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Darkrai(JP) is a species of Pokémon in the series of the same name. It is a Dark-type Mythical Pokémon that made its first appearance in the fourth generation games Diamond and Pearl. Darkrai is one-half of the Lunar duo with Cresselia.

Physiology and Behaviour[]

Darkrai is a black, shadow-like Pokémon. It has a small head with a white fog-like ghostly plume billowing from its head covering one of its bright blue eyes, with the portion on its face resembling hair. It also has a red spiky growth around its neck. It has skinny arms and long black tatters hanging from its shoulders. It also has black, claw-like hands. It has the slight appearance of an hourglass figure and appears to be wearing an old, ripped cloak. It normally does not have any sort of legs, but it is able to extend stilt-like appendages in their place. In self-defense, Darkrai can retract its head and white "plume" into the pit atop its torso fringed by the aforementioned red growth.

Darkrai is known to "inhabit" dreams and causes the target to have unending nightmares, which can be stopped if exposed to a Lunar Feather from Cresselia. However, the "unleashing of nightmares" is actually a defense mechanism, instead of an intentionally malicious act. Darkrai is capable of flying at high speeds, and it can become a shadow in order to escape danger or contact with humans. It is also capable of some human speech. Its relationship to its counterpart, Cresselia, can vary between individuals and canons, with some being antagonistic or cooperative. At one point, Darkrai does not only cause nightmares; it is also attracted to them. It can also go around objects it is attracted to several times. Darkrai is said to be active during nights of the new moon. Darkrai possibly feeds off dreams, characterized by its association with never-ending nightmares.

Appearances[]

Main Pokémon games[]

It seems to causing people to fall asleep into nightmares in Canalave City. Darkrai can be found on Newmoon Island in the games Diamond, Pearl, Platinum and their remakes. After the player obtains the Member Card to access the Harbor Inn in Canalave City. This requires Cresselia to start roaming Sinnoh first though.

In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Darkrai is obtainable in Clamberclaw Cliffs, which requires a save file from Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

Other Pokémon games[]

Darkrai appears as an antagonist in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness and PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond. In Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness, he wants to cover the world in darkness, and was behind the collapse of the Temporal Tower in the main storyline of the game. His interference is also the reason the player was separated from Grovyle and turned into a Pokémon. In the post-game story, he turns his attention to distorting the fabric of space to cover the world in darkness. In Wonders Beyond, he resided in Wish Park and wants to merge the Wish Park with PokéPark.

Darkrai appears in Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia, summoned by Blake Hall.

Darkrai is one of the playable characters in Pokkén Tournament. Its moves are Dark Pulse, Dark Void, Nasty Plot, and Shadow Claw, while its Burst Attack is Infinite Eclipse.

Super Smash Bros. series[]

Darkrai appeared as a Poké Ball Pokémon in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It puts fighters to sleep and damages them by using Dark Void.

Trophy descriptions[]

A Pitch-Black Pokémon. It becomes active on nights of the new moon. This Legendary Pokémon has the power to lull people to sleep and fill their heads with dreams. Proverbs say that Darkrai will make people have terrifying dreams on moonless nights. A Dark-type Pokémon, Darkrai uses the Dark Void move, along with Embargo, which stops foes from using held items.

In the anime[]

Darkrai M10

Darkrai in The Rise of Darkrai

Darkrai starred of the 10th Pokémon movie, The Rise of Darkrai. At the beginning of the movie, many thought that the Pokémon was an evil creature, though in the end it was revealed to have a good heart when it went off to stop the fighting between rival Pokémon Dialga and Palkia. After sacrificing itself to save the world, Palkia used its powers to turn everything back to normal, thus reviving Darkrai. It reappeared in a cameo in the ending credits of Arceus and the Jewel of Life.

In the main anime, Darkrai was owned by a Trainer named Tobias alongside Latios who was defeated by Ash Ketchum's Sceptile in The Semi-Final Frontier!. Darkrai is one of the few Legendary or Mythical Pokémon in the anime to compete in the Pokémon League Conference. A wild Darkrai also made recurring or cameo/minor appearances in the anime.

In Pikachu, What's This Key?, Meowth, Wobbuffet, and Inkay visited a Darkrai courtesy of Klefki's keys. Darkrai scared them out of a dark world in which it resided.

Origin and inspiration[]

Darkrai's appearance and abilities suggest it is based on the concept of nightmares or a mare. Resembling a shadow, it may also have been inspired by the bogeyman, the Greek god Morpheus, genies (or jinn), or the Oneiroi, namely Phobetor. It might also be based on the Nocnitsa from Slavic folklore. The Nocnitsa is an evil spirit that torments children with horrible nightmares, slowly draining them of their life energy with each passing night. Supposedly, the only way to protect oneself from Nocnitsa is by placing a knife or special stone underneath a pillow. This is similar to how victims of Darkrai's nightmares can only be woken up with the Lunar Feather.

Darkrai may be a combination of dark and 暗い kurai (dark).

In-game information[]

Pokédex entries[]

Title Entry
Fourth Pokémon generation
Pokémon Diamond It can lull people to sleep and make them dream. It is active during nights of the new moon.
Pokémon Pearl Folklore has it that on moonless nights, this Pokémon will make people see horrific nightmares.
Pokémon Platinum To protect itself, it afflicts those around it with nightmares. However, it means no harm.
Pokémon HeartGold It chases people and Pokémon from its territory by causing them to experience deep, nightmarish slumbers.
Pokémon SoulSilver It chases people and Pokémon from its territory by causing them to experience deep, nightmarish slumbers.
Fifth Pokémon generation
Pokémon Black To protect itself, it afflicts those around it with nightmares. However, it means no harm.
Pokémon White To protect itself, it afflicts those around it with nightmares. However, it means no harm.
Pokémon Black 2 To protect itself, it afflicts those around it with nightmares. However, it means no harm.
Pokémon White 2 To protect itself, it afflicts those around it with nightmares. However, it means no harm.
Sixth Pokémon generation
Pokémon X It chases people and Pokémon from its territory by causing them to experience deep, nightmarish slumbers.
Pokémon Y It can lull people to sleep and make them dream. It is active during nights of the new moon.
Pokémon Omega Ruby It chases people and Pokémon from its territory by causing them to experience deep, nightmarish slumbers.
Pokémon Alpha Sapphire It can lull people to sleep and make them dream. It is active during nights of the new moon.
Eighth Pokémon generation
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond It can lull people to sleep and make them dream. It is active during nights of the new moon.
Pokémon Shining Pearl Folklore has it that on moonless nights, this Pokémon will make people see horrific nightmares.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus On a moonless night, a strange incident occurred in which every one of a village's inhabitants suffered nightmares. The villagers attested that Darkrai appeared before them in these nightmares.


Game locations[]

Title Location(s)
Fourth Pokémon generation
Pokémon Diamond
New Moon Island
Pokémon Pearl
New Moon Island
Pokémon Platinum
New Moon Island
Fifth Pokémon generation
Pokémon Black
Event
Pokémon White
Event
Pokémon Black 2
Trade
Pokémon White 2
Trade
Sixth Pokémon generation
Pokémon X
Event
Pokémon Y
Event
Pokémon Omega Ruby
Event
Pokémon Alpha Sapphire
Event
Eighth Pokémon generation
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond
New Moon Island
Pokémon Shining Pearl
New Moon Island
Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Clamberclaw Cliffs (requires save file from Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl)
Ninth Pokémon generation
Pokémon Scarlet
Event
Pokémon Violet
Event


Base Stats[]

Base Stats
HP 70
Attack 90
Defense 90
Sp. Attack 125
Sp. Defense 90
Speed 125
Total 600

Moveset[]

Main article: Darkrai/moveset

Gallery[]

  Main article: Darkrai/gallery

Sprites[]

Sprites
Diamond Pearl
PKMNDP491


PKMNDP491-S

Platinum
PKMNP491


PKMNP491-S

Heart Soul
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Black White
PKMNBW491


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Black 2 White 2
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X Y
PKMNXY491


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Brilliant Diamond Shining Pearl
PKMNBDSP491


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Legends Arceus
PKMNPLA491


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Scarlet Violet
PKMNSV491


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Trivia[]

  • Darkrai's effort value yield of 2 Special Attack and 1 Speed is unique.
  • Sailor Eldritch's son says "Dar... Dark... Is watching me..." in his sleep before the player cures his nightmare. It is assumed that he is talking about Darkrai, as it is known to give its victims horrific nightmares.
  • In the early Japanese versions of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Darkrai can be caught with the Surf glitch. However, this glitch was fixed in other language versions. Another glitch has been discovered that allows players of other language releases to reach Darkrai without the Member Card.
    • This has been remedied in Pokémon Platinum, however, Darkrai itself will not appear on the island without the event ticket.
  • Despite being a gender-unknown Pokémon, the Darkrai in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky is referred to as a male.

External links[]

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