Mean Look (move)

Mean Look
くろいまなざし Dark Look
Mean Look IX.png
[[File:|300px|center]]
Type  Normal
Category  Status
PP  5 (max. 8)
Power  —
Accuracy  —%
Priority  {{{priority}}}
Target
Foe Foe Foe
Self Ally Ally
May affect anyone adjacent to the user
Availability
Introduced  Generation II
Condition  Beauty
Appeal  2 ♥♥
Jam  0  
Makes all Pokémon after the user nervous.
Condition  Beauty
Appeal  2 ♥♥
Lowers the Voltage of all Judges by one each.
Condition  Beautiful
Appeal  2 ♥♥
Jamming  0  
Makes the remaining Pokémon nervous.

Mean Look (Japanese: くろいまなざし Dark Look) is a non-damaging Normal-type move introduced in Generation II.

Effect

Generation II

Mean Look prevents the target from switching out or fleeing (including via Teleport). It bypasses accuracy checks to always hit, unless the target is in the semi-invulnerable turn of a move such as Dig or Fly. The effect only applies as long as the Pokémon that used it remains in battle.

It will hit the target even if it has used Protect or Detect.

The affected Pokémon can still switch out via Baton Pass, but in that case, the Pokémon that switches in will now be affected. Conversely, the Pokémon that used Mean Look can switch out with Baton Pass and the effects of Mean Look will still apply. Also, if the affected Pokémon is Roared at or hit with a Whirlwind, they will still be switched out.

If a wild Pokémon uses Mean Look on the player's Pokémon, the player will be unable to escape.

Generations III and IV

Pokémon affected by Mean Look can escape (but not switch out) if the Pokémon has the Ability Run Away or is holding a Smoke Ball.

It is now blocked by Protect and Detect.

Pokémon affected by Mean Look can now switch out with U-turn.

Mean Look can be used as the first move of a Pokémon Contest combination, causing Destiny Bond and Perish Song to score double the normal appeal if used in the next turn. It can also be used to finish a combination, with the user gaining 2 bonus appeal points if Curse was used in the previous turn.

Generation V

If a Pokémon traps a target with Mean Look and then switches with Baton Pass, the target will no longer be trapped.

Pokémon affected by Mean Look can also switch out with Volt Switch.

Also, Dragon Tail and Circle Throw will force the affected Pokémon to switch out.

Generation VI onwards

Mean Look no longer affects Ghost-type Pokémon. It will now hit the target even if it has used Protect, Detect, or Spiky Shield, but will fail if the target is protected by Crafty Shield.

Pokémon affected by Mean Look can also switch out with Parting Shot and Flip Turn.

Mean Look can also be used as part of a Contest Spectacular combination, causing certain moves (Explosion, Memento, Perish Song and Self-Destruct) to give an extra three appeal points if used in the next turn.

If powered up by a Normalium Z into Z-Mean Look, the user's Special Defense stat is raised by one stage.

Description

Games Description
Stad2 A probing stare that prevents the target from escaping until the attacking Pokémon is gone.
GSC Prevents fleeing or switching.
RSE Fixes the foe with a mean look that prevents escape.
FRLG The foe is fixed with a mean look that prevents it from escaping.
Colo.XD Fixes the target with a look that prevents escape.
DPPtHGSSPBR The user affixes the foe with a dark, arresting look. The target becomes unable to flee.
BWB2W2
XYORAS
SMUSUM
SwShBDSPLA
SV
The user pins the target with a dark, arresting look. The target becomes unable to flee.


Learnset

By leveling up

# Pokémon Types Egg Groups Level
I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX
041   Zubat
 
 
Flying Flying 36 36 29 29BW
34B2W2
34XY
29ORAS
29SMUSUM 10SwShBDSP
042   Golbat
 
 
Flying Flying 42 42 33 33BW
38B2W2
38XY
32ORAS
32SMUSUM 1SwShBDSP
092   Gastly
 
 
Amorphous Amorphous 13 13RSE
48FRLG
8 8 8 8SMUSUM 8SwShBDSP 8
093   Haunter
 
 
Amorphous Amorphous 13 13RSE
64FRLG
8 8 8 8SMUSUM 1SwShBDSP 1
094   Gengar
 
 
Amorphous Amorphous 13 13RSE
64FRLG
8 8 8 8SMUSUM 1SwShBDSP 1
124   Jynx
 
 
Human-Like Human-Like 35 35 21 25 25 25SMUSUM 46
169   Crobat
 
 
Flying Flying 42 42 33 33BW
38B2W2
38XY
32ORAS
32 1SwShBDSP
197   Umbreon
  Field Field 42 42 57 57BW
37B2W2
37 37 50SwShBDSP 50
198   Murkrow
 
 
Flying Flying 41 48 41 41 41 41 41BDSP 35
200   Misdreavus
  Amorphous Amorphous 19 23 19 19 19 19 19BDSP 19
238   Smoochum
 
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 33 33 21 25 25 25 40
302   Sableye
 
 
Human-Like Human-Like 45 57 60 1, 60XY
46ORAS
46 36 36
355   Duskull
  Amorphous Amorphous 45 38 41 41XY
46ORAS
46 28SwShBDSP
356   Dusclops
  Amorphous Amorphous 51 43 49 49XY
52ORAS
52 28SwShBDSP
429   Mismagius
  Amorphous Amorphous 1BDSP
430   Honchkrow
 
 
Flying Flying 1BDSP
477   Dusknoir
  Amorphous Amorphous 43 49 49XY
52ORAS
52 28SwShBDSP
504   Patrat
  Field Field 31 31 36
505   Watchog
  Field Field 36 36 43
562   Yamask
  Mineral Amorphous 45 45 45 28
562   Yamask
Galarian Form
 
 
Mineral Amorphous 28
563   Cofagrigus
  Mineral Amorphous 51 51 51 28
678   Meowstic
Male
  Field Field 1 1 1
785   Tapu Koko
 
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1 50
786   Tapu Lele
 
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1 50
787   Tapu Bulu
 
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1 50
788   Tapu Fini
 
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1 50
867   Runerigus
 
 
Mineral Amorphous 28
987   Flutter Mane
 
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 14
100   Wo-Chien
 
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1
100   Chien-Pao
 
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1
100   Ting-Lu
 
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1
100   Chi-Yu
 
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move.
Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.


By breeding

# Pokémon Types Parent
Egg Groups
Egg Move
II III IV V VI VII VIII IX
088   Grimer
  Amorphous Amorphous BDSP
088   Grimer
Alolan Form
 
 
Amorphous Amorphous
163   Hoothoot
 
 
Flying Flying USUM BDSP
203   Girafarig
 
 
Field Field BDSP
280   Ralts
 
 
Human-Like Amorphous
302   Sableye
 
 
Human-Like Human-Like BDSP
359   Absol
  Field Field
495   Snivy
  Field Grass
551   Sandile
 
 
Field Field
574   Gothita
  Human-Like Human-Like
624   Pawniard
 
 
Human-Like Human-Like
629   Vullaby
 
 
Flying Flying
701   Hawlucha
 
 
Flying Human-Like
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move.
Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.


Special move

Generation V

# Pokémon Types Egg Groups Obtained with
553   Krookodile
 
 
Field Field Dream World - Rugged Mountain
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move.
Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.


By event

Generation V

# Pokémon Types Egg Groups Obtained with
235   Smeargle
  Field Field 2013 World Championships Smeargle
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move.
Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.


In other games

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

In Red Rescue Team, Blue Rescue Team, Explorers of Time, Darkness and Sky, Mean Look is a move with 12PP and 100% accuracy. The user targets enemy in front of them and inflicts Leg/Shadow Hold status condition. This move is affected by Magic Coat and Taunt.

Description

Games Description
MDRB Inflicts the Leg Hold status on the target, making it incapable of movement.
MDTDS Afflicts the targeted enemy with a Shadow Hold status condition. A Pokémon with the Shadow Hold status is incapable of movement.
BSL てきポケモンを かげふみじょうたいにかえる かげふみじょうたいの ポケモンは いどうできない
MDGtI It causes the Stuck status condition to an enemy. With the Stuck status, the enemy can't move.
SMD It causes an enemy to get stuck.


In the anime

       
Absol Dusknoir Watchog Haunter
The user affixes the foe with a dark, arresting look, causing the target to become trapped in the battle.
Pokémon Method
User First Used In Notes
  Haunter Haunter's eyes glow light-purple, preventing the opponent from escaping.
Morty's Haunter From Ghost to Ghost Debut
  Misdreavus Misdreavus opens its eyes wide and its body flashes black. The opponent can no longer run away from the battle.
Nelson's Misdreavus Entei at Your Own Risk None
  Dusclops Dusclops's iris glows purple and it releases a black ring of energy from its eye at the opponent. When the ring hits the opponent, the opponent becomes surrounded by a purple aura, causing the opponent to no longer be able to be recalled into its Poké Ball.
Brandon's Dusclops Gathering the Gang of Four! None
  Dusknoir Dusknoir's iris glows purple and it releases a black ring of energy from its eye at the opponent. When the ring hits the opponent, it flips around so it is above the opponent, and it falls down onto it. The ring then disappears and the opponent's body flashes black, preventing it from escaping.
Conway's Dusknoir Working on a Right Move! None
  Watchog Watchog closes its eyes and its body becomes surrounded in a dark purple aura. It then opens its eyes and they glow bright red. The purple aura then rises into the air and forms an eye with a black pupil. The eye then becomes surrounded in a magenta aura, and multiple smaller eyes with a magenta outline appear around it and spread throughout the battlefield. The opponent's body then becomes surrounded in a magenta aura. Once it does, the eyes disappear and the opponent can no longer be recalled. If the Trainer tries, a purple force field appears around the opponent.
Lenora's Watchog The Battle According to Lenora! None
  Gengar Gengar's irises and pupils turn purple, with a light-purple glow around them. The opponent then glows purple, with its eyes glowing bright red, and a dark-purple, shadowy mist appears around the opponent's body as the opponent turns towards Gengar.
Alva's Gengar Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel None
  Absol Absol's eyes glow red and a dark, ghostly aura surrounds it. The aura then extends and surrounds the opponent, making them freeze in fear.
Lusamine's Absol Rescuing the Unwilling!‎ None
  Sableye Sableye's eyes flash red and then a dark purple and shadowy aura shaped like its face is fired at the opponent. After the attack hits, the opponent's body becomes outlined in a dark purple aura and struggles to be able to move.
Nanu's Sableye Guiding an Awakening! None


In the manga

Be the Best! Pokémon B+W


Pokémon Adventures


Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys


Pokémon Pocket Monsters


In other generations

Core series games

Side series games

Spin-off series games

Trivia

  • In Generation III, the status screen erroneously states that the move has 100% accuracy, even though it ignores accuracy and evasion checks.
  • The stock image used in the battle animation of Mean Look from Generation VII onwards appears to be based on Espurr's eyes, which can't itself learn the move. This trait is shared with Tearful Look and Baby-Doll EyesVII+.

In other languages

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 黑色目光 Hāaksīk Muhkgwōng *
黑色眼光 Hāaksīk Ngáahngwōng *
黑暗眼光 Hākam Ngáahngwōng *
黑暗視線 Hākam Sihsin *
Mandarin 黑色目光 Hēisè Mùguāng *
黑色眼光 Hēisè Yǎnguāng *
黑暗的視線 Hēi'àn-de Shìxiàn *
  Czech Zlý pohled
  Danish Ondt Blik
  Dutch Valse blik
  Finnish Inhonaama
  French Regard Noir
  German Horrorblick
  Greek Άγρια Ματιά
  Indonesian Tatapan Gelap
Mata Hitam
  Italian Malosguardo
  Korean 검은눈빛 Geom-eun Nunbit
  Polish Ciemne Spojrzenie*
Zły Wygląd*
Portuguese   Brazil Olhar Malvado
  Portugal Olhar Paralisante
  Serbian Zao pogled
Spanish   Latin America Mirada Maligna (EP182)
Cara Mala (EP259)
Mirada Mala (AG189, BW015-BW016)
Mal de Ojo (DP185)
  Spain Mal de Ojo
  Vietnamese Cái Nhìn Ác Ý




Variations of the move Mean Look
  BlockMean LookSpider Web


  This article is part of Project Moves and Abilities, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on two related aspects of the Pokémon games.