Zorua (Japanese: ゾロア Zorua) is a Dark-type Pokémon introduced in Generation V.

It evolves into Zoroark starting at level 30.

In Hisui, Zorua has a dual-type Normal/Ghost regional form. It evolves into Hisuian Zoroark starting at level 30.

Both it and Zoroark were the first Generation V Pokémon to be revealed to the public on February 10, 2010.

Table of Contents

Biology

Zorua is a slate gray, fox-like Pokémon with red and black accents. Its ears are triangular with dark insides, and it has a large tuft of fur tipped with red on top of its head. It has greenish-blue eyes with red eyelids. There are circular, red markings above the eyes that resemble eyebrows. Its muzzle is short and tapered with two small fangs seen in the upper jaw when its mouth is open. Zorua possesses a ruff of black fur around its neck and four short limbs tipped with red. Its tail is short and bushy. Zorua can change its physical appearance, though this transformation is merely an illusion as it keeps its own type and moves.

Zorua is said to have a timid nature which led to the development of its illusion abilities. Zorua keeps its true form hidden to ensure its safety and takes on the appearance of other Pokémon to frighten off enemies. It can let loose pitch-black shock waves against its targets. Sometimes it will take the form of a silent child in order to search for food. It has been known to occasionally replace normally talkative children. As seen in its movie debut, the tail of an unpracticed Zorua may remain when it takes on a human form, and if the tail is touched, it will revert to its true form. Zorua is mischievous and loves to surprise others.

Prior to Generation VII, Zorua and its evolved form, Zoroark, were the only known Pokémon capable of learning the move Night Daze. Additionally, Zorua and Zoroark, as well as their regional forms, are the only known Pokémon that can have Illusion as an Ability.

Forms

Zorua has an ancient regional form: Hisuian Zorua.

Hisuian Zorua casting an illusion

Exiled from other lands by humans because of their illusions, and unable to survive in the Hisui region due to the harsh environment and conflicts with other Pokémon, the souls of deceased Zorua linger on in a new form, reborn by their malice towards humans and Pokémon alike. Hisuian Zorua's fur is mainly light gray with red and white accents. Its ears are primarily gray with split cuts and a slight red tint at the tips. Its eyes have golden yellow irises and pink eyelids, and its limbs are tipped in black. The tuft of fur on its head, the ruff around its neck, and its tail are all white at their bases, with long wisps of fur that fade to red at the tips, and they are all smoother in appearance. Unlike Unovan Zorua, it has a melancholy expression rather than a mischievous one.

Hisuian Zorua retains its ability to cast illusions but accomplishes this by constantly unleashing its spiteful power of malice through its ghostly fur, specifically atop its head. It can attack its target with a spine-chilling resentment. This power comes from Hisuian Zorua's own resentment of everything. If it encounters a lone human or Pokémon, Zorua may appear to them masked in a horrifying illusion of their own likeness. It seems to draw strength from the terror it inflicts on its victims.[1] Hisuian Zorua tends to reside in the cold areas where it lingers onto. Like its Unova counterpart, Hisuian Zorua can make its illusion of other Pokémon, to the point of easily fooling anyone in order to get food.

Hisuian Zorua and Zoroark are the only known Pokémon capable of learning the move Bitter Malice.

Evolution

Zorua evolves into Zoroark.

Hisuian Zorua evolves into Hisuian Zoroark.

Hisuian Zorua

Game data

NPC appearances

Pokédex entries

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation V.
Generation V Unova B  W : #076 Unova B2  W2 : #151
Black It changes into the forms of others to surprise them. Apparently, it often transforms into a silent child.
White To protect themselves from danger, they hide their true identities by transforming into people and Pokémon.
Black 2 It changes so it looks just like its foe, tricks it, and then uses that opportunity to flee.
White 2
Generation VI KalosMountain #124 Hoenn#—
X It changes so it looks like its foe, tricks it, and then uses that opportunity to flee.
Y To protect themselves from danger, they hide their true identities by transforming into people and Pokémon.
Omega Ruby It changes so it looks like its foe, tricks it, and then uses that opportunity to flee.
Alpha Sapphire To protect themselves from danger, they hide their true identities by transforming into people and Pokémon.
Generation VIII GalarIsle of Armor #087 Sinnoh#— Hisui#219
This Pokémon has no Pokédex entries in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Sword Zorua is a timid Pokémon. This disposition seems to be what led to the development of Zorua's ability to take on the forms of other creatures.
Shield Zorua sometimes transforms into a person and goes into cities to search for food. When Zorua does this, it usually takes on the form of a child.
Hisuian Zorua
Legends: Arceus A once-departed soul, returned to life in Hisui. Derives power from resentment, which rises as energy atop its head and takes on the forms of foes. In this way, Zorua vents lingering malice.
Generation IX Paldea#228 Kitakami#— Blueberry#—
Scarlet It changes into the forms of others to surprise them. Apparently, it often transforms into a silent child.
Violet To protect themselves from danger, they hide their true identities by transforming into people and Pokémon.

Game locations

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation V.
Generation V
Generation VI
Generation VII
Generation VIII
Generation IX

In side games

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation V.
Generation V
Generation VI
Generation VII
Generation VIII
This Pokémon is unavailable in Generation VIII side games.
Cross-Generation

Held items

Hisuian Zorua

Stats

Base stats

Zorua
Hisuian Zorua

Due to the different way stats are calculated in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, exact minimum and maximum stats are not shown in this table.

Type effectiveness

Zorua

Under normal battle conditions in Generation IX, this Pokémon is:
Damagednormally by:
Immune to:
Resistant to:

Hisuian Zorua

Under normal battle conditions in Generation IX, this Pokémon is:
Damagednormally by:
Immune to:
Resistant to:

Learnset

By leveling up

Zorua
Generation IX
  • Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Zorua
  • Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution of Zorua
  • Click on the generation numbers at the top to see level-up moves from other generations
Hisuian Zorua
Generation IX
Other generations:
VIII
  • Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Zorua
  • Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution of Zorua

By TM

Zorua
Generation IX
  • Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Zorua
  • Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution or an alternate form of Zorua
  • Click on the generation numbers at the top to see TM moves from other generations
Hisuian Zorua
Generation IX
Other generations:
VIII
  • Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Zorua
  • Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution or an alternate form of Zorua

By breeding

Zorua
Generation IX
  • Moves marked with an asterisk (*) must be chain bred onto Zorua
  • Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Zorua
  • Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution of Zorua
  • Click on the generation numbers at the top to see Egg moves from other generations
Hisuian Zorua
Generation IX
Other generations:
VIII
  • Moves marked with an asterisk (*) must be chain bred onto Zorua
  • Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Zorua
  • Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution of Zorua

TCG-only moves

Side game data

Zorua

Pokémon Rumble Rush
Walking Speed: 1.55 seconds Base HP: 45
Base Attack: 71 Base Defense: 45 Base Speed: 60

In Pokémon GO, Zorua will appear in the wild disguised as the player's Buddy Pokémon. Players will only find out whether a Pokémon is a Zorua if successfully captured, upon which a cutscene will show the Pokémon transforming back into Zorua. The Buddy Pokémon does not need to appear on the overworld for Zorua to spawn.

Zorua can appear disguised as a Shiny Pokémon if the Buddy Pokémon is Shiny, without it being Shiny itself.

Hisuian Zorua

Pokémon GO
File:GO570H.png Base HP: 120 Base Attack: 153 Base Defense: 78
Egg Distance: N/A Buddy Distance: 5 km Evolution Requirement: 50
Fast Attacks:
Charged Attacks:

Evolution data

Zorua

Hisuian Zorua

Sprites

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation V.
Generation V
Generation VI
Generation VII
Generation VIII
Cross-Generation

In the anime

Main series

Major appearances

Zorua (M13)

Zorua debuted in Zoroark: Master of Illusions, where it was used by the antagonist, Grings Kodai, to blackmail its foster mother Zoroark into attacking Crown City. It escaped and met Ash and his friends before befriending Celebi. Zorua and Celebi were captured by Kodai, but they were able to defeat him with help from Zoroark and the three Shiny Legendary beasts serving as Crown City's guardians.

Luke's Zorua

Luke's female Zorua debuted in Movie Time! Zorua in "The Legend of the Pokémon Knight"!, where she was used to play multiple roles in her Trainer's films.

Other

In a flashback in The Island of Illusions!, a Nurse Joy took care of a Zorua years ago. It was revealed to have evolved into a Zoroark in the present day.

Minor appearances

A Trainer's Zorua appeared in Exhibition Unmasked!.

Pokédex entries

Pokémon Evolutions

A Zorua briefly appeared in a flashback The Plan as one of the Pokémon that N had befriended while living in a forest as a child.

Pokémon: Hisuian Snow

A Unovan Zorua appeared in a flashback in Onto the Icy Blue, found by a Zoroark lying motionless.

Hisuian Zorua debuted in Onto the Icy Blue. Alec encountered a Shiny Hisuian Zorua in the woods while it was practicing casting illusions.

In the manga

Pocket Monsters HGSS

Zorua debuted in PMHGSS17.

Pokémon Adventures

Main article: N's Zorua

A Zorua in Castelia City fought Black's Tep, teasing him throughout the entire battle before escaping. The same Zorua later appears to wreak havoc on the Driftveil Drawbridge. Later, it is revealed that this Zorua worked alongside N. He first appeared in Listening to Pokémon.

A Zorua appeared in PASS34.

Pokémon RéBURST

Hariru has a Zorua, which evolved into Zoroark; he can use it as a Burst form.

In the TCG

Main article: Zorua (TCG)

Trivia

Origin

Zorua appears to be based on the kitsune of Japanese folklore, a mythical fox capable of shape-shifting. The concept of a Zorua still having its tail while in human form may refer to how a kitsune has difficulty in hiding its tail when it takes on human form in some stories. Its facial markings may draw inspiration from Kabuki and Noh theater makeup.

In addition, Zorua's habit of replacing children with itself is similar to Irish folklore about the changeling, a fairy-child that replaces human children kidnapped by fairies or, in some tales, the devil. Zorua also resembles the trickster characters of many cultures in both appearance and behavior; such characters are often depicted as foxes.

Hisuian Zorua may be based on vengeful ghosts and revenants. Its coloration may be based on kitsune masks.

Name origin

Zorua may be a combination of zorro (Spanish for fox) and rua (Irish for red, possibly referring to its red fur; madra rua is Irish for fox).

In other languages

References