Mimikyu is one of the most memorable Pokémon in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon. It looks like a Pikachu costume assembled during a thunderstorm by someone who had only seen Pikachu once from across a parking lot. Beneath that crooked disguise, however, is a powerful Ghost/Fairy-type Pokémon with an excellent Ability, a unique personality, and enough charm to make Trainers willingly pace around an abandoned supermarket for far longer than they intended.
The good news is that catching Mimikyu is not complicated once you know where to look. The bad news is that it is a rare wild encounter, so your Rotom Dex may become emotionally invested in the floor tiles at the Abandoned Thrifty Megamart. This guide explains the exact Mimikyu location in Pokémon Sun and Moon, how to unlock it, what to bring, and how to avoid accidentally turning your new ghostly friend into a fainted pile of cloth.
Note: This guide applies to the original Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon games. Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon use the same general location but have different progression and encounter-level details.
Mimikyu Location in Pokémon Sun and Moon
You can catch Mimikyu at the Abandoned Thrifty Megamart on Ula’ula Island, near Route 14. This eerie former supermarket is also the setting for Acerola’s Ghost-type trial, so you cannot simply stroll in early, grab a shopping cart, and adopt a Mimikyu before the story allows it.
- Location: Abandoned Thrifty Megamart, Ula’ula Island
- Nearby route: Route 14
- Wild encounter level: Level 29 to Level 32
- Encounter time: Any time of day
- Encounter rate: Approximately 5%
- Type: Ghost/Fairy
- Evolution: Mimikyu does not evolve
A 5% encounter rate means Mimikyu is not impossible to find, but it is not exactly waiting beside the entrance holding a welcome sign. On average, that works out to roughly one Mimikyu in every 20 encounters, though random chance may decide to be kind, cruel, or theatrically ridiculous.
How to Catch Mimikyu in Pokémon Sun and Moon: 5 Steps
Step 1: Reach Ula’ula Island and Complete Acerola’s Trial
Your first job is to advance through the main story until you reach Ula’ula Island and gain access to Acerola’s trial at the Abandoned Thrifty Megamart. During the trial, you will investigate the creepy building, use the Poké Finder, battle Ghost-type Pokémon, and eventually face Totem Mimikyu.
Do not confuse the Totem Mimikyu with the wild Mimikyu you want to catch. The Totem battle is part of the Island Challenge and cannot be treated like a normal wild encounter. You must defeat Totem Mimikyu and complete the trial before the building becomes the useful Mimikyu-hunting location you came for.
This progression requirement is actually helpful. By the time you finish the trial, your team should be strong enough to survive the area, carry enough Poké Balls, and avoid having an existential crisis when Golbat appears for the fifteenth time in a row.
Step 2: Heal Your Team and Prepare a Safe Capture Setup
Before returning to the Abandoned Thrifty Megamart, visit a Pokémon Center and stock up on capture supplies. Ultra Balls are a dependable choice for this part of the game, while Quick Balls can be worth trying on the first turn. Timer Balls can also become useful if the battle drags on and Mimikyu has clearly decided that joining your team requires a lengthy interview process.
Bring a Pokémon that can deal controlled, neutral damage. A team member around Mimikyu’s level range is ideal because an overpowered attacker may knock it out before you can say “I definitely meant to do that.” Avoid using powerful Ghost-type or Steel-type attacks, since those hit Mimikyu for super-effective damage.
One especially important warning: False Swipe is normally a wonderful catching move, but it is a Normal-type attack. Mimikyu is part Ghost-type, so a standard False Swipe will not affect it. This is not the moment to discover type matchups through disappointment. Use a weak move of another type instead.
Step 3: Return to the Abandoned Thrifty Megamart and Start Encountering Pokémon
Once Acerola’s trial is complete, head back to the Abandoned Thrifty Megamart near Route 14. Walk through the areas where wild Pokémon can appear and begin triggering encounters. Mimikyu can show up during the day or at night, so you do not need to wait for darkness just because the building already looks like it has a lease agreement with several ghosts.
Most encounters will not be Mimikyu. You are likely to see plenty of other Pokémon before the disguise Pokémon finally appears. That is normal. Do not assume your game is broken, your 3DS is haunted, or the cashier mannequin has secretly been judging you. Keep moving and keep checking each encounter.
A useful approach is to settle into a simple rhythm: walk, encounter, check the Pokémon, leave the battle if it is not Mimikyu, then repeat. Keeping the process calm matters more than trying to force the odds. A 5% encounter is still a real encounter; it just occasionally behaves like it misplaced your address.
Step 4: Handle Mimikyu’s Disguise Ability Carefully
When you finally encounter Mimikyu, remember that its Ability, Disguise, protects it from the first damaging hit it takes. The attack will break the disguise rather than immediately lowering Mimikyu’s HP. Its costume head will droop, which is both strategically useful and emotionally awkward. You have just damaged a Pokémon whose entire brand is “please like me.”
Do not panic when your first damaging move appears to do no damage. That is Disguise working as intended. After the disguise is broken, your next damaging attacks can reduce Mimikyu’s HP normally. Use modest, neutral damage and stop once its health bar is low enough for a solid capture attempt.
Status conditions can improve your odds. Sleep is especially useful when available, while paralysis can make Mimikyu easier to manage and somewhat less likely to act before you throw another Ball. Just avoid relying on a plan that requires perfect accuracy, perfect luck, and a full moon over an abandoned supermarket. Mimikyu already brings enough drama to the scene.
Step 5: Throw Poké Balls Until Mimikyu Joins Your Team
Once Mimikyu is at low HP and, ideally, affected by a status condition, start throwing Ultra Balls. A Quick Ball is worth testing on turn one if you want to gamble on a fast capture, but Ultra Balls are more reliable after you weaken it. If the encounter goes on for several turns, Timer Balls become increasingly reasonable.
Do not get reckless after breaking Disguise. Mimikyu may be rare, but knocking it out does not make the next one appear faster. It only sends you back into the encounter loop, where Golbat will happily welcome you home. Keep your damage controlled, throw your Poké Balls patiently, and celebrate when the screen confirms that Mimikyu was caught.
Why Catching Mimikyu Is Worth the Effort
Mimikyu is more than a Pokédex checkbox. Its Ghost/Fairy typing gives it several useful resistances and immunities, while Disguise can absorb one damaging hit in battle. That Ability is valuable because it can buy Mimikyu a turn to attack, set up, or simply make your opponent question why a haunted Pikachu costume is somehow ruining their entire battle plan.
Its design is also part of the appeal. Mimikyu is strange, funny, sad, creepy, and adorable at the same time. It wants attention but has chosen to seek it by wearing a handmade Pikachu disguise that looks like it escaped from a crayon factory. That combination of spooky and sweet is exactly why it became one of the standout Pokémon of the Alola region.
Common Mistakes When Hunting Mimikyu
Trying to Catch Totem Mimikyu
The Totem Mimikyu in Acerola’s trial is a required boss battle, not a normal catch opportunity. Finish the trial first, then return to hunt the wild version.
Using False Swipe Without Checking Its Type
False Swipe is usually a catch-rate superstar, but it is a Normal-type move. Because Mimikyu is Ghost/Fairy, it will not work unless another special effect changes the matchup. Bring a different low-power move.
Assuming Mimikyu Only Appears at Night
Mimikyu fits the nighttime mood perfectly, but in Pokémon Sun and Moon it can appear at any time of day in the Abandoned Thrifty Megamart. Hunt whenever you are ready.
Using a Pokémon That Is Far Too Strong
A very high-level attacker can make the encounter harder, not easier. You need a controlled way to lower Mimikyu’s HP after Disguise breaks. A modest neutral move is safer than a dramatic one-hit knockout.
Frequently Asked Questions About Catching Mimikyu
Where is Mimikyu in Pokémon Sun and Moon?
Mimikyu appears in the Abandoned Thrifty Megamart on Ula’ula Island, near Route 14. You must complete Acerola’s trial before hunting for the wild version.
What level is Mimikyu in Pokémon Sun and Moon?
Wild Mimikyu typically appears between Level 29 and Level 32 in the original Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon games.
Can you catch Totem Mimikyu?
No. Totem Mimikyu is part of Acerola’s trial and cannot be caught during that boss encounter. You must find a separate wild Mimikyu afterward.
Does Mimikyu evolve?
No. Mimikyu does not evolve, so the one you catch is already its final form. No stones, friendship requirements, trading partners, or mysterious rituals involving a thunderstorm are required.
What is Mimikyu weak against?
Because Mimikyu is a Ghost/Fairy-type Pokémon, Ghost-type and Steel-type attacks are especially dangerous for it. Avoid using strong attacks of those types when you are trying to catch one.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to catch Mimikyu in Pokémon Sun and Moon is mostly about knowing the correct location and staying patient with the rare encounter rate. Complete Acerola’s trial, return to the Abandoned Thrifty Megamart, prepare for Disguise, and use careful damage rather than brute force.
When Mimikyu finally appears, take a breath before attacking. The haunted costume may look fragile, but it has one of the most memorable battle gimmicks in the game. Catch it safely, add it to your team, and enjoy the fact that your Alola adventure now includes a ghost who desperately wanted to be Pikachu.
Trainer Experiences: What the Mimikyu Hunt Really Feels Like
The Mimikyu hunt is one of those Pokémon experiences that becomes a tiny story of its own. On paper, the task sounds simple: go to an abandoned supermarket, walk around, meet a rare Pokémon, and throw a ball at it. In practice, it feels more like joining a low-budget paranormal investigation team where every wild encounter is either exciting or yet another reminder that Golbat exists.
The first few encounters are usually easy. You walk around with confidence, expecting Mimikyu to appear almost immediately because you have read a guide, stocked Poké Balls, and mentally prepared the perfect nickname. Then the game introduces you to several other wild Pokémon in a row. You begin to wonder whether Mimikyu is hiding behind the shelves, laughing quietly, and waiting for you to become emotionally attached to the floor pattern.
That waiting period is part of the charm. Pokémon games are full of planned moments, scripted battles, and story events that happen exactly when the game says they will. Rare encounters feel different because they create a small pocket of uncertainty. You are not progressing by following an arrow on the map. You are waiting for a specific surprise to happen, and every step could be the one that finally reveals the crooked Pikachu disguise.
When Mimikyu does appear, many players experience a brief rush of panic. It is easy to forget that the goal is not to win the battle as quickly as possible. The goal is to preserve the encounter. Suddenly, the move you normally use to wipe out opponents becomes dangerous. The powerful team member that carried you through several routes now needs to sit quietly while a weaker Pokémon performs the delicate work.
Disguise makes that moment even more memorable. Your first damaging attack lands, but Mimikyu’s HP does not move as expected. Instead, its disguise breaks and its costume head droops. It is a clever battle mechanic, but it also creates an oddly emotional pause. You wanted to catch this strange little creature, and your first official act was to damage its handmade costume. Pokémon battles are complicated sometimes.
The most satisfying Mimikyu catches often come after a small sequence of decisions going right: you avoid knocking it out, lower its HP safely, apply a status condition, and choose the right Poké Ball. Then the Ball shakes once, twice, three times, and finally clicks shut. That tiny sound has a special kind of victory attached to it because you know the catch was not guaranteed by the story. You found it, prepared correctly, and earned it through patience.
There is also something fitting about finding Mimikyu in the Abandoned Thrifty Megamart. The location is gloomy, strange, and full of Ghost-type atmosphere, while Mimikyu itself is equal parts creepy and lovable. The environment makes the encounter feel less like a random spawn and more like a discovery. You are not just catching another Pokémon in tall grass; you are finding the unofficial mascot of awkward haunted retail.
After the hunt, Mimikyu often becomes more than a stored Pokémon. Some Trainers use it in battles because Disguise is genuinely useful. Others keep it because its design is unforgettable. Some simply enjoy the memory of the search itself: the long walk through the abandoned building, the false alarms, the accidental overthinking, and the eventual capture. That is the real reward of the Mimikyu experience. You do not just get a Ghost/Fairy-type Pokémon. You get a story about patience, luck, and adopting a tiny supernatural creature wearing a very questionable Pikachu costume.
