is a
Pokémon species in
Nintendo and
Game Freak
is a Japanese video game developer, best known as the primary developer of the mainline ''Pokémon'' series of role-playing video games published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.
History
Predating the video game company, ''Game Freak'' ...
's ''
Pokémon'' franchise, introduced in
''Pokémon X'' and ''Pokémon Y'', that has since appeared across a wide variety of Pokémon media. It is the final evolution of
Froakie, the Water-type
starter Pokémon of ''X'' and ''Y'', with either the ability 'Torrent' or 'Protean', with 'Battle Bond' as an event ability, enabling it to become Ash-Greninja, and the immediate evolution of
Frogadier. Ash-Greninja has increased speed. Categorized as the "
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of a ninja included reconnaissance, espionage, infiltration, deception, ambush, bodyguarding and their fighting skills in martial arts, including ninjutsu.Kawakami, pp. 2 ...
Pokémon", Greninja is a Water- and Dark-type Pokémon who is a frog-like master of swiftness and stealth.
It appeared prominently in the ''XYZ'' series of the
Pokémon anime
(an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise.
In terms of what each of thos ...
as one of
Ash Ketchum
Ash Ketchum, known as in Japan, is a fictional character in the ''Pokémon'' franchise owned by Nintendo. He is the protagonist of the ''Pokémon'' anime and certain manga series as well as on various merchandise related to the franchise. I ...
's primary Pokémon, voiced by
Yūji Ueda
is a Japanese actor, voice actor and singer from Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. He is best known for voicing the roles of Sagara Sanosuke in ''Rurouni Kenshin'', Akito Tenkawa in ''Martian Successor Nadesico'', Takeshi/Brock and Sonansu/Wobbuffet ...
. This Greninja used its bond with Ash to transform into a unique and powerful form, Ash-Greninja, which was later released to the games as an empowered form of Greninja accessible to players of the ''Pokémon Sun and Moon Special Demo Version.'' Greninja was introduced as a playable fighter to the ''
Super Smash Bros.'' franchise with
''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' and ''Wii U'' as one of the Pokémon series' five representatives, and was integrated into
manga such as ''
Pokémon Adventures
is a Japanese manga series based on the ''Pokémon'' media franchise created by video game designer Satoshi Tajiri and managed by The Pokémon Company. Tajiri once stated that the series is closest to how he imagined the universe of ''Pokém ...
''.
Also, Greninja was in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for The Nintendo Switch.
Greninja has been met with a very positive reception, quickly becoming one of the most popular Pokémon of the sixth generation, and of all time in the 2020 vote with 140559 votes, because of its endearing design and strength in competitive play. Its popularity has resulted in its integration into various merchandising and promotions of the ''Pokémon'' franchise.
Concept and characteristics
Greninja is a streamlined
frog
A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-frog" ''Triadobatrachus'' is ...
-like creature with dark blue skin and a beige underbelly, with long limbs and thin, slender physique particularly reminiscent of
tree frog
A tree frog (or treefrog) is any species of frog that spends a major portion of its lifespan in trees, known as an arboreal state. Several lineages of frogs among the Neobatrachia have given rise to treefrogs, although they are not closely rela ...
s. What resembles a pink scarf is actually its
prehensile
Prehensility is the quality of an appendage or organ that has adapted for grasping or holding. The word is derived from the Latin term ''prehendere'', meaning "to grasp". The ability to grasp is likely derived from a number of different orig ...
tongue wrapped around its head. Two long, ear-like protrusions extend from both sides of its head and connect with a smaller horn-like structure in the middle by azure blue-colored webbing. Spots of the same azure coloring can be found on each thigh, arguably resembling ninja stars or battle scars along with a stubby tail that wraps inwards. Much like a frog, Greninja has webbed feet, wall-clinging suction cups on each digit, and powerful hind legs. It shoots streams of compressed water patterns from its palms. A large bubble can be found on each limb. A bipedal creature, Greninja can comfortably stand on its hind legs, but leans on one of its front limbs in a crouching stance when in battle. When at rest its eyes are white with hyphen-shaped pupils, but when engaged they gain red, oval-shapes irises, white pupils, and a narrow gaze. It only weighs 88.2 lbs. (40 kg), but is still quite tall at 4' 11" (1.5 m).
It shares a motif of
role-playing game classes with its Grass-type (Chesnaught) and Fire-type (Delphox) counterparts; while the former resemble a knight and witch respectively, Greninja draws heavy inspiration from the
ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of a ninja included reconnaissance, espionage, infiltration, deception, ambush, bodyguarding and their fighting skills in martial arts, including ninjutsu.Kawakami, pp. 2 ...
. In Japan, frogs and toads have long been associated with ninjutsu through the folk story "The Tale of the Gallant
Jiraiya
Jiraiya (自来也 or 児雷也, literally "Young Thunder"), originally known as Ogata Shuma Hiroyuki (尾形周馬寛行), is the toad-riding protagonist of the Japanese folk tale Katakiuchi Kidan Jiraiya Monogatari (報仇奇談自来也説話, " ...
" (児雷也豪傑物語 ''Jiraiya Gōketsu Monogatari''), a story about a ninja who can shapeshift into a large toad.
Greninja is able to move with "a ninja's grace",
and has a design and set of abilities associated with
Ninjutsu
, sometimes used interchangeably with the modern term , is the martial art strategy and tactics of unconventional warfare, guerrilla warfare and espionage purportedly practised by the ninja. ''Ninjutsu'' was a separate discipline in some trad ...
. Among its attacks are the formerly exclusive Water
Shuriken
A ''shuriken'' ( ja, 手裏剣; literally: "hidden hand blade") is a Japanese concealed weapon that was used as a hidden dagger or metsubushi to distract or misdirect.
They are also known as throwing stars, or ninja stars, although they wer ...
, which lets it quickly fire throwing stars made from compressed water,
Shadow Sneak, and Double Team.
It is also the only Pokémon to learn Mat Block, which shields the user's side with a flipped-up mat. The Protean ability, which lets the user camouflage to the type of the attack it uses, is exclusive to Greninja and the chameleon Pokémon
Kecleon (as well as the former's pre-evolutions). Capable of vanishing and reappearing quickly, it enjoys toying with enemies in such a manner.
It is very adaptable, learning many moves such as Bounce, Extrasensory, and Low Kick from different types.
Greninja's stealth and swiftness are unique among Water-type
starters, contrasting with previous designs like
Blastoise and
Swampert. It shoots jets of compressed water from its hands, as opposed to many other Water-types that shoot water from their mouths. It was created by Yusuke Ohmura, who designed the Water-type starters of the previous two generations as well as the mascot creatures for ''X'' and ''Y'',
Xerneas and
Yveltal. Greninja's design was finalized by
Ken Sugimori
is a Japanese video game designer, illustrator, manga artist, and director. He is best known as the primary character designer and art director for the ''Pokémon'' franchise. Sugimori is also credited with the art direction for other titles, in ...
,
Game Freak
is a Japanese video game developer, best known as the primary developer of the mainline ''Pokémon'' series of role-playing video games published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.
History
Predating the video game company, ''Game Freak'' ...
's art director.
As ''Pokémon X'' and ''Y'' take place in Kalos, a fictional region inspired by
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, Greninja's name combines the French word for frog (''grenouille'') and "ninja". It is used for the English, Spanish, and Italian localizations of ''X'' and ''Y.'' Ironically, a completely different name is used in the French localization, with "Amphinobi" combining the French word for
amphibian (''amphibie'') and "
shinobi
A or was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of a ninja included reconnaissance, espionage, infiltration, deception, ambush, bodyguarding and their fighting skills in martial arts, including ninjutsu.Kawakami, pp. 21 ...
". Its
Japanese name is "Gekkouga", combining the Japanese word for croak (げこっ ''geko'') and the
Koga
KOGA is a Dutch bicycle manufacturer based in Heerenveen, Friesland. The company is known for its long time partnership with Japanese frame manufacturer Miyata, producing bicycles and sponsoring racing teams under the brand name Koga Miyata. As ...
ninjutsu school (甲賀流 ''Kōga ryū'').
Appearances
In video games
Pokémon game series
Greninja debuted in
''Pokémon X'' and ''Y'', which was released internationally on October 12, 2013, for the
Nintendo 3DS. As is the case for most Pokémon evolved from
starters, Greninja is rare except for choosing Froakie at the game's beginning and fully training it. It can only be obtained otherwise by evolving a Friend Safari
Frogadier, by fully evolving the
Froakie named "Froabble" in-game rival Shauna trades to the player after the game's completion, if Fennekin was the chosen starter, or through trading with another player. It can be transferred to
''Omega Ruby'' and ''Alpha Sapphire'' through trade, or into
''Sun'' and ''Moon'' and
''Ultra Sun'' and ''Ultra Moon'' through the online storage system
Pokémon Bank
(an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise.
In terms of what each of thos ...
. Though very rare, Greninja has a Shiny variant obtainable in the games that is jet black with a red tongue.
Greninja has been incorporated in
spin-off ''Pokémon'' games as well. In the action game ''
Pokémon Rumble World
is a freemium action game, action video game in the ''Pokémon'' series developed by Ambrella, published by The Pokémon Company and distributed by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. It is the fourth game in the ''Pokémon Rumble'' subseries, and feat ...
,'' Greninja is the back boss of Dewdrop Bay's Castle Moat, and can be recruited as a playable character. It is the boss of Area 03's fifth stage in ''
Pokémon Picross
is a freemium puzzle game, puzzle video game featuring ''Pokémon'' characters developed by Jupiter (company), Jupiter Corporation and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for the Nintendo 3DS. The title is part of the "''Picross''" n ...
'', of Renegade Meadow in puzzle game ''
Pokémon Battle Trozei
, released as ''Pokémon Link: Battle!'' in Europe and Australia, is a ''Pokémon''-themed puzzle video game for the Nintendo 3DS and is the sequel to the 2005 Nintendo DS title ''Pokémon Trozei!''. It was released in the Nintendo eShop in Japan ...
'', and of Expert Stage 24 in ''
Pokémon Shuffle
is a freemium puzzle video game developed by Genius Sonority and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for the Nintendo 3DS. The game, which is a spin-off of the ''Pokémon'' series and is similar in gameplay to '' Pokémon Battle Tro ...
''. Through evolving the player character of Froakie, Greninja is playable in ''
Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon
is a roguelike video game in the ''Pokémon Mystery Dungeon'' series developed by Spike Chunsoft, published by The Pokémon Company and distributed by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS handheld game console. Like its predecessors, players control ...
,'' and is even included on the game's box art. It also appeared in ''
Pokémon Go
''Pokémon Go'' (stylized as ''Pokémon GO'') is a 2016 augmented reality (AR) mobile game, part of the ''Pokémon'' franchise, developed and published by Niantic in collaboration with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for iOS and Android ...
'', ''
Pokémon UNITE'', and ''
Pokkén Tournament DX''.
Other Nintendo games
Outside of the ''Pokémon'' series, Greninja also appears in Nintendo's ''
Super Smash Bros.'' series. Greninja was included as a new fighter in
''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' and ''Wii U'' in 2014,
returning in ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...
'' in 2018. Greninja's inclusion was revealed during the
Super Smash Bros. Direct on April 8, 2014, alongside returning characters
Zero Suit Samus
is a fictional character and the playable protagonist of the video game series ''Metroid'' by Nintendo. She was created by Japanese video game designer Makoto Kano. She was introduced as a player character in the original 1986 video game ''Me ...
,
Sheik,
Yoshi
Yoshi is a fictional dinosaur who appears in video games published by Nintendo. Yoshi debuted in ''Super Mario World'' (1990) on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick. Yoshi is the title character of the ''Yoshi' ...
, and fellow Pokémon
Charizard
Charizard (), known in Japan as , is a Pokémon in Nintendo and Game Freak's '' Pokémon'' franchise. Created by Atsuko Nishida, Charizard first appeared in the video games ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue'' ( ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Green'' in ...
. The game's director,
Masahiro Sakurai
is a Japanese video game director and game designer best known as the creator of the '' Kirby'' and '' Super Smash Bros.'' series. Apart from his work on those series, he also led the design of '' Meteos'' in 2005 and directed '' Kid Icarus: U ...
, stated that he decided to include finishing development, and he working very closely with
Game Freak
is a Japanese video game developer, best known as the primary developer of the mainline ''Pokémon'' series of role-playing video games published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.
History
Predating the video game company, ''Game Freak'' ...
's conceptual illustrations and making his own interpretations of the character. Its characteristics in the ''Pokémon'' games are reflected in ''Smash'', being an agile fighter with ninja-like stealth capable of attacking opponents with water from its palms. Its final smash, Secret Ninja Attack, incorporates Greninja's signature move Mat Block. Its home stages include Prism Tower, the Pokémon Gym of Kalos' capital city on the 3DS version, and Kalos Pokémon League on the Wii U version. ''Ultimate'' granted Greninja its anime debuted Battle Bond form, “Ash-Greninja” as part of its Final Smash move, confirming the playable Greninja in this game series as a male.
In
Super Mario Maker
is a 2015 side-scrolling platform game and game creation system developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U, released worldwide in September 2015. Players can create, play, and share courses online, free of charge, based on the styles ...
, by scanning a Greninja
amiibo, the player can unlock a Mystery Mushroom for Greninja that can be used in the player's customizable levels. When
Mario
is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his cre ...
makes contact with the Mushroom, he takes on Greninja's likeness and animations until he finishes the level, makes contact with an enemy, or loses a life. Greninja has the same sound bits as Mario, instead of those from ''Pokémon'' games; this is also true for
Pikachu
is a fictional species in the ''Pokémon'' media franchise. Designed by Atsuko Nishida and Ken Sugimori, Pikachu first appeared in the 1996 Japanese video games ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Green'' created by Game Freak and Nintendo, which w ...
, Charizard,
Jigglypuff
Jigglypuff ( ), known in Japan as , is a Pokémon species. Jigglypuff first appeared in the video games ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue'' and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed adapta ...
,
Mewtwo
Mewtwo is a Pokémon, a fictional creature from Nintendo and Game Freak. Created by Ken Sugimori, it debuted in the video games ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue'', and later appeared in subsequent sequels and spin-off titles, such as '' Pokken Tour ...
and
Lucario
is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's ''Pokémon'' franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Lucario first appeared as a central character in the film '' Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew'', then a cameo in '' Pokémon Mystery Dun ...
but not for
Bulbasaur
Bulbasaur is a Grass/Poison-type Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's ''Pokémon'' franchise. It is the first in the franchise's monster index, called a Pokédex. Designed by Atsuko Nishida, Bulbasaur debuted in ''Pocket Monsters: Red ...
,
Charmander
Charmander (), known as in Japan, is a Pokémon species in Nintendo's and Game Freak's ''Pokémon'' franchise. Created by Atsuko Nishida, Charmander first appeared in the video games ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue'' and subsequent sequels, later ...
or
Squirtle
Squirtle (), known as in Japan, is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's '' Pokémon'' franchise. It was designed by Atsuko Nishida. Its name was changed from Zenigame to Squirtle during the English localization of the series in or ...
.
In the anime
Multiple Greninja have made appearances in the
''XY'' series of the
Pokémon anime
(an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise.
In terms of what each of thos ...
. While the Pokémon was first alluded to in the episode "A Rush of Ninja Wisdom!", it made its formal debut in the 17th Pokémon movie, ''
Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction'', under the ownership of a thieving ninja named Riot. Ippei and Sanpei, two recurring characters in the anime, both have a Greninja. They both chose Froakie as their starter in tribute to a folkloric Greninja that saved their home village. Series protagonist
Ash Ketchum's Greninja is the most prominent; he first appeared as a Froakie in the first episode "Kalos, Where Dreams and Adventures Begin!", was caught by Ash in the following episode "Lumiose City Pursuit!", and evolved from Frogadier into Greninja in episode seven of ''XYZ'', "A Festival of Decisions!". Uniquely, Greninja and Ash are able to temporarily link their consciousnesses during battle. When such an exchange occurs, the former physically morphs to somewhat resemble Ash, a form called "Ash-Greninja". However, while well received by fans, Ash-Greninja is the main reason why the writers failed to give Ash a genuine Mega-Evolved Pokémon until Journeys; the writers made Ash catch Generation VI only Pokémon in the XY series to promote the XY games, but the traditional concept of giving Ash current generation only Pokémon to promote the current generation games had worn out its welcome with fans. Greninja is also the first main protagonist owned Water-type Starter that fully evolved in the series because fans are sick of the overused concepts of not letting a main protagonist Water starter reach their final forms (Ash's Squirtle, Totodile and Oshawott, Dawn's Piplup, Brock's Marshtomp and May's Wartortle) and not letting six of Ash's Water-types fully evolve (Squirtle, Totodile, Oshawott, Corphish, Buizel and Palpitoad). In episode 46 of the XYZ season, "Facing the Needs of the Many!", Ash released Greninja in order to assist Zygarde and Squishy in destroying some of the remaining roots of the Giant Rock, which threatened to destroy Kalos and the whole world, symbolizing someday that Ash's Greninja will rejoin Ash in the future after all of the remaining roots of the Giant Rock are all destroyed. However, this decision resulted in a lot of controversy, with fans and critics alike labeling "Facing the Needs of the Many!" as the worst episode in Pokémon anime history. Greninja returned in Journeys after a long absence and reunites with Ash, while Squishy and the other Zygarde were already written out of this anime due to irrelevance. Greninja teaches Ash and his Mega Lucario new moves and how to boost up its aura powers. While the reunion episode is well received by fans, some are disappointed that Greninja did not officially rejoin Ash's team, unlike Ash's Charizard in the Black and White series. Additionally, Ash-Greninja did not appear in the episode, with flashback scenes featuring it having it omitted in favor of normal Greninja.
In live-action films
A band of Greninja appears in the live-action film ''
Pokémon Detective Pikachu
''Detective Pikachu'' (also known as ''Pokémon: Detective Pikachu'' and released as in Japan after the original game) is a 2019 comedy film directed by Rob Letterman. Based on the ''Pokémon'' franchise, the film is a loose adaptation of the ...
'', but as minor antagonists working as hired guns for Clifford Enterprises against Tim Goodman, Harry Goodman as Detective Pikachu, and Lucy Stevens. Lucy's Psyduck manages to defeat them by using its full power. The Greninja had been stolen and brainwashed victims of illegal experimentation by the mastermind Howard Clifford.
Other media
Since its introduction, Greninja has regularly been featured in ''
Pokémon'' merchandise. In the
Pokémon Trading Card Game
The , abbreviated as ''PTCG'' or ''Pokémon TCG'', is a collectible card game developed by Creatures Inc. based on the ''Pokémon'' franchise. It was first published in October 1996 by Media Factory in Japan. In the US, it was first published ...
, Greninja-EX is one of the flagship cards associated with the Kalos Power Tin set and in promotion for BREAKpoint Wave Slasher Theme Deck.
Ash-Greninja has also been incorporated into the trading card game
and lineup of plushies. Key chains, soft toys, and figures of the Pokémon are all available on the online Pokémon Center store as well as in local toy store chains. Greninja was introduced among the fourth wave of
amiibo, Nintendo's lineup of collectible toys-to-life figures. The figure is based on its appearance in ''Super Smash Bros.'' and is compatible with many different video games for the
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
Th ...
,
Nintendo 3DS, and
Nintendo Switch. Initially released on April 3, 2015, as a
Toys "R" Us
Toys "R" Us is an American toy, clothing, and baby product retailer owned by Tru Kids (doing business as Tru Kids Brands) and various others. The company was founded in 1957; its first store was built in April 1948, with its headquarters loc ...
exclusive, Greninja proved to be so desirable that the figure sold out within just 30 minutes.
Reception
Greninja has proven to be one of the most popular Pokémon introduced in ''X'' and ''Y'', described as likely to be popular just from its design upon reveal. A 2016 Japan election held by
The Pokémon Company
The Pokémon Company (株式会社ポケモン, ''Kabushiki gaisha Pokemon'') is a Japanese company responsible for brand management, production, publishing, marketing, and licensing of the '' Pokémon'' franchise, which consists of video game ...
determined that Greninja was the most popular Pokémon species in the country. Greninja was named the 2020 "Pokémon of the Year", based on results of a vote by fans in a poll run by
Google
Google LLC () is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company focusing on Search Engine, search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, software, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, ar ...
and The Pokémon Company. Michael Derosa of ''
Screen Rant'' called Greninja was one of the most popular Pokémon from the entire series, while ''Mic'' author Alex Borkowski described Ash-Greninja as "stylish." Kevin Slackie of ''
Paste'' listed Greninja as 9th of the best Pokémon. Dale Bishir of ''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' described Greninja as the most important Pokémon that impacted the franchise's history, and further stated that it rose through popularity to become one of the most beloved Pokémon of all time, getting its own slot in ''
Super Smash Bros.'' and even getting its own Super Saiyan-like form. Steven Bogos of ''
The Escapist'' listed Greninja as 30th of their favorite Pokémon, stating that its probably the most popular X and Y starter. It even managed to find its way into ''Super Smash Bros. 4''. ''
International Business Times'' cited Greninja as an example of best Pokémon design in ''
Pokémon X and Y
and are 2013 role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. They are the first installments in the sixth generation of the main ''Pokémon'' video game series. First a ...
''.
Reception to its inclusion in ''Super Smash Bros.'' has been mostly positive, with many online reviewers appreciating the uniqueness of the character and being genuinely surprised by its unveiling.
Gavin Jasper of ''
Den of Geek
''Den of Geek'' is a US and UK-based website covering entertainment with a focus on pop culture. The website also issues a bi-annual magazine.
History
''Den of Geek'' was founded in 2007 by Simon Brew in London. In 2012, DoG Tech LLC licensed ...
'' ranked Greninja as 27th of ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' characters, praising its design as fitting for such an "outrageous" game. Jeremy Parish of
Polygon
In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two to ...
ranked 73 fighters from ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...
'' "from garbage to glorious", listing Greninja as 35th and stated that a frog ninja is a pretty heady character concept. In 2014, Ben Reeves of ''
GameInformer
''Game Informer'' (''GI'', most often stylized ''gameinformer'' from the 2010s onward) is an American monthly video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and associated consoles. It debuted in August 1991 ...
'' claimed Greninja is the easily the best new ''Super Smash Bros.'' character.
The inclusion of Greninja in the ''
Detective Pikachu'' film also received praise for staying true to its ninja-like portrayal in the video games and anime, though some reviewers found its tongue scarf "disgusting" when rendered in CGI.
Merchandise
In 2015, an
Amiibo of Greninja was made available at
Toys 'R Us
A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and pet ...
, Ash-Greninja figure and a plush of it was released during Pokémon's 25th anniversary.
References
External links
Greninja on BulbapediaGreninja on Pokemon.com
{{Super Smash Bros.
Fictional characters who can manipulate darkness or shadows
Fictional frogs
Fictional blade and dart throwers
Ninja characters in video games
Nintendo protagonists
Pokémon species
Super Smash Bros. fighters
Video game characters introduced in 2013
Video game characters with water abilities