fully evolved form.
- Pokémon in Pokémon Journeys: The Series that did not originate from Generation I.
- Pure Fighting type since Primeape, who was caught in Primeape Goes Bananas, 1,081 episodes earlier.
- Pokémon to evolve outside of the region it was obtained in since Quilava, who was caught as a Cyndaquil in Johto and evolved in Sinnoh in An Old Family Blend!, 482 episodes earlier.
- Lucario spent only 24 episodes as a Riolu after hatching, making it the fastest evolved hatched Pokémon out of all the protagonists.
- Riolu's Egg is a reference to the 10 km Egg in Pokémon GO. At the time Caring for a Mystery! aired in Japan, Riolu could be found in these Eggs.
- Riolu and other baby Pokémon were also featured in a Wild Area News event in Sword and Shield at the time.
Related articles
| Ash's Pokémon | ||||||
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| For a list of Pokémon Ash has temporarily owned, used, or commanded, see here | ||||||
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This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of the Pokémon anime. |