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Porygon-Z(JP) is a species of Pokémon in the series of the same name. It is a Normal Pokémon that made its first appearance in the fourth generation games Diamond and Pearl. It evolves from Porygon2 when traded holding a Dubious Disc.

Physiology and Behavior[]

Although technically a virtual, manmade Pokémon, Porygon-Z does have a physical body. Its head is fuchsia and ovoid in shape with a short, blunt antenna protruding upwards and a blue bill similar to that of a duck. Its eyes are yellow and have black rings, similar to a bulls-eye. The head is completely detached from the body and floats slightly above it. Its smooth, ovoid body is fuchsia with a blue ring connecting its arms. Two arms are loosely connected to their upper body and, other than their blue color, have no features. The tail is also blue and featureless but slightly resembles a paddle. Porygon-Z's offensive power has increased greatly from its time as Porygon2.

Porygon-Z was given additional software in order to increase its abilities. The initial idea was to give it the ability to travel through alien dimensions, though it did not work as planned. Instead, the Pokémon began showing highly erratic, unstable behavior and twitchy movements, making it difficult to work with for research. As a result, it is believed the experiment to create Porygon-Z was a failure. This has been attributed to the incompetence of the engineer improperly updating its programming. Because the update caused instability, academics can't seem to agree on whether Porygon-Z should be considered a true evolution of Porygon2. In ancient Hisui, people were confused about Porygon-Z and its evolutionary relatives due to them arriving through space-time distortions and being the product of far more advanced technology than what was available at the time.

Appearances[]

Main Pokémon games[]

Other Pokémon games[]

Porygon-Z appeared in PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure. Porygon-Z is referred to as a "he", even though the Porygon line is gender unknown. In addition, despite never having appeared in the anime outside of a brief cameo, it did receive an anime voice in the aforementioned game, like every other Pokémon in it.

Super Smash Bros. series[]

Porygon-Z appears as a trophy in the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.

Trophy descriptions[]

Super Smash Bros. for 3DS

Porygon is an artificial Pokémon created by humans. Given an Up-Grade, it becomes Porygon2. Then another mod turns it into Porygon-Z. You'd think two upgrades would make Porygon-Z the perfect Pokémon, but actually, the Dubious Disc used to make Porygon2 evolve seems to have introduced some bugs. Maybe a patch is in the works?

In the anime[]

PorygonZ M15

Porygon-Z's cameo in Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice

Porygon-Z's only appearance in the anime was a cameo in the "World of Pokémon" opening of Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice, in which every Pokémon from the first five generations (apart from Genesect) appeared.

It is currently believed that Porygon-Z will not properly appear and will not be mentioned in the anime as a result of the Electric Soldier Porygon incident, and it is the only Generation IV Pokémon not to appear. Along with its pre-evolved form, it is also the only Pokémon prior to Generation VIII that is neither Legendary nor Mythical Pokémon to not appear in the anime.

Origin and inspiration[]

Porygon-Z seems to be based on a bird or paper crane that has been rendered using computer software. The head-tipping motion it displays in some games is reminiscent of a drinking bird toy. Because it resembles a deformed version of Porygon2, evolves using a Dubious Disc, and displays unpredictable behavior, it may be based a computer virus or an unauthorized software patch that causes bugs in a program. Its Pokédex entries imply a connection to artificial intelligence and robotic spacecraft. It also bears resemblance to a balloon animal.

Porygon-Z is a combination of a corruption of polygon and the letter Z, the latter referring to either the Z axis in a 3D coordinate system, or the fact that it is the final stage in its evolutionary line, with Z being the final letter of the Latin alphabet. Z could also be a corruption of the number 2, referring to its status as a glitched evolution of Porygon2.

In-game information[]

Pokédex entries[]

Title Entry
Fourth Pokémon generation
Pokémon Diamond Additional software was installed to make it a better Pokémon. It began acting oddly, however.
Pokémon Pearl Additional software was installed to make it a better Pokémon. It began acting oddly, however.
Pokémon Platinum Its programming was modified to enable work in alien dimensions. It did not work as planned.
Pokémon HeartGold Its programming was modified to enable it to travel through alien dimensions. Seems there might have been an error...
Pokémon SoulSilver Its programming was modified to enable it to travel through alien dimensions. Seems there might have been an error...
Fifth Pokémon generation
Pokémon Black Its programming was modified to enable work in alien dimensions. It did not work as planned.
Pokémon White Its programming was modified to enable work in alien dimensions. It did not work as planned.
Pokémon Black 2 Its programming was modified to enable work in alien dimensions. It did not work as planned.
Pokémon White 2 Its programming was modified to enable work in alien dimensions. It did not work as planned.
Sixth Pokémon generation
Pokémon X Additional software was installed to make it a better Pokémon. It began acting oddly, however.
Pokémon Y Its programming was modified to enable it to travel through alien dimensions. Seems there might have been an error...
Pokémon Omega Ruby Additional software was installed to make it a better Pokémon. It began acting oddly, however.
Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Its programming was modified to enable it to travel through alien dimensions. Seems there might have been an error...
Seventh Pokémon generation
Pokémon Sun In order to create a more advanced Pokémon, an additional program was installed, but apparently it contained a defect that makes it move oddly.
Pokémon Moon Its program was modified to facilitate extra-dimensional activities, but that led to noticeably strange behavior.
Pokémon Ultra Sun Its behavior is noticeably unstable, which is apparently due to the incompetence of the engineer who updated its programming.
Pokémon Ultra Moon A faulty update was added to its programming. Its behavior is noticeably strange, so the experiment may have been a failure.
Eighth Pokémon generation
Pokémon Sword Porygon-Z had a program installed to allow it to move between dimensions, but the program also caused instability in Porygon-Z's behavior.
Pokémon Shield Some say an additional program made this Pokémon evolve, but even academics can't agree on whether Porygon-Z is really an evolution.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond Additional software was installed to make it a better Pokémon. It began acting oddly, however.
Pokémon Shining Pearl Additional software was installed to make it a better Pokémon. It began acting oddly, however.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus A curious item induced this evolution. The Pokémon's offensive capabilities have greatly increased, but the strangeness of its behavior has magnified in equal measure. This worries me.
Ninth Pokémon generation
Pokémon Scarlet An additional program was installed to create a more advanced Pokémon, but it was apparently flawed. Porygon-Z moves oddly as a result.
Pokémon Violet Its programming was modified to enable it to operate in other dimensions. This did not work as planned.

Game locations[]

In the main games, Porygon-Z is only obtainable by evolving Porygon2.

Evolution[]

Porygon
Trade holding
Up-Grade SpriteUp-Grade
Porygon2
Trade holding
Dubious Disc SpriteDubious Disc
Porygon-Z
PKMNSV137 PKMNSV233 PKMNSV474


Base Stats[]

Base Stats
HP 85
Attack 80
Defense 70
Sp. Attack 135
Sp. Defense 75
Speed 90
Total 535

Moveset[]

Main article: Porygon-Z/moveset

Gallery[]

Sprites[]

Sprites
Diamond Pearl
PKMNDP474


Image Needed
File:PKMNDP474-S.png

Platinum
PKMNP474


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File:PKMNP474-S.png

Heart Soul
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File:PKMNHGSS474.png


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File:PKMNHGSS474-S.png

Black White
PKMNBW474


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File:PKMNBW474-S.png

Black 2 White 2
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File:PKMNBW2474.png


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File:PKMNBW2474-S.png

X Y
PKMNXY474


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File:PKMNXY474-S.png

Sword Shield
PKMNSS474


Image Needed
File:PKMNSS474-S.png

Brilliant Diamond Shining Pearl
Image Needed
File:PKMNBDSP474.png


Image Needed
File:PKMNBDSP474-S.png

Legends Arceus
PKMNPLA474


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File:PKMNPLA474-S.png

Scarlet Violet
PKMNSV474


Image Needed
File:PKMNSV474-S.png


Trivia[]

  • Porygon-Z is the only Pokémon whose Japanese name is spelled with a character from a foreign alphabet.
  • The Dubious Disc's name implies that Porygon-Z, unlike its pre-evolution, was not authorized by Silph Co.
  • Porygon-Z's pre-evolutions have their own signature Conversion move, but no new Conversion-style move was made for Porygon-Z.
  • Since no leveling up is required to evolve either Porygon or Porygon2, Porygon-Z is the only Pokémon that can be at level 1 after evolving twice.
  • Porygon-Z is the only Pokémon that evolves from a Pokémon that evolves via trading.
  • Porygon-Z is tied with Drampa, Bloodmoon Ursaluna, and Mega Pidgeot for the highest base Special Attack stat of all Normal-type Pokémon.
  • Porygon-Z is the only Generation IV Pokémon that has not appeared in the main anime.
  • Porygon-Z and its pre-evolutions are the only Pokémon where all three members of the evolutionary line can learn both Hyper Beam and Giga Impact. This is due to the fact that all three were fully evolved Pokémon at the time of their debut.
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