With the release of Pokémon Briliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, many mythical Pokemon are now available for trainers to catch once again. One in particular, Manaphy, is available to trainers who redeem their Mystery Gift before February 21, 2022. Luckily, players do not have to have preordered the game to receive the Seafaring Pokémon -- simply redeeming the gift will net them both Pokémon Platinum outfits and a special Pokémon egg. After traveling somewhere between 2,570 - 2,826 steps while having the egg in the player's party, it will hatch into Manaphy.
Manaphy debuted in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl back in 2006, and it's since appeared in other games and forms of media. Its mythical status alone makes the Pokémon coveted by trainers. Still, there's more to Manaphy than just an adorable blue design.
Manaphy Is the Only Mythical Pokémon Who Can Breed
Manaphy is a mythical Water-type Pokémon introduced in Generation IV. However, what really makes it unique is the fact that it can breed. Leaving a Manaphy and a Ditto at the Pokémon Nursery together will create a special Pokémon egg that's different in appearance than normal Pokémon eggs. They are blue and have yellow markings and a red gem -- the same markings that Manaphy has on its body. These eggs will hatch into a the Sea Drifter Pokémon Phione, and breeding this Pokémon with Ditto will also create a Phione egg.
Phione Doesn't Evolve Into Manaphy
Making Manaphy and Phione even more unique (and confusing) is the fact that these Pokémon, while obviously related to one another, do not evolve. Phione's biology is quite different from Manaphy's, despite their similarities in appearance. Phione can inflate the sac on its head to drift through water and search for food. It also likes to float in packs with other members of its species when the water becomes warm.
Despite Manaphy's Mythical status, it is unconfirmed whether Phione is also a Mythical Pokémon. Despite being Manaphy's offspring, it doesn't evolve, and (unlike other Mythicals) it's easy to obtain more than one. Phione does, however, share a lot of traits with Manaphy. Like Manaphy, no matter how far it has drifted, it will always return to the place where it was born. Also, Phione shares the same red gem on its chest.
Manaphy's Body is 80% Water
According to Pokémon Pearl's Pokédex entry, Manaphy's body is 80 percent water, which means Manaphy can be easily affected by its environment. Pokémon Diamond's Pokédex entry mentions that Manaphy is born on the cold seafloor, so trainers can infer that it prefers cold temperatures.
Despite being highly susceptible to its environment, Manaphy will swim long distances, as expected of the Seafaring Pokémon. However, no matter how far it travels, it will always return to its birthplace. Manaphy also has "Hydration," an ability that allows it to cure all of its status conditions when it is raining in battle. It shares this ability with many other Water-type Pokémon including Dewgong, Wingull, Lapras, Vaporeon and Phione.
Manaphy Is Commonly Referred to as Male
While (like most Legendaries and Mythicals) Manaphy is listed as genderless or gender unknown in the Pokédex, it is often referred to male throughout the franchise. The most obvious example comes in the ninth Pokémon movie, Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, where Manaphy is referred to as the "Prince of the Sea."
Manaphy is also treated as male in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness, where the characters refer to Manaphy using he/him pronouns. Despite these instances, Manaphy's gender has never been made official in the main series games, and it's unknown if the entire species typically identifies as male or if there are also Manaphy who identify as female.
Manaphy Is Born with the Power to Heart Swap
Manaphy is born with special powers that allow it to literally change hearts. While, in the games, the move Heart Swap simply switches the user's stat changes with those of its target, the anime and other mediums have made Manaphy's signature move much more powerful.
In Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, Heart Swap lets Manaphy switch people and Pokémon's perspectives. Manaphy uses its "feelers" to perform Heart Swap, essentially moving an individual's consciousness into a different body. The Seafaring Pokémon is seen doing this to Team Rocket, also changing their eyes to blue and swapping their voices in the process. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Manaphy can switch hearts of fighters close to it, which results in players swapping damage and characters for a short time. Originally, Manaphy was the only Pokémon who could use this move, though Generation VII Mythical Magearna can also learn it.