"'til the sun rises on a world without Toonami, we remain the first, and still the best." - TOM 2

My childhood has official expired.

We have come to terms.

R.I.P. Toonami

The first Pokemon in the National Dex order, Bulbsaur is a very interesting creature It is both a Grass-type and a Poison-type, but other than the growth on its back, there are no overwhelmingly plant-like characteristics.

Most experts believe this is because of a symbiotic relationship that began millenia ago. A common theory is that Bulbasaur was initially a Normal-type, or perhaps even a Water-type, that took to the land and became amphibious. The skin of the Pokemon was, and still is, very porous, allowing various seeds to grow on its back. Of these, the bulbous flower on its back seemed to take best, eventually becoming extinct elsewhere and forming a bond with the Pokemon.

Obviously a flower, the plant has a variety of uses. First and foremost, it's used to store energy from the sun. This energy can be used in a variety of ways, as a weapon, for attacks such as Solar Beam, as food, to nourish the Pokemon, or even as spores. These spores are used in another way; by Venusaur, to choose mates. Each pattern on a Venusaur's back is unique, as are the spores released through all evolutionary stages, in a way humans do not fully understand. Of course, the bulb and flower both hold a very important item as well - seeds.

At some point, the area where eggs are held in a Bulbasaur moved from inside the body to inside the plant on its back, changing into seeds. Many can be found here - most small and useless. But when a male Bulbsaur-family member releases its pollen, it will find its way to the seeds and fertilize them, similar to mammilian procreation. This is evident in a Venusaur - a seed can be found in the center of the flower, ready to grow into a baby Bulbasaur. Strangely enough, it seems that the Pokemon can also breed with non-Plant-based equals, such as Rhydon and Tyranitar, showing that it still has traditional child-rearing organs.

As for habitat, it is thought that, before gaining a symbiotic plant, the Pokemon lived in swamps. Bulbasaur waded through the water, eating prey and soaking its skin, as did Ivysaur, while Venusaur simply submerged itself, mouth open, and waited for food to swim down its throat. Many fossils have been found of starved Venusaur, too bulky to actively hunt, that died waiting for food.

However, now that they have a plant to gather energy, hunting is unecessary. Some still do eat smaller Pokemon, but unless found in a place where sunlight is impossible to gather, this is rare. Due to this, it is unknown where Bulbasaur family Pokemon live. They are adept at camoflague, and few ever reach the final stage, meaning that any forest could contain untold amounts of Bulbasaur and Ivysaur. Just as well, they are solitary creatures, other than for mating, making it hard to find more than one in a single place.

It is unknown just how many Bulbasaur are in the wild, but many are used as Starter Pokemon, primarily in the Kanto region. They are very independant, but also fiercely loyal, making them perfect for unexperienced trainers. They can also be bred with both of the other Starter Pokemon given out, Blastoise and Charizard, meaning that a single Venusaur could lay untold amounts of eggs.

The Bulbasaur family is an amazing example of harmony in nature - two completely unlike organisms, working so closely that they're indistinguishable from one another. I'm Johnny One-Three-Nine; join me again next time for another edition of PSA - Pokemon Scientific Analysis!

One of the most popular Starter Pokemon of all time, Charmander and its evolutions are Fire-types, eventually gaining the Flying-type, as well, and known as the Lizard Pokemon initially and become the Flame Pokemon. Few Pokemon are as well known among young trainers, and few are as popular among experiences ones.

One of the more interesting facts about the "Char" family is that, unlike most Pokemon, where the lowest form are the most common, few fail to reach their final evolutionary state, similar to a human's development from child to teen to adult. This is due to a variety of factors, such as habitat, temperament, and lifestyle. Charizard are communal creatures, living in large clans, made up of many families. There, females care for young Charmander and Charmeleon, and the youth fight amongst each other, growing to full adulthood.

This is because of the Charmander line's mountainous dwelling. Large crags and plateaus are often populated purely by the clan, and other than roosting birds and small rodents, few prey can be found. Males, and when necessary, females, will fly to nearby flat lands and find larger meals, which they will then bring back to their families and friends. Charmeleon will also attempt to hunt, and in many cases, will leave the relative safety of the clan to travel and obtain its own food. This has led to the belief that Charmeleon are solitary Pokemon, while in fact, they are so focused on their clan that they will risk their lives to be of more use.

As for diet, though Charmander and Charmeleon will happily hunt and eat Pidgey and Sandshrew, Charizard pursue larger prey, such as Tauros, Miltank, and Kangaskhan. Long ago, Charizard, while still living in remote areas, were far more common than they are today. It's believed that depletion of its prey has led to this decline. As more settlers began to move into and develop on plains and grasslands, many larger prey were killed, hunted, or domesticated by the new inhabitants; the latter leading to many extermination efforts by ranchers, angry at their lost livestock. In desperation, Charizard have been known to fight to the death with Rhydon and other mountain-dwelling Pokemon in an attempt to gain food, regardless of the fact such Rock-type creatures are nearly inedible.

Today, conservation efforts are hampered by the trainers attempting to capture the massive beasts, or poachers attempting to sell them on the black market to wealthy people in search for an exotic pet. It's believed that there are more Charmander line Pokemon domesticated than there are in the wild. However, great mind such as Professor Samuel Oak have done great lengths to protect the beautiful beasts. In his youth, he obtained a small group of Charmanders, and since then has bred them and given away the hatchlings to young trainers, in the hope that wild Charizard will be left alone. Only time will tell if this will cause a real impact.

Many urban legends can be found about the Charmander line, the most prevalent being that the fire on their tails give them life, and if extinguished, the Pokemon will die. In fact, the opposite is true - the fire is entirely dependant on the Pokemon's health. One full of life will have a large tail fire, while one sickly will have a small one. Upon death, the fire is extinguished completely. The rumor that Charmeleon are extremely irritable, however, IS true. The reason behind this is hormones; as a Charmeleon bridges the gap from child to adult, it has many pressures upon it, from finding a mate to earning its keep among the clan, causing it to be reserved and easy to lash out at enemies. Finally, the idea that Charizard will actively use fire to hunt is completely false. It does use flame-based attacks, such as Flamethrower and Fire Spin, in battles against fellow Charizard, but rarely using anything but its claws and teeth against prey.

As an interesting sidebar, Charizard seemingly have a common ancestor in Magmar. The two are very different, Magmar being a purely solitary hunter with young that are left alone nearly from birth, but the similarities are striking. It's even apparent to the Pokemon themselves, as during rare encounters between the two, they will fight as if battling a relative as opposed to a random enemy. It is also theorized Charizard have common roots with some Dragon-type Pokemon, but these ideas have no evidence behind them other than superficial observations.

One of the most majestic Pokemon known to man, Charizard and its family have been pushed to the brink of extinction, but with our help, they may recover yet. I'm Johnny One-Three-Nine; join me again next time for another edition of PSA - Pokemon Scientific Analysis!