Poké Ball

Biodata

Functions

• A Poké Ball activates when its central button is struck or pressed. It opens and projects a red beam that envelops and draws in the target Pokémon. A successful capture is signaled when its flashing red light and shaking stop, often with a distinct sound. 4 7 18 46
• Both humans and Pokémon can operate one. Poliwag accidentally captures itself by slapping the button with its tail, then later launches a ball at a Sharp-toothed Fish on Yu Hai's command. 4 7
• Trainers use Poké Balls to release or recall their Pokémon, allowing them to travel with several Pokémon while keeping only selected companions outside. 90 181 294
• Poké Balls can contain captured food or other items; Yu Hai regards them as “natural refrigerators” that keep food fresh and isolate unpleasant smells. 39
• Pokémon do not starve while confined, though prolonged confinement can leave them weak and hungry. Pidgey survives two days inside a captured ball but is nearly starving when released. 133
• A capture is not inherently permanent. Strong or unwilling Pokémon can resist or escape: Scyther notes it could break free if it chose, while the newly activated Golemwatt breaks out of both a regular Poké Ball and a Heavy Ball before later consenting to remain inside. 287 717

Variants

History

Yu Hai discovers his first Poké Ball by accident while scavenging on the deserted island. After tripping over it, he sees the red-and-white sphere roll toward the sea and wades in to retrieve it before the waves take it away. Its presence on an uninhabited island immediately strikes him as suspicious. 3

The recovered ball enables Yu Hai to become a Trainer. When Poliwag slaps its button, the ball captures it, ending Yu Hai's isolation and making Poliwag his first Pokémon partner. 4

Poké Balls quickly become central to Yu Hai's survival methods. He uses them for capturing opponents after battle, such as the Sharp-toothed Fish and Magikarp, and values additional empty balls because they can preserve edible Pokémon without exposing him to odors. 7 18 39

After reaching civilization, Yu Hai begins selecting balls for comfort rather than capture rate alone. He purchases Dive Balls for Water-types, a Net Ball for Butterfree, and a Heal Ball for emergency treatment; Poliwhirl confirms that the Dive Ball is comfortable. 163 181

Later uses range from large-scale capture operations—throwing hundreds of empty standard balls into a Magikarp migration—to containment of unusual beings such as Golemwatt, Sigilyph, and Regice. 358 717 941 971

Notable Uses

• Poliwag's capture — Poliwag activates Yu Hai's first ball itself by striking its button with its tail. 4
• Sharp-toothed Fish capture — Poliwag tail-slaps a rolling Poké Ball into the weakened fish, demonstrating that Pokémon can actively deploy them. 7
• Caterpie capture — Yu Hai's successful capture reveals Caterpie’s unusually high 58% potential and inherited Psychic move. 45 46
• Kingler's acceptance — Yu Hai offers Kingler an empty Poké Ball rather than forcing a capture; Kingler touches the button and joins voluntarily. 90
• Mass Magikarp screening — Yu Hai, Butterfree, and Slowpoke use large numbers of empty balls to capture migrating Magikarp before checking their potential and releasing unsuitable ones. 358
• Golemwatt's containment — Regular Poké Balls cannot hold the newly awakened Golemwatt, and even a Heavy Ball fails until Umbreon explains that entering the ball means joining friends. 717
• Regice's capture — Gengar carries an empty ball through an ice wall and taps it against Regice, completing the capture without resistance. 971

Trivia

• Yu Hai identifies the first ball he finds as resembling a “classic first-generation” Poké Ball from his previous world. 3
• Poké Ball shops prominently display standard red-and-white balls, while specialty variants are marketed for improved capture rates or more suitable living environments. 163
• Yu Hai considers capture-rate bonuses largely unnecessary when a target has already been knocked unconscious, believing such targets are effectively guaranteed to be caught. 163