Lucario

Lucario's debut and video game appearance is in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon:Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team, though only appears as a Statue Cameo when the player gets 15,000 points and the Lucario rank, then appeared in is Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, where its pre-evolved form, Riolu, can be obtained as an egg from Riley. Riolu evolves into Lucario when it reaches a sufficiently high level of happiness. Lucario is used by notable trainers Maylene, the third Sinnoh Gym Leader; a tag team partner known as Riley; Cynthia, Sinnoh's Elite Four Champion;[9] and by Bruno, an Elite Four member of Johto.[10] In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Lucario is perceived as the greatest rescue leader of all time, and his adventures have become legendary. After reaching a certain number of points, a Lucario statue will be displayed outside the rescue base. While the player never meets Lucario, Alakazam tells the player that his goal is to become closer to Lucario's greatness.[11] Lucario can be found and befriended in Lost Wilderness dungeon in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time and Darkness, but it has no particular main role. However, in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky and Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon, its pre-evolution form Riolu may be played as the main character or be chosen as the partner Pokemon. Lucaio appears as a boss Pokémon in Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia, as the guardian of the Blue Gem.[12] Lucario is one of the few Pokémon in Pokémon X and Y that can use the new Mega Evolution mechanic while holding Lucarionite, its Mega Stone; doing so results in it Mega Evolving into Mega Lucario in the process.[13][14] Lucario also appears as an NPC in PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure and its sequel, PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond.[15]

Due to an unintentional leak on Nintendo's official Super Smash Bros. website, which detailed how certain stickers could only be applied to certain characters, Lucario was indirectly confirmed as a playable character for Super Smash Bros. Brawl.[16] In Brawl, Lucario is unlocked upon being encountered in the story mode at The Glacial Peak, or through other special means.[17] Lucario's special moveset consists of Aura Sphere, Force Palm, ExtremeSpeed, and Double Team, each of which it can learn within the Pokémon games. Its "Final Smash", Aura Storm, consists of launching a powerful beam of Aura, which the player can adjust in a slow, fanning motion.[18] Lucario's fighting style revolves around a mixture of martial arts, predominately Shaolin Kung Fu, and Aura manipulation. Aura itself is also a game mechanic unique to Lucario: its attacks become stronger as it continues to receive damage.[17]

Lucario returned as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and again in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, now being voiced by Sean Schemmel as in Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew. Additionally, its Aura mechanic now affects the entirety of its moveset and has made Lucario's attacks riskier, yet more rewarding, due to the mechanic's damage multipliers being adjusted. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, Lucario's Mega Evolution, Mega Lucario, replaced Aura Storm as its Final Smash, reflecting the form change introduced in Pokémon X and Y.[19][20] In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, its Final Smash consists of it Mega Evolving into Mega Lucario before performing Aura Storm. In addition to the Super Smash Bros. series, Lucario appears as a playable character in Pokkén Tournament.

Lucario has also been a part of the third wave of amiibo, with its figure having been released on January 22, 2015 in Japan, and as a Toys "R" Us-exclusive beginning in February 2015 in North America.

Lucario's main role in the anime is his appearance in the eighth Pokémon movie, Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew. In the movie, Lucario is a servant to a nobleman named Sir Aaron in a Renaissance-themed city called Cameron Palace. Lucario thinks of Sir Aaron as both his master and close friend, although after Aaron traps him in a magic staff, Lucario begins questioning any Pokémon-human relationship. The Lucario in the movie, voiced in English by Sean Schemmel, can speak human languages with telepathy. Lucario sacrifices himself to save the Tree of Beginning, though the credits showed him with Sir Aaron in the afterlife, where they happily eat a chocolate bar.[21]

Maylene, the third Sinnoh Gym Leader, has a Lucario and it was seen in four different episodes of the Diamond and Pearl: Battle Dimension series. It was first seen battling with Maylene in their training. Lucario uses Aura Sphere to stop the battle of Electabuzz, Piplup, and Pikachu, and is seen battling Paul's Pokémon in a flashback.[22] Lucario was seen again where it battles in Dawn's gym battle with Maylene, where it defeats Dawn's Piplup.[23] Then, in the next episode, it battles in Ash's gym battle against Maylene. It defeats Ash's Staravia and Chimchar, but gets knocked out along with Ash's Buizel, resulting in a tie.[24] Finally, Lucario was seen when it helps Ash and the others defeat Saturn and Team Galactic.[25] A different Lucario appears on Iron Island, owned by a trainer named Riley. Lucario protects Ash from Pokémon on the island that are fighting against each other.[26]

Lucario appeared in BW107 and BW108, under the ownership of Cameron. As a Riolu, it battles Ash's Snivy, Unfezant, and Pikachu, where it evolves while battling Snivy. It defeats all three, giving Cameron the victory. However, in Cameron's battle with Virgil, Virgil's Flareon defeats Lucario, eliminating Cameron from the tournament.

Another Lucario later appeared in XY030-034 and XY043-044, under the ownership of the Gym Leader Korrina. In XY031, Korrina and her Lucario attempt to retrieve a Lucarionite guarded by a Blaziken. Due to its type weakness, Lucario proved to be no match for Blaziken, but under the encouragement of Ash and his friends, it finally attempts to immobilize Blaziken. Before it gives the final blow, the Blaziken is revealed to be owned by Gurkinn, Korinna's father. They retrieve the Lucarionite, allowing it to Mega Evolve.

In episode XY032, Korinna uses her Mega Lucario to battle Ash, but due to lack of control over its transformation, it soon runs out of control until Gurkinn's Lucario stops it. In XY034, Lucario finally gains full control of its Mega Evolution and successfully defeats Team Rocket, who were attacking Ash and his friends. It later participated in a gym battle against Ash in XY44, using it's newfound Mega Evolution to defeat Ash's Fletchinder and Hawlucha, though eventually losing to his Pikachu. This Lucario appeared again in the 25th episode of Pokemon Journeys, facing Ash's Gengar and Dragonite, defeating the former but losing to the latter.

Ash's Riolu evolves into Lucario in episode 45 of Pokemon Journeys during the end of the darkest day arc.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, like in games, it appears under the ownership of Riley who was on a boat heading to the Battle Frontier.[27] Diamond meets Riley at Iron Island, and Byron asks Riley to help Diamond sharpen his Pokémon battle skills before Diamond goes to Lake Verity.[28] In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure! the main character, Hareta, gains an egg from Riley which hatches into a Riolu; it later evolves into Lucario. Phantom Thief Pokémon 7 is centered on a boy and his Lucario who take back stolen items from thieves. The name Lucario itself appeared also in the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team saga where, after the end of the main scenario, the player can talk to Alakazam who tells them the story of a Lucario being a legendary Pokémon rescuer.