Magikarp

The Fish Pokémon
#129 - Magikarp
Evolve	Gyarados
Debut	Pokémon: Red Version Pokémon: Green Version
Species Info
Type	+
Height	0.9 m (2'11")
Weight	10.0 kg (22.0 lbs.)
Color	Red
Gender Ratio	1♂ : 1♀
Ability	Swift Swim
Hidden Ability	Rattled
Egg Group	Dragon / Water 2
Icon		Sprite
		File:129sprite.png
Footprint
30px
Base Statistics
Hit Points	20	Speed	80
Attack	10	Sp. Attack	15
Defense	55	Sp. Defense	20
Training Info
Catch Rate	255	Hatch Steps	1,280
Base Exp.	020	Effort Points	Spe
Happiness	70
To Lv.100	Slow

Kanto #	Johto #	Hoenn #	Sinnoh #
< 129 >	< 076 >	< 052 >	< 023 >
Unova #	Johto (IV) #

Magikarp is a fish-like Pokémon introduced in the first generation games that is known as the one of the most helpless and weak Pokémon. However, its evolved form is the very dealy Gyarados.

Information

The Magikarp is a fish-like Pokémon that is universally known as the most useless of the Pokémon creatures. Even the Pokédex entries for the Magikarp openly refer to it as useless and weak. The only redeeming quality given is that Magikarp are adapted to survive in a variety of aquatic environments even with pollution. It is said that the Magikarp's ancestors were more powerful than the modern-day ones.

The stem of the Magikarp's stigma comes from the fact that the only move it is initially able to perform is Splash, which literally does nothing. However, Magikarp does learn Tackle much later on, and Flail if it is left unevolved. It is also known for jumping as high as seven feet in the air, but this is no advantage as it makes the Magikarp more easily snatched by predators such as the Pidgeotto.

However, one major advantage to collecting and training a Magikarp is its evolution. At Level 20 it will evolve into Gyarados and become one of the series' most powerful Water-types. Part of the storyline in the second generation games is Team Rocket using a machine to send out special radio waves to the Lake of Rage which force Magikarp into early evolutions, also causing the appearance of Shiny Gyarados which still have Magikarp's color scheme.

Appearances

Mainstream Games

Magikarp is commonly found in virtually every body of water by fishing with the Old Rod or Good Rod in every Pokémon version until the fifth generation. A shady salesman also sells Magikarp in the Pokémon Center near Mt. Moon in Pokémon: Red, Green, Blue and Yellow versions (as well as in Pokémon: FireRed and LeafGreen Versions) for 500 Pokédollars.

Magikarp can also be encountered while Surfing through the Dragon's Den or Lake of Rage in 'Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal, or the Sootopolis City in Pokémon: Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald Versions. In HeartGold and SoulSilver, Magikarp could be found by surfing at Routes 43 and 45, Dark Cave, Lake of Rage, Blackthorn City, Dragon's Den, Fuchsia City and the Safari Zone's Meadow Area. Magikarp could also be caught at the Pokéwalker's Warm Beach, Rough Sea and Champ Road courses, from which it could be transferred to HeartGold/SoulSilver.

In Pokémon: Diamond, Pearl and Platinum, the player can trade a Finneon to the Meister on Route 226 for a German Magikarp, and Magikarp can also be found using the Super Rod in the Resort Area in Platinum. In Black and White, a Magikarp can only be obtained by buying one from a Magikarp Dealer on Marvelous Bridge for 500 Pokédollars.

Other Games

In Pokémon Snap, Magikarp is found in the Beach, Tunnel, Volcano, River and Cave areas. In the Valley, it can be knocked around with the aid of Pester Balls and several fighting-type Pokémon until it falls into a waterfall and emerges as a Gyarados. Magikarp is also featured in the "Magikarp's Splash" minigame of Pokémon Stadium, where players compete in splashing ghigh into the air. It appears in Pokémon Pinball at Pewter City, Cycling Road and Fuchsia City. Magikarp could also be caught in the fishing holes of Hey You, Pikachu!. In Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, it was found in the Ocean on the Ruby Field. Magikarp also appear in several minigames and shorts of the Pokémon e-Reader line, which established that they were also prey for Kingler.

Magikarp also appears in Pokémon Channel, where it is found at the Secret Cove at all times of day. In Pokémon Trozei!, they are found at SOL Laboratory 3, Secret Storage 5, Secret Storage 19 and Mr. Who's Den. In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team, they are found on the seventh through eleventh floors of Waterfall Pond, but in Red Rescue Team they can only be recruited in a Wonder Mail Mission to the Stormy Sea. In Explorers of Time and Darkness, they are found in the twenty-four basement floors of Lake Afar. In Pokémon Ranger, Magikarp appear at the Safra Sea and Sekra Mountain Range, and in Pokémon Rumble they can be found at Bright Beach. Magikarp also appeared in PokéPark Wii: PIkachu's Adventure at Meadow Zone.

Other Appearances

Other Media

• Magikarp made several appearances in the Pokémon anime, the most notable being in the episode involving the St. Anne. A con artist tricked James into buying a Magikarp by saying he could make millions through breeding it. After realizing how worthless the Magikarp was, he abused it frequently until it evolved into Gyarados and attacked him. Magikarp have made various appearances since, including one Diamond & Pearl episode which featured an unusually strong Magikarp that was a match for even Ash's Pikachu.
• In the Pokémon Adventures, Magikarp were most notably shown during the Lake of Rage event in the Gold/Silver/Crystal arc where Team Rocket forced their evolutions into Gyarados.

Trivia

• Magikarp and its evolution are based on a Chinese legend in which a carp would leap over a Dragon Gate and become a dragon, as a metaphor for becoming stronger by overcoming hardships. Its name is a simple combination of "magic" and "carp" (a type of fish).
• Although Magikarp is celebrated as the weakest Pokémon, there are actually seven statistically weaker Pokémon, with the actual weakest Pokémon being Sunkern.