Articuno

#144 Articuno
Articuno's artwork for Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green.
Category	Freeze Pokémon
Original Region	Kanto
National Dex Nr.	#144
Kanto Dex Nr.	#144
Other Regional Dex Nr(s).
Johto #240 Hoenn #299 Kalos #151 (Coastal
Generation	1
Pokémon Color	Blue
First Appearance	Pokémon Red And Blue
Latest Appearance	Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
Type(s)	Ice/Flying
Ability/ies	Pressure (Hidden: Snow Cloak)
Average Height	5'07"
Average Weight	122.1 lbs.

Articuno (Japanese: フリーザー Freezer) is a dual-type Ice/Flying Legendary Pokémon.

It is not known to evolve into or from any other Pokémon.

Along with Zapdos and Moltres, it is one of the three Legendary birds of Kanto.

Biology

Articuno is a large avian Pokémon with predominantly blue plumage and large wings said to be made of ice. It has a head crest that consists of three, darker blue rhombus-shaped feathers on its forehead and circular red eyes. Its beak is short and gray, and its long, thin legs are gray. It has a long, streamer-like tail that is longer than its body and the same shade of blue as its crest.

When Articuno flaps its wings, it can chill the moisture in the air around it, making snow fall. It flies from icy mountain to icy mountain. According to legend, it appears before doomed travelers lost in icy regions. As seen in the anime, Articuno sometimes aids travelers and guides them to safety. Articuno lives in cold, isolated locations, such as mountain peaks.

Trivia

• In the second episode of the anime, there is an engraving on a wall in the Viridian City Pokémon Center that depicts the legendary birds. Ash mistakes the Articuno engraving as Ho-Oh. While the blue coloration of the stone indicates the Ice type, and the wings and crest feathers are those of Articuno, the multiple tail feathers look nothing like Articuno's tail, being more similar in appearance to those of Ho-Oh.
• In Red, Blue, and Yellow, as well as FireRed and LeafGreen, there are binoculars in the gate separating Fuchsia City from Route 15, through which Articuno can be seen flying toward the sea. In a lapse of continuity, or possibly due to oversight by the designers, it is still visible in the binoculars even if it is captured or defeated in the Seafoam Islands.
• In the opening of Spring Fever, Todd points out a tall mountain that is Articuno's home. This mountain is, on the outside, the same as Articuno's home in The Power of One.
• In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness, it is the only one in its trio that cannot be encountered unless the player enters an event password.
  • Also, it is the only Ice Pokémon in IQ group C.
• Articuno was the last Generation I Pokémon to be introduced in the anime, and the only one that did not appear in Season 1, if movies and banned episodes are included (Mew is the last if its appearances in movies are not counted).
• Articuno is the only Pokémon other than Smeargle and Poliwrath* that is able to learn an accuracy-focusing move and a OHKO move, learning Mind Reader and Sheer Cold. An Articuno using this combination can be fought in the Battle Subway.

Origin

This Pokémon's appearance is based on the Simurgh, deriving from the Persian رخ rokh, which is that of a giant arctic bird. Also, its long tail and small body may be reference to the rare bird, the quetzal. It is also anatomically very similar to the White-throated Magpie-jay.

Name Origin

Articuno is a combination of arctic (far northern regions of the globe) and uno (Spanish for one, indicating that it is the first in the series of Kanto Legendary birds).

Freezer is literally freezer (that which freezes).

Names in other Languages

Gallery

Artwork

Articuno's Dream World artwork

Articuno's Anime artwork

Articuno in the Pokémon Stadium series

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Sprites

Generation V

Generation VI

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National Pokédex
← #143: Snorlax	#144: Articuno	#145: Zapdos →