What Are Yo-kai

Yo-kai Watch is a relatively new franchise straight from Japan. If you're not familiar with it, don't worry. This page will serve as a crash course and teach you everything you need to know about Yo-Kai!

What is the Yo-kai Franchise?

Yo-kai Watch is a franchise that revolves around monster-like creatures known as Yo-Kai – a little similar to Pokemon, Digimon, and the Shin Megami Tensei franchises. At this time, the Yo-Kai Watch franchise includes an anime, manga, and a number of video games on the 3DS and smartphones. Most of the video games are called “Yo-kai Watch,” but a few have dropped the “Watch” moniker and have created a new name.

What Are Yo-Kai?

Yo-kai are monster-like creatures that are the physical embodiment of everyday problems. They live in our world and cause the troubles we all experience, such as laziness and extreme hunger. They're here in our world, but they can't be seen by normal eyes. That's where the Yo-Kai Watch comes in.

Finding Yo-Kai

With the Yo-kai Watch's radar, players can track down invisible Yo-kai throughout the city. The radar needle will move clockwise into the red as you get closer to a Yo-kai. Use the Yo-kai lens from the Watch until a purple gauge fills up to reveal a hidden Yo-kai.

Befriending Yo-kai

Most of these creatures can be befriended through events, quests, and the Crank-a-kai machine. You can impress them in battle or bribe them with the right treats. Increase the chances of befriending a Yo-kai by using Yo-kai with the Popular and Popularity skills. Yo-kai with this skill include: Casanuva, Cupistol, Tengu, Pinkipoo, Shmoopie and Dandoodle.

Once you befriend a Yo-kai they'll give you a medal coin as a show of friendship. These are added to the Medallium, but only six coins can be held in your Watch at a time.

Raising Yo-kai

Use Yo-kai in battle to earn experience. The Yo-kai do not have to participate in battle, nor do they have to survive to the end. They will always gain experience points. Earn experience points to level up the Yo-kai, their attack, technique, and Soultimate Move.

Once a Yo-kai evolves or is fused, their attack, technique, and Soultimate Move levels will reset to one.

Obtaining More Yo-kai

More Yo-kai can be obtained through a variety of means. The most common method for obtaining new Yo-kai is Evolution. Battle with Yo-kai to earn experience and level them up. Some Yo-kai will evolve into new, stronger Yo-kai once they reach a certain level.

Another way to obtain more Yo-kai is through a method known as Fusion. After a certain part in the game you can speak with the monk, Mr. Zen, at the Shoten Temple. He can fuse certain Yo-kai together to make newer ones.

Additionally, certain Yo-kai can be fused together with everyday items. This method is known as Synthesis. New, rare Yo-kai can be created through this technique.

Lastly, if you can collect all the medals for a Legend page in the Medallium, you can befriend a Legend Yo-kai. They are very rare and very powerful.

Tribes and Elements

There are a total of 232 Yo-kai that fall under eight different “tribes.” The tribes have specific uses in battle. These tribes are:

Additionally, there are seven different elements these Yo-kai can use in battle: Fire, Water, Lightning, Earth, Ice, Wind, and Drain.

Stats and Ranks

Each Yo-kai is ranked from the low E Rank to the high-class S Rank. The higher the rank, the more formidable the Yo-kai.

While in battle, Yo-kai will use four different stats. These stats can increase or decrease with certain moves. Level up a Yo-kai by earning experience in battle to increase these stats and power up the Yo-kai.