Manaphy shows up in Pokémon Pokopia to teach you Dive over on Bleak Beach, then vanishes almost immediately to go find a new home. That quick exit leaves a lot of players wondering how they’re supposed to actually register the mythical Pokémon. The catch is that Manaphy lives entirely inside paid content, so the free game alone won’t get it into your Pokédex.
Quick answer: Buy the Expansion Pass DLC, raise Bubbly Basin to Environment Level 3, get the Ocean Temple Kit from Popplio, and finish the “Build the beautiful building” Important Request. Manaphy is waiting at the end and joins your Pokédex after the cutscene.
Manaphy needs the Bubbly Basin DLC
Manaphy is exclusive to the Bubbly Basin area, which is part of the Expansion Pass. Even though it makes a cameo during the free August 2026 update, you cannot add it to your Pokédex without owning the DLC. So before anything else, purchase the Expansion Pass and get into Bubbly Basin.
Note: The free update lets you see Manaphy, but registration is locked behind the paid content. There’s no workaround for that.
How to reach Manaphy at the Ocean Temple
Like the other legendary and mythical Pokémon in Pokopia, Manaphy appears at the end of an area’s building questline rather than roaming around. For Bubbly Basin, that means constructing the Ocean Temple.
How to confirm Manaphy is registered
Once the cutscene plays out, Manaphy is added to your Pokédex as Dex #B-050. You’ll also unlock the ability to move into any habitat anywhere, which is the practical bonus tied to completing this questline.
If Manaphy still isn’t showing in your Pokédex, the usual reason is that one of the earlier conditions wasn’t met. Check that you actually own the Expansion Pass, that Bubbly Basin has reached Environment Level 3, and that the “Build the beautiful building” request is fully finished rather than just started.
Where Manaphy lives after you catch it
Manaphy does not have a Habitat of its own, which matches how the game handles its legendary Pokémon. The Ocean Temple counts as neither a Habitat nor a house, so if you want to give Manaphy a proper place to stay, you’ll need to build it a house or ask it to move into any unoccupied Habitat.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Dex number | B-050 |
| Type | Water |
| Generation | 4 |
| Species | Seafaring Pokémon |
| Specialties | Hype, Trade |
| Ideal habitat | Cool |
| Likes | Lots of water, cute stuff, ocean vibes, healing, noisy stuff, bitter flavors |
The Hype specialty makes it dance and lift the mood when music plays, while the Trade specialty lets it swap items with you at a cash register. Those are worth keeping in mind when you decide where to place it.
With Manaphy secured, the natural next step is rounding out its line, so it’s worth tracking down where Phione appears in Bubbly Basin to complete the pair.
