| Squirtle | |
|---|---|
| Pokémon character | |
 Squirtle artwork by Ken Sugimori | |
| First game | Pokémon Red and Blue (1996) |
| Designed by | Atsuko Nishida[1] |
| Voiced by | Eric Stuart (English) Michele Knotz (English) |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Pokémon |
| Type | Water |
Squirtle (/ˈskwɜːrtəl/ ), known as Zenigame (Japanese: ゼニガメ) in Japan, is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. It was designed by Atsuko Nishida.[1] Its name was changed from Zenigame to Squirtle during the English localization of the series in order to give it a "clever and descriptive name." In animated appearances, Squirtle is voiced in Japanese by Rikako Aikawa and in English localizations by Eric Stuart, and later Michele Knotz.
In the main series games, Squirtle can evolve into Wartortle, and can then further evolve into Blastoise. It is one of the three first partner Pokémon obtainable in Pokémon Red, Blue, and Green, the first games in the series. Squirtle has received a mostly positive reception since its debut. A group of specific Squirtle, known as the Squirtle Squad, additionally developed a strong popularity as a result of their appearance in the Pokémon anime. Squirtle has gone on to make playable appearances in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.