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Jynx (JP) is a species of Pokémon in the series of the same name. It is a dual-type Ice/Psychic Pokémon that made its first appearance in the first generation games Red and Blue. Despite being a species, all Jynx are female. It evolves from Smoochum starting at level 30.
Jynx's design and humanoid appearance have been criticized by the Western media, including cultural critic Carole Boston Weatherford, who described Jynx as representing blackface after seeing the character's depiction in the anime. Due to complaints, Game Freak modified its appearance by changing the original color of its face from black to the current color, purple.
Physiology and Behavior[]
Jynx is a bipedal, humanoid Pokémon that resembles a woman. It has a purple face, pink lips, saucer-like eyes, and long blonde hair. It wears a red gown with two gold circlets on the chest. While the anime has shown it to possess feet, the 3D games show only blackness under the dress and it lacks a footprint. Despite this, it is able to learn the kicking move Triple Axel. It has white arms and five-fingered purple hands. Jynx is a female-only species with no male counterpart.
Originally, its face was colored black. Pokémon Stadium's fainting animation had it disappear leaving only its hair behind, implying that what appears to be dark-colored skin is actually just darkness.
Jynx has a language that sounds similar to human speech and includes several cry patterns. However, this language has yet to be deciphered. It prefers to communicate by using dance-like movements. There are some musicians who compose songs for Jynx to sing. These rhythmic movements often cause people to dance along with it. It puts its enemies to sleep using its signature move, Lovely Kiss. The Jynx in Alola are said to have wonderful precise movements. In certain parts of Galar, it has been feared and worshiped while being called the Queen of Ice. The Jynx in Galar are said to have beautiful and delicate voices and a fanbase dedicated to them. Jynx often is found in urban areas.
Appearances[]
Main Pokémon games[]
Other Pokémon games[]
Super Smash Bros. series[]
Trophy descriptions[]
In the anime[]
Jynx first appeared in Pokémon the Series in Holiday Hi-Jynx when one of Santa Claus's Jynx was separated from him, Ash Ketchum and friends helped to return the Jynx to her owner. The episode was not re-aired in the USA because of the controversy over her appearance. Jynx later appears in two episodes of the Orange Islands season, in episodes still present in American rotations. She appeared again in the episode The Ice Cave! in Johto, which was not aired in English-speaking countries for the same reason.
Jynx made an appearance in a contest in All Things Bright and Beautifly!. However, because Jynx had been animated with black skin instead of purple, her thirteen-second appearance was cut from the English dub. Jynx later appears in episodes of Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire, with the inoffensive purple skin color, but subsequently stopped appearing in the anime following this and later appeared in several cameos.
Origin and inspiration[]
Jynx may be based on a Nordic or Viking woman (possibly Hel, goddess of the underworld), or ganguro (face-black). The original Jynx's black skin and prominent lips bore a startling resemblance to the "darky" iconography now largely abandoned in media. Also, the fact that Jynx are depicted as Santa's helpers in the anime may reference the folklore character Zwarte Piet.
Jynx also has traits of a female opera singer, especially the iconic cartoon depiction of the fat lady; Pokémon Snap and its Third Pokémon generation sprites depict it singing, especially the Pokémon Emerald sprite that animates it singing a high note. Specifically, it may be inspired by the Ride of the Valkyries, from the opera Die Walküre, the second of four operas by Richard Wagner based on Norse mythology. In this context, it is possible that the Valkyries, mythical warrior-maidens who gathered the souls of those slain in battle, are another inspiration for Jynx.
Jynx may also have origins in the Japanese spirits known as Yuki-onna, who lack feet, akin to Jynx's feet being covered by its dress. It may also be based on Yama-uba (also called Yamanba), a yōkai that is described as always wearing a tattered red kimono and having whitish-blonde hair, control over snow, dark-colored skin, and large lips, traits which are evident in Jynx. "Yamanba" is also slang for the extreme end of ganguro fashion, which involves bleached hair, artificial tanning, and heavy applying of brightly-colored lipstick.
Jynx's revised coloring may be based on purple discoloration of the skin, a common symptom of frostbite. This fits with Jynx's Ice type and how it is found in very cold places.
Jynx may be a corruption of jinx, a curse or hex of bad luck.
In-game information[]
Pokédex entries[]
Title | Entry |
---|---|
First Pokémon generation | |
Pokémon Red and Blue | It seductively wiggles its hips as it walks. It can cause people to dance in unison with it. |
Pokémon Yellow | Appears to move to a rhythm of its own, as if it were dancing. It wiggles its hips as it walks. |
Pokémon Stadium | Talks in a strange, incomprehensible language. It is known for its weird wiggling that causes people to dance. |
Second Pokémon generation | |
Pokémon Gold | It rocks its body rhythmically. It appears to alter the rhythm depending on how it is feeling. |
Pokémon Silver | It speaks a language similar to that of humans. However, it seems to use dancing to communicate. |
Pokémon Crystal | It has several different cry patterns, each of which seems to have its own meaning. |
Third Pokémon generation | |
Pokémon Ruby | Jynx walks rhythmically, swaying and shaking its hips as if it were dancing. Its motions are so bouncingly alluring, people seeing it are compelled to shake their hips without giving any thought to what they are doing. |
Pokémon Sapphire | Jynx walks rhythmically, swaying and shaking its hips as if it were dancing. Its motions are so bouncingly alluring, people seeing it are compelled to shake their hips without giving any thought to what they are doing. |
Pokémon Emerald | A Jynx sashays rhythmically as if it were dancing. Its motions are so bouncingly alluring, people seeing it are compelled to shake their hips without noticing. |
Pokémon FireRed | It speaks using a language that sounds human. Research is under way to determine what is being said. |
Pokémon LeafGreen | It seductively wiggles its hips as it walks. It can cause people to dance in unison with it. |
Fourth Pokémon generation | |
Pokémon Diamond | Its cries sound like human speech. However, it is impossible to tell what it is trying to say. |
Pokémon Pearl | Its cries sound like human speech. However, it is impossible to tell what it is trying to say. |
Pokémon Platinum | Its cries sound like human speech. However, it is impossible to tell what it is trying to say. |
Pokémon HeartGold | It rocks its body rhythmically. It appears to alter the rhythm depending on how it is feeling. |
Pokémon SoulSilver | It speaks a language similar to that of humans. However, it seems to use dancing to communicate. |
Fifth Pokémon generation | |
Pokémon Black | Its cries sound like human speech. However, it is impossible to tell what it is trying to say. |
Pokémon White | Its cries sound like human speech. However, it is impossible to tell what it is trying to say. |
Pokémon Black 2 | Its cries sound like human speech. However, it is impossible to tell what it is trying to say. |
Pokémon White 2 | Its cries sound like human speech. However, it is impossible to tell what it is trying to say. |
Sixth Pokémon generation | |
Pokémon X | It wiggles its hips as it walks. It can cause people to dance in unison with it. |
Pokémon Y | It speaks using a language that sounds human. Research is under way to determine what is being said. |
Pokémon Omega Ruby | Jynx walks rhythmically, swaying and shaking its hips as if it were dancing. Its motions are so bouncingly alluring, people seeing it are compelled to shake their hips without giving any thought to what they are doing. |
Pokémon Alpha Sapphire | Jynx walks rhythmically, swaying and shaking its hips as if it were dancing. Its motions are so bouncingly alluring, people seeing it are compelled to shake their hips without giving any thought to what they are doing. |
Seventh Pokémon generation | |
Pokémon Ultra Sun | It sways its hips to a rhythm all its own. The precise movements of Jynx living in Alola are truly wonderful. |
Pokémon Ultra Moon | Its strange cries sound like human language. There are some musicians who compose songs for Jynx to sing. |
Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu |
Appears to move to a rhythm of its own, as if it were dancing. It wiggles its hips as it walks. |
Pokémon Let's Go Eevee |
Appears to move to a rhythm of its own, as if it were dancing. It wiggles its hips as it walks. |
Eighth Pokémon generation | |
Pokémon Sword | In certain parts of Galar, Jynx was once feared and worshiped as the Queen of Ice. |
Pokémon Shield | The Jynx of Galar often have beautiful and delicate voices. Some of these Pokémon have even gathered a fan base. |
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond | Its cries sound like human speech. However, it is impossible to tell what it is trying to say. |
Pokémon Shining Pearl | Its cries sound like human speech. However, it is impossible to tell what it is trying to say. |
Game locations[]
Evolution[]
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Base Stats[]
HP | 65 |
Attack | 50 |
Defense | 35 |
Sp. Attack | 115 |
Sp. Defense | 95 |
Speed | 95 |
Total | 455 |
Moveset[]
Gallery[]
Sprites[]
Controversy[]

Jynx's original design has been heavily criticized as resembling blackface actors.
Carole Boston Weatherford, a cultural critic, claimed that Jynx, which appeared in Holiday Hi-Jynx, was a negative stereotype of African-Americans in an article titled "Politically Incorrect Pokémon" on the magazine Black World Today. She chiefly compared Jynx to the racist characters in The Story of Little Black Sambo and further compared Jynx to Mr. Popo of the Dragon Ball franchise, a character who is also potentially offensive in his design.
Weatherford's complaint caused many repercussions in the Pokémon franchise. The sprites of Jynx in the Western releases of Pokémon Gold and Silver, and Pokémon Crystal were edited, and The Ice Cave! was cut from international airings of the anime. A sequence depicting Jynx in its original design in All Things Bright and Beautifly! was also cut from the dub. Jynx's design was officially revised by Game Freak to be purple rather than black, including in Japan and South Korea; this change was reflected in later core series games (starting with Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire) and in the Pokémon anime starting in Mean With Envy. However, Jynx's last anime appearance came just 53 episodes after the redesign. Although the manga is colored in black-and-white, Jynx appearing in Viz Media's reissues of Pokémon Adventures are recolored as a dark gray rather than a straight black, suggesting that they are purple instead of black. It is also recolored to purple on the back cover of the reissue of Volume 4. The Virtual Console versions of Pokémon Snap, Pokémon Trading Card Game, international Pokémon Yellow, and Japanese Pokémon Gold and Silver and Pokémon Crystal also recolor Jynx's face. Jynx was recolored in the ending credits of PK01 and PK04 for the 2012 Japanese Blu-ray release. A recolored version of Holiday Hi-Jynx aired in Japan and is available on the Japanese Prime Video and Netflix. Since 2014, Holiday Hi-Jynx, Stage Fight!, and The Mandarin Island Miss Match, which all feature Jynx in its original design, have not been in circulation of the English dub.
In recent years, some fans of Pokémon have noted that Jynx may be inspired by ganguro, a Japanese fashion where women tan heavily, bleach their hair, and apply large amounts of makeup, instead of a black stereotype. This theory is mainly based on Jynx's long, straight, blonde hair, a common attribute of ganguro fashion. However, this particular hypothesis at least has often been criticized due to the timeline of ganguro fashion not matching up with the development of Pokémon games. Another theory is that Jynx is based on the Nordic goddess Hel, who was often depicted has having a face half white-half black and who ruled Niflheim, primarily depicted as a land of primordial ice and cold. Some fans say this is supported by Jynx sharing traits with the iconic opera singing "Fat Lady," who is pop-culturally portrayed dressed as the valkyrie Brünnhilde. Another possible origin is Yama-uba, the mountain Crone.
External links[]
- Jynx (Pokémon) at Bulbapedia, the Pokémon wiki.
- Jynx at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia