This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Image of Marshadow stretching out its arms in I Choose You!
Marshadow is a humanoid Pokémon that appears to be made of smoky gray shadows. The area around its face resembles headgear, such as a helmet. On top of the helmet are two curled horns or ears with a wispy horn between them. Its eyes are orange-red with yellow pupils, and above each eye is a yellow, oval marking. Each arm has a small bump on the wrist. Around its neck is a smoky collar, and there is a trail of shadows on each foot.
Very few people have ever seen Marshadow, having been left undiscovered for so long that its existence has been the stuff of legends and myths. Marshadow is a cautious Pokémon and can sink into the shadows to ensure it is not noticed. While hiding in the shadows of others, it can understand their feelings and even copy their abilities. Through mimicry, it will eventually become more powerful than those it imitates. It can even learn the ultimate technique of martial arts masters it copies. In Lumiose City, an online account called Hex Maniac Channel discovered a Marshadow hiding in the shadow of Prism Tower, but referred to it as a "ghostly child". As seen in the movieI Choose You!, Marshadow is also capable of causing nightmares. In the same movie, it is shown to be able to shapeshift and stretch out its arms like shadows. While corrupted by the Rainbow Feather, it can even take control of countless Pokémon with the power of its shadows.
When it is angered or attacking, Marshadow's fighting spirit will begin to burn,[1] and it will turn into Zenith Marshadow (Japanese: ぜんりょくのマーシャドーFull-Powered Marshadow).[2][3] In this state, its headgear, wrist bumps, and collar flare up and resemble green and yellow flames. Marshadow's eyes also flare up when in this state, but do not change in color.
Marshadow debuted in a major role in I Choose You!, where it was revealed to be a guide from the shadows who leads those chosen by Ho-Oh to be the Rainbow Hero.
Minor appearances
Marshadow made its animated series debut in The Dex Can't Help It!, where Rotom wanted to record its data, but couldn't due to it not being inside its Pokédex. Another Rotom inhabiting the Pokédex managed to take a blurry picture of the Marshadow, but deleted it afterwards.
Marshadow appears as a Poké Ball summon. It stuns foes with shadows, then strikes them with a powerful blow from Spectral Thief.
Trivia
A normal Zenith Marshadow (left) and a Shiny Zenith Marshadow (right)
Unlike other Pokémon, Marshadow's normal and Shiny colorations are exactly the same in its normal form, only having different colors in its Zenith form.
In Generation VII, Magearna shares this trait with Marshadow, although this is not the case for Original Color Magearna. The only visible difference between the two colorations in its normal form is shown in the Pokédex images, where the tip of Marshadow's head is tinted slightly green or purple for the regular and Shiny colorations respectively.
In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Shiinotic is defined internally as a Mythical Pokémon instead of Marshadow. This is likely due to a typo between their internal names, with マシェードMASHEEDO (Shiinotic) being mistaken for マーシャドーMAASYADOO (Marshadow).[4]
Although Marshadow does not appear in the game, Raifort's hair pin resembles its face.
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.
Zenith Marshadow
Marshadow hiding in a Pikachu's shadow
For other sprites and images, please see Marshadow images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
