Corsola

Corsola(サニーゴ, Sanīgo, Sunnygo in original Japanese language versions) are one of the 493 fictional species of Pokémon creatures from the multi-billion-dollar[1] Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. The purpose of Corsola in the games, anime, and manga, as with all other Pokémon, is to battle both wild Pokémon—untamed creatures encountered while the player passes through various environments—and tamed Pokémon owned by Pokémon trainers.[2]

The name, Corsola, is probably a portmanteau of the words "coral" and "solar". The origin of "-sola" is evident in the fact that Corsola is attracted to the sun, habitates in warm waters, and that the branches on its head reflect the sun's colors. Corsola's Japanese name, Sanigo, is also a portmanteau of "Sango" (さんご) which means coral, and the Japanese pronunciation of the word "sunny" (サニー) which is romanized as "sanī".

Characteristics
Corsola is a marine creature composed mostly of a pink substance similar to real coral. It has a small face and a white underbelly. In addition to the coral outgrowths (also described as branches) situated all over the upper half of its body, Corsola also has a growth like a horn on its head, and that is considered its natural armament when facing underwater predators.

The coral flesh of Corsola is continually shed as the Pokémon grows. The branches serve to supply Corsola with nutrients by absorbing them from wherever there is clean water. Corsola’s branches, when the Pokémon is beached ashore, glitters beautifully in seven colors of the rainbow when they catch the sunlight. The branches are amazingly expendable; If any branch breaks off, Corsola can grow it back over the period of one night (compare with Staryu). However, this fragility is undermined by Corsola’s inability to live in polluted water. If the sea is polluted, Corsola’s branches become discolored and soon crumble away, where soon after the Pokémon will die.

Corsola is a Pokémon with a migratory life cycle. It prefers to live wherever the seas are warm. Thus it is a common sight near the shorelines whenever the Summer season befalls a region. When Corsola are in the northern seas during the summer in the northern hemisphere, once winter approaches, they migrate back en masse to the southern seas where it is now the summer for the southern hemisphere. Wherever it resides, countless Corsola blanket the shallow ocean floor, and their makeshift reef can serve as an ideal hiding place for other small Pokémon, particularly the pink heart-like Luvdisc.

Corsola plays an interesting supportive role in southern regions inhabited by humans. In south sea nations, people live in communities that have been built on groups of these Pokémon. The most famous example of this is in the southern nation of Hoenn, where the wooden, boarded town of Pacifidlog has been built far offshore and now floats on a huge colony of Corsola.

Appearance
In Gold/Silver/Crystal, it is found when fishing in The Cerulean City Gym, Cherrygrove City, Cianwood City, Olivine City, Union Cave and Routes 19, 34 and 40.

In Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, the player can fish for it near the entrance to Ever Grande City. A more wasteful method of obtaining it is trading away a Bellossom in Pacifidlog Town, because the existence of Bellossom depends on a Sun Stone which is very rare. In Pokémon Emerald, it can be found on Route 128 and in Ever Grande City using a super rod.

Corsola's stats are all mediocre or below-average, but its decent Defense, Special Defense, and Hit Points let it take at least a few hits before fainting. On the plus side, it can learn Mirror Coat, useful against opponents with Special attacks. On the negative side, its dual Water/Rock type makes it very weak when facing Grass-types.

Though it's stats aren't the greatest for battling, Corsola really shines when it comes to breeding, allowing a lot of Pokémon to learn Mirror Coat and Ancient Power easily.

In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, when you defeat the Elite Four, your rival little sister will give you updates of where Pokémon may be, and if you're lucky, she will tell you that Corsola is located at Route 230.

Anime
Misty caught a Corsola in Pokémon Master Quest episode "A Corsola Caper", and has owned it ever since. It almost immediately became Misty's primary battling Pokémon, displaying surprisingly strong offensive abilities (in one case, knocking out a Gyarados with a single attack) in addition to the defensive power for which the species is best known. Among its achievements was winning the Tour de Altomare race in the beginning of the movie Pokémon Heroes. Professor Elm, when he appears in the Whirl Islands, also has a Corsola.

Corsola has appeared on four cards in the Pokémon Trading Card Game, all as Basic water-types in the following sets: Neo Discovery, Expedition, EX Hidden Legends and EX Unseen Forces.

Manga
In the Pokémon Special manga Volume 8, a herd of Corsola appear in Volume 10 where they manage to halt Lt. Surge's miniature submarine completely.

Trading Card game
Corsola has been unpopular in the TCG, and has made only three appearances as a basic normal type pokémon in the following expansions:
 * Neo Discovery
 * Skyridge
 * EX: Unseen Forces