From Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia.

Applin (Japanese: カジッチュ Kajicchu) is a dual-type Grass/Dragon Pokémon introduced in Generation VIII.

It evolves into Flapple when exposed to a Tart Apple, Appletun when exposed to a Sweet Apple, or Dipplin when exposed to a Syrupy Apple. Dipplin evolves into Hydrapple when leveled up while knowing Dragon Cheer.

Table of Contents

Biology

Applin is a small, worm-like Pokémon with a light green body and a dark green underside. Its head is round with two pink nostrils. Above its head are two large leaf-like eyestalks which house its two small black eyes. These eyestalks give the apple it lives in the appearance of having a stem with leaves. Applin also has two thin hairs on the tip of its tail, as well as two stubby forelimbs which are usually hidden inside its apple.

Applin is both the lightest and shortest Dragon-type Pokémon, and also one of the shortest Grass-type Pokémon. As soon as it is born, it burrows into an apple that looks like a Leppa Berry, which serves as a home, food source, and protection against preying bird Pokémon. The apple is prevented from rotting thanks to Applin's body fluid, which also strengthens the fruit's rind. The flavor of the apple determines which evolution Applin will evolve into. If Applin runs out of apples to eat or if it is separated from its apple, its body will lose moisture, and it will become dehydrated and weak.[1] Since Applin hides inside an apple, it is sometimes mistaken by the frugivorous Noibat for food. In Galar, it is a custom to give an Applin as a romantic gesture.

Applin, Flapple, and Appletun are the only known Pokémon that can have Ripen as an Ability.

Evolution

Applin evolves into Flapple, Appletun, or Dipplin.

(For specifics on this Pokémon's evolution in the games, refer to Game data→Evolution data.)

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Game data

Pokédex entries

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation VIII.
Generation VIII Galar#205 GalarIsle of Armor #019 Sinnoh#— Hisui#—
This Pokémon has no Pokédex entries in Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl, and Legends: Arceus.
Sword It spends its entire life inside an apple. It hides from its natural enemies, bird Pokémon, by pretending it's just an apple and nothing more.
Shield As soon as it's born, it burrows into an apple. Not only does the apple serve as its food source, but the flavor of the fruit determines its evolution.
Generation IX Paldea#108 Kitakami#33 Blueberry#—
Scarlet It grows by eating the flesh of an apple. Applin uses its own body fluid to strengthen the apple’s skin and prevent it from rotting.
Violet Applin lives inside an apple. When an Applin is separated from its apple, its body loses moisture and the Pokémon grows weak.

Game locations

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation VIII.
Generation VIII
Generation IX

In side games

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation VIII.
Generation VIII

Stats

Base stats

Type effectiveness

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

Learnset

By leveling up

Generation IX
Other generations:
VIII
  • Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Applin
  • Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution of Applin

By TM

Generation IX
Other generations:
VIII
  • Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Applin
  • Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution or an alternate form of Applin

By breeding

Generation IX
Other generations:
VIII
  • Moves marked with an asterisk (*) must be chain bred onto Applin
  • Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Applin
  • Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an evolution of Applin

Side game data

New Pokémon Snap
Photodex entry #072
As soon as an Applin is born, it burrows into an apple, which it eats as it matures. If it falls from a great height, it may pop out of its apple.

Evolution data

Sprites

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation VIII.
Generation VIII
Cross-Generation

In the anime

Main series

Major appearances

Minor appearances

Applin debuted in A One-Stick Wonder!, where Goh attempted to catch one during a flashback, only for Grookey to scare it away.

A Applin appeared in a bowl of berries in Reunion at the Ancient Castle!, living in the ancient castle.

Three Applin appeared in HZ052.

Pokémon: Twilight Wings

In The Gathering of Stars, an Applin was at the Isle of Armor.

Detective Pikachu & the Mystery of the Missing Flan

An Applin appeared in Tim Goodman's fridge after he mistook it for an apple while shopping for groceries. It was revealed as the culprit of the titular case, having eaten Tim's flan.

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Applin debuted in Rumble!! The Horrific Darkest Day, being one of many Pokémon to suddenly Dynamax.

In the TCG

Main article: Applin (TCG)

Trivia

  • Applin is the only Pokémon introduced in Generation VIII to have a branched evolution.
    • Furthermore, Applin is the first Pokémon since Tyrogue in Generation II to have a branched evolution path with more than two possible different species it can evolve into.
    • Applin's evolutionary family (2 branches of a two-stage evolutionary line and 1 branch of a three-stage evolutionary line) is unique.
  • Applin and its evolved forms:
    • are the only Pokémon that are in the Grass and Dragon Egg Groups.
    • require only 600,000 experience points to reach level 100, the lowest among Generation VIII Pokémon, and the lowest among Dragon-type Pokémon along with Altaria.
  • Applin has the lowest base Speed stat of all Dragon-type Pokémon.
  • In Generation IX, Applin is the only Dragon-type Pokémon to not learn Draco Meteor.

Origin

Applin appears to be based on the popular image of a worm burrowing into an apple; perhaps specifically the larvae of various moths, such as the geometer moth larvae (also known as the inchworm) and the codling moth larvae, who burrow into apples and feed on their cores, inhibiting growth and ripening them earlier. It may also be based on the mole lizard, which has two forelimbs and closely resembles an earthworm, but is actually a type of reptile related to snakes known as an amphisbaenia.

Its Dragon typing, combined with its worm-like appearance, may be a pun on the wyrm, a type of dragon. It may also reference specific dragons in various mythologies, such as the Lindworm (a serpentine dragon often depicted with only two forelimbs), Ladon (a dragon from Greek mythology that guarded the golden apples in the Garden of the Hesperides), or the Biblical serpent who persuaded Eve to eat the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge, which is often depicted as an apple.

Name origin

Applin may be a combination of apple and in.

Kajicchu may be a combination of 齧る kajiru (to gnaw), 果実 kajitsu (fruit), and 虫 chū (bug; worm).

In other languages

Language Title Meaning
Japanese カジッチュ Kajicchu From 齧る kajiru, 果実 kajitsu, and 虫 chū
French Verpom From ver, pomme, and a play on vert pomme
Spanish Applin Same as English name
German Knapfel From knabbern and Apfel
Italian Applin Same as English name
Korean 과사삭벌레 Gwasasakbeollae From 과 (果) gwa or 사과 (沙果) sagwa, 와사삭 wasasak, and 벌레 beollae
Mandarin Chinese 啃果蟲 / 啃果虫 Kěnguǒchóng From 啃 kěn, 果 guǒ, and 蟲 / 虫 chóng
Cantonese Chinese 啃果蟲 Hánggwóchùhng From 啃 háng, 果 gwó, and 蟲 chùhng

References