Mudkip

Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Versions artwork

Mudkip is the Water-type Starter Pokémon of the Hoenn region. It first appears in the Generation III video games, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Versions. It evolves into Marshtomp starting at level 16 and then into Swampert starting at level 36. Both evolutions have Ground as their secondary type.

Game appearances

Pokémon series

Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Versions / Pokémon Emerald Version

In Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Versions and Pokémon Emerald Version, Mudkip is one of the three Pokémon whom the player character can select as their Pokémon, the other two being Torchic and Treecko. If the player character selects Mudkip, their rival chooses Treecko, who has a Grass-type advantage over Mudkip. Likewise, if the player character chooses Torchic, their rival chooses Mudkip.

Mudkip, unlike both of its evolved forms, is able to learn Hydro Pump, which is a powerful water-based attack, by reaching level 42. Similarly, the other two Starter Pokémon learn moves that their evolved forms cannot learn through leveling up.

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions

In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions, once the player character has obtained all 16 Gym Badges and wins against Red in a Pokémon Battle, they can go to Steven Stone to obtain a Mudkip, along with a Treecko and Torchic.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team

Mudkip is one of the main characters in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team. Before starting the game, depending on the player's answers for the Pokémon Quiz, a Mudkip might be their main Pokémon. If a different Pokémon is selected as the main one, Mudkip can become a partner.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, there is a trophy of Mudkip.

Pokémon anime

Brock saving Mudkip prior to capturing it in the episode "A Mudkip Mission".

During the Hoenn adventures, Brock obtains a Mudkip in Dewford Town during the 301st episode, "A Mudkip Mission". As Ash and his companions climb a waterfall, they come across a group of young Mudkip. Brock rescues a young Mudkip from being washed away in a stream. Brock's Mudkip and Lotad work together to defeat Team Rocket, at which point the Mudkip decides to join Brock's team.

Mudkip's primary role is to assist Brock during water-related situations, such as searching for objects in the ocean, such as an Illumise and a pearl belonging to a Spoink. Mudkip also guides the Pokémon when Brock, Ash and May are not around. It evolves into Marshtomp in "Chip Off The Old Brock!".

A separate Mudkip also appears in the 281st episode, "In the Knicker of Time!", when the group meet a young trainer named Nicolai, who is training his first Pokémon, Mudkip, which later defeats May's Torchic in a battle. Nicolai connects with his Pokémon in battle by dressing up in a suit resembling his Pokémon, wearing both Mudkip and Zigzagoon outfits in the episode.

Pokémon manga

In Pokémon Adventures, the male protagonist Ruby obtains a Mudkip named Zuzu as his Starter Pokémon from Professor Birch. Ruby is a Pokémon coordinator, a person who uses their Pokémon for Pokémon Contest rather than battles, and uses Zuzu in those contests. Zuzu evolved into a Marshtomp unexpectedly while Ruby was in Slateport City, and again into a Swampert, while training near Fortree City. Zuzu was first used to battle in "Chapter 183 VS. Torchic", against Sapphire, his rival in the manga.

Pokémon Trading Card Game

Mudkip (as "Mudkip Star") in the Pokémon Trading Card Game (EX Team Rocket Returns set).

In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, Mudkip is a Water-type Basic Pokémon, just like in the video games. As a Basic Pokémon, it can be played in a battle, as the competitions of the card game are called, without the use of a special card. If the player has a Marshtomp card in their hand, they can play it on top of the Mudkip card, which is the card game's equivalent of evolving.

Mudkip has appeared in the sets EX Ruby & Sapphire (two different cards), EX Dragon, and EX Emerald. It also appears in EX Team Rocket Returns, but as "Mudkip Star" This card is different to the other Mudkip cards, in that fact that it is rarer than the rest of the cards in the set.

One rule when playing with Star cards — including Mudkip Star from the EX Team Rocket Returns set — is that Pokémon with significant terms in their titles (often used to denote Pokémon that are all part of one set) can only evolve into Pokémon that also share this term. Though there is no mention on how to evolve Star Pokémon, if the rule for other suffixes is followed, Mudkip Star could only be replaced by a Marshtomp card with Star in its title — a card which, at this point, does not exist. However, since players can only have one "Pokémon Star" card in their deck, then they couldn't evolve Mudkip Star into Marshtomp Star. This makes Star cards somewhat impractical, since they cannot be upgraded from their Basic stage state; they are primarily savoured for their rarity instead. The "Shining Pokémon" cards from the Wizards version, on which the Star cards are based, get around this problem by treating the evolved versions as Basic Pokémon.

General information

Physical appearance and traits

The fin on Mudkip's head acts as highly sensitive radar. Using this fin to sense movements of water and air, Mudkip can determine what is taking place around it without using its eyes. When in water, Mudkip breathes using the gills on its cheeks. On land, it can powerfully lift large boulders by planting its four feet and heaving. It sleeps by burying itself in soil at the water's edge. Its large tail fin propels it through water with powerful acceleration. If it is faced with a tight situation in battle, Mudkip will become strong enough to crush rocks bigger than itself.

Etymology

Mudkip's name is a portmanteau of mud, being a surrounding of its natural habitat, and kip, which refers to skip, relating to the real world amphibious fish, mudskippers. Mudkip's Japanese name, Mizugorou, is a portmanteau of the Japanese words for water (水, mizu) and mudskipper (鯥五郎, mutsugorō).

Internet culture

There is a well known Internet meme of Mudkip called "so i herd u liek mudkipz". It started as a comment on DeviantART, with one user inviting another to a Pokémon group. It was subsequently popularized by a 2005 story posted as copypasta on 4chan's /b/ imageboard about a disturbance in a school involving a Mudkip plush toy.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	ミズゴロウ Mizugorō

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