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Ho-Oh

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Ho-Oh
File:Ho-oh.png
National Pokédex
Lugia - Ho-Oh (#250) - Celebi
Hoenn Pokédex
Lugia - Ho-Oh (#385) - Celebi
Japanese nameHouou
Evolves fromNone
Evolves intoNone
GenerationSecond
SpeciesRainbow Pokémon
TypeFire / Flying
Height12 ft 6 in (3.8 m)
Weight439.0 pounds (199.1 kg)
AbilityPressure

Ho‑Oh (ホウオウ, Houou), is a fictional, mythical character in the Pokémon series. The Pokémon's romanized Japanese name is the Japanese word for phoenix, specifically, the legendary Chinese phoenix, the Fenghuang. It represents Pokémon Gold.

Characteristics

Ho-Oh is similar to a phoenix, and it can see into the future. It flies continuously through the world's skies on its magnificant 7-coloured wings. Its appearance signifies the beginning of an era of peace between humans and Pokémon. It will reveal itself to Trainers who are pure of heart and it is also said to live at the foot of a rainbow.

Long ago in Ecruteak, there were two towers, the Brass Tower and Tin Tower being the roost of Lugia and Ho-Oh, respectively. When the Brass Tower burned down, thusly being renamed the Burned Tower, both Pokémon fled, never to be seen again. Three Pokémon became trapped in the flames of the Brass Tower and perished. Ho-Oh returned to the Tin Tower, resurrected the three Pokémon, who were renamed Raikou, Entei, and Suicune, and had them guard the ruins of the Burned Tower. Suicune is said to be the closest to Ho-Oh, although it is never explained why.

Ho-Oh's relationship with the three legendary beasts parallels the relationship Lugia has with the legendary birds Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres.

In the video games

In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, it is caught at the Tin Tower in Ecruteak City.

To catch Ho-Oh in Gold or Silver, one must first receive the "Rainbow Wing". The way to obtain it varies between the various versions. In Crystal, one must first capture the three legendary beasts, and is at Lv. 70. In Silver, it can be obtained from a man standing to the side of the Pokemon Center in Pewter City after you have beat the Johto League, and is also at Lv. 70. In Gold, it can be obtained by saving the Johto Radio Tower in Goldenrod and is at Lv. 40. In Pokémon Colosseum, one can receive Ho-Oh by first purifying every one of Story Mode's Shadow Pokémon, and then using the Story Mode team to completely clear the Battle Mode equivalent of Mt. Battle. The player can import any Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, or LeafGreen Pokemon into the Story mode and use them.

Ho-Oh's Fire/Flying-type means it has a weakness against Lugia's water-type attacks but because of Ho-Oh's higher Special Defense it gives Ho-oh the advantage over Lugia in a fight. Ho-Oh is sometimes considered to be one of the strongest pokemon in the game along with Lugia and Mewtwo.

Ho-Oh in Super Smash Bros. Melee

Although it is somewhat rare, Ho-Oh can appear in Super Smash Bros. Melee out of a Poké Ball. Once it appears, it will fly up and into the background, and proceed to use the devastating fire attack Sacred Fire, spread across the area of the playing field where its Poké Ball had been. It also makes an appearance as a Trophy, where the second O in its name was lowercase. This implies that the official spelling of the name is with the lowercase O.

Anime Appearances

In the first episode of the series, Ash Ketchum sees a large, shining bird flying above the plain, making Ho-oh the first Pokémon to appear in the anime before the games. When he consults his Pokédex, it responds that it has no data on the gorgeous creature, emphasizing that there are many Pokémon that have not yet been identified. Ash later discovers it was Ho-Oh by talking to Morty, Ecruteak City's gym leader, and Eusine, a Suicune fanatic and legendary Pokémon expert. Ash later sees Ho-Oh again as he leaves for Hoenn.

Given the timing of the episode's debut, most people speculate that Ho-Oh was created by the series's staff and later incorporated into the second generation of games by Nintendo, or was intended to be one of the 3 Legendary Birds from the original games. Possible evidence supporting this theory includes the fact that, in the second episode, Ash saw a stone engraving of a legendary bird Pokémon and remarked that he had seen it, but Professor Oak said that he probably hadn't saying that many people had searched their whole life for that Pokémon and never found it. Strangely, the image in question was not actually of Ho-Oh.

Also, during the battle pyramid episode, Ash saw Ho-Oh again at the end of the episode after his battle with Brandon.

Drawing on the similarity to the Chinese phoenix, who is said to appear when a great leader or hero is born, the fact that Ash sees it on his first day as a Trainer serves as foreshadowing that Ash will save the world or be a legendary hero at least once. Indeed, although Ash hasn't done anything similar in the series, he did save the world in both Pokémon: The First Movie when he convinces Mewtwo that humans aren't evil and in Pokémon: The Movie 2000 when he brought the three mystic orbs back to their shrine.

In the trading card game

Ho-Oh has made five appearances in the Trading Card Game thus far, and they are in the following sets:

  • Neo Revelation (holographic Fire-type)
  • Neo Revelation (rare Colorless)
  • Skyridge (as a holographic Colorless with the Crystal Type Poke-Body)
  • Unseen Forces (rare Fire-type)
  • Unseen Forces (holographic Fire-type, as Ho-Oh EX)

The first colorless Ho-Oh wielded a Rainbow Burn attack that did more damage with more different energy cards attached to it. Ho-Oh EX is a Pokemon with a powered up version of the Neo Revelation Ho-Oh's Rainbow Burn attack.

References

Publications
  • Barbo, Maria. The Official Pokémon Handbook. Scholastic Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0439154049.
  • Loe, Casey, ed. Pokémon Special Pikachu Edition Official Perfect Guide. Sunnydale, CA: Empire 21 Publishing, 1999. ISBN 130206151.
  • Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon FireRed & Pokémon LeafGreen Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., August 2004. ISBN 193020650X
  • Mylonas, Eric. Pokémon Pokédex Collector’s Edition: Prima’s Official Pokémon Guide. Prima Games, September 21 2004. ISBN 0761547614
  • Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon Emerald Version Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., April 2005. ISBN 1930206585
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