|
Lucario is a fictional species of Pokémon created for the [[Pokémon|''Pokémon'' franchise]]. Developed by [[Game Freak]] and published by [[Nintendo]], the series began in Japan in 1996 with the release of the video games [[Pokémon Red and Blue|''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue'']] for the [[Game Boy]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/12/25/pok-233-mon-red-amp-blue-a-look-back-at-the-20-year-journey-to-catch-em-all.aspx |title=Pokémon Red & Blue – A Look Back At The 20-Year Journey To Catch 'Em All |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |last=Hilliard |first=Kyle |date=December 25, 2016 |accessdate=January 22, 2024 |archive-date=October 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231001192920/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/12/25/pok-233-mon-red-amp-blue-a-look-back-at-the-20-year-journey-to-catch-em-all.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> In these games, the player assumes the role of a Pokémon Trainer whose goal is to capture and train creatures called Pokémon. Players use the creatures' special abilities to combat other Pokémon, and some can transform into stronger species through a process called [[Gameplay of Pokémon#Pokémon evolution|evolution]].<ref name="millenial">{{cite book |title=Millennial Monsters: Japanese Toys and the Global Imagination |first=Anne |last=Allison |date=May 2006 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=9780520938991 |pages=192–197}}</ref>
When developing [[Pokémon Diamond and Pearl|''Pokémon Diamond'' and ''Pearl'']], design lead designer [[Ken Sugimori]] noted that the team wanted to "show new Pokémon that people have never seen before" and find ways to surprise people. He wanted the new designs to be able to "grow" on players and were intentionally made to feel "a little awkward at first". Director [[Junichi Masuda]] stated that when they started, they focused on "the strongest Pokemon" in each typing first.<ref>{{citation |magazine=[[Nintendo Power]] |issue=215 |date=May 2007 |first=Chris |last=Shepperd |title=Pearls of Wisdom}}</ref> After the planning team was done, the design was finalized by Sugimori, who drew the species in multiple poses and defined smaller aspects such as its paws and face for the development team to work with afterward.<ref name="dream">{{cite magazine |magazine=Nintendo Dream |issue=187 |date=November 2009 |language=Japanese |page=85 |title=ALL ABOUT バケットモンスター ハーバー}}</ref> Masuda considered Lucario's name as one of the most difficult to create, due to an effort to make it appeal to all audiences.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/previews/209340/pokemon-platinum-developer-interview-pt-2/ |magazine=[[GamePro]] |title=Pokemon Platinum: Developer Interview! |date=March 23, 2009 |access-date=June 9, 2009 |author=Noble, McKinley|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327224428/http://www.gamepro.com/article/previews/209340/pokemon-platinum-developer-interview-pt-2/|archive-date=March 27, 2009}}</ref> The film ''[[Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew]]'', released during the game's development, affected how they approached Lucario's game counterpart, with Matsuda noting that he was excited to avoid the issues that arose with another Pokémon, [[Lugia]], after the release of its own film.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamefreak.co.jp/blog/dir/2005/07/index.html |title=・第４６回・ |date=2005-07-27 |website=[[Game Freak]] |first=Junichi |last=Masuda |access-date=December 16, 2023 |archive-date=December 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231216195003/https://www.gamefreak.co.jp/blog/dir/2005/07/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
Lucario is a [[Canidae|canid]]-like [[List of Pokémon|Pokémon]] that appearsis toconsidered be partly based on [[Anubis]],<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Marchiafava |first=Jeff |date=2013-08-12 |title=Analyzing The New Mega Pokémon |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2013/08/12/analyzing-the-new-mega-pokemon.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231121174020/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2013/08/12/analyzing-the-new-mega-pokemon.aspx |archive-date=November 21, 2023 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |accessdate=2023-12-13}}</ref> the jackal-headed god of embalming from Egyptian mythology that is a bipedal [[digitigrade]] with finger-like digits on its forepaws. Its chest and the exterior of its wrists each feature a single, white spike. Lucario also has a large snout and ears, red irises with vertical slit pupils, an "hourglass"-shaped figure with nubile thighs significantly thicker than the rest of its body, [[iron rings]] incorporated into its shoulders and waist, and a [[raccoon]]'s "mask" that loosely resembles a [[khakkhara]] with four small [[dreadlock]]-like appendages on the back of its head that are used to sense Aura. The coloration of Lucario's fur is predominantly blue and black, although its torso features [[Buff (colour)|buff]]-colored fur slightly shaggier than the rest of its body. When it opens its mouth wide enough, sharp fangs can be seen.<ref name="Gera2014">{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2014/1/31/5364216/fight-as-a-bipedal-pokemon-dog-in-super-smash-bros|title=Fight as a bipedal Pokemon dog in Super Smash Bros.|date=January 31, 2014|last=Gera|first=Emily|website=Polygon|publisher=Vox Media|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302225502/https://www.polygon.com/2014/1/31/5364216/fight-as-a-bipedal-pokemon-dog-in-super-smash-bros|archive-date=March 2, 2014|url-status=live|language=en}}</ref>
== Appearances ==
|