The Unbelievable Move from Ash's Pokémon That Would Completely Shatter the Gaming World

Ash's Froakie becomes Greninja, one of his strongest Pokémon. However, even as a Froakie, it proves to be a formidable opponent thanks to its special technique called "Frubbles." Frubbles, short for Froakie Bubbles, are a sticky substance that Froakie secretes from its neck. Although not a move in the games, Frubbles quickly become Ash's secret weapon.

From the moment Froakie appears, its Frubbles are shown to be extremely adhesive. Anyone or any Pokémon hit by them becomes immobilized. The Frubbles appear as the white substance around Froakie's neck, integrated into its design. Interestingly, Ash's Froakie can gather a handful of Frubbles and projectile them at opponents. He first utilizes this against Team Rocket's Wobbuffet, which attempts to reflect all attacks with Mirror Coat. However, since Frubbles are not an official Pokémon move, Mirror Coat fails to deflect them, resulting in Wobbuffet getting trapped.

Froakie's Frubbles Render Opponents Helpless

After witnessing the impressive effectiveness of Frubbles against Wobbuffet, Ash incorporated them into Froakie's skill set on a regular basis. He utilized Frubbles to halt a rampaging Garchomp by restraining it in place. Even after evolving into Frogadier, Froakie continued to utilize Frubbles, which still adorned its neck with the same distinctive white substance. Froakie's use of Frubbles extended beyond combat scenarios, as they were employed to create a protective mask to defend against airborne particles like Poison Powder, to blind opponents, and during training to simulate the Bug-type move Sticky Web. It appears that Frubbles possess a high level of versatility, serving as a fundamental component of Ash's strategies involving Froakie.

Although the bubbles are mentioned in Froakie's Pokédex entry in the games, the term "Frubbles" is never explicitly used. Additionally, Froakie does not possess a move called Frubbles that can be utilized during battles, neither in its initial appearance in Pokémon X/Y nor in subsequent games. This is likely for the best, as Froakie's Frubbles possess the ability to completely immobilize an enemy Pokémon, rendering them unable to dodge attacks, which would be overwhelmingly powerful. However, the Pokédex does confirm that the bubbles contribute to Froakie's defense by reducing the impact of incoming attacks, demonstrating yet another advantageous attribute possessed by these Frubbles.

Ash's Froakie Special Move Foreshadows His Evolution

In terms of aesthetics, the Frubbles in the anime are highly fitting as Froakie throws them with a resemblance to ninja shuriken, hinting at the Water Shuriken move that Greninja gains upon evolution. This concept also aligns with the tricks traditionally associated with ninjas, making it a suitable characteristic for the frog-like ninja Pokémon. Although Ash's utilization of the Frubbles may be overly potent for the games, they serve as an ideal solution for various non-combat predicaments frequently encountered in the anime. Moreover, the significance of Frubbles is eventually shared by Ash with Goh, who later captures his own Froakie. Consequently, Frubbles remain a valuable tool throughout a substantial portion of the Pokémon anime.