Meet Popplio
Popplio is the Water-type starter Pokémon from the Alola region, introduced in Generation VII. It is one of three Pokémon that trainers can choose at the beginning of Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, alongside Litten and Rowlet. Small and sea-lion-like, Popplio has a white body, bright blue accents, and a black nose that makes it look like a playful circus performer. Its most distinctive feature is its talent for blowing bubbles, which it shapes into balloons and uses both for fun and for battle.
Appearance and Abilities
- Type: Pure Water
- Design: A sleek, seal-like body with a pale blue ruff and large, expressive eyes
- Signature skill: Creating balloons from bubbles, which it can ride or launch at opponents
- Personality: Cheerful, hardworking, and eager to improve
Popplio evolves into Brionne and finally into the powerful Primarina, gaining the Fairy type along the way. That evolution line gives it a strong presence in competitive play, especially with its high Special Attack and useful moves like Moonblast and Sparkling Aria.
Role in the Games and Anime
In the games, Popplio is a fan-favorite choice for trainers who want a defensive, special-attacking Water starter. It appears in Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, and later returns in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet through the Indigo Disk DLC, where it can be caught in the Terarium.
In the anime, Popplio is best known as Lana's partner in Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon. Lana's Popplio starts out timid but grows braver through contests and battles, eventually evolving into Brionne. Its bubbly, affectionate nature makes it one of the most memorable Pokémon of the Alola saga.
Whether you meet it as a starter or cheer for it on screen, Popplio brings charm, creativity, and steady growth to any team.
Abilities and Battle Strengths
Popplio enters battle as a Water-type starter with a defensive foundation and a movepool that rewards patient play. Its abilities shape how it handles the early game, and its stat spread leans toward special defense rather than speed or raw offense.
Abilities
- Torrent is Popplio's standard ability. When its HP drops to one-third or below, the power of its Water-type moves increases by 50 percent. This turns a struggling Popplio into a genuine threat, especially with moves like Water Gun or later Surf, so opponents must think twice before chipping it down.
- Liquid Voice is its hidden ability. It converts sound-based moves into Water-type attacks, which means Disarming Voice becomes a Water-type move that never misses and can benefit from Torrent. This pairs well with later sound moves such as Hyper Voice once Popplio evolves.
Strengths
- Solid special defense for an unevolved starter, letting it absorb special hits from early-game opponents.
- A diverse early movepool that includes Normal, Fairy, and Water options.
- Torrent creates comeback potential when Popplio is worn down.
- Disarming Voice provides reliable Fairy-type coverage that bypasses accuracy checks.
- As part of the Alola starter line, it evolves into Primarina, one of the strongest special attackers among Water starters.
Weaknesses
- Low base speed means it will usually move second against faster opponents.
- Grass- and Electric-type moves hit it hard, and Electric-types in particular can neutralize it quickly.
- Physical attacks exploit its weaker Defense stat.
- Its early movepool, while varied, lacks strong coverage against Steel- and Dragon-types.
- Without investment, its offensive pressure is modest, so battles can drag if you rely on chip damage.
Tips for trainers
- Keep Popplio healthy until Torrent activates, then use the boosted Water moves to punch through bulkier opponents.
- Run Disarming Voice alongside Water Gun or Aqua Jet for mixed coverage; the Fairy typing handles Dark-, Dragon-, and Fighting-types that resist Water.
- Pair it with a Grass- or Ground-type teammate to cover its Electric weakness, and a Fire-type to handle Grass threats.
- Invest EVs in HP and Special Defense if you want a defensive role, or Special Attack and Speed for a more offensive build as it approaches evolution.
- On a rain team, Popplio's Water moves get an additional boost, and the weather can offset its middling speed with Swift Swim support elsewhere on the roster.
- Use Aqua Jet for priority when you need to finish a weakened foe before it can strike back.
Evolution and Where to Find It
Popplio is the Water-type starter of the Alola region, introduced in Generation VII. It evolves twice, giving it one of the more distinctive three-stage lines among starter Pokémon.
Evolution Line
- Popplio (Level 17) → Brionne
- Brionne (Level 34) → Primarina
Popplio begins as a playful sea lion Pokémon known for blowing water balloons. At level 17 it becomes Brionne, a cheerful and energetic performer. At level 34 it reaches its final form, Primarina, a Water/Fairy dual-type that resembles an opera singer and fights using melodic, bubble-based attacks.
Primarina is the only fully evolved starter with a Water/Fairy typing, which gives it immunity to Dragon-type moves and a resistance to Dark, Fighting, Fire, Ice, and Bug attacks. Its line never has a branching evolution, so every Popplio follows the same path unless you prevent it from leveling up.
How to Obtain Popplio
Popplio is a starter, which means it is usually handed to you at the beginning of a game rather than found in the wild. Availability across the main series:
- Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon: Choose Popplio as your starter from Professor Kukui on Melemele Island. Only one is available per playthrough this way.
- Pokémon Sword and Shield: Popplio is not part of the Galar Pokédex and cannot be caught in the wild. It can only be obtained by transferring from another game via Pokémon HOME, or by receiving it in a trade.
- Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: Popplio is not found in the wild in Paldea. It became available through Pokémon HOME transfer and through special raids and events tied to the Indigo Disk DLC. It can also be caught in the Terarium's Coastal Biome during certain event periods.
- Pokémon Sun and Moon breeding: If you have a Popplio, Brionne, or Primarina, breed it at the Pokémon Nursery on Paniola Ranch to produce more Popplio. Ditto works as a breeding partner.
- Trades and events: Distribution events and online trades are a common way to get Popplio in games where it is not natively available.
Because Popplio is a starter, the simplest way to add it to a team is to pick it at the start of an Alola game, then breed or transfer it to other titles through Pokémon HOME.
Fun Trivia
Popplio is the Water-type starter from Pokémon Sun and Moon, and it hides more personality than its clownish looks suggest.
A Sea Lion With a Singer's Backstory
Popplio's real-world inspiration is the Hawaiian monk seal, an endangered species native to the islands that inspired the Alola region. Its name combines "pop" and "lío," a Spanish word sometimes linked to sea lions, while its Japanese name, Ashimari, references a traditional performing seal.
The Nose Bubble Is a Real Skill
Popplio creates balloons by blowing air through its nose, then controls them in battle. This isn't just a cute animation quirk — it's the basis of its signature Ability, Torrent-adjacent toolkit and its move set, including Bubble Beam and the exclusive Z-Move Oceanic Operetta, which it performs alongside a giant balloon.
It Struggles on Land by Design
According to its Pokédex entries, Popplio moves more easily in water than on land, and its nose bubble is actually a defensive tool: it can bounce on the balloon to travel. The design choice reflects real sea lions, which are far more agile swimming than shuffling across sand.
Its Evolution Changes the Entire Vibe
Popplio evolves into Brionne at level 17, then into Primarina at level 34. Primarina gains the Fairy type — making it the first Water/Fairy starter line — and shifts from a playful performer into an operatic diva whose singing voice can calm or devastate opponents.
Fans Once Underestimated It
When the Sun and Moon starters were revealed, Popplio drew mockery online for its design, and many players dismissed it. That flipped hard: Primarina became a competitive favorite thanks to its strong Special Attack, Fairy typing, and access to moves like Moonblast and Sparkling Aria.
You Might Also Like: 12 Things Every Fan Should Know About Torchic
Which Pokemon should we cover next? Tell us your favorite in the comments!
