I’m Luke Summerhayes and I love Clauncher.
In recent weeks, we’re covering a string of Pokemon based on weird creatures found in our real oceans. The bioluminescence of cephalopods, the rocky carapaces of barnacles and the mind-boggling camouflage of seadragons have all taken very little to transform them into fantastical pocket monsters. This week, we have a real-life sea creature which actually uses, in the oceans of this very Earth, the Pokemon move Water Gun.
The snapping shrimp, or pistol shrimp, has one disproportionately large claw which, rather than a normal pincer, has a joint which snaps closed like the hammer on a gun and creates a bubble capable of stunning fish or smashing glass. The power of these snaps mean the tiny shrimp compete with large animals like whales for the loudest sounds in the oceans.
Clauncher is a blue shrimp-like water type Pokemon with one enormous claw which, like in real pistol shrimp, is one third of the shrimp’s whole mass. Real pistol shrimp, if they lose their claw, will grow a replacement on the other side of their body. Clauncher’s life is a little more forgiving.
Ultra Sun
Its claws occasionally fall off, and it keeps a low profile until they grow back. The meat of its claws is so delicious!

Violet
Clauncher's claws will regrow if they fall off. The meat inside the claws is edible, but it has a distinct flavor that doesn't appeal to all tastes.

In real life, Pistol Shrimp can knock out fish or even kill very small ones with the shockwave they create, but of course in the Pokemon universe they shoot much more powerful water guns.
X
They knock down flying prey by firing compressed water from their massive claws like shooting a pistol.
Y
Through controlled explosions of internal gas, it can expel water like a pistol shot. At close distances, it can shatter rock.

The name Clauncher is just a combination of claw and launcher, pretty handily summing the monster up. The Japanese name, Udeppou, takes mizudeppou, the Japanese name for water gun, and ude, which means arm, to make a similar pun.
Clauncer is still in the realm of real animal that feels like a Pokemon but it enters real fantasy territory when, at level 37, it evolves into Clawitzer.
The claws on pistol shrimp are unusually large, but Clawitzer has a claw many times the size of the rest of its body combined, resembling a big dragon’s head like a kind of decoy creature.
Along with the size, the power is also expanded to an outrageous level.
X
Their enormous claws launch cannonballs of water powerful enough to pierce tanker hulls.
Y
By expelling water from the nozzle in the back of its claw, it can move at a speed of 60 knots.
Just like Clauncher, though, it can sometimes lose the claw, which is still apparently a delicacy.
Ultra Moon
Its right arm is packed with meat. When its pincer falls off, it's exported to be used as a cooking ingredient.
The Japanese name for this Pokemon is Bloster, a combination of blaster and blow, while also being an anagram of the word lobster. France, the country the region of Kalos is based, did almost enter a shooting war with the nation of Brazil over the right to fish for lobsters – Brazil arguing they crawled on the ground on Brazillian territory, France arguing that they swim in the sea and are fair game for fishing. Thankfully, though battleships were deployed, no shots were fired.
The English name is Clawitzer, combining claw with the powerful howitzer weapon, a kind of long-range gun capable of firing directly like a cannon or in arcing shots like a mortar. Does Clawitzer have the juice to back up an association with such a fearsome machine?
Clauncher and Clawitzer have the signature ability mega launcher, which boosts the power of moves with the word hado in their name in Japanese, which is sometimes translated to pulse, other times aura, in English, and which gives them quite a range of quite tasty attacks. The introduction of the further boosted move Terrain Pulse in the eighth and ninth generations gave Clawitzer some sweeping performances, but like the Howitzer it relied on a concentrated battery of allies.
Personally, I don’t have any experience with Clawitzer as a battling partner, in the competitive metagame or even on a team playing through a Pokemon game. That doesn’t mean I have no affection, however. I strongly remember Clauncher and Clawitzer showing up in New Pokemon Snap, making a lasting impression on me while also adding to the feeling of these straddling the line between fascinating real animals and compelling fantasy monsters.
Music for Luke Loves Pokemon is by Jonathan Cromie. Artwork for the show is by Katie Groves. If you enjoy the podcast, find out about my other shows at podcastiopodcastius.org, get in touch on bluesky @podcastpodcast, or support the show at patreon.com/podcastiopodcastius.
I love hearing from Listeners! Up next are Helioptile and Tyrunt, so hit me up about those or any other Pokemon. Even if you don’t feel like doing any of that, thank you so much for listening.
I love Clauncher . And remember, I love you too