Drifloon is aPokémon with a spherical, purple body. It has two stringy arms that have yellow, heart-shaped hands on the ends of them. At the base of its body is a frayed protrusion that resembles the tied end of a balloon. In the middle of its face is a yellow tape-like "X" mark, which contains its little mouth in the very center. Located on either side of the "X" are its small, black eyes. A white mass of fluff that resembles a cloud sits on top of Drifloon's head. Drifloon's body is filled with air, as well as the lost spirits of people and Pokémon. Its body expands as it collects more souls. If it explodes, the souls unleash with a screaming sound. It is also rumored that Drifloon itself is reincarnated from deceased humans.
This Pokémon is known as a "Signpost for Wandering Spirits" due to its aimless drifting. Desiring company, Drifloon often seeks out children and grabs their hands. However, due to how light it is, it can be resisted easily and is often pulled around. This results in Drifloon running away from any children who are rough with it. Drifloon also dislikes heavy children. There are rumors that Drifloon steals children who hold onto it, guiding them to the afterlife. Despite this reputation, as seen in thePokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl episodeDrifloon On the Wind!, Drifloon can be friendly and helpful. In themovieThe Rise of Darkrai, Drifloon's body puffs up when it gets angry or aggressive. Drifloon sightings are typically more common at night. It prefers to reside in damp, humid locations and can expand or shrink to express its feelings. As mentioned inPokémon Sleep, it has been observed holding plush toys while it sleeps. It is believed that Drifloon has mistaken the toys for children.
Said to lure away young children and carry them off to the afterlife. Some whisper that Drifloon are formed of reincarnated human souls, but these rumors are as yet unconfirmed.
Perhaps seeking company, it's often seen approaching children. In rare cases, Drifloon have been spotted holding plush toys while they sleep. Maybe they've mistaken the toys for children.
Drifloon debuted inDrifloon on the Wind!.Marnie and Paige have four Drifloon they use for transport. Marnie owned three of the Drifloon, while Paige owned the fourth.
InPK18, Pikachu and his friends grabbed onto multiple Drifloon while escaping fromMeowth and his cronies. Meowth's group was later forced to hold onto other Drifloon after being blasted off by aRegisteel.
Drifloon, the Balloon Pokémon. AGhost andFlying type. Drifloon grab children's hands as if they were going to guide them to theGhost World. Although Drifloon tug on children's hands, they often end up getting pulled around instead.
"A Balloon Pokémon that appears each Friday at the Valley Windworks in the Sinnoh region. It's round and cute, but it has a dreadful side too, as it attempts to drag children into the underworld by their hands. It likes damp, humid seasons. If it's on the verge of fainting in battle, it will counterattack by self-destructing. It evolves into Drifblim."
In the Japanese version ofPearl'sPokédex entry, Drifloon specifically takes children to the "world of the dead" (Japanese: あのよ), instead of just trying to "steal them away" as in the English version. However, in the release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl inthe United States, the description along with Drifloon's trophy still states that it is "taking children to the underworld".
Drifloon and its evolved form are the only Pokémon not introduced inGeneration III to be found in the FluctuatingExperience Group.
They are also the onlyFlying-type Pokémon and the onlyGhost-type Pokémon in the Fluctuating Experience Group.
Origin
Drifloon appears to be based on aballoon. The yellow shape around its mouth resembles a puncture bandage (its mouth being the puncture), the white puff on its head resembles acloud, and its heart-shaped feet resemble the weights on the strings ofhelium balloons. It also resembles thecomb jelly, specifically theTentaculata. It may also be based onspace jellyfish (also known as atmospheric jellyfish), an atmospheric phenomenon caused by rocket launches that are often mistaken forcryptids or UFO sightings.
As a concept of aGhost-type balloon, it may have been inspired by someKaidan ghost stories, where ghosts and spirits have been compared to balloons.
Name origin
Drifloon may be a combination ofdrift andballoon.
Fuwante may be a combination of ふわふわfuwa fuwa (soft, airy, and light; or anonomatopoeia for floating), 風船fūsen (balloon), and 不安定fuantei (unstable).
This Pokémon article is part ofProject Pokédex, aBulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
For other sprites and images, please seeDrifloon images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
