Introduced in generation two, with the Pokemon Gold and Silver games, Chinchou is a dual type water and electric Pokemon. It is the base evolution in its two stage evolution line and evolves into Lanturn once it reaches the level threshold. Chinchou is classified by the Pokedex as the “Angler Pokemon” which is likely a reference to its general design. This guide will showcase Chinchou’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Chinchou.
About Chinchou
As a generation two Pokemon, Chinchou first appeared in the Original Series of the anime in the episode Takin’ it on the Chinchou. In this episode, the “Parade of the Chinchou'' occurred where newly-hatched Chinchou would migrate from the mountains to the ocean. The Pokedex mentions that Chinchou’s antennas are filled with cells that can generate strong electricity. The energy it releases is strong enough to make itself tingle.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Original Series: Takin’ it on the Chinchou |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Gold and Silver |
| Region | Johto |
| Evolution | Base evolution of Lanturn, not known to evolve from another Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | 27 |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | Chinchou lets loose positive and negative electrical charges from its two antennas to make its prey faint. This Pokémon flashes its electric lights to exchange signals with others. |
Chinchou Base Stats
| HP | 75 |
| ATTACK | 38 |
| DEFENCE | 38 |
| SP. ATTACK | 56 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 56 |
| SPEED | 67 |
| TOTAL | 330 |
Appearance
Chinchou is a small blue and yellow Pokemon that seems aquatic. While its evolution closely resembles an angler fish, Chinchou has two antennas. Both of the antennas end with large yellow orbs and most of Chinchou’s body is blue, but the end of its antennae and its eyes are yellow. There are small crosses in Chinchou’s eyes with two small fins on either side of its body to help it swim. It also has two short stubby legs and thus Chinchou is a small Poekmon at only 1 foot and 8 inches, or 0.5 meters, tall.
Behavior
In the wild, Chinchou will lure prey in with the glow from its orbs and the soft illuminating glow will lure small prey in for Chinchou to eat. The flashing of its lights can also be used to communicate with one another. When faced against a larger opponent, Chinchou can blind or stun its attacker to get away. In the anime it is shown that Chinchou will hatch on mountains and migrate towards the sea. The Pokedex states that Chinchou can be commonly found on the dark ocean floor.
Strengths and Weaknesses
As a base evolution Pokemon, Chinchou has yet to reach any meaningful power. Its strongest stat is in its health pool, but its defensive stats are below average when it comes to prolonged battles. Chinchou does have a good speed so it can quickly disable its opponents and it functions much stronger as a support or a defensive Pokemon. As a dual type water and electric Pokemon, Chinchou takes 2x damage from ground and grass type moves. It has no immunities but it is resistant to flying, steel, fire, water, and ice type moves.
Best Moveset
While Chinchou’s influence on competitive play is fairly limited, it can be used in the LC (Little Cup) format. In this format, Chinchou can support your team, keep its bulk up and even disable your opponent’s Pokemon. A defensive set is better for Chinchou to make use of its bulk. An Eviolite held item keeps its resistances high and the Volt Absorb ability helps its defensive typing. Consider running Scald, Heal Bell/Discharge, Rest, and Sleep Talk. This set centers around using Rest and Sleep Talk in conjunction with each other to keep your Chinchou healthy. Scald can burn your opponents which can slow them down even more. Heal Bell/Discharge are interchangeable depending on how supportive/aggressive you would prefer to be.
| Scald | Heal Bell/Discharge |
| Rest | Sleep Talk |
How to Catch Chinchou in Pokemon Go?
If you would like to obtain a Chinchou in Pokemon Go, there are many different ways of doing so. As a base evolution Pokemon, Chinchou is fairly common to encounter. You can find Chinchou spawning in the wild at a boosted rate near oceans, harbors, canals, docks, rivers, universities, residential areas, and other watery or commercial areas. Chinchou can also be hatched from 5, 7, and 10 km eggs. Both Chinchou and Lanturn have been featured as raid bosses in the past. Chinchou can be found as a tier one raid boss and Lanturn can be found as a tier two raid boss. To evolve Chinchou into a Lanturn, it will take 50 candies.
Trivia
- While Chinchou has been shown in the anime as being able to walk on land, in the games it lacks a footprint.
- The inspiration for Chinchou’s design is likely based on the footballfish, a type of angler fish.
- The name Chinchou is a play on the Chinese word for lantern, chochin.
FAQ
Is Chinchou rare?
Throughout the whole franchise, Chinchou has appeared in numerous locations with high encounter rates. It may be as low as 20%, but it can be as high as 80%. There are many different ways to obtain a Chinchou in the games where it is available. This means it is not an exclusive Pokemon.
Does Chinchou evolve?
Chinchou evolves into Lanturn once it reaches level 27. It is a two stage evolution line and there are no other Pokemon for these two to evolve into. There are no special conditions required to evolve Chinchou into Lanturn. It will begin to do so as soon as it reaches the level threshold.
Is Chinchou a good Pokemon?
Chinchou can fulfill a supportive role on your team. With its speed, disabling moves, and relative bulk, Chinchou can shut down an opposing team. As it evolves, it becomes bulkier but does not gain any speed. It will need help getting through faster opponents. This Pokemon does better if you are in an earlier stage of the game.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Angler Pokemon”. While Chinchou’s use in competitive play is limited to a unique format, it can have a large impact on battle. A Pokemon that can disable another Pokemon can buy you time to outscale your opponent. It can prove to be a slow Pokemon in the later stages of the game. Reserve a slot on your team for Chinchou if you want a supportive water and electric type Pokemon.
