Pokemon of the Minute: Kangaskhan

Goodness gracious me, how time does fly. One minute I'm dusting off my old books, looking for an entry about the migration patterns of Swellow in the wintertime, and then WOW four years have passed. Four years, readers is an awfully long time. I never meant to be absent this long, but rest assured I've not spent this time twiddling my thumbs but adventuring in the newly discovered regions, collecting data that will enhance our knowledge of these our beloved monsters.

But before I delve into the many wonderful tidbits on the Kalos region and the beautiful new species found there, I thought I'd get back into the swing of things by doing an all-new Pokemon of the Minute starring an old friend.

Kangaskhan has been with us for years now, being among the first 151 known species. It's always been a curiosity, if nothing else: not particularly powerful except in very specific circumstances, but players and researchers alike have been fascinated by its odd shape, and the little passenger it keeps it its pouch. Bringing a baby into battle is usually frowned upon, but as far as I can tell there have been zero fatalities to date. (Rumors persist that the baby does, in fact become Cubone- a Pokemon essentially created by fatality- as it ages, but don't believe this nonsense. Those who spread these rumors are statistically the most likely to believe in Sasquatch, aliens building the pyramids, and the Loch Ness Monster, which we all know is just an unclassified Pokemon species.)

Sadly, the good ol' Kanga remained as not quite a powerhouse, not quite a weakling for years, that lethal middle ground that causes trainers to overlook a monster, and focus on other better opportunities. This changed with Generation VI, with the introduction of maybe the most game-changing mechanic the series has ever seen: Mega Evolution. With the use of Mega Stone power, Kangaskhan and its little companion finally form the dynamic duo we've always wanted. This is not just an aesthetic difference, no sir. The new ability Parental Bond allows for two attacks per round, which incidentally doubles the effect of stat-increasing moves such as Power-Up Punch. This means that a sturdy-enough Kangaskhan with a healthy amount of speed may attack using Power-Up Punch, get a double increase to its Attack stat, and then switch to another more punishing move, or simply keep on boosting, doing double the damage in half the time.

And so, Kangaskhan you are the Pokemon of the Minute because you've at long last overcome the erroneous perception of weakness surrounding your species, and all it took was a little faith in the next generation.

Here's a sample build for you, readers. I promise it'll pack a punch. I wouldn't khan you. Ha! You see what...yeah...eh-hem...the build:

Khaaaaaaaaan!
Item: Kangaskhanite
Ability: Scrappy (is preferred, to combat Ghost-types, but once Mega Evolution is induced, the ability will automatically change)
EVs: 252 Speed/252 Attack/4 HP
-Power-Up Punch
-Drain Punch
-Sucker Punch
-Body Slam