Slowpoke is a pink Pokémon that resembles a cross between a salamander and a hippopotamus. It has vacant eyes that never seem focused, curled ears, and a rounded, tan muzzle. It has four legs, each of which ends in a single white claw. Its long, tapering tail has a white tip. This tail drips a sweet, sappy substance that is attractive to many species of fish. Slowpoke uses the tail as a fishing lure. The tail often breaks off, but it will grow back. Slowpoke tails are considered a delicacy and commonly used as a cooking ingredient: in Alola, they are often dried and used in home-cooked stews, while in Galar, they are smoked and packaged as a curry ingredient. Slowpoke is also known to dive underwater to hunt, but is often itself caught instead.
Slowpoke has a notoriously dim intellect and often forgets what it was doing. It takes a long time to respond to outside stimuli. For example, it can take up to five seconds to process pain and can take an entire day to notice when its tail has been bitten. Slowpoke is commonly found at the water's edge. In some places, it is believed that Slowpoke's yawn causes rain. This Pokémon is worshiped in those areas. Its vacant expression is said to help some people relax, whilst causing irritation to others. It is posited that those who lead hectic lives are most likely to become relaxed.
Galarian Slowpoke's body is a slightly different shade of pink, and it has gained yellow colorations on its forehead and tail. This tail is always down and said to have a spicy taste. Much like its Kantonian counterpart, Galarian Slowpoke are known to relax on seashores and riverbanks without a care in the world. However, sometimes it will get a very sharp look in its eyes as if it is about to think of something tremendous, although it will quickly forget and return to its normal expression afterward. It is believed that this behavior, along with the spicy taste of its tail, is a result of Galarica particles built up from its diet of native Galarica seeds affecting its brain and body.[1] This diet also affects Slowpoke's two different evolutions, including the Shellder that attaches to it, which is induced by either the Galarica Cuff or the Galarica Wreath.
In A Crowning Achievement, multiple Slowpoke were trying to reach a King's Rock to evolve into Slowking in order to help find a better habitat for the group. In this episode, Alice Telesu's Slowpoke, nicknamed Arthur, evolved into a Slowking when its head was bitten by a Shellder while it was wearing the King's Rock.
In Island of the Giant Pokémon, Ash's Pokémon asked a Slowpoke for help when they were stranded on a beach, but it didn't respond. It evolved into a Slowbro at the very end of the episode.
Four Slowpoke appeared in Securing the Future!, with two under the ownership of different Trainers and the other two being wild. They joined the rest of Alola in showering Necrozma with light so it could return to its true form.
Slowpoke, the Dopey Pokémon. A Water and Psychic type. Slowpoke's tail often falls off, but it doesn't hurt, and a new one grows quickly, so the Slowpoke doesn't seem to mind. It takes a little time for them to feel pain.
Slowpoke, Galarian Form. The Dopey Pokémon. A Psychic type. This form of Slowpoke lives in the Galarregion. Their facial expressions are normally spacey, but sometimes, they appear focused. Because they eat Galarica seeds from the Galar region, their tails have a spicy flavor.
Ashcaught a giant Slowpoke in Ash vs. Gary. He later traded it to Gary Oak for a photo of his sister May. After this, they found out that Slowpoke had evolved into a Slowbro.
In Ursaring Major, a herd of Slowpoke in Azalea Town had their tails cut off by Team Rocket, causing the Slowpoke Well to stop providing water. Gold proceeds to tire one out with his Aipom, prompting it to yawn and therefore cause the well to start flowing again.
In A Flaaffy Kerfuffle, a Slowpoke appeared as one of the Pokémon in Professor Oak's fantasy when he explains that Trainers should only have six Pokémon with them.
Giovanni stole Slowpoke from Kurt prior to Find Slowpoke!! in order to profit from its tail as it is worth a lot of money. Kurt was able to retrieve the Slowpoke from Giovanni before Giovanni was able to get its tail.
Slowpoke appears as a Pokéfloat. It initially has its tail curled towards its body but the tail lazily becomes straight and fighting moves there until Wooper appears.
Slowpoke appears as a Master Spirit. Unlike other Master Spirits who own dojos, his dojo specifically allows spirits to forget styles that they have learned from other dojos.
Celestial
Slowpoke appeared in the music video for Celestial.
Slowpoke uses its tail to catch prey by dipping it in water at the side of a river. However, this Pokémon often forgets what it's doing and often spends entire days just loafing at water's edge.
It catches prey by dipping its tail in water at the side of a river. But it often forgets what it is doing and spends entire days just loafing at water's edge.
Slowpoke uses its tail to catch prey by dipping it in water at the side of a river. However, this Pokémon often forgets what it's doing and often spends entire days just loafing at water's edge.
He had no idea how fast or slow he was, but when everyone was surprised by his speed, he started to realize his speed is incredible. He is an honest and good kid.
The Japanese and international versions of Pokémon Silver have different sprites for Slowpoke, with the Japanese versions having a fatter and striped belly similar to that which Slowbro and Slowking sport. It is unknown why this was changed. However, its striped underside is still partially visible in all of its Gold and Crystal sprites. This striped belly does not appear to be a true error, as it has been seen in artwork by Ken Sugimori, though it is from Generation I.
Like Mantyke, Slowpoke evolves when another Pokémon is attached to it; however, this was only seen in the anime. Proximity-based evolution such as requiring Mantyke and Remoraid to be in the same party were not introduced until Generation IV.
Slowpoke is the only Pokémon whose multiple evolutions have different total EV yields: Slowbro has an EV yield of 2, while Slowking has an EV yield of 3.
Despite numerous Pokédex entries stating its lack of response to a bite on its tail, in Pokémon Snap it is shown to quickly react to Shellder's bite. This may be due to Shellder's venom stimulating a quicker response, or simply an error or game mechanic to speed the process along.
The Pokémon Company posted a Slowpoke-themed reggae music video onto their Japanese channel titled どないやねん ヤドン (What's Going on, Yadon?). The song was later dubbed and posted to the English-language channel under the title of Slowpoke Song.
Though the species has appeared repeatedly, no Slowpoke has ever been seen using an attack in the anime.
Slowpoke has the lowest base Speed stat of all Psychic-type Pokémon.
Slowpoke has the fewest move differences between regional forms, having almost identical learnsets with only two differences. The Galarian form learns Acid instead of Water Gun at level 6 and can learn TR81, Foul Play.
Slowpoke is the only Pokémon with a regional form that has a branched evolution.
It is also the only Pokémon to not only not gain a new type in its regional form, but also lose one type without changing the other.
When Galarian Slowpoke was first released, it could use Eviolite despite being unable to evolve at the time (possibly because its evolutions were still programmed in or planned).
Galarian Slowpoke is the only Pokémon with a branched evolution where both evolved forms share identical type combinations with each other, but not their pre-evolved form.
Unlike most regional forms, Galarian Slowpoke has a different cry from its regular form. However, this difference does not exist in Pokémon GO.
Slowpoke, its Galarian form, and their evolved forms are the only Psychic-type Pokémon in the Monster Egg Group.
Due to its marine nature, physical appearance, and association with shellfish, Slowpoke may be based on a sea otter. Its appearance may also be based on giant salamanders and hippopotamuses. Its ability to grow a new tail if cut off may be inspired by the biological processes of autotomy and regeneration seen in some species of lizards and salamanders.
Name origin
Slowpoke is literally slowpoke, a term for someone who is slow. It may also be a combination of slow and Pokémon.
Yadon may be a combination of 宿借り yadokari (hermit crab), 宿主 yadonushi (parasitic host), and 鈍 don (dull). It may also be a shortening of ヤドラン Yadoran, Slowbro's Japanese name.
In other languages
Language
Title
Meaning
Japanese
ヤドン Yadon
From 宿借り yadokari, 宿主 yadonushi, ヤドラン Yadoran, and 鈍 don
King's Rock (2%)
Lagging Tail (5%)
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For other sprites and images, please see Slowpoke images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
