Snorlax (/ˈsnɔːrlæks/ⓘ), known in Japan asKabigon (Japanese:カビゴン), is aPokémon species inNintendo andGame Freak'sPokémon franchise. Created byKen Sugimori, Snorlax first appeared in the Game Boy video gamePokémon Red andBlue, and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spin-off titles, and animated and printed adaptations of the franchise, as well as the mascot of mobile gamePokémon Sleep. Snorlax is a large, blueish creature, notable for constantly sleeping. Snorlax is voiced by Michael Haigney andEric Stuart in English, andKatsuyuki Konishi in Japanese.
Snorlax has received generally positive response since its debut, cited as one of the series' most recognizable characters and a staple of thePokémon franchise due to its simple design. Its large size and lazy demeanor has led to it being described as "relatable", while others have praised its "cuddly" and merchandisable appearance, comparing it to ateddy bear.
Snorlax 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.[1] 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 called evolution via various means, such as exposure to specific items.[2] Each Pokémon has one or two elemental types, which define its advantages and disadvantages when battling other Pokémon.[3] A major goal in each game is to complete the Pokédex, a comprehensive Pokémon encyclopedia, by capturing, evolving, and trading with other Trainers to obtain individuals from all Pokémon species.[2]
"Kabiin," a Pokémon planned forPokémon Red and Blue. It bears various naming and visual similarities to Snorlax, most notably in their resemblance to Nishino.
Designed byKen Sugimori for the first generation ofPokémon games, the species was inspired in behavior and appearance by veteran Pokémon game designer Kōji Nishino.[4][5] Nishino was exceptionally pleased by it,[6] and in an interview withFamitsu stated Snorlax "is like my son!"[7] According to Game Freak co-founderJunichi Masuda, Nishino had a habit of eating heavily then going to sleep. This behavior earned Nishino the nickname "Kirby" by Game Freak's staff as a nod to the Nintendo character, which in turn served as the basis for the Pokémon's Japanese name, "Kabigon".[8] An earlier design, nicknamed "Kabiin," resembles an earlier version of Snorlax and bears similarities to Nishino.[9] When translating thePokémon games for western audiences, Nintendo decided to give the various Pokémon species "clever and descriptive names" related to their appearance or features to make the characters more relatable to American children.[10] Basing the name off of theesquilax, a fictional rabbit creature from theSimpsons episode "Lisa's Wedding", localizer Bill Giese named the species in American releases Snorlax, aportmanteau of the words "snore" and "lax". Localizer Sara Bush, on the other hand, remembered the naming process differently, suggesting it was a combination of "lackadaisical" and "snore".[11]
Snorlax is a highly sleepy Pokémon, known for constantly sleeping.[12] Thanks to its extremely strong digestive juices, Snorlax's stomach can dissolve any kind of poison. As a result, it can eat tainted food without worry.[13] Snorlax evolves from the PokémonMunchlax, which is obtainable via breeding a Snorlax that is holding Full Incense, an in-game item.[14] Munchlax also sports a voracious appetite, and evolves into a Snorlax when it has a sufficiently high level of friendship with its Trainer.[13]Pokémon Sword andShield introduced Snorlax's Gigantamax form. When Gigantamaxed, Snorlax grows significantly larger and changes appearance, with various trees and plants appearing on its belly, having grown from seeds that fell from the plants it had eaten.[15] Snorlax was voiced by Michael Haigney andEric Stuart in English,[16][17] and byKatsuyuki Konishi in Japanese.[18]
Snorlax's most notable role inthePokémon games has been that of an inadvertent roadblock. InPokémon Red,Blue, Yellow, and theirremakes, the player must obtain the Poké Flute in order to wake up two Snorlax that block various routes in-game.[19] Snorlax reprises this role inPokémon Gold,Silver, their"upper version" andremakes. In these games, the player must play the radio's Poké Flute channel in front of Snorlax in order to awaken it.[20] Although there is only one Snorlax available to catch,[20] another is used byRed, the protagonist ofRed andBlue who acts as these games'final boss.[21] InPokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, a pre-evolution of Snorlax namedMunchlax was introduced; however, Munchlax remained unobtainable until the release ofPokémon Diamond andPearl.[22] InPokémon Sun,Moon and their"upper versions", Snorlax is among the handful of Pokémon to possess a unique Z-Move, a powerful one-time use attack. It can use the move "Pulverizing Pancake" when holding a special "Snorlium Z" item.[12] InPokémon Sword andShield, Snorlax gained a "Gigantamax form," which could be used in battle.[15]
A notable Snorlax appears inthePokémon anime, where series protagonistAsh Ketchum captures one.[30] He uses it sporadically, due to its constant sleeping and eating habits,[31][32] but it is a particularly strong battler, netting several major wins for Ash throughout the series.[32][33] In thePokémon Adventures manga, Red catches a Snorlax, which he nicknames "Snor". Red caught Snor because he was blocking the road during a bicycle race. Snorlax has since played a major role in his team.[34] A Snorlax also appeared in the filmPokémon Detective Pikachu, sleeping on a road in Ryme City.[35]
A variety of merchandise depicting Snorlax has been produced such as cushions,[36] beds,[37] bean bag chairs,[38] toys,[39] and lounge chairs.[40] In 2002, a contest was held to design a card for the Pokémon Trading Card Game, with Snorlax as the focus. Twenty entries were selected and posted to theWizards of the Coast website, where the winner could be decided. Craig Turvey ended up winning the competition.[41] Stickers featuring Snorlax were added to theLine messaging system in 2024.[42] In 2023, "Project Snorlax" was announced, following similar campaigns for the PokémonEevee andPiplup, which promoted Snorlax in a variety of ways throughout the year.[43] These included animated shorts, music videos,[44] manga series,[45] and special artwork for the Pokémon.[46] A road inLas Vegas was named after Snorlax.[47] Snorlax was a rare Pokémon inPokémon Go, with sightings of the Pokémon in-game causing a stampede inTaiwan[48] andNew York City.[49] Following earthquakes in Japan, Niantic boosted the spawn rates of Snorlax inPokémon Go in affected prefectures in order to boost tourism in the area.[50][51][52]
Snorlax has received generally positive reception from the media, and has been cited as one of the franchise' most recognizable characters.[53][54] Nadine Manske ofDot eSports attributed their appeal to being "so relatable. Who doesn’t want to just eat and sleep all day?" She further described it as having a "classic, simple design that makes it a lovable, staple Pokémon in every generation since the beginning."[55] Ryan Woodrow forSports Illustrated stated that one would be hard pressed to find anyone that hated Snorlax, also calling it a simple design but yet "such a lovable cuddly teddy bear that everyone who lays eyes on it falls in love with it."[56] Alec Bojalad ofDen of Geek called Snorlax "just a big cuddly critter" that was "eminently merchandisable", suggesting it would make a viable option as a mascot for thePokémon franchise.[57] Elijah Watson ofComplex stated that while Snorlax was extremely lazy, they were also extremely powerful, despite their slow speed. He further added "We should all strive to be Snorlax: lazy as hell but surprisingly awesome."[58] A video released for Project Snorlax, depictingCubone and Snorlax—two normally solitary Pokémon—bonding received positive reviews from critics, with many highlighting it as heartwarming.[59][60]
The bookMedia and the Make-believe Worlds of Children found that children could relate to Snorlax and interpret aspects of themselves in a positive light, describing it as an icon for a state of regression, but also symbolizing powerful characteristics for children.[61] Scientific papers have also been published analyzing Snorlax as if they were real beasts, both in regards to their eating habits and to calculate the strength of their "Body Slam" attack.[62][63]
^Slackie, Kevin; Taveras, Moises (February 27, 2017)."The 100 Best Pokémon".Paste.Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. RetrievedJuly 5, 2021.
^Götz, Maya; Lemish, Dafna; International Communication Association Conference; Aidman, Amy; Moon, Hyesung (2005).Media and the Make-believe Worlds of Children: When Harry Potter Meets Pokémon in Disneyland. Routledge. pp. 101–105, 108.ISBN0-8058-5191-7.
^Yeomans, K.; Jupp, M.; Cobley, D.; Fenlon-Smith, D. (2016)."P4_4 Snorlax used Body Slam".Physics Special Topics.15 (1).Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. RetrievedNovember 19, 2023.
