Lucario

Lucario (Japanese: ルカリオ, Hepburn: Rukario) (loo-CAR-ee-oh) is a Fighting/Steel-type Pokémon introduced in Generation IV.

Fighting/Steel.

87.5% ♂ / 12.5% ♀

Adaptability.

Height
1.3 m / 4'03"

Weight
57.5 kg / 126.8 lbs.

Evolves from Riolu

Lucario is a bipedal jackal-like Pokémon. It has a long, distinctly canine snout and muzzle, and an angular head. Though it is similar in appearance to Riolu, Lucario has some notable differences, such as having redder eyes. Its fore-paws are black and it has large pointed spikes in place of the oval shaped bumps on Riolu. There is also a third spike protruding in the middle of its chest. Lucario's long pointed triangle-shaped ears, and its muzzle, are longer and more angular in comparison to Riolu, but it retains the black "mask" and red eyes. The "mask" also has an added upper stripe. It also has four black sensory bundles on the back of its head opposed to Riolu, who only had two and were previously located on the side of its head. Additionally, Lucario's torso is covered in yellow fur with thicker patches on the collar. When its mouth is open, four noticeable canine teeth (fangs), two on the top and two on the bottom, can be seen.

Upon Mega Evolution, it has slimmer thighs, and longer yellow colored fur. Its paws become crimson and have grown more spikes. There are black markings on its blue fur due to its heightened aura. The sensory bundles also grown longer with two of them having crimson tips. Its eyes have changed from red to orange.

Lucario are very reserved, prideful and very serious Pokémon and also extremely loyal to their trainers, but they can be also friendly and cooperative with strangers and their Pokémon.

According to Gurkinn in "The Aura Storm!", when a Lucario Mega Evolves, the power of their aura and their battling instinct is brought to the limit, so much so that when in battle a Lucario only focuses on their opponents. When a Lucario loses control of its aura in this stage it'll go wild, berserk and relentlessly attack them.

In the wild, Lucario live in packs and they are primarily carnivores, though domesticated ones can be seen eating plant based foods as well as other human food such as chocolate.

It utters low, gruff growls and grunts in a distinctly canine/doglike way.

Known as the Aura Pokémon, Lucario are sensitive to a special type of energy called Aura. The round, tear-shaped black appendages on the back of their heads are used to detect the Auras of creatures and objects around it. With their ability to sense the Auras in all things around them, they can navigate and track through telepathic methods. They can also guide the waves of an Aura in an offensive manner to create small balls of energy such as Aura Sphere. Lucario are also able to understand human speech; it is said that Lucario can also speak it, though only Sir Aaron's Lucario has been shown to do so and only through telepathy.

Lucario can use aura to communicate or sense its surrounding environment as well. Aura is also useful for them to detect the strength and capabilities of their faraway foes.

Lucario is the evolved form of Riolu. Riolu evolves into Lucario by leveling up with high friendship during the day. Lucario can Mega Evolve with a Lucarionite, if the Trainer has a Key Stone.

Lucario's appearance may be aesthetically based on the Egyptian God of death, Anubis, who has the head of a jackal. It may also be inspired by Hermanubis, a hybrid of two gods who were "conductors of souls" and was engaged with the investigation of truth. The mask around its eyes may be derived from the tanuki or raccoon dog, commonly believed to have supernatural powers in Japanese mythology. Another candidate for the mask origin may be the African wild dogs.

Though Lucario physically resembles a wild canine such as a jackal, it has a few catlike traits. For example, Lucario has slit eyes, as most felines (big and small) do. It's also possible that it has retractile claws, as it can learn attacks such as Metal Claw, Hone Claws, and Shadow Claw. Its agility and balance match that of felines. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, it is shown perched on a very thin piece of ice, then swiftly jumps down, landing on its feet.

Its shiny form can be directly linked to the African golden jackal.

Lucario's name possibly derives from a part of the word orichalcum in Japanese (oriharukon), when spelled backwards. Orichalcum is a legendary metal and might have a relation to Lucario, since it is a Steel-type Pokémon. Another less likely theory is that part of Lucario's name could be based on the Egyptian capital city, Cairo. The "rio" in its name may also be a reference to Street Fighter's Ryu, as they both have similar signature moves (Ryu has the Hadōken while Lucario has Aura Sphere (Japanese: Hadōdan)), both being blue energy balls launched from both hands at once. It may also derive from oracle, referring to its aura abilities.