| Eevee | |
|---|---|
| Pokémon character | |
 Eevee artwork byKen Sugimori | |
| First game | Pokémon Red andBlue (1996) |
| Created by | Satoshi Tajiri[1] |
| Designed by | Motofumi Fujiwara[1] Ken Sugimori (finalized)[1] |
| Voiced by |
|
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Pokémon |
| Type | Normal |
Eevee (/ˈiːvi/ ⓘ), known in Japan asEievui (Japanese:イーブイ,Hepburn:Ībui),[5] is aPokémon species in thePokémon franchise. Created bySatoshi Tajiri and designed by Motofumi Fujiwara, it first appeared in the video gamesPokémon Red andBlue. It later appeared in a variety of merchandise, spin-off titles, and both animated and printed adaptations of the franchise. It is also the game mascot and starter Pokémon forPokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!
Known as the "Evolution Pokémon" in the games and the anime,[6] Eevee has an unstablegenetic code, which allows it to evolve into one of eight different Pokémon, known asEeveelutions, depending on the situation. The first three of these evolutions,Vaporeon,Jolteon, andFlareon, were introduced alongside Eevee inPokémon Red andBlue. Five more evolutions have since been introduced inPokémon games:Espeon,Umbreon,Leafeon,Glaceon, andSylveon. Eevee is one of the most popular Pokémon among fans, due to its character design and ability to evolve into many forms with differentPokémon types.
Eevee is a species of fictional creatures called Pokémon created for thePokémon media franchise. Developed byGame Freak and published byNintendo, the Japanese franchise began in 1996 with the video gamesPokémon Red andGreen for theGame Boy, which were later released in North America asPokémon Red andBlue in 1998.[7] In these games and their sequels, the player assumes the role of a Trainer whose goal is to capture and use the creatures' special abilities to combat other Pokémon. Some Pokémon can transform into stronger species through a process calledevolution via various means, such as exposure to specific items.[8] Each Pokémon has one or two elemental types, which define its advantages and disadvantages when battling other Pokémon.[9] A major goal in each game is to complete thePokédex, a comprehensive Pokémon encyclopedia, by capturing, evolving, and trading with other Trainers to obtain individuals from all Pokémon species.[8]
During the development of the games, series creatorSatoshi Tajiri wanted to include a Pokémon that could evolve into multiple different types. The design for Eevee and its initial evolutions, Jolteon and Flareon, were provided by Japanese graphic designer Motofumi Fujiwara, while fellow graphic designerAtsuko Nishida designed Vaporeon.[1] The designs were then finalized by lead designerKen Sugimori, who did illustrations based on the gamesprites created by Fujiwara and Nishida.[1][10] In the original Japanese games, the Pokémon was calledEievui, a name which has similar prefixes to its current English name. However, before the English versions of the games were released, Eevee was originally going to be namedEon rather thanEevee. It was renamed to "Eevee" shortly before the English releases ofPokémon Red andBlue.[11] Eevee in-game is a Normal type, one of eighteen elemental attributes that determine a Pokémon's strengths and weaknesses.[12]
According to thePokémon video games, Eevee is amammalian creature with brown fur, a bushy tail that has a cream-colored tip, and a furry collar that is also cream-colored. Eevee has brown eyes, big ears, and pink paw pads. Eevee is said to have an irregularly shaped genetic structure, enabling it to evolve into multiple Pokémon.[13] Fujiwara stated of Eevee "I wanted to create a blank slate Pokémon". Eevee's design draws upon his vague childhood memories, including an instance where he became lost in a forest and "encountered an undefinable creature," and he likened its appearance to "a fluffy cat or dog-like creature one would see in the country."[1] Eevee has been voiced byErica Schroeder in English[2] and byChinami Nishimura in Japanese[3] for the anime series, whileAoi Yūki provided the voice of Eevee in various video games.[4] Yūki voices Eevee in the video games akin to Pokémon in theanime series, which say their own names when talking. Due to Eevee having multiple names across languages, Yūki was instructed to blend together various characteristics of these names in her performance.[14] Eevee originally used a digitized "cry" in past games,[15] with Yūki voicing Eevee inPokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! andPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! andPokémon Sword and Shield, with the "cry" from past games in the series being used once more fromPokémon Legends: Arceus onwards.[15]
Eevee is best known for being the Pokémon with the most potentialevolutions (dubbed "Eeveelutions"),[16] with eight possible evolutionary forms.[17] In the first generation of Pokémon games, where Eevee was introduced, it was also the only species to have branched evolutions.[18] All of the Eeveelutions were designed by Atsuko Nishida, except for Jolteon and Flareon, which were designed by Motofumi Fujiwara.[19] The term "Eeveelution" was originally coined by fans. It was first used in an official capacity as a pun in the official guide forPokémon Stadium 2 and has since been used as an official designator for the group.[20]
There are a total of eight Eeveelutions, introduced in a variety of games.Vaporeon, a Water-type,Jolteon, an Electric-type, andFlareon, a Fire-type, were introduced in the first installments,Pokémon Red and Blue.Espeon, a Psychic-type, andUmbreon, a Dark-type, were introduced in their sequels,Pokémon Gold and Silver.Glaceon, an Ice-type, and Leafeon, a Grass-type, were introduced inPokémon Diamond and Pearl, whileSylveon, a Fairy-type, was introduced inPokémon X and Y.[21] A ninth, Flying-type Eeveelution was planned for the 2016 gamesPokémon Sun andMoon, but scrapped due to similarities to adesign made by a fan.[22]
In theRed,Blue,Yellow versions, the player receives one Eevee in Celadon City.[23] InPokémon Yellow, the player was to receive an Eevee fromProfessor Oak at the beginning of the game as the player's starter. However, the player's rival decides to take the Eevee before the player can obtain it. Due to this, the player is forced to choose the wildPikachu that Professor Oak had caught earlier as a starter. The player's rival meanwhile evolves his Eevee into any of the three evolutions available, depending on the outcomes of the player's encounters with him in the early parts of the game. Eevee went on to reappear in nearly every subsequent installment of the main series.[24]
InPokémon Sun andMoon, Eevee gained the ability to use a special "Z-Crystal" item known as Eevium Z. This allowed it to use a special "Z-Move," a one time use powerful attack, known as Extreme Evoboost.[25] InPokémon Sword andShield, Eevee gained the ability to use a unique "Gigantamax Form," which could be used when Eevee utilized the game's "Dynamax" mechanic, which exponentially increased the Pokémon's size and changed its appearance. The transformation allowed it access to a unique attack known as G-Max Cuddle, which deals damage and infatuates opponents of the opposite gender.[26]
In 2018, remakes ofPokémon Yellow,Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! andPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! were released. Unlike in the originalPokémon Yellow game in which Pikachu was the only Pokémon able to walk around with the player outside its Pokéball, inLet's Go, Eevee! the player's partner and starter Pokémon Eevee refuses a Pokéball and stays with the player in the overworld.[27] The partner Eevee is able to wear accessories and clothes[28] and "hairstyles"[29] which are visible in the overworld. Like Pikachu, inLet's Go, Eevee!, the partner Eevee refuses to evolve, but is able to learn special moves not available in other games, with eight possible moves each based on one of Eevee's evolutions.[30] Game developerJunichi Masuda said that Eevee was chosen for the remake because of its popularity infan art, althoughPsyduck was also considered before it was decided its coloring was too similar to Pikachu.[31]
Outside of the main series, Eevee has appeared in a variety of spin-offs. InPokémon Stadium 2, Eevee stars in its own minigame called "Eager Eevee". Players have to run around in circles while Aipom raises and lowers a cover on berries. The object is to be among the first to grab some of the berries.[32] It also appeared in a variety of other games, such as thePokémon Mystery Dungeon series,[33]Pokémon Conquest,[5]Pokemon Masters EX,[34]Pokémon Go,[35]Pokémon Unite[36] andNew Pokémon Snap.[37] It also acts as the first Pokémon available to the player inConquest, and also does so inPokémon XD: Gale of Darkness.[5]
In theanime, Eevee first appeared inThe Battling Eevee Brothers. A little boy named Mikey was hiding the Evolution Pokémon from his three older brothers because they wanted him to evolve it. However, when Mikey's Eevee single-handedly defeatedTeam Rocket, they were able to accept the fact that Mikey wanted to keep his Eevee just the way it is.[38] Ash's longtime rivalGary Oak uses an Eevee that eventually evolves intoUmbreon.[39] The Kimono Girls who first appeared in thePokémon Gold andSilver games, later make an appearance with their Eeveelutions.[40] The youngest of the Kimono girls had an unevolved Eevee, though it evolved into an Espeon later on in the series.[41]May has an Eevee that hatched from an Egg, which she used in Pokémon Contests all across the Kanto region. When May traveled toSinnoh, it evolved intoGlaceon.[39] InPokémon the Series: XY,Serena also acquired an Eevee of her own which evolved into a Sylveon.[39] InPokémon the Series: Sun and Moon, Lana captured a shaggy haired Eevee nicknamed Sandy.[42] Later in the anime, another Eevee owned by the character Chloe Cerize is shown to be incapable of evolving. While the reason is unknown, the other characters theorize it is due to indecisiveness on what to evolve into.[39][42]
Eevee appears briefly inDetective Pikachu, under the ownership of Howard Clifford. It is forced to evolve into Flareon.[43] InPokémon Adventures,Red is in possession of an Eevee which had been experimented on byTeam Rocket. As a result, it could transform back and forth from the three evolutionsVaporeon,Jolteon, andFlareon along with its base form, allowing it greater tactical ability in fighting other Pokémon. Eventually, it evolved into anEspeon, losing its special ability to interchange abilities.[44] Eevee and its evolutions have appeared in thePokémon Trading Card Game.[45][46] It has also appeared inAnimal Crossing: Pocket Camp[47] and theSuper Smash Bros. series.[20]
In thecrowdsourcedsocial experimentTwitch Plays Pokémon, an Eevee was the source of much frustration when, while trying to evolve it into a Vaporeon to learn the move Surf, the players accidentally used a Fire Stone on it, evolving it into a Flareon. This setback led to Flareon being called the "false prophet" and became one of the most famous moments of the event.[48]
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Due to its popularity, Eevee and its evolutions have frequently been used in much of the Pokémon merchandising, such as toys.[49] Eevee was a part of a set of Pokémon figures released forPokémon Rumble U, with IGN labeling it as a "fan favourite".[50] A special Eevee-themedNintendo 3DS XL was released in Japan in celebration of the fifteenth anniversary of Pokémon Centre retail establishments.[51] Similarly, a special Nintendo Switch featuring Eevee was also released.[52] Eevee has also been a part of various Nintendo events, which allow the players to obtain special Pokémon that are being distributed (one example in Eevee's case was ashiny Eevee distribution).[53] Eevee was also one of the several first generation Pokémon to get a special DVD with episodes starring itself during the tenth anniversary of the Pokémon franchise.[54] Eevee and its evolutions were also featured on the side of a jet.[55]
While Eevee was not originally promoted as heavily as other Pokémon, Eevee's popularity has grown throughout the years, and it is now one of the series' most iconic Pokémon.[56] Eevee and its evolutions have received generally positive reception,[57][58][59] and it was noted as one of the most popular Pokémon at the offices ofThe Pokémon Company.[60] Japanese fans of the series have coined November 21 as "Eevee Day" due the pronunciation being similar to Eevee's Japanese nameEievui.[5] Eevee Day has since been officially adopted by the Pokémon Company,[61][62] and was later made an official anniversary by the Japan Anniversary Association.[62][63] Eevee has been cited as a "fan favorite" Pokémon and a franchise staple due to its popularity.[64]
Gita Jackson ofKotaku commented on how Eevee symbolized growth, stating that "They are a blank slate. Eevee is that moment before you step out the door and start your adventure. They represent the innocence of not yet knowing who you are, and the excitement of finding out." They further highlighted how the potential of Eevee made evolving one feel sad, as it meant losing part of what made Eevee unique.[65] Eevee's evolutions and adaptability in the game's lore were also highlighted as reflecting the real-world concept ofevolution, and it has been cited as a surprisingly realistic interpretation of the phenomenon.[66] Joshua Yel, writing forIGN, highlighted Eevee's popularity and universal appeal as being a result of its appealing design. The versatility of the Pokémon in game, as well as its cute design, were cited as reasons it was such an enduring Pokémon among fans of the series. Due to the versatility of the design, Eevee has received a wide amount offanart and other creative fan works, which has been cited as being a result of the creativity the design allows fans to get out of it.[5]
Eevee's appearance inPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! received positive reviews. Hope Corrigan, writing forGameRevolution, commented on Eevee's appearance in the game. She highlighted the scene where Eevee interrupts the player's first Pokémon selection as immediately making her nostalgic for the days of her childhood when she used Eevee. While criticizing Eevee's power in the game, she praised the emotion that it brought her, stating that "For all her overpowered attitude, this Eevee is mine and she loved me right from the beginning. I know she’s just a few pixels in a virtual world but she is my Eevee and after all these years, I’m not ready to give that up."[67]Siliconera writer Jenni Lada also highlighted Eevee's appearance in the game, praising the expanded role it played in the game. She also praised the interactions and smaller moments that the player could have with Eevee, citing them as making the player grow easily attached to the Pokémon.[68]
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