Kakuna
Kakuna is a Bug/Poison-type Pokémon, the Cocoon Pokémon, number 14 (#0014) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 1 and comes from the Kanto region. It is 0.6 m tall and weighs 10 kg.
Kakuna is the Cocoon Pokémon, a yellow Bug and Poison type that hangs almost motionless from a tree while its shell grows hot, because inside it is busy preparing to evolve. It looks asleep, but it will stick out its poison barbs if it is attacked.
How to pronounce Kakuna
Kakuna is pronounced kuh-KOO-nuh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Listen to Kakuna said out loud:
In Japanese it is コクーン (Cocoon).
Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.
Lore
Biology
Kakuna is a yellow cocoon, 0.6 m tall and 10 kg, with a dome-shaped head, triangular black eyes whose pupils glow white and a pair of scythe-like arms at its midsection. As evolution approaches, the Pokédex says, its shell heats up while the body inside softens and the outside hardens.
Behaviour
Kakuna clings to a tree or leans on a sturdy trunk, sometimes hanging from branches on long strands of silk, and hides under leaves while it waits. It can barely move, so when danger comes it hardens its shell, and if pushed it can poke out a poison barb.
Habitat
The Pokédex says forests, and Bulbapedia adds misty wooded areas, with the odd nest at the mouth of a tunnel or cave in Pokémon Snap. In Legends: Z-A it is found across Lumiose City's districts and in Wild Zones 2 and 7.
Powers
Harden is the only move Kakuna learns by levelling, and its Ability Shed Skin has a 33% chance each turn of curing a status condition. Its Defense of 50 and HP of 45 are the most it has to offer, so it is a stalling stopgap on the way to Beedrill.
Name origin
Kakuna may be a corruption of 'cocoon'. The Japanese name is Cocoon (コクーン), literally the word 'cocoon'.
Design inspiration
Atsuko Nishida designed Kakuna along with Weedle and Beedrill, according to a Game Freak interview that Bulbapedia cites. It looks modelled on the pupa of a bee or wasp, and its habit of dangling from a thread may recall wasps whose larvae build hanging cocoons.
Evolution notes
Kakuna evolves from Weedle at level 7 and into Beedrill at level 10, and it shares its learnset with Metapod.
In the games
Bugsy's Gym team in the Johto games includes a Kakuna. It first appeared in Red and Green (Red and Blue outside Japan), is in the base game of Legends: Z-A (Lumiose Pokédex number 19), and the Mega Dimension DLC adds it to Hyperspace Lumiose. Bulbapedia lists it as unobtainable in Scarlet and Violet.
In the anime
Kakuna debuted in 'Challenge of the Samurai', where several in a hive evolved into Beedrill to defend it.
Fun facts
- In the Red and Green beta its English name was Kokoon.
- The little arms on Kakuna's Red and Blue sprite look like a mistake but are not; they appear in Ken Sugimori's artwork and on a Bandai card, and have rarely been drawn anywhere else.
- Until Platinum let Weedle learn Bug Bite, neither it nor Kakuna could hurt a Steel type except with Struggle, since Poison Sting, Weedle's only damaging move, cannot affect Steel.
Base stats
- HP: 45
- Attack: 25
- Defense: 50
- Sp. Atk: 25
- Sp. Def: 25
- Speed: 35
Kakuna’s base stat total is 205. Its highest stat is Defense.
Type matchups
What is Kakuna weak to?
Kakuna takes extra damage from Fire (2×), Flying (2×), Psychic (2×), Rock (2×) moves.
It resists Grass (¼×), Fighting (¼×), Poison (½×), Bug (½×), Fairy (½×).
Evolution
What does Kakuna evolve from?
Kakuna evolves from Weedle at level 7.
How does Kakuna evolve?
Kakuna evolves into Beedrill at level 10.
The whole family: Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill.
Abilities
- Shed Skin: Has a 33% chance of curing any major status ailment after each turn.
Moves
Moves Kakuna learns by level up in Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon
| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evo | Harden | Normal | Status | — |
| 1 | Harden | Normal | Status | — |
“Evo” means Kakuna learns the move the moment it evolves: Harden.
Move tutor moves (3): Bug Bite, Electroweb, Iron Defense.
Breeding & training
- Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
- Egg groups: Bug.
- Egg cycles: 15 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 1,920).
- Catch rate: 120 out of 255.
- Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
- Growth rate: Medium (1,000,000 experience points to reach level 100).
- Defeating it gives 2 Defense effort values.
- Base experience yield: 72.
Pokédex entries
Able to move only slightly. When endangered, it may stick out its stinger and poison its enemy. (Yellow, Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Let’s Go, Eevee!)
Kakuna remains virtually immobile as it clings to a tree. However, on the inside, it is extremely busy as it prepares for its coming evolution. This is evident from how hot the shell becomes to the touch. (Ruby, Sapphire, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire)
While awaiting evolution, it hides from predators under leaves and in nooks of branches. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2, Y)
Almost incapable of moving, this Pokémon can only harden its shell to protect itself when it is in danger. (LeafGreen, X)
From this form, it will grow into an adult. As its body becomes softer, the external shell hardens. (Silver, SoulSilver)
Although it is a cocoon, it can move a little. It can extend its poison barb if it is attacked. (Gold, HeartGold)
Names around the world
| Japanese | コクーン |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Cocoon |
| French | Coconfort |
| German | Kokuna |
| Spanish | Kakuna |
| Italian | Kakuna |
| Korean | 딱충이 |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 铁壳蛹 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 鐵殼蛹 |
Trivia
- Taller than 25% of all Pokémon (0.6 m).
- Heavier than 28% of all Pokémon (10 kg).
- Base stat total 205, ranked #1007 of 1,025.
- One of 12 Pokémon that are both Bug and Poison.
- One of 88 yellow Pokémon.
- Number 14 of 151 Pokémon introduced in Generation 1 (Kanto).
- Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
- Can learn 4 different moves in Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon.
- Catch rate 120: about 15.7% per Poké Ball at full health.
- Appears in 10 distinct Pokédex entries.
Sources and fact-checking
- Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
- Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Kakuna (Pokémon), Serebii: Kakuna (Scarlet/Violet and Legends: Z-A Pokédex).
- Pronunciation (kuh-KOO-nuh): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.
Last checked: . Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.
Explore
Bug-type Pokémon · Poison-type Pokémon · Bug/Poison weaknesses and matchups · Kanto region guide · Shed Skin ability · Compare Kakuna · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves
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