Mienshao, The Martial Arts Pokémon. It wields the fur on its arms like a whip. Its arm attacks come with such rapidity that they cannot even be seen. They use the long fur on their arms as a whip to strike their opponents.

Overview

Mienshao is one of many notable Fighting types introduced with Black and White. With a good enough movepool, great offensive stats and good abilities, Mienshao has firmly cemented its place in OU. It works best as a lead, but can also be an effective sweeper. It can even be used as a special sweeper, although that'd be mostly for surprise value. Mienshao is also one of the best doubles Pokémon right now. It has a somewhat surprising support movepool too, which works in both singles and doubles. It has a nice design too. Overall I'd say Mienshao is... pretty awesome? Yeah.

Abilities

Inner Focus: Makes you immune to flinch. It's Mienshao's worst ability.
Regenerator: Arguably one of the best abilities in the game, and Mienshao's best ability by far. You heal 30% of your HP whenever you switch out. This is incredible, considering that you heal Life Orb damage, entry hazard damage, anything. It basically keeps you healthy despite being a super offensive Pokémon.
Reckless: This is mostly for the sweeper sets if you want more bang for your buck, rather than the ability to heal whenever you switch out. You deal insane damage with Hi Jump Kick. This is really the only reason you'd use it.

Let's get this Shao on the road

- Fake Out
- Taunt / Stone Edge / Hidden Power [Ice]
- Hi Jump Kick
- U-turn
Item Attached: Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk) / Naïve Nature (+Spd, -SDef)

One of the most reliable leads in the game. Fake Out always flinches, and is the ideal opening move. Taunt stops the opponent setting up entry hazards. Stone Edge helps with Flying Pokémon and is a great attack in general. Hidden Power [Ice] is practically exclusive for Gliscor. Hi Jump Kick deals a lot of damage thanks to improved base power and STAB. U-turn is the key move of the set. You deal damage, switch out, activate Regenerator, then come back in and Fake Out again.

Sub Pass

- Substitute
- Hi Jump Kick
- Stone Edge
- Baton Pass
Item Attached: Life Orb / Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs and Nature:
Evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)

Substitute takes 25% of your max HP and puts a doll in front of your face. Hi Jump Kick is the most powerful move you have access to. Stone Edge handles Flying Pokémon and combos well with Hi Jump Kick. Baton Pass gives something your Substitute and activates Regenerator.
You could run other boosting moves like Swords Dance, Bulk Up, Calm Mind, and Work Up, but with Mienshao's awful defences, do you think you'd be able to set this up?

Swords Dance

- Swords Dance
- Hi Jump Kick / Drain Punch
- Stone Edge / Payback / Hidden Power [Ice] / Taunt
- Stone Edge / Payback / Hidden Power [Ice] / Taunt
Item Attached: Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator / Reckless
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk) / Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)

Swords Dance doubles Mienshao's already great Attack. Hi Jump Kick if you want power and possible Reckless, but Drain Punch covers Life Orb and doesn't miss or have deadly recoil. Stone Edge hits Flying types. Payback ruins Ghosts, who would otherwise wall you. Hidden Power [Ice] beats one of the most popular walls; Gliscor. Taunt stops you from being hit with status or being phazed.

Choice

- Hi Jump Kick
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
- Payback / Hidden Power [Ice]
Item Attached: Choice Band / Choice Scarf
Ability: Regenerator
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk) / Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)

Choice is simple. Hit something, think if you can safely hit it again, and switch out if you can't. Hi Jump Kick hits nice and hard, but watch out for Ghosts switching in. Stone Edge hits fliers. U-turn deals damage and scouts, and activates Regenerator. Payback deals reliable damage to Ghosts. Hidden Power [Ice] ruins Gliscor and other 4x Pokémon.

EVs & Natures

Mienshao
The only reason you'd want anything but 252 Atk 252 Spd is because you're running a special set. 252 SAtk 252 Spd. Mienshao has no reason to bulk up.

Other Options

Gems, Acrobatics, Calm Mind, Knock Off, Reversal, Rock Slide
Normal Gem and Flying Gem are both good choices for a lead Mienshao. Fake Out is boosted by Normal Gem, and Acrobatics is boosted by Flying Gem.
Calm Mind can be used for a special set... if you really wanted to run special Mienshao.
Knock Off is a support move that Mienshao has access to.
Reversal can be used in a Substitute/Endure Reversal set. Basically, you get to 1 HP and get a boost from Salac Berry, at some point you would have used Swords Dance, then you try and sweep. With no immunity to weather or priority, it isn't the best user of EnduReversal.
Rock Slide is more popular in doubles as it hits both opponents, but it could be used in singles over Stone Edge.

Double & Triple Battle Options

Fake Out, Taunt, strong attacks, Quick Guard, Inner Focus, Mienshao is an incredible Pokémon in doubles. It offers great support to your second Pokémon, allowing you to set up your team. Trick Room, Tailwind, weather, Mienshao is pretty splashable in doubles.

Partners

Singles you want to try and keep entry hazards off the field. A Rapid Spinner is recommended. A strong Pursuit user like Tyranitar and Scizor works well, as Ghosts will be wanting to switch into Mienshao. Skarmory and Gliscor will be walling any set you have (unless you run Hidden Power [Ice]), so Rotom-W is an ideal choice for a partner. Being able to deal with Choice Scarf users is pretty vital, so Jirachi or even Wobbuffet works. You want to be able to remove its counters, so it can spam Fake Out and U-turn. In doubles, Mienshao is the perfect set up Pokémon. Running it alongside a user of Tailwind is a really good tactic, but really, any team that needs a free turn to set up could use Mienshao.

Countering Mienshao

Generic physical walls like Gliscor and Skarmory work well. Forretress, Hippowdon, Slowbro, there's a fair few choices here. Mienshao doesn't have the best coverage in the world, just standard physical attacks. The main threat Mienshao has to deal with is missing Hi Jump Kick, which is made easy with people predicting and switching in Gengar, Jellicent,Dusclops, any Ghost really. As it lacks priority and has a good but not ideal base 105 Speed, it can be revenge killed easily. Psychics are some of the most reliable counters, as long as they avoid U-turn. Espeon, the Latis, Reuniclus, the list is pretty long. Considering how much Mienshao spams U-turn though, being able to counter it is pretty difficult.

Pre-Evolution Corner

Mienfoo can run any set Mienshao does but in Little Cup. Not the strongest or fastest, but far from the weakest. You'd probably see Choice Scarf as Mienfoo doesn't have the most ideal Speed. It hits 17 if I remember rightly with Jolly, which is just short of sweepers like Abra and Gastly.

Locations in Games

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Not in Game.

FireRed/LeafGreen:
Not in Game.

Colosseum/XD:
Not in Game

Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Not in Game.

HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Not in Game.

Black/White:
Route 14
Evolve Mienfoo

Animé Appearences

Mienshao has yet to make an appearance in the anime # -English Episode Name- -Jp. Episode Name- Pics 732 Search for the Clubultimate! Quick Succession Donamite! Druddigon VS Bisharp!! Pics 738 Evolution by Fire! Flaming Memories! Tepig VS Emboar!! Pics 773 Team Plasma's Pokémon Power Plot! Colress VS Looker! The Team Plasma Conspiracy! Pics 838 The Forest Champion The Forest Champion! Enter Hawlucha!! Pics 1009 Smashing with Sketch! Smashing with Sketch! The Fierce Poké-Ping Pong Match!! Pics 1114 A Festival Reunion! A Battle Festival Exploding With Life! VS Mega Lucario!! Pics