Lugia (Japanese: ルギア Lugia) is a dual-type Psychic/Flying Legendary Pokémon introduced in Generation II.

It is not known to evolve into or from any other Pokémon.

Lugia is the game mascot of Pokémon Silver, its remake Pokémon SoulSilver, and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, appearing on the boxart of them all.

Lugia and Ho-Oh are often collectively referred to as the tower duo by fans. It is also often viewed as the leader of the legendary birds due to its role in the anime and the Mystery Dungeon series.

Lugia has a unique variant called Shadow Lugia, codenamed XD001, that appeared in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness.

Table of Contents

Biology

Lugia folding back its plates

Lugia is a large Pokémon that resembles a dragon, a plesiosaur, and a bird. It is primarily silver-white, but it has blue undersides with slightly varying tones. It has a ridged mouth similar to a beak, although it has pointed teeth on its lower jaw. Its head has a point to the back, and Lugia's eyes have pointed blue or black spikes on them. Lugia has a long, slender neck and a smooth, streamlined body. Dark blue or black plate-like protrusions run down the length of its back, and there are two smaller, more pointed ones on the end of its tail.

Lugia can fold back these plates to increase its speed. Lugia is covered in many scales that protect it from attacks. It has large wings that resemble hands. Though it is gender unknown, as depicted in The Mystery is History, a young Lugia has been seen, suggesting there is a breeding population, at least in the anime's timeline. In the same episode, Lugia has been shown to be fiercely protective of its young.

Lugia leads the legendary birds. When they fight over territory, Lugia is the only Pokémon that can quell their ceaseless fighting, as observed in the second Pokémon movie. Much like the birds, it possesses the ability to control the weather; most notably, it can calm and give rise to storms. It is said that a light flutter of its wings is capable of causing winds powerful enough to tear a regular house down. If it were to flap its wings, it could hypothetically spawn storms lasting as long as forty days. Lugia is capable of splitting islands like the Whirl Islands into smaller islands. It is highly intelligent, and because of the devastating power it could accidentally inflict, it isolates itself deep underwater and tends to sleep in solitude. It is extremely rare and is hardly ever seen. Lugia has been referred to as the guardian of the seas. There are rumors Lugia would appear during the night of a storm. Lugia loves Lugia Treats made by Snacksworth, who once encountered it in the past.

Lugia is the only known Pokémon capable of learning the move Aeroblast.

Shadow Lugia

A unique variant of Lugia that has jagged silver eye-spikes, a dark-purple body with white undersides, and glowing red eyes. It also has sharper toes that resemble claws, as well as a longer, more pointed tongue. Additionally, due to the shape of Lugia's back plates on its 3D models being changed after Generation IV, Shadow Lugia now possesses a unique design for them.

Shadow Lugia is the only known Pokémon capable of learning the move Shadow Blast.

Lugia

Game data

Pokédex entries

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation II.
Generation II Johto#247
Gold It is said that it quietly spends its time deep at the bottom of the sea because its powers are too strong.
Silver It is said to be the guardian of the seas. It is rumored to have been seen on the night of a storm.
Crystal It has an incredible ability to calm raging storms. It is said that Lugia appears when storms start.
Stadium 2 It is said that it quietly spends its time deep at the bottom of the sea because its powers are too strong.
Generation III Hoenn#— Kanto#—
Ruby Lugia's wings pack devastating power - a light fluttering of its wings can blow apart regular houses. As a result, this Pokémon chooses to live out of sight deep under the sea.
Sapphire
Emerald Lugia is so powerful even a light fluttering of its wings can blow apart houses. As a result, it chooses to live out of sight deep under the sea.
FireRed It is said to be the guardian of the seas. It is rumored to have been seen on the night of a storm.
LeafGreen It is said that it quietly spends its time deep at the bottom of the sea because its powers are too strong.
Generation IV Sinnoh#— Johto#252
Diamond It sleeps in a deep-sea trench. If it flaps its wings, it is said to cause a 40-day storm.
Pearl
Platinum
HeartGold It is said that it quietly spends its time deep at the bottom of the sea because its powers are too strong.
SoulSilver It is said to be the guardian of the seas. It is rumored to have been seen on the night of a storm.
Generation V Unova#—
Black It sleeps in a deep-sea trench. If it flaps its wings, it is said to cause a 40-day storm.
White
Black 2 It sleeps in a deep-sea trench. If it flaps its wings, it is said to cause a 40-day storm.
White 2
Generation VI Kalos#— Hoenn#—
X It sleeps in a deep-sea trench. If it flaps its wings, it is said to cause a 40-day storm.
Y It is said to be the guardian of the seas. It is rumored to have been seen on the night of a storm.
Omega Ruby Lugia's wings pack devastating power — a light fluttering of its wings can blow apart regular houses. As a result, this Pokémon chooses to live out of sight deep under the sea.
Alpha Sapphire

Game locations

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

In side games

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

In events

Games Event Language/Region Location Level Distribution period
GSC Gotta Catch 'Em All Station! Lugia English United States 40 November 15 to 21, 2002;December 6 to 12, 2002
RSEFRLG Top Ten Distribution Lugia English United Kingdom 70 June 10, 2006;October 14 to November 19, 2006
RSEFRLG Top Ten Distribution Lugia Italian Italy 70 June 23 to 25, 2006
RSEFRLG Top Ten Distribution Lugia Spanish Spain 70 June 27 to August 27, 2006
RSEFRLG Top Ten Distribution Lugia German Germany 70 September 24 to November 5, 2006
RSEFRLG Top Ten Distribution Lugia French France 70 September 26, 2006
XYORAS 7-Eleven Lugia Japanese region Online 50 August 1 to September 30, 2015
XYORAS Pokémon Center Lugia Japanese region Nintendo Network 50 September 7 to 13, 2015
SMUSUM Fula City Lugia Japanese region Online 100 April 13 to September 30, 2018
S Legendary Pokémon Celebration Lugia American region Online 60 November 2, 2018 to February 28, 2019
US Legendary Pokémon Celebration Lugia American region Online 100 November 2, 2018 to February 28, 2019
S Legendary Pokémon Celebration Lugia PAL region Online 60 November 2, 2018 to February 28, 2019
US Legendary Pokémon Celebration Lugia PAL region Online 100 November 2, 2018 to February 28, 2019
SMUSUM Fula City Lugia Japanese region Online 100 November 12, 2018 to March 31, 2019
SMUSUM Fula City Lugia American region Online 100 November 12, 2018 to March 31, 2019
SMUSUM Fula City Lugia PAL region Online 100 November 12, 2018 to March 31, 2019
SMUSUM Fula City Lugia Taiwanese region Online 100 November 12, 2018 to March 31, 2019
SMUSUM Fula City Lugia Korean region Online 100 December 19, 2018 to February 28, 2019

Held items

Stats

Base stats

Pokéathlon stats

Power
4/5 ★★★★☆
Jump
5/5 ★★★★★

Type effectiveness

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

Learnset

Lugia is available in Scarlet and Violet Version 3.0.0+.

By leveling up

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

By TM

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

By breeding

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

Side game data

Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs
Group: Poké Assist:(present) Field move:(present) (None ×-)
Not available in the past.
Browser entry R-301
It uses water tornadoes and whirlpools to attack.
Pokémon Rumble Rush
Walking Speed: 1.17 seconds Base HP: 60
Base Attack: 85 Base Defense: 66 Base Speed: 70
Pokémon Battle Trozei
Attack Power: ★★★★★

Power of Five
Increases the damage dealt by matching five Pokémon.

Evolution data

Sprites

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation II.
Generation II
Generation III
Generation IV
Generation V
Generation VI
Generation VII
Cross-Generation

In the anime

Main series

Major appearances

Lugia (M02)

Lugia debuted in The Power of One, where it was central to the legend of Shamouti Island. Its Psychic powers allow it to communicate with humans through telepathy.

Lugia (Silver's parent)

Lugia made its main series debut in Around the Whirlpool, where a silhouetted Lugia saved Ash, Misty, and Brock from being sucked into a whirlpool. It later turned out to be Silver's parent in The Mystery is History.

Silver

A young Lugia, nicknamed Silver by Oliver, lived near Ogi Isle in the Whirl Islands. Dr. Namba attempted to capture both the parent Lugia and Silver for Giovanni in The Mystery is History, A Parent Trapped!, and A Promise is a Promise.

Lugia (recurring)

In Legend? Go! Friends? Go!, a group of Trainers challenged a Lugia to a Raid Battle, but were all easily defeated. Lugia later befriended Ash and Goh. It reappeared in a flashback in Sword and Shield: The Darkest Day!. In This Could be the Start of Something Big!, it faced Ash and Goh in a Raid Battle.

Lugia's known moves are Hydro Pump and Aeroblast.

Other

In Hoopa and the Clash of Ages, a Lugia was the first Legendary Pokémon summoned by Hoopa to protect it and Ash from the shadow Hoopa Unbound. After a brief battle, the shadow Hoopa eventually portaled it back to its home in the sea.

In The Power of Us, a Lugia had a significant role in Fula City's history, as the one who gives Fula City a wind as told in the history. In the movie, Lugia remains in an unknown place until Risa and her Eevee summons it. Lugia later appear and gives the city a wind just like they did during the previous festival.

Minor appearances

In An Egg Scramble!, Team Rocket's fantasy featured a Lugia as one of the Pokémon they hoped the Egg that they stole from Dawn would hatch into.

In the opening sequence of Jirachi: Wish Maker, a Lugia rose out of the ocean during a full moon.

A Lugia appeared in the opening sequence of Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea.

In the opening sequence of The Rise of Darkrai, a Lugia was flying across the sky.

A Lugia appeared in the opening sequence of Giratina and the Sky Warrior.

A Lugia appeared in the opening sequence of Arceus and the Jewel of Life.

A Lugia appeared in the opening sequence of Zoroark: Master of Illusions.

A Lugia appeared in Getting More Than You Battled For!.

A silhouetted Lugia appeared in a fantasy in Healing the Healer!.

Pokémon Generations

In The Adventure, a wild Lugia flew by after a group of wild Wooper sent Red's Pikachu flying with Mud Shot.

GOTCHA!

A Lugia briefly appeared as a silhouette in GOTCHA!.

Pokémon Evolutions

In The Show, a Lugia appeared swimming in the seas around the Whirl Islands.

In the manga

Ash & Pikachu

Main article: Silva
Main article: Lugia (anime)

In Let's Save The Lugia!, two Lugia fulfilled the same roles as Silver and its parent in the anime.

The Electric Tale of Pikachu

Lugia appeared at the end of Epilogue: Wild Type, being the only Generation II Pokémon to appear in the manga.

Movie adaptations

Main article: Lugia (M02)

Lugia appeared in the manga adaptation of The Power of One.

Lugia also appeared in the graphic novel adaptation of the same movie.

Pocket Monsters DP

A Lugia appeared in PMDP29.

Pocket Monsters HGSS

A Lugia appeared in PMHGSS01.

Pokémon Adventures

Main article: Tower duo (Adventures)

The Masked Man apparently caught Lugia twice, given that its Silver Wing was shown under his possession several years ago, only to be stolen by Green. However, both times, it went back to the wild along with Ho-Oh.

In The Might of... Metapod?!, the Kanto Elite Four tried to exterminate humans using Lugia, which appeared as a spirit above Cerise Island in response to the energy produced by Gym Badges. It appeared as a being of shimmering light that Lance summoned it to aid his schemes. After he was defeated, the spirit flew to the west. In Sandslash Surprise, it was properly identified as Lugia. In Lively Lugia (Part 1), (Part 2), and (Part 3), the Johto Pokédex holders battled it before it was caught by the Masked Man just before Crystal could do so.

Besides the two, it was also controlled for some time by Will and Karen while they were under the Masked Man's jurisdiction.

Spoilers end here.

Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys

A Lugia appeared in The Truth About The Mysterious Whirl Islands!! and A Serious Crisis!! The Battle With The Lugia. It reappeared in Let's Fight For The Future!!.

Pokémon Gotta Catch 'Em All

In GDZ868, Shu encountered and caught a Lugia. He then released it so it could continue protecting the ocean.

Pokémon HeartGold SoulSilver: Pokédex Completion Comic

A Lugia appeared in Pokémon HeartGold SoulSilver: Pokédex Completion Comic.

Pokémon Journeys: The Series

A Lugia appeared in Legend? Check! Friends? Check!.

Pokémon Pocket Monsters

A Lugia appeared in Clefairy Rangers to the Rescue!!.

A Lugia appeared in Take me to the Dragon Palace!.

In the TCG

Main article: Lugia (TCG)

In the TFG

One Lugia figure has been released.

Other appearances

Super Smash Bros. Melee/Brawl/3DS/Wii U/Ultimate

When released from a Poké Ball, Lugia will fly up out of the stage and return in the background, where it unleashes a powerful Aeroblast on a section of the stage.

Melee trophy information

The waters of the Whirl Islands are home to this legendary Pokémon, whom very few have seen. Lugia live quietly in the deepest ocean trenches for one very good reason: its combined aerial and psychic powers are so strong as to be extremely dangerous. The special moves of this gargantuan creature include the destructive wind assault known as Aeroblast.

Brawl trophy information

"A Diving Pokémon. A legendary Pokémon often referred to as 'guardian of the seas,' it has the impressive ability to control the wind. Lugia typically spends its time quietly at the bottom of the ocean. Highly powerful in all areas, Lugia's Aeroblast move is especially powerful. It uses strong flapping of its wings to target damage on a foe's weak spot."

3DS/Wii U trophy information

Lugia trophy in Super Smash Bros. for 3DS

Lugia appears as a trophy in both versions of the game.

NA: Despite being a Psychic/Flying-type Pokémon, Lugia sleeps on the ocean floor. Legend says the flapping of Lugia's wings can create storms that last up to 40 days. It's impossible to know for sure, but in Smash Bros., Lugia definitely brings a storm with its Aeroblast attack.

PAL: Despite being a Psychic- and Flying-type, Lugia sleeps on the ocean floor. It's said that if it were to flap its wings on waking up, it could cause a storm lasting 40 days. No one can say whether that's true or not, but Lugia's attacks certainly make it seem so. It flies behind the stage and creates a mighty gust of wind with its Aeroblast attack.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Lugia returns as Poké Ball summon. It also appears as a Spirit.

Trivia

Lugia in Pokémon Battle Chess
Silver Tempest set symbol

Origin

Lugia's aquatic tendencies could relate it to plesiosaurs and aquatic birds. It is also possible that it may be based on Ryūjin, a dragon who lived on the ocean floor and was the Shinto god of the sea. The two have similarities in mythology, and Lugia's Shiny colors (red and white) are the same colors as the coral Ryūjin's palace was made of. In addition, it is worth noting that dragon (yang, male) and Chinese phoenix (yin, female) duality is prevalent in Eastern mythology, and Ho-Oh is the Japanese name of the Fenghuang (Chinese phoenix). In keeping with this, Lugia resembles a wyvern, a variety of dragons with a single set of forelimbs that serve as wings. Its avian body, coloration, and face-markings suggest that it may be somewhat based on the grey heron. Its rounded feet resemble those of grebes, a family of diving birds. The beluga whale, a white whale with similar body shape and coloration to Lugia, may also be a basis for its design and name. It might also be based on Bahamut (giant fish), and Bahamut is often being portrayed as a dragon-like creature in modern fantasy, hence its fish-like and dragon-like appearance.

Name origin

Lugia may be derived from ἄργυρος árguros (Ancient Greek for silver). It may also involve beluga, deluge, luna, and Lutīyā (early name for the Bahamut).

In other languages

See also

References