Is Ash‘s Greninja Shiny Locked?
No – but with an asterisk. The exact Battle Bond Ash-Greninja given out via the Pokémon Sun/Moon demo cannot be obtained shiny. But since it can breed, Masuda Method hatching can result in a shiny Froakie baby!
Let me provide more backstory and analysis on Ash‘s iconic partner Pokémon:
The Legend of Ash-Greninja
Ash‘s adventure in the Kalos region led him to choose the Water-type Froakie as his starter. Throughout Ash‘s journey and Froakie‘s subsequent evolution into a Frogadier and then Greninja, the two of them formed an exceptionally strong bond.
This culminated in Greninja being able to achieve a unique transformation where it took on an appearance resembling Ash, with fiery red hair and black markings. Its full name became Ash-Greninja and in this form both its Water Shuriken and physical capabilities reached extremely high power levels.
Ash-Greninja was instrumental in Ash‘s performance in the Kalos League. Their bond and strength inspired fans across the world, cementing Greninja as one of the most popular Pokémon ever. Just look at its dominance by winning the official 2020 Pokémon of the Year contest:
| Year | Pokémon of the Year |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Greninja |
As a passionate Greninja fan myself, I was ecstatic to use Ash-Greninja in Pokémon Sun/Moon via the special demo version distribution. And that brings us back to the core question – since this Greninja has such a unique backstory and connection with Ash, I‘m sure many players would love to have a rare shiny version. Let‘s investigate further!
Can Demo Ash-Greninja be Shiny?
The short answer is no. Unfortunately the Ash-Greninja distributed via the special Sun/Moon demo is shiny locked. Its IVs are also locked to ensure it always has Ghost type Hidden Power.
No amount of soft resetting will result in a shiny Ash-Greninja. And since it‘s an event distribution, breeding another Greninja (even with the Masuda method) will not produce a shiny either.
So that exact Battle Bond Greninja with the Ash aesthetic cannot be obtained shiny. A sad reality for us Greninja enthusiasts!
Can Greninja Normally be Shiny?
Absolutely! Under normal conditions, breeding a Greninja gives the standard 1/682 (with Shiny Charm) to 1/512 (Masuda Method) chance of hatching a shiny Froakie.
And now with Greninja available in Pokémon Scarlet/Violet, random encounters also provide the standard shiny odds. So don‘t lose hope – with enough perseverance you can eventually add a shiny Greninja to your team!
Will We Ever See Shiny Ash-Greninja?
As a hopeful Greninja fan, I don‘t think Game Freak would leave Ash-Greninja shiny locked forever. It‘s too popular!
My prediction is we could see a distribution via an future event, similar to the special Cap Pikachu or GMax Melmetal. What better way to generate excitement than unleashing a long desired shiny? I‘d guess 8-12% odds of this happening in the next 2 years.
Additionally, we can‘t rule out the anime surprising us with Ash‘s Greninja miraculously becoming shiny. It would be a moment that sends shockwaves through the community!
So while today we can‘t obtain a legitimate shiny Ash-Greninja, all hope isn‘t lost. I‘m remaining optimistic that in the future, we‘ll have the chance to add this exceptionally rare variant to our collections.
Let me know if you have any other Greninja or Ash-Greninja questions! This fan favorite mythical ninja frog Pokémon will always hold a special place in my heart.
