What other newer Pokémon could be answers to the infamous Jigglypuff exam question?

Question

In EP056 - Pokémon Certification Test in the original Pokémon anime series, there's an infamous scene where the main characters are asked a trick question.

In the scene, the characters are taking a Pokémon test where they are challenged to recognize Pokémon by identifying silhouettes:

Please name the Pokémon by identifying its silhouette (or any part of its body) as it's displayed here

One of those silhouettes is of a ball. The characters come up with some reasonable guesses - a Voltorb, Pokéball, or Electrode - but it is revealed to be a Jigglypuff seen from above:

Before	After

Voltorb Guess	Pokéball Guess	Electrode Guess

When this episode came out, there were only the original generation of Pokémon. Since then, many more have been released.

If the question was asked with every Pokémon in existence today, would there be any additional valid guesses to this question? That is to say, does there exist any other Pokémon whose silhouette could be a perfect circle from at least one angle?

Interestingly enough, the circle on screen isn't PERFECTLY round, if you look closely, although that might have been unintentional and/or an artefact from digitizing a TV tape. i.sstatic.net/fdzSx.png — Vilx-, Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 17:06
@Vilx- As a Stack Overflow user, I approve that unperfect hand drawn circle, even if it isn't red. — Clockwork, Commented Aug 6, 2021 at 12:52
As a comment; as with several countries, the Japanese Educational System has been repeatedly criticised over a great many years for "teaching to the test" — that is, training students to regurgitate an expected answer to known styles of questions, without actually understanding the subject matter. This episode was quite clearly lampooning exactly that teaching style, with Ash et al — who did know the subject matter quite well — failing because they gave correct* answers instead of **expected answers, and the school/pupils patting themselves on the back for being "better" by passing. — Chronocidal, Commented Aug 7, 2021 at 13:03

4 revs, 3 users 82% · Accepted Answer · 2021-08-06 07:28:41Z

42

Since there seem to be several, and the question is more or less asking for a (limited) list, let's make one! And let's make it a CW-answer to have everyone contribute.

If you find another one, make it a separate answer to get voted on, then add it to this list.

Jigglypuff

The answer given in the episode, Jigglypuff as seen from above.

Voltorb

One of the suggested answers in the episode.

Foongus

Foongus would be a trick answer like the one in the episode, since it only works when seen from above.

Ditto

A Ditto is capable of transforming into any other Pokémon, so into any round one as well.

Diglett

A Diglett looks as if it could be quite round when seen from above, although it does have a nose that may poke out.

Ghastly

A Ghastly is spherical as well, if we disregard its aura.

Sandaconda

Sandaconda, when viewed head-on, would give a spherical silhouette.

Drifloon

Drifloon, a balloon-ghost pokemon that likes to carry children away, is also a round shape, and when you remove the strings (or view from above like Jigglypuff) it could certainly match the image from the show.

Sandshrew

In the anime, a Sandshrew appears to be able to roll up into a uniform sphere, and might work as another trick answer.

edited Aug 6, 2021 at 7:28

community wiki

4 revs, 3 users 82%
SQB

Do we actually know what Diglett looks like in its entirety?
– Misha R
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 21:31
I imagine castform, seedot, or chimecho could work, as seen from above. unknown o, although it has empty portions to its body. sunkurn from below. phione from above? hoothoot is a decent candidate because it's pretty rotund. perhaps bronzong with its arms retracted. donphan while in rollout. happiny.
– FluffyFlareon
Commented Aug 6, 2021 at 2:52
5

@MishaR Don't think so, but I've seen some disturbing fan art. (Don't google it at work, seriously...)
– Darrel Hoffman
Commented Aug 6, 2021 at 15:25
@MishaR An interesting hypothesis: external-preview.redd.it/…
– Clockwork
Commented Aug 6, 2021 at 15:49
3

@MishaR - I don't believe so, but their protruding noses would mean that they're not (im)perfectly round from any angle; i.sstatic.net/IMZi0.png
– Valorum
Commented Aug 6, 2021 at 18:29

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David Mulder · Accepted Answer · 2021-08-06 16:58:11Z

14

Rowlet is a Pokemon with a quite round body, especially if seen from above. This would be another trick answer though.

Here is a demonstration of the described angle

edited Aug 6, 2021 at 16:58

David Mulder

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answered Aug 5, 2021 at 13:49

Bjorn Eriksson

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2

His beak would stick out.
– Valorum
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 14:03
@Valorum And I figured Spheal's legs would stick out when viewed from the front.
– b_jonas
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 14:07
4

@Valorum Not more than what Diglets nose or Gastlys eyes would do.
– Bjorn Eriksson
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 14:31
2

Pointing out other people's bad answers doesn't make yours a good answer, it just means that it has company
– Valorum
Commented Aug 6, 2021 at 7:48
@Valorum And that is why, as you can see, I did not add it. But if we are going to be that strict, then neither should those two be on the list.
– Bjorn Eriksson
Commented Aug 6, 2021 at 9:39

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Misha R · Accepted Answer · 2021-08-05 05:34:04Z

12

Ditto could be as round as any spherical Pokemon, and certainly rounder than Jigglypuff. No less fair a game than Jigglypuff from above.

Ditto is on the left

edited Aug 5, 2021 at 5:34

answered Aug 5, 2021 at 5:14

Misha R

13.3k7 gold badges59 silver badges94 bronze badges

2

Hah! I love this - it's very correct. It can apparently even transform into inanimate objects, achieving more perfect roundness than any other Pokémon could hope to achieve.
– Kyle Pollard
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 5:22
2

@toroid Never forget about the Ditto - every parent's advice to their child in a world that has Dittos.
– Misha R
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 5:27
The problem with allowing Ditto is that you then need to include every single Pokémon that can learn Transform, Mimic, Mirror Move, Sketch, Skill Swap and Metronome, which is rather a large list.
– Showsni
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 17:08
1

@Showsni Eh, I dunno, I think Ditto is fine. I mean, some non-spherical pokemon could also be perfect spheres if you amputated their arms / legs / other parts, so I think we should just stick with basic out-of-the-box pokemon with their native abilities.
– Misha R
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 21:24
Fair enough; that means just Ditto and Mew in terms of using Transform, then.
– Showsni
Commented Aug 6, 2021 at 17:40

| Show 1 more comment

Kyle Pollard · Accepted Answer · 2021-08-05 04:27:22Z

11

Foongus is one such Pokémon. Foongus would even work as another trick answer similar to Jigglypuff, as it would also need to be seen from above:

answered Aug 5, 2021 at 4:27

Kyle Pollard

6695 silver badges14 bronze badges

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Ed HP · Accepted Answer · 2021-08-06 08:15:07Z

11

How about an egg, also seen from above? Does that count?

In the anime, a Sandshrew appears to be able to roll up into a uniform sphere: https://www.serebii.net/anime/characters/aj.shtml

Also mentioned in the episode is Electrode:

Munna might look circular from the right angle:

edited Aug 6, 2021 at 8:15

answered Aug 5, 2021 at 15:43

Ed HP

2151 silver badge6 bronze badges

1

Is a Pokémon Egg considered a Pokémon?
– fez
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 15:48
3

@fez if the characters have already suggested a Pokéball as a potential answer, then I guess they have implicitly suggested the answer might not be a living Pokémon?
– Ed HP
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 15:56
1

Ah that's a fair point! Welcome to the site by the way, why not take the tour and check out the help center
– fez
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 16:02
2

On the line of the egg, Togepi is still mostly egg, and could possibly look circular from certain angles, especially if it chose to tuck in its arms...
– Darrel Hoffman
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 16:08

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Glorfindel · Accepted Answer · 2023-03-07 09:19:18Z

Ekans

From above, if it tucks its tale in.

_{(source: bulbagarden.net)}

Parasect

Again, if it tucks in.

Ludicolo

From above.

Seedot

From above.

Castform (Normal form)

From above.

Shuppet

I think the skirt can be tucked in so it looks circular from above.

_{(source: bulbagarden.net)}

Snorunt

Again, I think the hands can be tucked in and it will be circular from above.

_{(source: bulbagarden.net)}

Drifblim

From above. It's the evolved form of Drifloon which was mentioned in another answer, but, well, they are different Pokémon and Drifblim wasn't explicitly mentioned yet, so...

Happiny

From above, of course.

_{(source: bulbagarden.net)}

Solosis

It's... literally a sphere...

Vanillite

The clouds in the picture are NOT a part of the Pokémon, so - from above.

_{(source: bulbagarden.net)}

Amoonguss

Another evolved form that wasn't mentioned before. Just needs to tuck its hands in before viewing from above.

_{(source: bulbagarden.net)}

Beheeyem

While I'm not quite certain about it's previous evolution (Elgyem), Beehyem can DEFINITELY look round when viewed from above.

_{(source: bulbagarden.net)}

Litwick

Is a silhouette a shadow and does a flame affect it then? I think not, so - round from above!

_{(source: bulbagarden.net)}

And there were a bunch of others that I wasn't really sure about. To be honest, I wouldn't have included Jigglypuff myself because I think its hands or ears would distort the circle from any angle. It was for this exact reason I omitted a whole bunch of others like Igglybuff, Kabuto, Togepi, Sunkern, Swinub and others.

Went through my Pokemon Go Pokedex. 😄
– Vilx-
Commented Aug 9, 2021 at 8:02 — Vilx-, Commented Aug 9, 2021 at 8:02

LogicDictates · Accepted Answer · 2021-08-06 20:24:30Z

7

Eldegoss from behind would work. Unless you are super strict that it must be above.

edited Aug 6, 2021 at 20:24

LogicDictates

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answered Aug 5, 2021 at 21:48

David Edwards

791 bronze badge

3

Are there any angles that don't show bumps around the curve of the circle?
– DavidW
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 21:57
1

Any angle works! I'm personally not worried about the bumps - it's not like it's an entire limb sticking out, just a minor detail on the ball. Nice work!
– Kyle Pollard
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 22:40

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Zip Zap J · Accepted Answer · 2021-08-05 13:33:50Z

4

Sandaconda

If viewed head-on, Sandaconda would certainly appear round like the silhouette in the show!

answered Aug 5, 2021 at 13:33

Zip Zap J

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b_jonas · Accepted Answer · 2021-08-05 06:39:34Z

1

A Diglett would also look round when viewed from above, and is already featured in the Generation 1 video games. The body of a Ghastly might look like a circle too, if you ignore its dark aura.

answered Aug 5, 2021 at 6:39

b_jonas

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2

I think it's literally gas, rather than an aura.
– Stef
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 12:16
3

Doesn't Diglett have a protruding nose though?
– Gizmo3k
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 13:19
@Gizmo3k Yes
– David Starkey
Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 13:41

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What other newer Pokémon could be answers to the infamous Jigglypuff exam question?