Clefairy
Encyclopedia
is a Pokémon species in Nintendo
and Game Freak
's Pokémon
franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori
, Clefairy first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue
and subsequent sequels. They have later appeared in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed adaptations of the franchise. Known as the Fairy
Pokémon, Clefairy is the mascot of Pokémon manga
, and appears as a main character in many of them, such as Magical Pokémon Journey
and Pokémon Pocket Monsters.
to make it more engaging for readers. However, Pikachu
, who was chosen as the anime mascot, became the mascot for the whole series in order to appeal to younger female readers and their mothers.
Clefairys are popular as pets for their adorable features. The most well-known ability that a Clefairy has is the ability to use Metronome, a move that involves wiggling its fingers back and forth in order to execute any move at random. Clefairy and its evolution family are the only Pokémon that can possess the Magic Guard ability, which prevents all forms of indirect damage. Clefairy are very shy and timid creatures. As such, they rarely show themselves to humans. Clefairy also seem to have gained a reputation as kleptomaniacs, since there have been various reports of Clefairy being seen stealing random junk. Clefairy are elusive Pokémon in the wild. On every night of a full moon
, groups of Clefairy come out to play. When dawn arrives, the tired Clefairy return to their quiet mountain retreats and go to sleep nestled up against each other.
Versions. It later appeared in several sequels, including Pokémon Gold and Silver
, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
, the Red and Blue remakes Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen
, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
, and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
. In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, the Slot Machines feature a bonus round function with a Clefairy which points to which reel to stop first.
Outside of the main series, Clefairy stars in the Pokémon Stadium
mini-game "Clefairy Says." In it, players are given a pattern of arrows to repeat back. Each time the player fails, they will receive a strike. After five strikes, the player is out. A Clefairy is obtainable from a Poké Ball item in the non-Pokémon-exclusive video games Super Smash Bros.
and Super Smash Bros Melee.
appearance was in Clefairy and the Moon Stone, in which Ash
and his friends meet a group of Clefairy at Mt. Moon, where they pray to a moon stone. In Clefairy Tales, a group of Clefairy were going around stealing random junk in Viridian City to repair their spaceship. Their leader got beaten up by Jigglypuff
for stealing its microphone/pen. These Clefairy made another brief appearance in Wish Upon a Star Shape, which is the debut of their pre-evolution, Cleffa. Several Clefairy also appeared in A Real Cleffa-Hanger, when Ash and his friends visited Mt. Moon again.
Clefairy have had many major roles in various Pokémon manga series
. A timid, shy Clefairy is among the main characters of the Magical Pokémon Journey
manga series. A rude, crass, male Clefairy is the co-star of the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga. In Pokémon Adventures
, Green owns a Clefairy that later evolves into Clefable when Red uses his Moon Stone on it. Although it was used only once for distraction against Sabrina prior to evolving, its increased power allowed it to stall Zap
mol
cuno
for a short period of time with its Metronome. It has since been used as a main member of her team in Green's battle against Lorelei, where it Minimized itself to retrieve her miniature ice sculptures, deliberately blowing off the arm part to let the Elite Four's guard down. In The Electric Tale of Pikachu, one of the chapters focuses on the Clefairy evolution ceremony. Another chapter also focuses on Clefairy, this time with them running wild through a city.
editor "Pokémon of the Day Chick" called Clefairy an "ever-popular Pokémon", though not as much as in the United States as it is in Japan. She added that she did an article for Clefairy solely because of her dislike for Clefable, though stating that it's "cool enough". GamesRadar
editor Carolyn Gudmundson compared Clefairy to Jigglypuff, stating that it is far less utilized, in spite of the fact that was initially supposed to be the mascot of the series. She also noted it as a part of an overused Pokémon design, the "huggable pink blob" design. In a discussion with children about the genders of Pokémon in author Jackie Marsh's book Popular culture, new media and digital literacy in early childhood, a girl named Emily stated that Clefairy was a girl, while a boy named Eric stated that it sucked. Emily rationalized this by saying that it did not resemble a boy, so it must be a girl. She also cited Clefairy's feminine voice. Eric provided a similar rationale, adding that if it were a boy, it would have similar characteristics to more masculine Pokémon, such as if it were blue or green instead of pink. Author Loredana Lipperini praised its techniques, describing them as "fun".
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
and Game Freak
Game Freak
is a Japanese video game developer that currently creates games exclusively for Nintendo. It has developed the Pokémon series of role-playing games and several other games.-History:...
's Pokémon
Pokémon
is a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori
Ken Sugimori
is a Japanese video game designer, illustrator, manga artist, and director. He is most famous as the character designer and art director for the Pokémon franchise. Sugimori is also credited with the art direction for other titles, including Pulseman. Sugimori drew all of the original 151 Pokémon...
, Clefairy first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red Version and Blue Version, originally released in Japan as , are role-playing games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. They are the first installments to the Pokémon series. They were first released in Japan in 1996 as Red and Green, with Blue being...
and subsequent sequels. They have later appeared in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed adaptations of the franchise. Known as the Fairy
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
Pokémon, Clefairy is the mascot of Pokémon manga
Pokémon (manga)
There are various Pokémon manga series. The manga are usually published in Japan by Shogakukan, and translated into English in North America by Viz Media and Chuang Yi in English in Asian countries...
, and appears as a main character in many of them, such as Magical Pokémon Journey
Magical Pokémon Journey
Magical Pokémon Journey, known in Japan as , is a shōjo manga series set in the fictional universe of the Pokémon franchise. The manga is by Yumi Tsukirino and serialized by Shogakukan in the manga magazine Ciao, and collected in ten bound volumes.The main character, Hazel , sets off to catch...
and Pokémon Pocket Monsters.
Design and characteristics
Clefairy is a small, bipedal Pokémon. Clefairy appears to be a pink creature, with stocky limbs and a round body which gives it a chubby appearance. It also possess large sensitive ears that have brown tips. It has small wings that seem incapable of flight, but allow it to bounce gracefully, and when store moonlight in their wings, allowing them to float in midair. Clefairy was chosen as the main character of the mangaManga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
to make it more engaging for readers. However, Pikachu
Pikachu
is one of the species of Pokémon creatures from the Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. As do all Pokémon, Pikachu fight other Pokémon in battles central to the anime, manga, and games of the series...
, who was chosen as the anime mascot, became the mascot for the whole series in order to appeal to younger female readers and their mothers.
Clefairys are popular as pets for their adorable features. The most well-known ability that a Clefairy has is the ability to use Metronome, a move that involves wiggling its fingers back and forth in order to execute any move at random. Clefairy and its evolution family are the only Pokémon that can possess the Magic Guard ability, which prevents all forms of indirect damage. Clefairy are very shy and timid creatures. As such, they rarely show themselves to humans. Clefairy also seem to have gained a reputation as kleptomaniacs, since there have been various reports of Clefairy being seen stealing random junk. Clefairy are elusive Pokémon in the wild. On every night of a full moon
Full moon
Full moon lunar phase that occurs when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. More precisely, a full moon occurs when the geocentric apparent longitudes of the Sun and Moon differ by 180 degrees; the Moon is then in opposition with the Sun.Lunar eclipses can only occur at...
, groups of Clefairy come out to play. When dawn arrives, the tired Clefairy return to their quiet mountain retreats and go to sleep nestled up against each other.
In the video games
Clefairy first appears as one of the 151 species of Pokémon in the Pokémon Red and BluePokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon Red Version and Blue Version, originally released in Japan as , are role-playing games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. They are the first installments to the Pokémon series. They were first released in Japan in 1996 as Red and Green, with Blue being...
Versions. It later appeared in several sequels, including Pokémon Gold and Silver
Pokémon Gold and Silver
are the second installments of the Pokémon series of role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Color. The games have dual-mode capabilities allowing them to also be played on earlier Game Boy models. They were first released in Japan in 1999 and to...
, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
are the third installments of the Pokémon series of role-playing games, developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. The games were first released in Japan in late 2002 and later released to the rest of the world in 2003 . Pokémon Emerald, a special edition version,...
, the Red and Blue remakes Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen
are enhanced remakes of the original Pokémon Red and Blue video games, which were released in 1996. The new titles were developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance and have compatibility with the Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter, which originally came bundled with...
, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
are role-playing games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. With the enhanced remake Pokémon Platinum, the games comprise the fifth installment and fourth generation of the Pokémon series of RPGs...
, and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
are enhanced remakes of the 1999 video games Pokémon Gold and Silver. The games are part of the Pokémon series of role-playing video games, and were developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS...
. In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, the Slot Machines feature a bonus round function with a Clefairy which points to which reel to stop first.
Outside of the main series, Clefairy stars in the Pokémon Stadium
Pokémon Stadium
Pokémon Stadium, known as in Japan, is a strategy game developed by Nintendo EAD with the assistance of Creatures and HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released on April 30, 1999 in Japan, February 29, 2000 in North America, and April 7, 2000...
mini-game "Clefairy Says." In it, players are given a pattern of arrows to repeat back. Each time the player fails, they will receive a strike. After five strikes, the player is out. A Clefairy is obtainable from a Poké Ball item in the non-Pokémon-exclusive video games Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros., known in Japan as , is a fighting game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on January 21, 1999, in North America on April 26, 1999, and in Europe on November 19, 1999. Super Smash Bros. is the first game in the Super...
and Super Smash Bros Melee.
In other media
Clefairy's first animePokémon (anime)
, abbreviated from , is a children's TV anime series, which has since been adapted for the North and South American, Australian and European television markets...
appearance was in Clefairy and the Moon Stone, in which Ash
Ash Ketchum
Ash Ketchum, known as for all appearances in Japan, is a fictional character in the Pokémon franchise owned by Nintendo. He was created by, and named after, Satoshi Tajiri as the protagonist of the anime and manga series, as well as on various merchandise related to the franchise...
and his friends meet a group of Clefairy at Mt. Moon, where they pray to a moon stone. In Clefairy Tales, a group of Clefairy were going around stealing random junk in Viridian City to repair their spaceship. Their leader got beaten up by Jigglypuff
Jigglypuff
Jigglypuff, known in Japan as , is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Jigglypuff first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed...
for stealing its microphone/pen. These Clefairy made another brief appearance in Wish Upon a Star Shape, which is the debut of their pre-evolution, Cleffa. Several Clefairy also appeared in A Real Cleffa-Hanger, when Ash and his friends visited Mt. Moon again.
Clefairy have had many major roles in various Pokémon manga series
Pokémon (manga)
There are various Pokémon manga series. The manga are usually published in Japan by Shogakukan, and translated into English in North America by Viz Media and Chuang Yi in English in Asian countries...
. A timid, shy Clefairy is among the main characters of the Magical Pokémon Journey
Magical Pokémon Journey
Magical Pokémon Journey, known in Japan as , is a shōjo manga series set in the fictional universe of the Pokémon franchise. The manga is by Yumi Tsukirino and serialized by Shogakukan in the manga magazine Ciao, and collected in ten bound volumes.The main character, Hazel , sets off to catch...
manga series. A rude, crass, male Clefairy is the co-star of the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga. In Pokémon Adventures
Pokémon Adventures
Pokémon Adventures, released in Japan as , is a Pokémon-related manga based on the video games. Satoshi Tajiri once stated that the Pocket Monsters Special series is closest to what he imagined the Pokémon world to be:...
, Green owns a Clefairy that later evolves into Clefable when Red uses his Moon Stone on it. Although it was used only once for distraction against Sabrina prior to evolving, its increased power allowed it to stall Zap
Zapdos
is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Zapdos is one of the three winged mirages along with Articuno and Moltres. It was originally conceived by Game Freak's character development team and finalized by Ken Sugimori...
mol
Moltres
is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Moltres first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and later in subsequent sequels. Moltres is one of the three winged mirages, along with Articuno and Zapdos...
cuno
Articuno
Articuno, known as in Japan, is a fictional character in the Pokémon franchise. Articuno is one of the three winged mirages, along with Zapdos and Moltres. It is a large bird, noted for its ability to control cold. Articuno was one of many designs conceived by Game Freak and finalized by Ken...
for a short period of time with its Metronome. It has since been used as a main member of her team in Green's battle against Lorelei, where it Minimized itself to retrieve her miniature ice sculptures, deliberately blowing off the arm part to let the Elite Four's guard down. In The Electric Tale of Pikachu, one of the chapters focuses on the Clefairy evolution ceremony. Another chapter also focuses on Clefairy, this time with them running wild through a city.
Reception
IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
editor "Pokémon of the Day Chick" called Clefairy an "ever-popular Pokémon", though not as much as in the United States as it is in Japan. She added that she did an article for Clefairy solely because of her dislike for Clefable, though stating that it's "cool enough". GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
editor Carolyn Gudmundson compared Clefairy to Jigglypuff, stating that it is far less utilized, in spite of the fact that was initially supposed to be the mascot of the series. She also noted it as a part of an overused Pokémon design, the "huggable pink blob" design. In a discussion with children about the genders of Pokémon in author Jackie Marsh's book Popular culture, new media and digital literacy in early childhood, a girl named Emily stated that Clefairy was a girl, while a boy named Eric stated that it sucked. Emily rationalized this by saying that it did not resemble a boy, so it must be a girl. She also cited Clefairy's feminine voice. Eric provided a similar rationale, adding that if it were a boy, it would have similar characteristics to more masculine Pokémon, such as if it were blue or green instead of pink. Author Loredana Lipperini praised its techniques, describing them as "fun".