Charizard

Charizard was designed by Atsuko Nishida for the first generation of Pocket Monsters games Red and Green, which were localized outside Japan as Pokémon Red and Blue.[1] Charizard was designed before Charmander, the latter being actually based on the former.[3] Originally called "Lizardon" in Japanese, Nintendo decided to give the various Pokémon species "clever and descriptive names" related to their appearance or features when translating the game for western audiences as a means to make the characters more relatable to American children.[4] As a result, they were renamed "Charizard", a combination of the words "charcoal" or "char" and "lizard".[5] During an interview, Pokémon Company president Tsunekazu Ishihara stated that Charizard was expected to be popular with North American audiences because of their preference for strong, powerful characters.[6]

Whereas its pre-evolutions Charmander and Charmeleon are ground-bound lizard like creatures, Charizard's design is inspired by dragons,[7] more specifically European dragons.[8] Even though Charizard gains the Flying secondary type instead of the Dragon type upon evolving, it belongs to the Dragon Egg Group, learns Dragon moves like Dragon Claw, and has its Flying type replaced by Dragon in its "Mega Charizard X" form.[9]

Charizard has two teal wings, with a mostly orange body and back. Its plantigrade feet have the bottom mostly covered by a single pad that is cream-colored like its belly, while its eyes are light blue in color. When Charizard is Mega Evolved, it can take on one of two forms. Both forms are characterized by white pupils, bigger and sharper teeth, claws and horns and the bright coloring of the belly reaching the whole bottom of the muzzle, that also features a more pronounced beak. In its "X" form, its color scheme changes from orange and cream to black and blue, with red eyes, two claws appearing on each shoulder and wings acquiring a multilobed, feather-like structure. The flame at the tip of its tail becomes blue and blue flames are constantly breathed out from the sides of its mouth. In its "Y" form, its appearance is influenced by that of Pteranodons, with a central big pointed horn, loss of fingers passing through the patagia of the main wings that increase in size, smaller wings stemming from Pteranodon-like hands. It also gains a more slender appearance with a thinner torso, a longer tail and digitigrade feet that are longer and devoid of pads.

Although categorized as a fire-flying type Pokemon by physique, by its nature or attack formations Charizard has a remarkable resemblance with an actual dragon, and with the dragon type moves skill set such as Dragon Rage, Draco Meter, Dragon Wing, Dragon Claw, Dragon Pulse etc. Charizard can be easily marked as a Fire-Flying-Dragon type Pokemon, a very rare tri variant combination, making it one of the most powerful Pokemon in the collection.

The video games describe Charizard as having wings that can carry them close to an altitude of 4,600 feet,[10] flying proudly around the sky and constantly seeking for powerful opponents to quarrel with.[11] They can breathe intense flames that can melt any material, but will never torch a weaker foe.[12] If Charizard becomes angry, the flame at the tip of their tail can flare up in a whitish-blue color.[13] Because of their reckless behavior, Charizard are known to unintentionally cause wildfires.[14] While Mega Charizard X is known for its black body, hotter blue flames as well as its Dragon type,[15] Mega Charizard Y is generally regarded for its flying prowess, with it allegedly being able to reach up to 10000 meters of altitude while flying.[16][17] In the Pokémon anime episode "Charmander - The Stray Pokémon", where Ash befriends a Charmander that joins his team, it is learnt that Charmander and its evolutions must keep their tail fires burning to survive. Despite that, the Charizard's Burning Ambition episode showed Ash's Charizard surviving when going into water and the Pokémon Chronicles episode known as Those Darn Electabuzz! even showed a Charizard named Don being able to rescue people underwater and then going out of water at enough speed to keep flying. Eventually, the Pokémon Origins episode known as Charizard confirmed that the flame at the tip of Charizard's tail keeps burning in water, and Charizard is able to swim.

Widely popular augmented reality mobile game, Pokémon Go, describes Charizard as a flame Pokémon. In Pokémon Go, Charizard exists in two forms, its original form with orange body and a cream-coloured patch on its belly, and its shiny form, which is a gray body with the same cream-coloured patch on its belly. Charizard's shiny form first made its appearance on 19 May 2018, during Pokémon Go's Community Day event featuring Charmander. During the Community Day event, shiny Charmander may be encountered, which can be evolved into a shiny Charmeleon, and in turn evolved into a shiny Charizard.

From its release in the first generation to the fifth generation, Charizard failed to make a major impact on the competitive scene, to the point where it "wasn't seen in serious competitive play"[18] and was "doomed...to be forgotten."[19] This relative lack of viability, combined with its relentless popularity, gave it an unfavorable "reputation of a Pokémon that represents the fanboys."[20] It periodically found niches, as with the boosting move Belly Drum,[19] but was crippled by the fourth generation's entry hazard Stealth Rock, which removed half of its health upon entering the battle while active.[19][20] The sixth generation rescued Charizard's competitive status by introducing its Mega Charizard X and Mega Charizard Y forms, transforming it into a "top-level threat" of Smogon's standard tier[20][21] and making it "very good" in the Pokémon World Championships as per 2016 runner-up Jonathan Evans.[22] It often remains a strong pick, despite sometimes being troubled by new Pokémon.[23]

Charizard made its video game debut in 1996 with the Japanese release of Pokémon Red and Blue.[24][25] It is available only through Pokémon evolution from the starter Pokémon Charmander.[26] In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, and their remakes, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Charizard is used by Red, who acts as the games' final boss.[27] Charizard is one of several Pokémon in Pokémon X and Y that is able to use the new Mega Evolution mechanic, becoming either Mega Charizard X or Mega Charizard Y.[28] It was given a Mega Evolution about one and a half years into the development of Pokémon X and Y. Charmander (along with Bulbasaur and Squirtle) was added to the game in a significant role in order to allow players to experience Charizard's Mega Evolution.[29] It is also able to have a new form Pokémon Sword and Shield called a Gigantamax form. Champion Leon has it as his ace in these games as well.

Charizard has made appearances in many other Pokémon games. It appears in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team on a team with an Alakazam and Tyranitar, who play a significant role in the story.[30] In Pokémon Ranger, Charizard is a boss Pokémon who becomes attached to the player's character and assists him or her throughout the game.[31] Charizard returns in Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs as another boss character. It is also one of the photographable Pokémon in Pokémon Snap, as well as a non-playable character in PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure and its sequel, PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond.

Charizard has appeared many times throughout the Super Smash Bros. series. Charizard first appears as a non-playable character in Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee, as one of the Pokémon which can appear if a player throws a Poké Ball. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Charizard is playable while under the command of the Pokémon Trainer.[32] The Trainer has a Squirtle and an Ivysaur, all three of which can be switched between; unlike the other fighters, these Pokémon become fatigued and consequently weaker, and must be switched out long enough in order to recover. Charizard's moves include Rock Smash, Flamethrower, and Fly.[32] Charizard is playable as a standalone character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, where it gains the move Flare Blitz and its new Final Smash is transforming into Mega Charizard X.[33] Charizard returns in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where it is once again under the command of the Pokémon Trainer alongside Squirtle and Ivysaur.[34] Charizard also appears as a playable fighter in Pokkén Tournament.

In the anime, the most notable Charizard is one Ash Ketchum has had since he was a Charmander abandoned by his former owner Damian.[35] Ash's Charmander evolved into Charmeleon after a battle against an army of Exeggutor, and his personality changed completely,[36] becoming a disobedient and prideful Pokémon and fighting when and how he pleased. Charmeleon evolved when Ash summoned him for protection from wild prehistoric Pokémon; when an Aerodactyl attacked him and carried Ash off, Charmeleon evolved to fight the Aerodactyl and rescue Ash.[37] Charizard still disobeyed Ash, preferring to sleep, and only battled Pokémon that would pose a challenge, but Charizard helped Ash reach his goals, particularly against Gym Leader Blaine.[38] Charizard's disobedience to Ash cost him the Kanto League.[39] Charizard became loyal during the Orange Islands arc after Ash battled a trainer with a Poliwrath and Charizard was frozen solid. Because Ash helped Charizard thaw out, he began to obey Ash and defeated the Poliwrath in a rematch.[40] He remained on Ash's team and contributed to his wins in the Orange League[41] and parts of Johto. He eventually stayed behind in the Charizific Valley, a reserve where wild Charizard battle and train to become stronger. This was likely due to meeting Charla, a female Charizard for whom he developed a fondness.[42] Charizard, like some of Ash's other Pokémon, returns on a temporary basis to battle at Ash's side, typically when Ash faces a particularly powerful Pokémon.[26] Charizard has saved Ash's life on more than one occasion, as seen in the film Spell of the Unown, where he battled against Entei after arriving in the nick of time to prevent Ash and Pikachu from falling to their deaths, having flown over from the Charizific Valley after originally seeing a live broadcast of Ash running after Entei who had kidnapped Ash's mother, Delia Ketchum.[26][43] Charizard returned during the Johto Pokémon League and defeated Gary's Blastoise, who had a type advantage over Charizard. Charizard also returned for Ash's first Battle Frontier battle, where he took on Articuno at the Battle Factory and won thanks to an unorthodox strategy.[26][44] During the Best Wishes series, Charizard officially rejoined Ash's team while Ash was exploring Unova. Upon meeting Ash again, he gave his trainer a Flamethrower to the face much to everyone's surprise. Charizard also developed a fierce rivalry with Iris's Dragonite so much so that both Ash and Iris agreed to have a battle. During the battle which originally began on the ground but later ascended skywards when both Pokémon took to the skies, it was shown that Charizard had learnt Wing Attack, Slash, and Dragon Tail but despite the two Pokémon having something of a very fierce rivalry with one another, N immediately called the battle off after realizing that Dragonite had injured its right arm. Charizard stayed with all of Ash's Pokémon sans Pikachu at Professor Oak's laboratory when Ash leaves Kanto once more for the faraway Kalos region.[45]

Another Charizard appears in the XY&Z series, under the ownership of Alain. Alain's Charizard can Mega Evolve into Mega Charizard X, and has shown to be powerful enough to defeat ten Mega Evolutions in a row. It later defeats Trevor's Charizard, who can Mega Evolve into Mega Charizard Y, and even defeats Ash's Greninja in order to win the Lumiose Conference for Alain.

Charizard has its own DVD that contains three episodes featuring it: "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon", "Charizard Chills", and "Charizard's Burning Ambition".[46] This DVD is part of the 10th Anniversary Box Set; in the Box Set's "10 Most Wanted Pokémon" countdown Charizard is listed as the third most wanted, beaten only by Pikachu and Jigglypuff.

In the anime spin-off, Pokémon Origins, another Charizard appears under the ownership of Red, Ash's video game counterpart, where it started off as Red's starter Pokémon. After winning many battles, it eventually evolved into Charmeleon, and later Charizard. Red's Charizard helped its trainer defeat Team Rocket, win the Pokémon League, as well as help Red capture the elusive Pokémon, Mewtwo. During its battle against Mewtwo, Red's Charizard underwent Mega Evolution to become Mega Charizard X.

In Pokémon: Pikachu Shocks Back, which loosely parallels the storyline of the anime, Ash catches a Charmander, and it ultimately becomes a Charizard and battles in the Pokémon League tournament. Despite his catch, he has trouble controlling it.[47] Ash brings Charizard to the Orange Islands and trains it diligently since the near-disaster. He then uses it to battle Dragonite in the final showdown with the Orange Crew Supreme gym leader Drake.[48]

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Blue receives a Charmander from his grandfather Professor Oak. It evolves into a Charmeleon, and when Blue is possessed by a Gastly in the Lavender Tower, so is Charmeleon. Blue's Charmeleon is eventually released from its possession only to be faced down by an Arbok, owned by Koga. Charmeleon tricked Koga by using a zombie Psyduck to deflect Arbok's Acid before literally slicing the Arbok in half with his tail. Blue later appears with an evolved Charizard and gains access to Saffron City by helping to disable a barrier created by a Mr. Mime.[49] Later, Red and Blue face off against Koga's Articuno and are frozen by its Ice Beam, but they ultimately defeat the Team Rocket Executive with Charizard's Flamethrower.[50] It then teams up with Red's newly evolved Venusaur, Saur, and Green's Blastoise, Blasty, to defeat Sabrina's monster Pokémon. They end Team Rocket's control of Saffron City, splitting apart the three birds in the process.[51]

Blue's Charizard re-appeared during the final match of the ninth Pokémon League, against his longtime rival Red. Despite the type advantage, Charizard battles against Saur and is nearly knocked out. As the battle progresses the two trainers send out their first Pokémon to battle again, when Saur binds Charizard from attacking. Suddenly, thunderclouds form from the attacks of Poli and Pika, and Saur submerges a vine into the cloud, shocking Charizard and knocking it out.[52] When the "FireRed and LeafGreen" volume of the manga began the original protagonists – Red, Blue, and Green – return to fight the newly formed Team Rocket and the Deoxys under their power. The three trainers become trapped inside the Trainer Tower in the Sevii Islands, battling the main computer of the building and the Deoxys Divides. After struggling to co-ordinate Blasty, Saur, and Charizard, the three trainers manage to focus the angle of the three powerful attacks – Blast Burn, Hydro Cannon, and Frenzy Plant – to free Mewtwo, who in turn destroys the Trainer Tower.[53]

Charizard appeared as the main Pokémon in the short novel, Charizard Go! Adapted by Tracey West, the novelization retells Ash's journey with his Charmander, and it reaches its climax as Ash and Charizard battle in the Pokémon League at the Indigo Plateau against his good friend Ritchie. The story covers Ash and his companions finding the abandoned Charmander, the battles in which Charmeleon did not listen to Ash, and Charizard's battle against Blaine's Magmar. Charizard Go! is the sixth novel in the Pokémon Chapter Books series.[54] Another chapter novel, All Fired Up: Pokémon the Johto Journeys, adapted by Jennifer Johnson, covers the portion of Ash's journey near Violet City and the Characific Valley. In the novel, Ash wonders if Charizard should leave his team forever; it covers the capture of Ash's Cyndaquil, his new fire Pokémon.[55]