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Post by 8bitretroshit on Feb 20, 2010 7:11:38 GMT -5
More myth based mons is what I want. Unless it turns out to be something really really lame like Bronson. Oh and I want a kara kasa alright. I don't care we already have an awesome balloon that's ghost/flying, we need umberella mon. Something like this |
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Post by Flip on Feb 21, 2010 12:58:34 GMT -5
Espeon is the "nekomata," or two-tailed cat.
Snorunt and Glalie are Youkai as well, but I forget the names. There's a "straw coat" youkai somewhere, and Glalie is a "demon rice ball."
Duskull's line is based on the Japanese one-eyed goblin, esp. Dusclops. Dusknoir is more of a genie, but still works.
Sentret is somewhat tanuki like in design. Zigzagoon is the "Tanuki Pkmn" in the Japanese games, however, IIRC.
Jynx and Smoochum are "yoko-onna," or "old snow witches."
Mawile is the Japanese demon with a face on the back of its head. I believe it's a kimono girl with long hair that covers the demonic fangs on the back of her head IIRC. No idea on name.
Kappas include the Lotad and Psyduck lines.
Tengu include the Seedot line.
Out of the starters, the Torchic line is based on "basan, the fire-breathing chicken." Wartortle may specifically be something, but not sure. Any other references are likely Western, not Japanese (i.e. "world-carrying turtle").
Ho-oh is the Japanese/Chinese phoenix. It is the only "bird" that is actually Asian by design.
The legendary dogs/beasts are all Japanese demons of some sort. No specifics, but I've read this somewhere before.
The first three trios some say are based on the various "East/West/North/South Gods" of Asian myth. The birds represent the Phoenix, the Dogs represent the Tiger, and the Regis represent the Tortoise. This works too, because the types very roughly match the elements of these particular "gods": the phoenix represents fire and summertime (heat, storms, the sea, etc.), the tiger represents wind and fall (Suicune is the north wind, the dogs flee, etc.), and the tortoise is earth and winter (golems made of earthen elements/materials, etc.). However, the trio if Sinnoh not only broke this theory by going with fairy-like creatures, the full "map" of the Pokemon world contradicts the directional placement of these gods (tiger is west, phoenix is south... that alone destroys johto/kanto connection). If they were to add a dragon-type trio, it would likely represent the spring and water/nature elements, following this theory, however (for speculative ones among us).
Growlithe and Arcanine are shishi dogs, or "lion dogs."
Technically Whiscash is just a catfish, but in Japanese folklore catfish causes earthquakes.
Absol is a barghest, but there's a Japanese equivalent as well: "okuri-inu."
There are a gazillion more. I feel like easily half of the Pokemon are based on something. Ones I'd implore you guys to research particularly: Doduo, Voltorb, Gligar, Clefairy (esp. because of its resemblance to Moogles), and the trio of Sinnoh. I'd be very curious to know about these.
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Post by 8bitretroshit on Feb 21, 2010 14:35:32 GMT -5
I kinda figured most Pokemon are based on Japenese myth, but what I actually meant was I want more based on Western mythology. Ofcourse, seeing how the Pokemon games are still pretty Japanese with their teahousses/hot springs and the like I think the chance of that happening's pretty slim. Also I know Dunsparce is based on this thing called Tsuchinoko |
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Post by The Qu on Feb 21, 2010 16:47:35 GMT -5
The Voltorb family isn't based on anything- it's just a circular mine. In fact, Electrode's name, Marumine, means circular mine.
Thanks for the Yokai list, Flip. I'm doing a feature on another website about the origins of Pokemon- where the designs come from, etc. And I was going to do a Yokai special thanks to this thread. Well, now I can an even larger feature thanks to this thread!
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Post by Shrikeswind on Feb 21, 2010 21:59:17 GMT -5
The thing with Zigzagoon (having been away for a while) is that it's a common Normal type with no special attributes, which makes it more of a common raccoon dog than a mythic tanuki (for clarity, tanuki is the yokai, raccoon dog the animal. Same species, different creatures.) I'm referring to the whole type-species-image relationship and how it relates to myth, for example foxfire-wielding kitsune being Ninetales or the Dragon Gate for the Magikarp line.
Oh, and Mawile's origin is called a futakuchi-onna.
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Post by The Qu on Feb 21, 2010 22:38:44 GMT -5
Another great one: Drowzee and Hypno are Baky. Baku are often shown as Tapirs, hence Drowzee's appearance. Dream Eater is a direct reference to these legends. |
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Post by Koopaul on Feb 22, 2010 0:02:44 GMT -5
I kinda figured most Pokemon are based on Japenese myth, but what I actually meant was I want more based on Western mythology. Ofcourse, seeing how the Pokemon games are still pretty Japanese with their teahousses/hot springs and the like I think the chance of that happening's pretty slim. Well let's see... Dragonite and Salamence are based off of Western dragons right? Unless there's some Japanese myth for those Pokemon as well... Er... Mr. Mime is Western. Not a myth though. What other Western based Pokemon are there? |
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Post by Shrikeswind on Feb 22, 2010 0:59:47 GMT -5
Technically, the Dragonite line is fairly Eastern up to Dragonite, and Mr. Mime has significant Eastern influence on design, being that the species isn't grayscale. There's actually an Eastern entertainment media Mr. Mime's image is based on, but for the life of me I can't remember what it was.
Also, Lucario is a jackal, a Western species (quite likely being based on Anubis, a Western god,) Xatu is incredibly Pacific American in design, and the Christmas-related Pokémon all stem from Western traditions. And never forget the Charmander line, going from the European myth of the Salamander to a European dragon.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2010 3:12:39 GMT -5
And Rapidash is a unicorn...tho I dunno how unicorns feature into Asian mythology.
...that's all i gots right now >_>
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Post by Fryguy64 on Feb 22, 2010 7:00:16 GMT -5
Well let's see... Dragonite and Salamence are based off of Western dragons right? Salamence is actually based off the common depiction of the Devil in Japan.   |
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Post by The Qu on Feb 22, 2010 22:13:14 GMT -5
That's quite interesting. Got any pics of blue Ol' Scratch? For those asking for more Tsukumogami Pokemon- and I know I am one!- Dusclops is based on a combination of a mummy and a [/url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C5%8Dchinobake]Chōchinobake[/url]- the paper lantern ghost. You guys might remember them from Super Mario Land 2. I know I do. |
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Post by Koopaul on Feb 23, 2010 0:26:36 GMT -5
Now that's not the Devil as in Satan from Christian/ Muslim/ Jewish religion? Some sort of Japanese devil?
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Post by Shrikeswind on Feb 23, 2010 0:52:36 GMT -5
I find the choice in using El Diablo as the design for a dragon as a very intelligent decision. Of course, I'm going to need more proof Beelzebub goes blue for his Japanese soul-searches than Devil World or it'll just seem like coincidence to me.
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Post by The Qu on Feb 23, 2010 1:46:12 GMT -5
Now that's not the Devil as in Satan from Christian/ Muslim/ Jewish religion? Some sort of Japanese devil? No, it seems to be how they draw Satan. Case in point: Devil World has obvious Judeo-Christian overtones, thanks to the Bibles you have to collect to defeat the Devil. Don't thank that would work with some Asian demon. |
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Post by Koopaul on Feb 23, 2010 2:09:11 GMT -5
Ah I see... Well I still wonder what other mythological based Pokemon there are that don't come from Japan.
Houndour and Houndoom? Based off of those Hell Hounds I believe.
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