Revision 1

Overview

Professor Tangrowth (Japanese: Mojumbo-hakase) is the first Pokemon the player encounters in Pokemon Pokopia and serves as the primary guide throughout the entire game. Similar to how Isabelle and Tom Nook function in the Animal Crossing series, Professor Tangrowth is the player's main source of information, quest reminders, and lore exposition. It was the last Pokemon that remained active in the world of Pokopia while all other Pokemon were placed into digital storage.

Appearance

Professor Tangrowth is visually distinct from a regular Tangrowth. Its vines on the top half of its body are white rather than the typical blue, resembling the lab coats worn by Pokemon Professors in the main series. It wears a broken pair of Wise Glasses positioned under its eyes, carries a walking stick, and has a TM disc balanced on top of its head. These human accessories reflect its fascination with human devices and activities, picked up during its time living alongside a human Pokemon Professor.

Backstory

Before the humans disappeared from the Kanto region, Professor Tangrowth was a Tangela living with a human Pokemon Professor. During that time, the young Tangela occasionally played with the Professor's grandchild and interacted with visiting Pokemon Trainers. Through these experiences, Tangela developed a deep interest in human tools and technology.

When the climate crisis struck and humanity evacuated the planet through the Pokemon Conservation Project (a plan to store all Pokemon in massive computer storage systems while humans took refuge in space), the human Professor disappeared along with everyone else. Tangela, having somehow avoided being placed in digital storage, kept the Professor's broken glasses and began wearing them as a memento. Over the years, Tangela evolved into Tangrowth and adopted the role of a professor itself, becoming the sole caretaker of the withered world.

When Ditto awakens at the start of the game, Professor Tangrowth is surprised to find another Pokemon active in the world. It serves as Ditto's mentor, teaching the basics of life in Pokopia: gathering materials, crafting, building habitats, and befriending Pokemon released from storage.

Role in the Story

Professor Tangrowth appears in every area of the game and can usually be found wandering near the Pokemon Center in each zone. If the player needs a reminder of active requests or the next story objective, talking to Tangrowth provides guidance.

Withered Wasteland

Professor Tangrowth is first encountered here when Ditto wakes up. It introduces the player to all basic mechanics: crafting, building, terrain manipulation, befriending Pokemon, and habitat creation. During the "Yawn Up a Storm" Important Request, Tangrowth provides the player's first Castform Weather Charm and explains the weather system. Additional charms can be found at Tangrowth's old trolley of items in the starting cave area (past where Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle live). Tangrowth also introduces the Team Initiation Challenge at the sand-covered lighthouse tower in the Withered Wasteland.

Bleak Beach

After the player discovers Mosslax sleeping in a cave (by using Rock Smash to break through rocks), Professor Tangrowth arrives and formally establishes the "Brighten Things Up!" Important Request, the main quest for Bleak Beach. Tangrowth explains the electricity system and the bloom point mechanic required to awaken Mosslax.

Rocky Ridges

Professor Tangrowth guides the player through Rocky Ridges' mining and smelting systems. The Pewter City Museum in this area is where Tangrowth helps establish the Lost Relic appraisal and exchange system. Tangrowth introduces the player to the museum's resident Gimmighoul.

Sparkling Skylands

In Sparkling Skylands, Professor Tangrowth directs the player to the top of the rebuilt Celadon Department Store where Mewtwo awaits after the 4F rebuild is completed. Tangrowth plays a key role in the Mewtwo encounter sequence.

Team Initiation Challenge and Ending

Professor Tangrowth introduces the Team Initiation Challenge, an 8-stage quest centered at the sand-covered lighthouse tower in the Withered Wasteland. Tangrowth guides the player through each stage, providing context for the materials and items required. At the final stage (Stage 8), after the player submits 1 Photo and 2 Party Poppers, Professor Tangrowth appears in person, sets off the Party Poppers, and the lighthouse transforms into a rocket ship that launches into space, triggering the game's credits.

After the credits, a new area below the lighthouse unlocks. Professor Tangrowth continues to be available in the post-game for relic appraisals and as a general guide.

Appraise Specialty

Professor Tangrowth is the only Pokemon in the entire game with the Appraise specialty. This makes it the sole Pokemon capable of identifying Lost Relics found inside glowing blocks throughout the world.

How Appraisal Works

1. Find a Lost Relic by locating glowing spots in the ground. Use a Pokemon with the Search specialty and the Dowsing Machine ability to find hidden spots more easily.

2. Break the block using Rock Smash (some blocks require Water Gun instead to prevent explosion).

3. Collect the unidentified relic.

4. Bring the relic to Professor Tangrowth, who can be found near the Pokemon Center in any area.

5. Tangrowth appraises the relic, revealing its identity and allowing it to be used or traded.

Lost Relic Types

Some relics have special properties. Certain Large Relics can attract specific Pokemon to habitats when placed as decorations. The Eerie Candle, Castform Weather Charm, and Fishing Rod are notable functional relics that affect gameplay.

Gimmighoul and the Museum

Once relics are appraised by Professor Tangrowth, duplicate relics can be traded with Gimmighoul, the only Pokemon with the Collect specialty. Gimmighoul is located in the Pewter City Museum deep inside the caves of Rocky Ridges. Players can exchange duplicate relics for unique furniture items and other goods. Gimmighoul also accepts Rainbow Feathers (obtained from Ho-Oh) for special exclusive items.

Lore Revelations

Professor Tangrowth is the primary source of lore in Pokopia, gradually revealing the history of the world through dialogue as the player progresses:

• The Climate Crisis: The Kanto region was devastated by a climate crisis linked to weather disturbances, potentially involving legendary Pokemon like Kyogre and Groudon. The environment deteriorated to the point where it could no longer sustain life normally.

• The Pokemon Conservation Project: Humanity's response was to create massive computer storage systems (similar to the PC boxes used by Pokemon Trainers) to safely store all Pokemon while humans evacuated to space.

• Human Evacuation: Humans left the planet entirely, taking refuge in space. Some returned periodically to survey the environment and maintain the Pokemon storage systems, but eventually all contact ceased.

• Tangrowth's Survival: Professor Tangrowth was somehow never placed in digital storage, making it the last active Pokemon in the world. Its solitary vigil lasted until Ditto awakened at the start of the game.

• Human Records: The outfits found throughout the game (Sailor Outfit, Ranger Outfit, Team Rocket Outfit, etc.) are called Human Records, artifacts left behind by the departed humans. They serve as the primary physical evidence of human civilization.

Items Provided

Professor Tangrowth provides several key items throughout the story:

Personality

Professor Tangrowth is characterized as a patient, knowledgeable, and slightly eccentric mentor figure. Its fascination with human tools and technology (evidenced by the glasses, TM disc, and walking stick) gives it an absent-minded professor quality. Despite being the last active Pokemon in a devastated world, Tangrowth maintains an optimistic outlook and is genuinely delighted when Ditto begins restoring the environment and befriending other Pokemon.

Tangrowth functions as both a guide and a historian. It provides practical gameplay advice (quest reminders, system explanations) alongside deeper lore about the world's past. Players who engage with Tangrowth's optional dialogue lines receive the most complete picture of Pokopia's backstory.

Tips

• Talk to Professor Tangrowth whenever you are stuck. It always provides a reminder of the current active request and hints about what to do next.

• Bring Lost Relics to Tangrowth regularly for appraisal. Unidentified relics cannot be used, displayed, or traded until appraised.

• Check Tangrowth's trolley in the starting cave for extra Castform Weather Charms. These are easy to miss on a first playthrough.

• Visit Tangrowth after reaching Environment Level 5 in each story area to receive the special recipe items needed for the Team Initiation Challenge.

• Engage with Tangrowth's optional lore dialogue. It provides the most detailed explanation of why humans left and what happened to the world.

• After finding the Pewter City Museum in Rocky Ridges, establish a regular route: find relics, appraise with Tangrowth, trade duplicates with Gimmighoul.