User:Blake/Torchic

Torchic (アチャモ) is one of the fictional species of Pokémon creatures from the multibillion-dollar Pokémon media franchise. The purpose of Torchic in the games, anime and manga, as with all other Pokémon, is to battle both wild Pokémon, untamed creatures encountered while the player passes through various environments, and tamed Pokémon owned by Pokémon trainers. The name Torchic refers to both the overall species, and to individual Mudkip within the games, anime and manga series.

Known as the chick Pokémon, Torchic first appeared in 2003 in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, as one of three starter Pokémon the player can choose from at the beginning of the games. Torchic have appeared on the boxart for Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team, Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, Pokémon Channel, and Pokémon Dash.

Concept and characteristics
The species first appeared as one of three starter Pokémon the player could choose from at the beginning of the Game Boy Advance games, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, released in Japan in 2002. The species in the early Pokémon video games was portrayed by a two-dimensional sprite, although in later releases the Mudkip appearance has been conveyed by 3D computer graphics. Throughout, the species has been portrayed with no spoken dialogue. In the Pokémon anime, they use facial expressions, body language and makes noises that repeat syllables of their name, using different pitches and tones. Torchic's name is a combination of the words torch and chick, the common term for infant chickens. The Japanese name for Torchic, Achamo, is a combination of aka (赤), a term referring to both baby and the color red, and shamo (軍鶏), a breed of Japanese bird, originally bred for fighting or hunting.

Torchic are described by the in-game Pokédexes of the Pokémon video games as being covered by a fluffy coat of down. Their wings are small and rudimentary; however, as Torchic evolve into their later forms, Combusken and Blaziken, claws slowly protrude from their wingtips, making them potentially vicious fighters. They are small, clumsy birds, with yellowish feathers and orange bodies. In the Pokémon universe, Torchic are known for disliking darkness because it prevents them from seeing their surroundings, regardless of their proficiency with fire techniques which can illuminate the dark. Before Torchic's legs develop fully, they stay with their Pokémon trainer, following behind with unsteady, hopping steps while they learn to walk properly. They also have a sac filled with churning fire deep within their stomach, allowing them to give literal "warm hugs" to their trainers. This powerful fire also serves as their "ammunition" in battles; when attacked, they retaliate by spitting fire, at temperatures of over 1,800 degrees.

In the video games
Torchic is one of the three starter Pokémon, along with Treeko and Mudkip, in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. Torchic have a definitive type advantage against Grass-type Pokémon, which are often animals fused with botanic specimens and Bug Pokémon, which are usually based on real-life insects. Torchic undergo evolution, a metamorphic change within a Pokémon caused by gaining experience in battle and growing up in terms of levels, in which they can evolve into Combusken, and again into Blaziken. They are not available in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen and Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum except through trade.

Torchic have made cameo appearances in the Game Boy Advance game Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire (a sequel of the Game Boy Color game Pokémon Pinball); they have also starred in the Nintendo GameCube games Pokémon Channel, Pokémon Colosseum, and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. They are featured in Nintendo DS games Pokémon Dash,, Pokémon Ranger, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon and Pokémon Trozei , as well as being featured on the boxart for many of these. Torchic appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as a Pokémon that can be released from a Poké Ball during battle. It engulfs nearby battlers with flames it radiates from its body by using Fire Spin. . Torchic also appears as a collectible trophy and sticker, both must be obtained through special means.

In the anime
The Pokémon anime series and films are a meta-series featuring journeys separate from those of the canon that most Pokémon video games (except Pokémon Yellow) follow. The anime follows the quest of Ash Ketchum a young Pokémon trainer as he, May, Brock, as well as other companions travel around the fictitious world of Pokémon along with their Pokémon partners.

In the anime, Torchic protects its trainer, May, and aids her in Pokémon battles and contests, contests that test a Pokémon's appeal from a judge and audience. May chose a Torchic as her starter Pokémon because she considered it to be cute. May's young Torchic was playful, but she avoided using it in her Contests until it evolved. When Torchic communicates with other characters, it repeatedly calls out two syllables "Tor" and "Chic". When Dawn's Piplup is dizzy you can see faded Torchic running around Piplup's head.

Torchic first appeared in Episode 277, "Get The Show On The Road!", which also featured the anime debuts of Professor Birch and May. In Episode 355, "A Shroomish Skirmish", May's Torchic evolved into a Combusken while defending Ash's Corphish against a mob of wild Breloom.

Another Torchic, looked after by Nurse Joy of Slateport City, appeared in the episode "Having A Wailord of a Time". When Nurse Joy had to leave the Pokémon Center, Ash's Pokémon couldn't control the aggressive Torchic, causing it to evolve into a Combusken; once Nurse Joy returned, however, Combusken stopped Team Rocket's attempts to steal a wild Wailord stranded on a nearby beach.

In the manga
Sapphire, a female protagonist of Pokémon Adventures (a manga series based on the Advanced Generation games), has a Torchic, named Chaka, that she received from her father, Professor Birch. Chaka evolved into a Combusken during Sapphire's battle with Brawly, the Dewford Town Gym Leader, and then evolved again into a Blaziken while training for a battle with Winona, the Fortree City Gym Leader. Chaka was first used in battle, in Chapter 183, "VS. Torchic", against Ruby, Sapphire's rival.

The Torchic character itself appears in starring roles in several other manga series. The main character of Pokémon Chamo-Chamo Pretty (a Magical Pokémon Journey spin-off) is a female Torchic who has just moved to a new town with her trainer, Haruka. Torchic interacts with a number of other main characters—including Pikachu and Clefairy, as well as both Poochyena and Mightyena.

The protagonist of a 6-part manga series called Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Ginji's Rescue Team transformed into a Torchic.

Trading Card Game
Most Torchic cards are typical, basic Pokémon cards and are primarily used to play stronger cards (such as Stage-1 Pokémon, like Raichu, or Stage-2 Pokémon, like Charizard). Some Torchic cards are identical in attack and defense to other Basic Fire-type Pokémon, such as Charmander or Cyndaquil. Torchic, like Treecko and Mudkip, have a number of appearances in the Pokémon Trading Card Game, including the EX Ruby and Sapphire (twice), EX Dragon, EX Team Rocket Returns (as Torchic "Star"), EX Emerald, and EX Crystal Guardians (twice) set, every time as a Basic Fire-type. A Torchic also appears in the EX Team Rocket Returns set, alongside Bulbasaur, on the Trainer card, Venture Bomb.

One rule when playing with Star cards—including Torchic 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, Torchic Star could only be replaced by a Combusken Star card&mdash;a card which, at this point, does not exist. This makes Star cards somewhat impractical, since they cannot be upgraded from their Basic stage state; they are primarily savoured for their rarity instead.

Cultural impact
Torchic have both been featured widely in Nintendo's marketing campaigns for various Pokémon video games as well as being one of the leading choices for Pokémon memorabilia. The drawings and sprite design of Torchic were created by Ken Sugimori's team for a 2003 release on the Nintendo Game Boy Advance. Like major Fire-types before it, such as Charmander, Torchic's popularity is partially due to its aesthetic appeal.

Torchic's design has been used at times for various products, most of them coinciding with the releases of Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire. A Torchic action figure was released by Hasbro as part of the Pokémon Advanced range; the toy was packaged with a similar model—based on Sharpedo—and a collectible card detailing Torchic's evolutionary process. The Torchic was first released as a plush toy in the "Pokémon Advanced Mini Plush" series, along with similar products based on other Pokémon (including Plusle, Mudkip, and Minun). It was later re-released—in a larger, fluffier, and more solid form—as part of the "Pokémon Advanced Deluxe Plush" set, which saw a much more varied choice of designs compared to the original (including similar plush toys based on Metagross, Blastoise, Vigoroth, and Pikachu, among others).

In 2004, two Torchic design toys, the "Torchic Plush Keychain" and "Plush Bean Bag Torchic", were part of a major recall by Tomy of 13 plush Pokémon toys. Due to a manufacturing fault, tips of needles were left in the stuffing, causing makers to replace the toys with compensation or replacements.