Gender unknown
Gender unknown (Japanese: 性別不明 sex unknown) is a gender designation that species of Pokémon can have. Pokémon such as Voltorb, Staryu, and Mew that display neither a ♂ nor ♀ symbol in battle or on their summary screen are gender-unknown Pokémon.
| Egg Groups | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monster | Human-Like | |||||
| Water 1 | Water 3 | |||||
| Bug | Mineral | |||||
| Flying | Amorphous | |||||
| Field | Water 2 | |||||
| Fairy | Ditto | |||||
| Grass | Dragon | |||||
| No Eggs Discovered | ||||||
| Gender unknown | ||||||
In-universe, no one has been able to determine the gender of these Pokémon, including scientists.[1][2][3]
Terminology
In English-language official media, these Pokémon are generally referred to as being gender unknown,[4][5][6][7][8][1][2][9] as having unknown gender,[10][11][12][13][14] or simply by stating that their gender is unknown[15][4][16][17][18][3][19][20][21][22][23][14][24][9][25]. As a prenominal adjective, it is generally hyphenated, such as in "gender-unknown Pokémon",[21][2][9] though it has also appeared without being hyphenated, such as in "gender unknown Pokémon"[1].
Alternate terms that have been used officially include:
- no gender, which was used in a strategy article on Pokémon.com during Generation VIII and in various official guidebooks during Generations II and IV;[26][27][28][29][30][12]
- genderless, which was used in the Nintendo Power Pokémon Gold and Silver: Complete Pokédex guidebook, in Pokémon.com mailbag responses from November 2002 and January 2003, and in a previous version of the Play! Pokémon Video Game Rules, Formats & Penalty Guidelines document;[31][32][33][34]
- neuter, which was used in Nintendo Power guidebooks during Generation II;[27][31][28] and
- indeterminate gender, which was used in Pokémon Platinum: Prima's Official Strategy Guide.[13]
In Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Brilliant Diamond, and Shining Pearl, Picnicker Siena on Route 205 mentions that there are some Pokémon whose gender can't be toldDPBDSP/that are neither male nor femalePt; both of these merely correspond to usages of 「性別不明」 "sex unknown" in Japanese.[35][36][37]
As an Egg Group
In Pokémon Stadium 2 and in official Japanese and Chinese guidebooks for the Generation II and III games, Gender unknown also refers to an Egg Group consisting of gender-unknown Pokémon that are able to breed with Ditto. In these sources, gender-unknown Pokémon are listed in this Egg Group rather than in their actual Egg Groups. While Pokémon Diamond and Pearl: Official Nintendo Player's Guide also lists Gender Unknown as an Egg Group, it lists the Pokémon with their real Egg Groups in the data section.
In Pokémon Emerald: Prima's Official Strategy Guide and early Japanese official guidebooks for Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, gender-unknown Pokémon are instead listed in the No Eggs group, likely due to Ditto not being available without tradingRS/until after obtaining the National Pokédex in the Desert UnderpassE. Official guidebooks since Generation IV consistently list gender-unknown Pokémon in their actual Egg Groups.
Mechanics
Gender-unknown Pokémon (except Ditto) can only breed with Ditto. However, many gender-unknown Pokémon are in the No Eggs Discovered group, meaning that those Pokémon cannot breed at all. Ditto itself can be bred with any Pokémon that can breed (except Ditto), but the Eggs produced are always based on the other Pokémon's species.
In battle, gender-unknown Pokémon are immune to gender-based effects. They cannot become infatuated nor infatuate other Pokémon. The moves Attract and Captivate fail if used by or on these Pokémon. The Abilities Cute Charm and Rivalry do not affect gender-unknown Pokémon, and have no effect if possessed by them.
Pokémon
Breedable
Unbreedable
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In the anime
In To Catch a Rotom!, after Iris tries to have her Emolga use Attract on three Rotom, Professor Oak remarks that Rotom are neither male nor female.[38]
In other languages
Gender unknown
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Unknown
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References
- Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon: The Official Strategy Guide, p. 288-9; excerpt: "scientists have been unable to determine any gender for them"
- Pokémon Ultra Sun & Pokémon Ultra Moon: The Official Alola Region Strategy Guide, p. 359-60; excerpt: "no one's been able to determine their gender"
- Pokémon Black 2 and White 2: An NPC in the Floccesy Pokémon Center, with a gender-unknown Pokémon in the first slot of the party: "Your <Pokémon>... Its gender is unknown." (Japanese: 「あなたの <Pokémon>って…… 性別が わからないのね！」 "Your <Pokémon>... I can't tell what gender it is!")
- Pokémon Stadium 2: "Gender unknown" is listed as an Egg Group at Earl's Pokémon Academy; a Pokémon's gender can be described as "unknown"
- Pokémon Bank: "Gender Unknown" can be selected as a search option
- Pokémon HOME (mobile): "Gender unknown" can be selected as a search option
- Pokémon GO:
genderunknowncan be used as a search filter - New Pokémon Snap: "Gender Unknown" is a possible value for the "Gender" field in the Photodex
- Pokémon Sword & Pokémon Shield: The Official Galar Region Strategy Guide, p. 234-5
- Pokémon X and Y: A scientist on Sycamore Pokémon Lab 2F says "There are male Pokémon, female Pokémon, and even Pokémon with unknown genders." (Japanese: 「ポケモンには オスと メス そして 性別不明が います」)
- The Details of Discovering Pokémon Eggs | Pokemon.com: "When Ditto is paired with a Pokémon in the Day Care, the Pokémon that hatches from the Egg you find will be the same as (or an Evolution of) the paired Pokémon, whether it is male, female, or of unknown gender."
- Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Pokédex, p. 394; excerpt: "Some Pokémon don't have a gender"
- Pokémon Platinum: Prima's Official Strategy Guide, p. 384
- Pokémon Black and White Pokédex, p. 123
- Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal: In the party screen, the text "Male", "Female", or "Unknown" is displayed for each Pokémon when depositing a Pokémon at the Day Care
- Pokémon HOME (Nintendo Switch): "Unknown" can be selected as a filter under "Gender"
- Pokédex 3D, Pokédex 3D Pro, Pokédex for iOS: "Unknown" is a possible value for the "Gender" field
- Pokémon.com Pokédex: "Unknown" is a possible value for the "Gender" field
- Pokémon Video Game Glossary | Pokemon.com: "The gender of a Pokémon is designated as male, female, or unknown."
- Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Pokédex, p. 10
- Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver: Prima's Official Strategy Guide, p. 184-5
- Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver: Prima's Official Strategy Guide, p. 198
- Pokémon Black and White Pokédex, p. 10, 212, 214, 288
- Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver: Prima's Official Strategy Guide, p. 198
- Electric- and Steel-Type Egg Event | News | Pokémon Masters EX official site: "The gender of Pokémon listed with △ are unknown."
- Train, Raid, and Hatch Pokémon to Breed Victories in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield | Pokemon.com
- Pokémon Gold and Silver: Official Nintendo Player's Guide, p. 95
- Pokémon Crystal: Official Nintendo Player's Guide, p. 25
- Pokémon Diamond and Pearl: Official Nintendo Player's Guide, p. 32
- Pokémon Diamond and Pearl: Prima's Official Strategy Guide, p. 273
- Pokémon Gold and Silver: Complete Pokédex, p. 37-8
- Letters to the Editor! | 11/27/2003 | The Official Pokemon.com Site (archived)
- Letters to the Editor! | 1/17/2003 | The Official Pokemon.com Site (archived)
- Play! Pokémon Video Game Rules, Formats & Penalty Guidelines - October 23, 2019, February 13, 2020 (archived): "A genderless Pokémon is listed as male or female on the team list."
- Pokémon Diamond and Pearl: Picnicker Siena on Route 205 says "What can I tell you about Pokémon? Well, there are males and females. And some that you can't tell!" (Japanese: 「ポケモンで しってること？ そうねー ポケモンには メスと オス それと せいべつふめいが いるよ！」)
- Pokémon Platinum: Picnicker Siena on Route 205 says "I know all sorts of things about Pokémon! Let's see... There are males and females, and some aren't either!" (Japanese: 「あたし ポケモンに くわしいよ！ えっとー ポケモンには メスと オス それと せいべつふめいが いるの！」)
- Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl: Picnicker Siena on Route 205 says "What can I tell you about Pokémon? Well, there are males and females. And some that you can't tell." (Japanese: 「ポケモンで 知ってること？ そうねー ポケモンには メスと オス それと 性別不明が いるよ！」)
- To Catch a Rotom!: Professor Oak says "I'm afraid Rotom are neither male nor female. And that's the reason Attract had no effect on them." (Japanese: 「いや、ロトムにオスとメスの区別はないぞ。だから、メロメロの効果を受けないんじゃ。」 )
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This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games. |