Deoxys
Encyclopedia
is a fictional species of Pokémon from Nintendo
's and Game Freak
's Pokémon
media franchise. The result of an extraterrestrial
virus
's exposure to a laser
beam, Deoxys frequently appears around aurora
s. It is recognized as a Legendary Pokémon of the third generation. It exists in four forms: Attack, Defense, Speed, and Normal, which differ by appearances and abilities.
Deoxys first appeared in the 2004 video games Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen
, accessible via a Nintendo promotional event. It played a major role in the film Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys
later that year. It has since appeared in several video games and the Pokémon anime
series. The character has also been featured in official merchandise and a collaboration with NASA
, and has received positive remarks from critics.
Along with all the other third-generation Pokémon, Deoxys was created by Ken Sugimori
with the aid of a development team. Its National Pokédex number is 386, the last of the third-generation Pokémon. Its name is contracted from the term deoxyribonucleic acid, the long-form name of DNA. The character is associated with aurora
s, and frequently appears with them. It is recognized as a Legendary Pokémon throughout the franchise.
Deoxys emerged from an extraterrestrial
virus
after exposure to a laser
beam. It has a crystalline organ on its chest which is considered to serve as its brain and can also eject lasers. Overall, it has an agile body configured for speed. Deoxys is unique among Pokémon for its ability to change freely between forms, of which it has four: Attack, Defense, Speed, and Normal. These forms differ by base stat values and appearance. Players of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
can switch their Deoxys's form by touching certain meteorites in Veilstone City.
. After visiting a Nintendo
promotional event, the player activates the "Mystery Gift" gameplay option, then visits an in-game PokéMart location and inputs the text "LINK TOGETHER WITH ALL" on a questionnaire. This unlocks an island where the Pokémon is found.
Deoxys was distributed to Diamond and Pearl players at GameStop
locations in June 2008.
Deoxys appears as a randomly generated Pokémon springing from the Poké Ball item and attacking players in the fighting game
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
. The character's likeness also graces a trophy in this game. Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs
features a mission accessed with Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
that allows the player to obtain a Deoxys and carry it over to other Pokémon games.
canonical debut is in the 2004 film Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys
. The film shows a meteorite crashing to Earth, from which Deoxys is born. Four years later, Deoxys arrives at LaRousse City in conjunction with an aurora. Rayquaza
begins to fight Deoxys, causing fear and destruction within the city.
A Deoxys appears in each of its forms in the episode "Cheers on Castaways Isle!". The creature crashes into a waterfall, becoming nothing but its crystalline core. It later regenerates to save Ash Ketchum
and Piplup from Team Rocket before flying away again.
In Pokémon Adventures
Deoxys plays a major role in the events of the FireRed & LeafGreen chapter.
One set of Pokémon trading cards
is named "EX Deoxys", created as an homage to Destiny Deoxys. Deoxys's Attack, Normal, and Defense forms each occupy separate cards in this set. The three have different attacks and can be switched for each other each turn via their "PokéPower" abilities.
s, lunch box
es, and promotional plush
pillow
s. A "Deoxys Whirl" toy was distributed with kids' meal
s at Subway
chain restaurants from March to May 2005, as part of the promotional campaign for Destiny Deoxys. March 2005 saw NASA
teaming up with the Pokémon Trading Card Game
team to use Deoxys's likeness to educate children about outer space and the ozone layer
. As part of this endeavor, NASA created browser games on its website and Nintendo of America distributed promotional bracelets and postcards.
The character has received positive remarks from critics. In preview coverage of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, staff of GameSpy
stated that "[t]his celestial-looking 'Mon is one of the coolest we've seen." 1UP.com
writer Kat Bailey called Deoxys "a nice consolation prize" in the wake of the newly introduced Darkrai, claiming that it looks "quite nice" in the visual style of My Pokémon Ranch
. A Nintendo World Report
press release stated that "[t]he most exciting element of Deoxys is its uniqueness" owing to its different forms. Staff of IGN
called Deoxys "one of the most unique characters in the enthralling Pokémon ... universe." GamesRadar
journalist Raymond Padilla stated that Deoxys, along with Rayquaza, was frightening in Destiny Deoxys but did not serve as a believable antagonist because its destructive actions amounted to "misunderstandings". GamePro
writer McKinley Noble praised the inclusion of Deoxys and Manaphy in Guardian Signs, adding that the ability to import them to other games was "the only reason I'm still trudging through the game." IGN staff writer Jack DeVries ranked Deoxys 85th in IGN's list of the top 100 Pokémon, stating that its transformation "makes him unpredictable and dangerous in battle. Plus he looks like an anime robot villain."
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....
's 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...
media franchise. The result of an extraterrestrial
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
virus
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
's exposure to a laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
beam, Deoxys frequently appears around aurora
Aurora (astronomy)
An aurora is a natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude regions, caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere...
s. It is recognized as a Legendary Pokémon of the third generation. It exists in four forms: Attack, Defense, Speed, and Normal, which differ by appearances and abilities.
Deoxys first appeared in the 2004 video games 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...
, accessible via a Nintendo promotional event. It played a major role in the film Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys
Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys
Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys, originally released in Japan as is the seventh film in the Pokémon series, complementing the seventh season . It is the second film released under Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation in Japan. The original Japanese version was released in theaters on July 17, 2004...
later that year. It has since appeared in several video games and the Pokémon anime
Pokémon (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...
series. The character has also been featured in official merchandise and a collaboration with NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
, and has received positive remarks from critics.
Design and characteristics
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...
with the aid of a development team. Its National Pokédex number is 386, the last of the third-generation Pokémon. Its name is contracted from the term deoxyribonucleic acid, the long-form name of DNA. The character is associated with aurora
Aurora (astronomy)
An aurora is a natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude regions, caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere...
s, and frequently appears with them. It is recognized as a Legendary Pokémon throughout the franchise.
Deoxys emerged from an extraterrestrial
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
virus
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
after exposure to a laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
beam. It has a crystalline organ on its chest which is considered to serve as its brain and can also eject lasers. Overall, it has an agile body configured for speed. Deoxys is unique among Pokémon for its ability to change freely between forms, of which it has four: Attack, Defense, Speed, and Normal. These forms differ by base stat values and appearance. Players of 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...
can switch their Deoxys's form by touching certain meteorites in Veilstone City.
In the video games
Deoxys's Pokémon game series debut is in 2004's Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreenPokémon 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...
. After visiting a Nintendo
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....
promotional event, the player activates the "Mystery Gift" gameplay option, then visits an in-game PokéMart location and inputs the text "LINK TOGETHER WITH ALL" on a questionnaire. This unlocks an island where the Pokémon is found.
Deoxys was distributed to Diamond and Pearl players at GameStop
GameStop
GameStop Corporation is an American video game and entertainment software retailer. The company, whose headquarters is in Grapevine, Texas, United States, operates 6,500 retail stores throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New...
locations in June 2008.
Deoxys appears as a randomly generated Pokémon springing from the Poké Ball item and attacking players in the fighting game
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
. The character's likeness also graces a trophy in this game. Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs
Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs
is an action role-playing game video game for the Nintendo DS. It is the sequel of Pokémon Ranger and Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia and third installment of its series. It was released in Japan on March 6, 2010, North America on October 4, 2010, and Europe on November 5, 2010. Gameplay revolves...
features a mission accessed with Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
The is an online multiplayer gaming service run by Nintendo to provide free online play in compatible Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS and Wii games. The service includes the company's Wii Shop Channel, DSi Shop, and Nintendo eShop game download services...
that allows the player to obtain a Deoxys and carry it over to other Pokémon games.
In other media
Deoxys's Pokémon 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...
canonical debut is in the 2004 film Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys
Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys
Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys, originally released in Japan as is the seventh film in the Pokémon series, complementing the seventh season . It is the second film released under Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation in Japan. The original Japanese version was released in theaters on July 17, 2004...
. The film shows a meteorite crashing to Earth, from which Deoxys is born. Four years later, Deoxys arrives at LaRousse City in conjunction with an aurora. Rayquaza
Rayquaza
is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Rayquaza first appeared in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated, printed, and film adaptations of the franchise. Rayquaza also appears on the cover...
begins to fight Deoxys, causing fear and destruction within the city.
A Deoxys appears in each of its forms in the episode "Cheers on Castaways Isle!". The creature crashes into a waterfall, becoming nothing but its crystalline core. It later regenerates to save Ash Ketchum
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 Piplup from Team Rocket before flying away again.
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:...
Deoxys plays a major role in the events of the FireRed & LeafGreen chapter.
One set of Pokémon trading cards
Pokémon Trading Card Game
The Pokémon Trading Card Game is a collectible card game based on the Pokémon video game series, first introduced in Japan in October 1996, then North America in December 1998...
is named "EX Deoxys", created as an homage to Destiny Deoxys. Deoxys's Attack, Normal, and Defense forms each occupy separate cards in this set. The three have different attacks and can be switched for each other each turn via their "PokéPower" abilities.
Cultural impact
Deoxys's likeness has been adapted into merchandise such as action figureAction figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
s, lunch box
Lunch box
The lunch box, also referred to as a lunch pail or lunch kit, is used to store food to be taken to work or school. The concept of a food container has existed for a long time, but it wasn't until people began using tobacco tins to haul meals in the early 20th century, followed by the use of...
es, and promotional plush
Plush
Plush is a textile having a cut nap or pile the same as fustian or velvet.Originally the pile of plush consisted of mohair or worsted yarn, but now silk by itself or with a cotton backing is used for plush, the distinction from velvet being found in the longer and less dense pile of plush...
pillow
Pillow
A pillow is a large cushion support for the head, usually used while sleeping in a bed, or for the body as used on a couch or chair. There are also throw pillows , which are pillows that are purely decorative and not designed for support or comfort...
s. A "Deoxys Whirl" toy was distributed with kids' meal
Kids' meal
A Kids' meal is a meal specified to children, usually to preteens, sometimes younger. Most kids' meals come in bags or cardboard boxes with a special themed promotion, containing activities on the bag and a small prize...
s at Subway
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
chain restaurants from March to May 2005, as part of the promotional campaign for Destiny Deoxys. March 2005 saw NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
teaming up with the Pokémon Trading Card Game
Pokémon Trading Card Game
The Pokémon Trading Card Game is a collectible card game based on the Pokémon video game series, first introduced in Japan in October 1996, then North America in December 1998...
team to use Deoxys's likeness to educate children about outer space and the ozone layer
Ozone layer
The ozone layer is a layer in Earth's atmosphere which contains relatively high concentrations of ozone . This layer absorbs 97–99% of the Sun's high frequency ultraviolet light, which is potentially damaging to the life forms on Earth...
. As part of this endeavor, NASA created browser games on its website and Nintendo of America distributed promotional bracelets and postcards.
The character has received positive remarks from critics. In preview coverage of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, staff of GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
stated that "[t]his celestial-looking 'Mon is one of the coolest we've seen." 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
writer Kat Bailey called Deoxys "a nice consolation prize" in the wake of the newly introduced Darkrai, claiming that it looks "quite nice" in the visual style of My Pokémon Ranch
My Pokémon Ranch
is a Pokémon video game developed for the Wii by Ambrella. My Pokémon Ranch was released via the WiiWare download service on March 25, 2008 in Japan, in the Americas on June 9, 2008 and in Europe on July 4, 2008 for 1000 Wii Points....
. A Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report is a Nintendo-specific video game website that covers Nintendo's current consoles, the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, and Wii.-History:...
press release stated that "[t]he most exciting element of Deoxys is its uniqueness" owing to its different forms. Staff of IGN
IGN
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...
called Deoxys "one of the most unique characters in the enthralling Pokémon ... universe." 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...
journalist Raymond Padilla stated that Deoxys, along with Rayquaza, was frightening in Destiny Deoxys but did not serve as a believable antagonist because its destructive actions amounted to "misunderstandings". GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
writer McKinley Noble praised the inclusion of Deoxys and Manaphy in Guardian Signs, adding that the ability to import them to other games was "the only reason I'm still trudging through the game." IGN staff writer Jack DeVries ranked Deoxys 85th in IGN's list of the top 100 Pokémon, stating that its transformation "makes him unpredictable and dangerous in battle. Plus he looks like an anime robot villain."