Ditto transformations

There are several instances of Ditto transformations in Pokémon media.

In the core series games, a Pokémon that uses Transform accurately copies the appearance of the target. However, starting with Duplica's Ditto in the Pokémon the Series: The Beginning episode Ditto's Mysterious Mansion, several Ditto in various Pokémon media retain their original faces while transformed.

Transformation types

Perfect copy

Any Pokémon who uses Transform becomes a visually perfect copy of the target in several games, as the same sprites or renders used for the transformation target are also used for the transformed Pokémon. This is the case in the core series (except for the color palettes in early generations), the side series, and the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series (except in "Here Comes Team Charm!" from Explorers of Sky).

Ditto has also been shown become a visually perfect copy in Pokémon GO, Pokémon Masters EX, Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs, Pokémon the Series (with some exceptions like Duplica's Ditto), the POKÉTOON short Wait for Me, Magikarp!, Pokémon Adventures, and Magical Pokémon Journey. In Dit-to Ditto, most but not all Ditto transform perfectly.

Retaining original colors

In Generations I and II core series games, any Pokémon who uses Transform retains its original color palette. For instance, in Generation II, a Shiny Ditto transforms into a blue version of any Pokémon.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the Ditto from the Poké Ball item transforms into a purple version of any fighter.

In The Electric Tale of Pikachu, Ditto transforms into a purple version of Ash Ketchum.

Dimmed colors

In the Generation III core series games only, any Pokémon who uses Transform appears as an almost perfect copy of the target, except with slightly dimmed colors.

Retaining original Shininess

In Pokémon Stadium 2 and Generation III games (including Pokémon Colosseum and XD: Gale of Darkness), any Pokémon who uses Transforms retains its own Shininess or lack thereof.

For instance, if a Shiny Ditto uses Transform on any Pokémon, it will appear as the Shiny sprite or render of the target Pokémon. The transformed Ditto will be visually indistinguishable from the Shiny version of the target, except for the slightly dimmed colors in the Generation III core series as mentioned above.

Retaining original face

In the Pokémon the Series: The Beginning episode Ditto's Mysterious Mansion, Duplica's Ditto retained its original face while transformed until it eventually learned how to transform its face as well. This was presented as an anomaly, but several other Ditto in various Pokémon media have also been since depicted with their original face while transformed.

Other examples include Ditto from Pokémon Snap, the Special Episode "Here Comes Team Charm!" from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky, Eevee × Tamagotchi, the Ditto Collection merchandise, The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga, Pokémon Newspaper Strip, the Dit-to Ditto music video, and several Ditto cards from the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Retaining original size

In Imitation Confrontation, Duplica's second Ditto named Mini-Dit was unable to change its size, turning into small copies of large Pokémon.

Half-way transformation

A XY Black Star Promo Ditto card depicts a Ditto half-transformed into Pikachu. In Pokémon 4Koma #39, several Ditto appear half-transformed as well, each with a Pikachu head on a Ditto body.

In The Electric Tale of Pikachu, Duplica's Ditto appears partially transformed into Machop.

Other transformations

In the Dit-to Ditto music video, a Ditto transforms into Ditto with its face on its back, and another Ditto transforms into a Ditto with its body upside-down but not its face.

In the core series games

In the core series games, Ditto's only available move is Transform. From Generation V onwards, Ditto can also transform by using its signature Ability Imposter.

Some Pokédex entries state that Ditto transforms into a stone when sleeping in order to avoid being attacked.

Pokémon Crystal

Pokémon Crystal's intro starts with a Ditto transforming into the Game Freak logo.

Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum

In Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, the Veilstone Game Corner, during the Game Corner slot machine game, a Clefairy with a Ditto face will occasionally appear instead of a real Clefairy.

Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon

In Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, the player can encounter a Ditto transformed into a human at the Police Station on Route 9. After battling it, the player is tasked with apprehending the remaining Ditto Five, also transformed into humans, in Konikoni City.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

In The Indigo Disk, various Ditto Blocks can be found as objectives in Blueberry Quests throughout the Terarium, where Ditto will seemingly transform into one of the many cubes with rounded edges that make up many of the structures of the Terarium.

In the side series games

In the Pokémon Stadium series, Colosseum, XD: Gale of Darkness, and Battle Revolution, which feature Pokemon battles based on the core series games, Ditto's only available move is Transform.

Pokémon Stadium series

In Pokémon Stadium and Stadium 2, a Ditto transforms into the countdown "3", "2", "1", "GO!" seen at the start of any mini-game.

In the spin-off games

Pokémon GO

In Pokémon GO, Ditto first became available on November 23, 2016. It appears disguised as other Pokémon in the wild. Players will only find out whether a Pokémon is a Ditto if successfully captured, upon which a cutscene will show the Pokémon transforming back into Ditto.

Pokémon Masters EX

In Pokémon Masters EX, the April Fools' Day 2022 event "Find the Ditto impostors!" features several Trainer duplicates which are in fact Ditto transformed into humans.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

In the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series, much like in the core series games, Ditto's only available move is Transform.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky

In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky, the Special Episode "Here Comes Team Charm!" features a Ditto who transforms into Sentret and Bellossom while retaining its face. This Ditto is also able to transform into a Treasure Box.

Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs

In Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs, Kasa's Ditto transforms into Suicune, Raikou, and Entei.

Pokémon Snap

In Pokémon Snap, Ditto takes the form of Bulbasaur in the Cave stage.

Super Smash Bros. series

Super Smash Bros. Melee

In Super Smash Bros. Melee, Ditto was an unused Poké Ball summon. The Nintendo Power strategy guide still mentions its existence, and would have transformed into the player that threw the Poké Ball.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the Ditto summoned from the Poké Ball transforms into a purple version of the fighter who used this item.

Pokémon Sleep

This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Ditto's sleep styles

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Eevee × Tamagotchi

In Eevee × Tamagotchi, an Eevee with minimal care and food becomes a Ditto transformed into Eevee.

Pokémon Trozei series

In Pokémon Trozei! and Battle Trozei, the puzzle games usually involve forming combos of at least four Pokémon of the same species. Although Ditto is not seen transforming in-game, it works a "wild card", counting as any Pokémon for the purpose of forming combos.

In Pokémon Shuffle, before Ditto was legitimately available, it was originally coded as a wild card like in the previous games. However, instead of being a wild card, Ditto was released in 2017 with the Transform skill, which causes up to 3 Ditto to transform into another support Pokémon.

In animation

Pokémon the Series

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Pokémon the Series: The Beginning

In Ditto's Mysterious Mansion, Duplica's Ditto transformed into Ash's Pikachu, Ash's Bulbasaur, a Voltorb, a Machoke, and Team Rocket's Meowth, while still retaining its original face. At some point, Jessie showed Duplica's Ditto a picture of a young boy with blue hair and requested to see how he would look like as an adult, but Ditto transformed into a picture of the adult man while still retaining Ditto's original face. Jessie also wanted Ditto to transform into Dratini, but once she showed it a book with Dratini's picture, Ditto transformed into a book instead. At the end of this episode, Duplica's Ditto learned how to transform perfectly, including its face.

In Hello Pummelo, Drake's Ditto transformed into Ash's Pikachu.

Pokémon the Series: Gold and Silver

In Imitation Confrontation, Duplica's Ditto transformed into Ash's Pikachu and Jessie's Arbok, and Duplica's Mini-Dit transformed into Ash's Totodile and miniature versions of Jessie's Arbok, Jessie's Wobbuffet, an Onix, and an Ursaring.

The Japanese ending theme "Exciting² Pokémon Relay (Hard Version)", a faster version of the "Exciting Pokémon Relay", features a Ditto who is unable to transform until it transforms at the end of the song.

Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire

In Unfair-Weather Friends, Brodie's Ditto transformed into Castform and Team Aqua's Crawdaunt,

Pikachu shorts

In PK15, a Ditto is transformed into Cubone.

POKÉTOON

In Wait for Me, Magikarp!, there is a single real Bulbasaur together with a group of Ditto transformed into Bulbasaur. All the Ditto reveal themselves when a little girl hugs the real Bulbasaur.

Dit-to Ditto

In the Japanese music video Dit-to Ditto, a Ditto transformed into a rock. Later, a Ditto transformed into a flawless Pikachu and a second Ditto transformed into a Pikachu while retaining its face. In a battle between two Ditto, they repeatedly transformed into each other, retaining their original appearance except one of them transformed backwards and the other transformed upside-down. A Ditto transformed into Pidgey, and then it met a group consisting of a Mareep, a Clefairy, a Psyduck, and an Omanyte which were all revealed to be transformed Ditto.

In live action

In POKÉMON Detective Pikachu, Ms. Norman is a genetically modified Ditto who can transform into humans while retaining its eyes. It usually takes human form as Howard Clifford's female personal assistant, and is also seen transforming into Roger Clifford and Lucy Stevens.

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Red, Green & Blue arc

In Tauros the Tyrant, Green's Ditto named Ditty transformed into Ken's Tauros. It later transformed into Mew in order to keep Ken and Team Rocket occupied.

In Zap! Zap! Zapdos!, Ditty was disguised as Blasty.

Yellow arc

In Clefabulous Clefable, Ditty disguised itself as Green's right hand when she was fighting against Lorelei, tricking her into believing she had bound Green and Sabrina together.

Gold, Silver & Crystal arc

In Heckled by Hitmontop, Ditty disguised as a male face mask worn by Green.

FireRed & LeafGreen arc

In Now You See Me..., Ditty transformed into Deoxys.

The Electric Tale of Pikachu

In The Electric Tale of Pikachu:

• In a single-page comic at the start of the second volume, a Ditto is partially transformed into Ash Ketchum, with a purple body, Ditto face and its purple clothes are part of its transformed body.
• In the chapter Pikachu's Excellent Adventure, Duplica's Ditto appears partially transformed into Machop, including a malleable body with thin limbs and a Ditto face.

Pokémon Zensho

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In Pokémon Zensho, a wild Ditto transformed into grass. It was later caught by Satoshi and transformed into Koga.

Magical Pokémon Journey

In Magical Pokémon Journey, Master Ditto is a recurring character who is able to transform.

Pokémon 4Koma Plaza

In the Pokémon 4Koma Plaza, the strips from #37 to #39 form a short storyline where several Ditto transform into Pikachu.

Pokémon Newspaper Strip

In the Pokémon Newspaper Strip, Ditto was seen transformed into a human girl, as well as Ash's Pikachu, Squirtle, Clefairy, and Metapod. It also transformed into Ash's Snorlax and Charmander offscreen.

In the TCG

There are several cards which feature Ditto transformed into another species while retaining its face.

In merchandise

Ditto Collection

The Ditto Collection is a collection of merchandise featuring Ditto transformed into other Pokémon.

Pokémon Shirts

The Pokémon Shirts collection features a shirt with a Ditto pattern. This pattern includes the regular Ditto, as well as Ditto transformed into Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pikachu, and Eevee.

In the board games

Pokémon Yahtzee Jr.

Pokémon Yahtzee Jr. involves rolling dice and matching Pokémon of the same species. In the 1999 edition, Ditto counts as any other species for Pokémon matching purposes. However, in the 2004 edition, Ditto's role is replaced by Pikachu instead.

Related articles

• Ditto
• Variant Pokémon

Pokémon forms and variants Permanent Shiny Pokémon (GO · GO list · TCG) • Alternately colored Pokémon (animation) • Gender differences Form differences (GO) • Totem-like Pokémon • Brilliant Pokémon • Alpha Pokémon Form changes and transformations Mega Evolution (Shuffle · Masters · GO) • Primal Reversion (GO) • Bond Phenomenon Ultra Burst • Dynamax (GO) • Gigantamax (GO) • Eternamax • Terastal phenomenon Groups Totem Pokémon • Noble Pokémon • Titan Pokémon Regional forms Alolan • Galarian • Hisuian • Paldean Analogous species Paradox Pokémon • Ecologically similar Pokémon Species-specific Arbok variants • Pikachu variants (Surfing · Flying · Cosplay · Cap) • Eevee variants Miscellaneous Giant Pokémon • Spiky-eared Pichu • Partner Pokémon (LGPE) Fusions (GO) • Human–Pokémon transformation • Talking Pokémon Side series original Colo/XD: Shadow Pokémon (Shadow Lugia · list) Spin-off original GO: Shadow Pokémon (list) • Battle-Only Form • Mighty Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Primal Dialga • Rumble: Toy Pokémon (Rusty Pokémon) Pokkén: Shadow Mewtwo • Quest: Pokéxel • New Snap: Illumina phenomenon Animation original Pokémon the Series: Pink Butterfree • Clone Pokémon • Crystal Onix Mirage Pokémon • Meta Groudon • Green-crystal Deoxys Manga original Adventures: Thu-Fi-Zer • Electric Tale: Black Fog • Golden Boys: Black Tyranitar TCG original Crystal Pokémon • Dark Pokémon • Light Pokémon δ Delta Species • • • Radiant Pokémon

This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.