Gardevoir, known in Japan as , is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon media franchise. Designed by Game Freak for Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire as part of a new creative philosophy to test the waters of what a Pokémon was expected to look like, their design was finalized by Ken Sugimori and is an evolved form of Kirlia and the final evolution of Ralts. Since Gardevoir's introduction, they have appeared in other media and titles related to the Pokémon franchise, such as the Pokémon Trading Card Game and Pokémon Unite.
Conception and design
Developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo, the Pokémon series began in Japan in 1996 with the release of the Pokémon Red and Blue video games for the Game Boy. 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, or evolve, once they gain enough experience. The ultimate goal of the games is to complete the entries in the Pokémon index (Pokédex), a comprehensive Pokémon encyclopedia, by capturing, evolving, and trading to obtain creatures from all Pokémon species.
When designing the 2002 video games Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Game Freak initially wanted to not include any of the Pokémon from the previous games, with lead artist Ken Sugimori using it as an opportunity push the concept of what a Pokémon could look like. To this end he wanted to try more "humanoid" designs, but also wanted to emphasize "cooler" designs, due to feedback the team had received that Pokémon was seen as too "babyish". Additionally, while the previous Pokémon Gold and Silver were bound to simplistic designs for the sake of the related anime and toy manufacturing, with Ruby and Sapphire Sugimori was cited as saying "Screw it," and focused on more complex and fleshed out designs. As the art team developed the Pokémon species, Sugimori would finalize them, altering their details as he felt necessary.
Introduced in Ruby and Sapphire, Gardevoir stands 5 ft 3 in (160 cm) tall, and is the is the third and final part of the species' evolution line. Originally classified as a "Psychic" type Pokémon in Ruby and Sapphire, with the release of Pokémon X and Y they received a secondary typing of "Fairy". Despite their feminine features, Gardevoir are not exclusively female, with a 50/50 split of gender ratio when encountered in-game. Gardevoir start life as Ralts, a small bipedal with a white body, legs that drape outward and behind it, and green hair in the shape of a bowlcut that covers their eyes. Two round red horns protrude from the front and back of their head angled upward, which allow them to sense people's emotions. After acquiring enough experience, they evolve into Kirlia, gaining slight height while their hair now extends down the sides of their head, exposing their red eyes. Their legs are now green from the waist downward, while a white skirt shape extends from their waist horizontally, while their horns now protrude from the sides of their head instead. After acquiring enough experience, Kirlia can evolve into Gardevoir, though as of the Diamond and Pearl games male Kirlia may evolve into Gallade if exposed to a "Dawn Stone" item.
Appearances
Gardevoir first appeared in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire as the evolution of Kirlia that does not occur naturally in the wild (the player must evolve Kirlia in order to obtain it). It later appeared in the games' remake, Pokémon Emerald. In the paired games Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Kirlia gained a new evolution which meant that Kirlia may either evolve into Gardevoir or Gallade, the latter only possible under specific conditions. In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, Gardevoir is not a naturally occurring Pokémon. It also appeared in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver and Pokémon Black and White. Gardevoir also appears as a major character in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team and can be released from a Poké Ball item in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
A Gardevoir appeared in the Pokémon episode, Rescue Ralts! Hurry Max! as a parent of a Ralts, one of the species on Gardevoir's evolutionary line. Additionally, in Mutiny in the Bounty!, a Gardevoir belong to Pokemon trainer Melodi was stolen, but the psychic connection was too strong.
