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A weekly Pokédex Podcast from Bald Man in Japan Luke Summerhayes. A different Pokémon family every week.
I’m Luke Summerhayes and I love Grubbin.
When something minor goes wrong in a computer program, we call it a bug. Today, it’s just a turn of phrase but the origins are literal. The earliest computers were room-sized affairs of complex machinery, and often problems between input and output were the result of literal bugs getting into the machines.
Elsewhere, we link spider’s webs with the internet and we often find that the most efficient designs for robots and machines are similar to insects. In fact, real insects do use electromagnetic fields to help themselves physically fly and also perceive the world around them. And in Japan, the Denki-mushi, or electric insect, is the name for a caterpillar whose sting is akin to touching an electric fence.
Grubbin is a bug and electric type Pokemon, a larval insect with two pincers at the front which stick straight forward like the prongs of a Japanese or American electrical plug.
Sun
Its strong jaw enables it to scrape trees and slurp out the sap. It normally lives underground.
The name Grubbin comes from grub, a small larval insect, and perhaps “plug in” as this could plug into a socket.
Moon
They often gather near places frequented by electric Pokémon in order to avoid being attacked by bird Pokémon.
On top of that, grubbing is a verb, meaning to dig around as a grub does.
Scarlet
Grubbin normally live underground, but if they get unearthed by Hoothoot, they may be found gathered around electric Pokémon.
The Japanese name, Agojimushi, combines the Japanese for jaw and grub – this is a little bug with a big bite.
Ultra Sun
If you find its nest, you shouldn't stick your hand inside. You'll get bitten by an irritated Grubbin.
Getting bitten by a bug is never fun, but in many cases its no more than a minor irritation. Grubbin gets closer to the infamous Denkimushi when, at level 20, it evolves into Chargabug.
Charjabug is a bug and electric type Pokemon, a cubic green caterpillar which could be said to resemble a battery or, at first glance, a train or bus. This solid, block-like shape is the result of an outer shell, like the cocoons we’ve seen before in Metapod, Kakuna and so many others.
Scarlet
Protected by a sturdy shell, Charjabug eats large quantities of fresh and decomposing leaf litter in order to evolve.
Violet
As it digests fallen leaves, it generates and stores electricity, which it can discharge from the tips of its jaws.
Electric and bug type is a rare combination, with excellent attacking coverage and few weaknesses, aside from the obvious fire type. Like many such cocoon Pokemon, Charjabug’s stats lean heavily to the defensive.
Sword
While its durable shell protects it from attacks, Charjabug strikes at enemies with jolts of electricity discharged from the tips of its jaws.
Ultra Moon
Its stout shell provides excellent defense from attacks. It uses electricity on persistent opponents.
This combination of defensive bulk and sudden attacks has made it a mainstay in the Pokemon Go competitive scene, where a simplified stat system means Charjabug is actually more useful than its own evolution!
Sun
Its body is capable of storing electricity. On camping trips, people are grateful to have one around.
The English name Charjabug is obvious – a bug that charges electricity – and the Japanese isn’t much better, with Dendimushi also coming from battery and bug.
As well as a camping battery, Charjabug in the anime served as a car battery, with Charjabug in little vehicle carriages having a miniature racing league.
In Alola, where this Pokemon family first appeared, Charjabug could evolve when levelled up in a certain area with an electromagnetic field. Later games don’t feature such areas, so things are simplified a little. Simply by being exposed to the energies of a Thunder Stone, Charjabi ug will evolve into Vikavolt.
Vikavolt is an sharp, mean looking beetle with an unfurled pair of buzzing wings. It’s mandibles no longer resemble a plug ready to be inserted into a socket, but a railgun. Railguns use electromagnets to sling metal slugs much faster than regular gunpowder weapons. They seem like the stuff of science fiction but were first theorized in the first world war, and were almost practicably applied in the second.
Ultra Sun
It has an organ that generates electricity in its abdomen. It concentrates energy in its strong jaws and fires off powerful jolts of electricity.
This is reflected by Vikavolt having an incredibly high special attack stat. The English name, Vikavolt, refers to its vice-like grip and the voltage it can apply through it. The Japanese name, Kuwagannon, is more on the nose, combining kuwagatamushi, or stag beetle, with cannon. This is a beetle with a cannon, there’s no denying that.
Sun
It zips around, on sharp lookout for an opening. It concentrates electrical energy within its large jaws and uses it to zap its enemies.
Ultra Moon
Vikavolt flusters opponents with acrobatic flying maneuvers. This creates an opening for it to deliver an electric beam attack.
Vikavolt may be acrobatic relative to a railgun – they are generally large in size and require preposterous amounts of electricity, so they were only considered for usage as anti-aircraft guns or similarly immobile positions. Vikavolt might be doing some acrobatic maneuvers, but with an abysmally low speed stat, it won’t be doing them fast.
This is why, despite the interesting typing – bolstered by a levitate ability – and despite the excellent special attack, Vikavolt is rarely seen in competitive play outside of specialized trick room teams.
The railgun has been appearing in sci fi movies, books and video games for a century now, but never really become a thing in real life thanks to the impracticality of using so much electricity. Similarly, Vikavolt has amazing potential but that weak speed and defense mean it still hasn’t had its day in the sun.
Music for Luke Loves Pokemon was composed by Jonathan Cromie. Artwork for the show is by Katie Groves. Funding is by supporters at patreon.com/podcastiopodcastius.
I love hearing from listeners! Get in touch on youtube, social media or email and let me know about your favorite monsters. Coming up next are Crabrawler and Oricorio
, so let me know your thoughts about those or any other monsters.
Even if you don’t feel like doing any of that, thank you so much for listening.
I love Grubbin. And remember, I love you too.