Hakuryuu - Hitmonlee

Hitmonlee

Hitmonlee (サワムラー?, Sawamurā), known as the Kicking Pokémon, is a humanoid fighting type Pokémon with no discernible head, instead having a face on his chest. Hitmonlee was originally known as "Sawamura" in Japanese, which is based on Japanese kickboxer Tadashi Sawamura. Similarly, Hitmonlee's English name is derived from the name of martial artist Bruce Lee. Hitmonlee's legs freely contract and stretch. Using these springlike legs, it bowls over foes with devastating kicks. When it runs, it can lengthen its legs to run more smoothly. Its kicks are very powerful, as the sole of its heel can be as hard as a diamond. With amazing balance, it can kick in any stance for long periods of time. If its foe tries to get away, Hitmonlee will stretch its legs to take out the opponent. To overcome fatigue after a battle, it rubs the muscles on its legs to loosen them.

In Pokémon Gold and Silver, Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan are introduced to a pre-evolution, Tyrogue, and a third counterpart, Hitmontop. Tyrogue evolves into one of the three depending on the levels of its Attack and Defence stats. Hitmonlee appears in Super Smash Bros. as a summon-able Pokémon who will perform a kick dealing a great amount of damage on whoever it hits. In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness, Hitmonlee, together with Bronzong and Regigigas, are statues that came alive to battle the player in Aegis Cave.

In Hitmonlee's first anime appearance, Team Rocket stole a Hitmonlee in order to compete in the P1 Grand Prix. It defeated Brock's Geodude, and a Hitmonchan, before losing to Ash's Primeape. A Hitmonlee owned by Corey was one of the Pokémon owned by that were captured and cloned by Mewtwo in Mewtwo Strikes Back. The Hitmonlee clone was seen again in Mewtwo Returns. The The Legend of Thunder! special starts off with the main character, Jimmy, battling a Hitmonlee with his Typhlosion. In Pasta La Vista, Ash and May were lent a fighting dojo's Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan to battle with. A Hitmonlee appeared under the ownership of Barry, where it fought against Paul's Ursaring, and lost.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Hitmonlee first appears as a mysterious Pokémon aboard the S.S. Anne. Hitmonlee appears as one of Bruno's Pokémon, who destroyed Bill's house. Bruno explains that Hitmonlee's legs are so flexible, it's impossible to locate the position of its knees and attack them. Hitmonlee was seen as one of Chuck's Pokémon. In the Gym Leader faceoff, it used Mind Reader and Reversal to turn Blue's tactics against him. In Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys, Gold borrows a Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan to use in a tournament.

IGN's Pokemon of the Day Chick described Hitmonlee as the "freakiest Fighting type to ever enter the fray", citing its lack of a distinguishable head, though noting that it seemed normal compared to Pokémon introduced in Pokémon Gold and Silver and beyond. Joystiq editor David Hinkle called Hitmonlee "awesomely bizarre".