Heracross

Heracross in animation: Ash's first Johto catch

The species debuted in the anime in "A Sappy Ending," where a Heracross helped Ash and his friends end a feud between local Heracross and Pinsir that Team Rocket had caused by draining the forest's tree sap. It chose to join Ash at the end of the episode, becoming the first Pokémon he caught in Johto, and its fondness for sap became a running gag.

In Pokémon Journeys, the episode "Trade, Borrow, and Steal!" introduced Kricketina Kylie, who owned six Heracross; Goh later traded his second Pinsir for one of them.

Heracross on cards: Neo Genesis to Mega Heracross ex

Heracross's first card is Neo Genesis #6, a 2000 Rare illustrated by Ken Sugimori. The EX era added a Holo Rare in Hidden Legends (2004) and, in Dragon Frontiers (2006), a Delta Species Heracross δ that plays as a Fire type, illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita.

Furious Fists, the 2014 XY set built around Fighting type Pokémon, printed Heracross EX and M Heracross EX in regular and full-art versions, including a Secret Rare M Heracross EX by 5ban Graphics. Paldea Evolved (2023) added an Illustration rare by Kurata So, and the Mega Evolution era's Phantasmal Flames (2025) brought the Mega back as Mega Heracross ex.

Cards to know

• Heracross (Neo Genesis #6)

  Heracross's first card, a 2000 Rare illustrated by Ken Sugimori.

• Heracross (Hidden Legends #7)

  An EX-era Holo Rare from 2004, illustrated by Hajime Kusajima.

• Heracross δ (Dragon Frontiers #3)

  A 2006 Delta Species card that turns Heracross into a Fire type, illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita.

• M Heracross EX (Furious Fists #112)

  The Secret Rare version of M Heracross EX from the Fighting-focused 2014 set.

• Heracross (Paldea Evolved #194)

  A 2023 Illustration rare illustrated by Kurata So.

• Mega Heracross ex (Phantasmal Flames #108)

  The Mega Evolution era's take on Mega Heracross, from 2025.