Mightyena is a quadruped Pokémon that is based on a hyena. Its fur is mostly short and gray, but there is shaggy black fur on its lower legs, tail, and in two thick strips starting behind its eyes and running the length of its body. It has dark, triangular streak patterns below its eyes, which are red with yellow sclerae. Its ears are rhombus-shaped with dark insides, its nose is red, and it has gray paw pads.
Mightyena lives in a pack in the wild. As a member of this pack follows the orders of its leader and chases down prey. It gives obvious signals when it is about to attack, as it starts to growl deeply and flattens its body. Mightyena defeats foes with perfectly coordinated teamwork. If its Trainer is very experienced, it will always obey their orders. As depicted in the anime, Mightyena is prone to licking the faces of the people of which it is fond. This species lives in grasslands and savannas.
In the main series
Major appearances
Four Mightyena debuted in A Bite to Remember, all under the ownership of Katrina. They were used to help Katrina protect a Pokémon reserve. One of them started out as a Poochyena in the episode, but it evolved after befriending Max.
Butch of Team Rocket owns a Mightyena, which debuted in Oaknapped!. It appeared again in A Date With Delcatty and Luvdisc is a Many Splendored Thing!.
Mightyena have been used by many Team Magma Grunts, starting in A Three Team Scheme!.
A Mightyena appeared in Jirachi: Wish Maker, under the ownership of Butler. He used it during his magic show in the Millennium Festival. Mightyena later helped attach a tracking device to a van Ash and his friends were using to evade Butler and go to Forina.
A Mightyena appeared in Zoroark: Master of Illusions, under the ownership of Joe, Karl's grandfather. It worked alongside Tammy's Tangrowth to catch Zorua, and participated in the final battle against Grings Kodai.
A Mightyena was used by the ninjas that attacked the Ninja Village in A Festival of Decisions!.
Minor appearances
A Mightyena appeared in Brock's demonstration in A Bite to Remember, where it evolved from a Poochyena.
A Mightyena appeared in the opening sequence of Destiny Deoxys.
A Coordinator's Mightyena appeared in Mean With Envy.
A Coordinator's Mightyena appeared in Thinning the Hoard!.
A Mightyena appeared in All Dressed Up With Somewhere To Go!, where it was seen competing in the Pokémon Dress-Up Contest as a Suicune.
A Mightyena appeared in Camping It Up!.
A group of Mightyena appeared in Historical Mystery Tour!. They were among the Pokémon Ash encountered in Xatu's Forest.
A Coordinator's Mightyena appeared in Playing the Performance Encore!. It was used alongside a Houndoom in the Battle Stage of the Daybreak Contest.
A Mightyena appeared in A Performance Pop Quiz!, under the ownership of a Pokémon Performer participating in the Anistar City Pokémon Showcase. It reappeared in A Dancing Debut!, where it was used in the Couriway Showcase; and Master Class is in Session!, where it was used in the Master Class Showcase in Gloire City.
A Trainer's Mightyena appeared in I Choose You!.
Pokédex entries
Episode
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Pokémon
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Source
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Entry
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AG011
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Mightyena
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Ash's Pokédex
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Mightyena, the Bite Pokémon. Mightyena is the evolved form of Poochyena. They move primarily in packs, working together to capture their prey.
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In Pokémon Generations
A Mightyena appeared in The Vision, under the ownership of a Team Magma Grunt. It was defeated by Brendan's Sceptile during the pair's intrusion of the Team Magma Hideout.
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
- Main article: Nana
In Making Mirth with Mightyena, several wild Mightyena were seen being the Pokémon that attacked Professor Birch. The shiny gleam on their fur had the Contest-obsessed boy jealous.
Ruby's Poochyena, Nana, evolved into Mightyena in Guile from Mawile as the boy met up with Steven. With her increased strength and capacity for better handling advanced techniques such as Hyper Beam, she proved to become a force to be reckoned with, able to defend the boy against his powerful father Norman, and outdo Sapphire's Rono when he was attacked by surprise.
Team Flare owns multiple Mightyena, which first appeared in Rhyhorn Charges.
In the Pokémon Chamo-Chamo ☆ Pretty ♪ manga
- Main article: Mightyena (CCP)
Mightyena is Poochyena's older brother.
Pokédex entries
Manga
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Chapter
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Entry
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Pokémon Adventures
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PS182
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Before it attacks, it will growl and keep its body close to the ground. This Pokémon bites deep using its sharp fangs.*
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Pokémon Adventures
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PS182
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Mightyena gives obvious signals when it is preparing to attack. It starts to growl deeply and then flattens its body. This Pokémon will bite savagely with its sharply pointed fangs.*
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- Early artwork, including Ken Sugimori's official art and some TCG art, shows Mightyena with a black nose instead of a red nose.
- Mightyena and its pre-evolution share their category with Drednaw. They are all known as Bite Pokémon.
Origin
Bulbanews has an article related to this subject:
Mightyena shares some similarities with both wolves and hyenas. The design may have been influenced by domestic breeds like the German Shepherd and the Australian Kelpie, a breed with personalities that are heavily influenced by their owners. German Shepherds are also commonly colored black and gray. Its appearance may also be based on a brown hyena. Mightyena's Shiny form, as well as the fact that it is a pack animal, is reminiscent of a spotted hyena.
Name origin
Mightyena may be a combination of mighty and hyena.
Graena may be a combination of growl and hyena.