Latias and Latios facts for kids

Latias (ラティアス, Ratiasu, lah-TEE-ahss) and Latios (ラティオス, Ratiosu, lah-TEE-ohss) are special Pokémon from the popular Pokémon games and shows. They were created by Ken Sugimori. He designed them to look like cool European dragons mixed with jet planes!

These two are known as the Eon Pokémon. They are legendary Pokémon, which means they are very rare and powerful. They first appeared in the Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald games. Latias is female, and Latios is male. They were the first legendary Pokémon to have different genders!

Latias is mostly red and white, while Latios is blue and gray. Latios is also bigger and has sharper angles than Latias. They were main characters in the movie Pokémon Heroes. Some people didn't like their voices or Latias's ability to turn into a human in that movie. However, fans really liked them in the video games. In the Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire games, Latios and Latias can even change into stronger Mega forms!

Design and Special Abilities

Like all characters in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Latios and Latias were designed by Ken Sugimori. He worked with the game's development team. Latios and Latias are dragon-like Pokémon that look a bit like Lugia.

Latios and Latias have similar body shapes. Latios is larger than Latias. The bottom half of Latios is blue, and Latias's bottom half is red. They both have wings like a jet plane and short arms. Their arms have three small claws at the end. Latios has a red triangle on his chest, and Latias has a blue ring. The top part of Latias's body is white, while Latios's is darker. Latias has a red face with a white pentagon shape in the middle. Latios has a blue face with a white teardrop shape. They both have ears that end in two points. Latias's ear points are separate, but Latios's are close together.

Latios's Powers

Latios can fold his arms and fly super fast, even faster than a jet! He can show others images he has seen or imagined in his mind. Latios can also understand what humans are saying. Even when he is hiding, Latios can sense where others are and how they feel using telepathy.

Latios is very protective, especially of Latias. He is usually calm and doesn't like to fight. He will trust a Trainer who is kind and caring. But if he feels trapped, he can burst with energy to escape!

Latias's Powers

Latias is very smart and can understand human speech. She can also talk to others using her mind, which is called telepathy. If Latias feels someone is being mean to her, she will ruffle her feathers and make a loud, sharp cry to scare them away.

However, Latias usually just disappears if she senses danger. She can use a special trick to become invisible. She does this by covering her body with a glass-like coat of down. This coat bends light in a unique way, making her disappear. She can even use this power to look like a human or another Pokémon!

Where They Appear

In the Video Games

Latios and Latias first appeared in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. You could find them after you finished the Pokémon League. They would appear randomly in different areas, much like Raikou, Entei, and Suicune in Gold, Silver, and Crystal.

They also appeared in Pokémon Emerald, which is a remake of Ruby and Sapphire. In Emerald, your character's mom would ask if you saw a red or blue Pokémon on TV. Your answer decided if Latias (red) or Latios (blue) would appear in your game.

One cool way to get them was with an "Eon Ticket." This ticket let you travel to a special island to catch the other Eon Pokémon. In America, you could get these tickets at certain Toys "R" Us stores. In the UK, fans visited Gamestation stores.

In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Latias or Latios would roam around the Kanto region after you got the National Pokédex. You could get the other one through a special Wi-Fi event or by trading.

In Black 2 and White 2, Latias (in White 2) or Latios (in Black 2) would appear in the Dreamyard. After a chase, you could battle and catch them. After the battle, a special item called a Soul Dew would appear.

You can also recruit Latias and Latios in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team. This happens after you finish the main story.

In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Latios and Latias are part of the main story. They help you unlock Mega Evolution. With a new item called the Eon Flute, you can even use them to "Soar" and fly to places you've already visited, just like using the move Fly!

Latias also appears in the Super Smash Bros. Brawl fighting game series. She appears with Latios from Poké Balls. They use a move called Steel Wing to damage opponents who touch them. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, they also appear together as a Spirit. They are also characters you can meet in PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure.

In Other Stories

Latios and Latias have a big role in the movie Pokémon Heroes. They are the guardians of Altomare, a city that looks like Venice, Italy. In the movie, Latios and Latias were hunted by two villains, Annie and Oakley. Latias helped Ash save Latios. Latios didn't trust humans much, but he learned to. At the end of the movie, Latios bravely sacrificed himself to save Altomare from a huge tsunami. This was the first time a Pokémon actually died in the anime series. After his sacrifice, Latios became a new Soul Dew, becoming the city's new guardian.

Latios and Latias also appeared in Pikachu's Island Adventure. They used their powers to help Pikachu, Meowth, and other Pokémon. They were searching for a legendary item called 'Wailord's Tear' under the ocean.

Latios also appeared in the Diamond and Pearl series of the anime. He belonged to a Trainer named Tobias at the Pokémon League. In Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages, Latias and Latios helped Ash and his friends stop a powerful Pokémon called Hoopa Unbound. Both of them, along with Rayquaza, even Mega Evolved in that movie!

In the Pokémon Adventures manga (comic books), Latios and Latias became friends with a Trainer named Emerald. They took Emerald to the Battle Frontier. Latias sometimes appeared as a human by using her light-bending ability. Latios helped a photographer named Todd watch events happening at the Battle Pyramid.

In the spin-off game Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs, you can summon Latios or Latias. Latios appears if you play as the male character, and Latias appears if you play as the female character. They help you fly between places faster. They are also very important in the story, helping you reach an area called Mt. Latolato.