Lucario


Lucario is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Lucario first appeared as a central character in the film , and later appeared in the video games Pokémon Diamond and Pearl and subsequent sequels, also appearing in various merchandise, spin-off titles and animated and printed adaptations of the franchise. Lucario is voiced by Daisuke Namikawa, Daisuke Sakaguchi, Rikako Aikawa and Kiyotaka Furushima in Japanese, and Bill Rogers and Sean Schemmel in English.
Known as the Pokémon, Lucario can sense and manipulate Aura, a special kind of energy emitted by all living creatures. Lucario has also been featured as a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series since Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Since its debut, Lucario has received critical acclaim, and has been featured in several forms of merchandise, including figurines, plush toys, and the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Concept and creation

The design and art direction for Lucario was provided by Ken Sugimori, a friend of the creator of the Pokémon games, Satoshi Tajiri. The species first appeared in the animated film , released in Japan in 2005. In an interview, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl director Junichi Masuda noted Lucario's name as one of the most difficult to create, due to an effort to make it appealing to both Japanese and American audiences.
Lucario is a canid-like Pokémon that is a bipedal digitigrade with finger-like digits on its forepaws. Its chest and the exterior of its wrists each feature a single, white spike. It also has a large snout and ears, red irises with vertical slit pupils, a voluptuous, "hourglass"-shaped figure with thighs significantly thicker than the rest of his body, iron rings incorporated into its shoulders and waist, and a raccoon's "mask" that loosely resembles a khakkhara with four small dreadlock-like appendages on the back of its head that are used to sense Aura. The coloration of Lucario's fur is predominantly blue and black, although its torso features buff-colored fur slightly shaggier than the rest of its body. When it opens its mouth wide enough, sharp fangs can be seen.
Lucario can sense and manipulate, a form of energy emitted by all living things, and understand human speech. As a result, Lucario can read the thoughts and movements of other beings by sensing the Aura that they emit, to the point that it can even see otherwise invisible foes. When properly trained, it can identify the feelings of others even if they are over half a mile away. Lucario has a pre-evolution called Riolu, which is a pure Fighting-type Pokémon rather than a Fighting/Steel-type Pokémon and cannot manipulate Aura as capably as Lucario.
As Mega Lucario, its appearance undergoes a few noticeable changes. Its body gains rigid, black streaks on its arms, legs and face which are created by the energy generated by Mega Evolution intermingling with its Aura, the latter of which is significantly heightened. The buff-colored fur on its torso becomes shaggier and envelopes its tail, its thighs become thicker and bulkier, a prominent bulge in the crotch region is sported, and its Aura-sensing appendages grow considerably longer. Lucario also gains additional spikes on its torso, forepaws, and hind paws. Lastly, its paws and Aura-sensing appendages are colored crimson. Although Mega Lucario possesses significantly greater offense and speed, the energy of Mega Evolution also brings about a drastic change to its mentality, causing it to face opponents with an aggressive, menacing fighting style.

Appearances

In the video games

Lucario's first video game appearance is in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, where its pre-evolved form, Riolu, can be obtained as an egg from Riley. Riolu evolves into Lucario when it reaches a sufficiently high level of happiness. Lucario is used by notable trainers Maylene, the third Sinnoh Gym Leader; a tag team partner known as Riley; Cynthia, Sinnoh's Elite Four Champion; and by Bruno, an Elite Four member of Johto. In ' Lucario is perceived as the greatest rescue leader of all time, and his adventures have become legendary. After reaching a certain number of points, a Lucario statue will be displayed outside the rescue base. While the player never meets Lucario, Alakazam tells the player that his goal is to become closer to Lucario's greatness. Lucario can be found and befriended in Lost Wilderness dungeon in , but it has no particular main role. However, in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky and Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon, its pre-evolution form Riolu may be played as the main character or be chosen as the partner Pokemon. Lucaio appears as a boss Pokémon in ', as the guardian of the Blue Gem. Lucario is one of the few Pokémon in Pokémon X and Y that can use the new Mega Evolution mechanic while holding Lucarionite, its Mega Stone; doing so results in it Mega Evolving into Mega Lucario in the process. Lucario also appears as an NPC in ' and its sequel, '.
Due to an unintentional leak on Nintendo's official Super Smash Bros. website, which detailed how certain stickers could only be applied to certain characters, Lucario was indirectly confirmed as a playable character for Super Smash Bros. Brawl. In Brawl, Lucario is unlocked upon being encountered in the story mode at The Glacial Peak, or through other special means. Lucario's special moveset consists of Aura Sphere, Force Palm, ExtremeSpeed, and Double Team, each of which it can learn within the Pokémon games. Its "Final Smash", Aura Storm, consists of launching a powerful beam of Aura, which the player can adjust in a slow, fanning motion. Lucario's fighting style revolves around a mixture of martial arts, predominately Shaolin Kung Fu, and Aura manipulation. Aura itself is also a game mechanic unique to Lucario: its attacks become stronger as it continues to receive damage.
Lucario returned as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and again in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, now being voiced by Sean Schemmel as in Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew. Additionally, its Aura mechanic now affects the entirety of its moveset and has made Lucario's attacks riskier, yet more rewarding, due to the mechanic's damage multipliers being adjusted. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, Lucario's Mega Evolution, Mega Lucario, replaced Aura Storm as its Final Smash, reflecting the form change introduced in Pokémon X and Y. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, its Final Smash consists of it Mega Evolving into Mega Lucario before performing Aura Storm. In addition to the Super Smash Bros. series, Lucario appears as a playable character in Pokkén Tournament.
Lucario has also been a part of the third wave of amiibo, with its figure having been released on January 22, 2015 in Japan, and as a Toys "R" Us-exclusive beginning in February 2015 in North America.

In the anime

Lucario's main role in the anime is his appearance in the eighth Pokémon movie, Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew. In the movie, Lucario is a servant to a nobleman named Sir Aaron in a Renaissance-themed city called Cameron Palace. Lucario thinks of Sir Aaron as both his master and close friend, although after Aaron traps him in a magic staff, Lucario begins questioning any Pokémon-human relationship. The Lucario in the movie, voiced in English by Sean Schemmel, can speak human languages with telepathy. Lucario sacrifices himself to save the Tree of Beginning, though the credits showed him with Sir Aaron in the afterlife, where they happily eat a chocolate bar.
Maylene, the third Sinnoh Gym Leader, has a Lucario and it was seen in four different episodes of the series. It was first seen battling with Maylene in their training. Lucario uses Aura Sphere to stop the battle of Electabuzz, Piplup, and Pikachu, and is seen battling Paul's Pokémon in a flashback. Lucario was seen again where it battles in Dawn's gym battle with Maylene, where it defeats Dawn's Piplup. Then, in the next episode, it battles in Ash's gym battle against Maylene. It defeats Ash's Staravia and Chimchar, but gets knocked out along with Ash's Buizel, resulting in a tie. Finally, Lucario was seen when it helps Ash and the others defeat Saturn and Team Galactic. A different Lucario appears on Iron Island, owned by a trainer named Riley. Lucario protects Ash from Pokémon on the island that are fighting against each other.
Lucario appeared in BW107 and BW108, under the ownership of Cameron. As a Riolu, it battles Ash's Snivy, Unfezant, and Pikachu, where it evolves while battling Snivy. It defeats all three, giving Cameron the victory. However, in Cameron's battle with Virgil, Virgil's Flareon defeats Lucario, eliminating Cameron from the tournament.
Lucario's most recent appearance was in XY030-034 and XY043-044, under the ownership of the Gym Leader Korrina. In XY031, Korrina and her Lucario attempt to retrieve a Lucarionite guarded by a Blaziken. Due to its type weakness, Lucario proved to be no match for Blaziken, but under the encouragement of Ash and his friends, it finally attempts to immobilize Blaziken. Before it gives the final blow, the Blaziken is revealed to be owned by Gurkinn, Korinna's father. They retrieve the Lucarionite, allowing it to Mega Evolve.
In episode XY032, Korinna uses her Mega Lucario to battle Ash, but due to lack of control over its transformation, it soon runs out of control until Gurkinn's Lucario stops it. In XY034, Lucario finally gains full control of its Mega Evolution and successfully defeats Team Rocket, who were attacking Ash and his friends.

In other media

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, like in games, it appears under the ownership of Riley who was on a boat heading to the Battle Frontier. Diamond meets Riley at Iron Island, and Byron asks Riley to help Diamond sharpen his Pokémon battle skills before Diamond goes to Lake Verity. In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure! the main character, Hareta, gains an egg from Riley which hatches into a Riolu; it later evolves into Lucario. Phantom Thief Pokémon 7 is centered on a boy and his Lucario who take back stolen items from thieves. The name Lucario itself appeared also in the saga where, after the end of the main scenario, the player can talk to Alakazam who tells them the story of a Lucario being a legendary Pokémon rescuer.

Promotion and reception

Since it appeared in the Pokémon series, Lucario has received worldwide critical acclaim. It has been featured in several forms of merchandise, including figurines, plush toys, and the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Lucario is featured on a collector's tin which contains one Lucario card as well as four booster packs from the Diamond and Pearl series. Beckett Pokémon Unofficial Collector editor Sean Cooper stated that Lucario had grown popular in recent years due to his starring role in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew and his appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
UGO described Lucario as "a new breed of Pokémon" citing its "cooler, more dangerous look". Due to its quick movement and powerful attacks, they called it an "attractive choice as an underdog fighter" for Super Smash Bros. Brawl. IGN called its presence in Super Smash Bros. Brawl "a bit on the head scratching side" in light of more familiar characters in the title, such as Pikachu. Although another editor stated that it would make sense for Pokémon to be represented by a Fighting-type Pokémon, since Super Smash Bros. Brawl is a fighting game. GamesRadar described it as "the Bruce Lee of Pokémon". Game Informer stated that Lucario earned its spot in Super Smash Bros. from being one of the most popular Pokémon of the Diamond and Pearl generation.