Here's four different entries for Pokemon based on Yoaki:
#101 Exeggcute & #102 Exeggutor
Who here hasn't at one point wondered what in the holy hell these two are based on? At first glance, Exeggcute appears to be some sort of group of eggs with a hive mind. Its species is Egg Pokemon. One unlucky Exeggcute (A singular of a singular.... How odd) appears to have broken its poor head and shows the yolk inside. It's Japanese name (Tamatama) is a play on the word for sphere, tama, but also resembles the word for egg, tamago.
Nevertheless, it's a coconut. Every child of the First Generation had a eureka moment where they realized that no, Exeggcute isn't a batch of eggs, it's a coconut. I can't fathom why they designed Exeggcute like this, but I sure can tell you how Exeggutor's design came to be.
Japan has a seemingly infinite number of ghosts, ghouls, goblins and umbrellas they call Yokai. This literally means demon, ghost or words to that effect, but is best used to refer to Japanese mythological creatures as a whole. There are a number of sub-categories to Yokai, such as Obake, shape shifting creatures, Tsukumogami, living objects and Oni, demons.
Bestiaries of Yokai were popular in the 18th century, leading to a number of famous ones being published. Toriyama Sekeian published several books of Yokai, in the Gazu Hyakki Yako (Night of the Hundred Demon Parade) series. This series has pages for some of the most famous Yokai, so I will probably be citing back to it as this feature goes on.
The third, Konjaku Hyakki Shuo (Supplement To the Hundred Demons from Present to the Past) includes a rather odd creature called the
Jinmenju, meaning human-faced tree. Like it's oh-so clever name would lead you to believe, this particular creature is a tree with human faces growing from its branches. It isn't malevolent at all. In fact, I find it rather whimsical. The faces never stop smiling, even as they fall to the ground! Yes, there is a reason why Exeggutor's faces/heads/coconuts are always smiling! Also, keep in mind that Exeggutors are mentiond as dropping their heads like trees drop fruit, with the heads becoming Exeggcutes in their own right. Just like the Jinmenju drops its heads.
Aside from this particular book, I can't find very many different sources for the Jinmenju. One notable appearance, though, if not the only notable appearance was in the Saturn version of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The Saturn version included a number of new enemies, the most bizarre of which was the Jinmenju.
Hard to believe this thing is the inspiration for Exeggutor, isn't it?
#215 Sneasel & #416 Weavile
You know, I remember being 9 years old and getting Pokemon Silver at K-Mart. One of the many, many things in that game that puzzled me was Sneasel. It looks like a cat, but is named after a weasel. Why? I don't know. Doesn't seem like anybody does, honestly. Even the Japanese seem puzzled by it. But I can tell you why its a weasel with claws and a penchant for ganging up on opponents. And it's back to Yokai to tell you why.
Specifically, our pal Toriyama Sekian. In particular, Gazu Hyakki Yako. This was the fist time a traditional Yokai, called kamaetachi , was imagined as a weasel demon. You see, Kamaitachi means sickle weasel, whereas kamaetachi means attacking. The Kamaitachi is a whirling dervish of a creature, moving faster than the human eye can see, appearing as a mere whirlwind. The Kamaitachi is most often depicted as a trio of Kamaitachi- the first knocks down the victim, the second slices his flesh, and the third applies medication so the victim is left with painful wounds that aren't bleeding, and he has no idea where they came from.
This explains Sneasel's one time signature move, Beat-Up, which calls on the trainer's other Pokemon to beat the snot out of the opponent Pokemon, as well as Sneasel's higher than average agility, ability to learn the move Agility, and its variety of scratching attacks (Scratch, Fury Swipes, Metal Claw, etc.) It's ice affiliation is puzzling- I haven't read a reason for it to be ice based, but have read that it isn't the only Kamaitachi to be ice based.
Weavile seems to be based more around the feline aspect of the family, whilst retaining the Kamaitachi inspiration. In particular, Weavile wears what appears to be an Egyptian headdress. It's no secret that the ancient Egyptians revered cats. Indeed, Weavile seems to owe a lot of its design to Bast, an Egyptian cat goddess.
Kamaitachi are popular in Japanese culture. Eikoh Hosoh, a Japanese photographer, photographed a dancer as a Kamaitachi in an apparently famous photo shoot. The SEGA Genesis game Ghouls n' Ghosts uses Kamaitachi as enemies, called Sickle Weasels here. Indeed, chances are you recognize them from this appearance, if you recognize them at all:
#355 Duskull, #356 Dusclops & #477 Dusknoir
This is the first cross-generational family I've done! It was a pain to figure out how I wanted to organize 'em. Also, for those keeping score at home, this is the third Yokai family I've written about. Although, in hindsight, I have no idea how you would be able to tell that.
Duskull itself seems to be based on a generic boogeyman, bogeyman, whatever. The story is a traditional one that appears throughout world mythology. Here in the US, we've got the
Boogyman. The Boogeyman seems to be taken from the English legends of the Bogart, or Bogey, though there seems to be little relation between the two, honestly.
World culture gives us many variations on them. In Japan, for instance, they have the Namahage, who warns children not to be lazy or cry too much, or he'll come after them. In Sweden, the monster is called the Monstret under sangan, meaning the Monster Under the Bed, similar to the endless American children afraid of something under their beds. Denmark and Norway have another bed dwelling creature, the Bussemanden. Amusingly, the word is also slang for snot, just as Boogie is in America.
What I'm getting at is simply that Duskull is based on the oh-so common boogyman story, that misbehaving children will be taken away by a ghoul. But of course, I wouldn't be doing this at all if it were that simple, let alone during the Yokai special. The reason lies in Dusclops...
One might be tempted to simply think of Dusclops as a cyclops. It's in its name, after all. But to understand what it is, we must go back to Tsukumogami, objects that have sprung to life on their 100th birthday. From what I've read about them, there are buttloads of different types, but only a few that are well known. For instance, the Karakasa, the ubiquitous umbrella demon. One notable Tsukumogami is the
Chochinobake, a paper lantern that has came to life. Much like Dusclops, they have a single eye. Overall, Dusclops doesn't especially synch up to the Chochinobake, but it's appearance is enough. It's Emerald Pokedex entry mentions that it is thought that a flame burns inside of it. If this is true, this would make it a living lantern... Methinks this is a nod to its origin. And yes, it can learn Will O' Wisp, as befitting a lantern. Speaking of, that move is based on a Yokai related thing, but that's for another day.
To close out this family is Dusknoir. Dusknoir seems to be based on the Grim Reaper archetype. Seriously- numerous Pokedex entries make mention of it taking people to the underworld. It doesn't seem to be malicious- just like the Grim Reaper. Now, I say archetype since the being who takes souls to the spirit world isn't exclusive to our bony friend. Christian and Hebrews had Samael, who married Adam's first wife Lilith, and Azrael, the latter of whom gave his name to a pretty cool Batman character. The Greeks had Thanatos, God of Death.
There is a term for this archetype-
Pyschopomp-. The term means guide of/ for the soul. There are literally dozens of examples on that page. Interestingly, one American example are birds. Specifically, whippoorwills and sparrows. The former was used by HP Lovecraft often, whereas the latter was used to great effect by Stephen King in his novel The Dark Half. Birds that take people away to the underworld.... Gee, why does that sound familiar?
#478 Froslass
This is one of the few times I'm going to a cross-generational evolution independent of its predecessors. In this case, because while Snorunt and Glalie have less concrete origins, there is absolutely no doubt as to what Froslass is based on.
Froslass is based on one of the few very very famous Yokai, the Yuki-Onna, which literally means Snow Woman. In a nutshell, the Yuki-Onna is an ice spirit usually depicted as a woman in a white kimono. That alone gives us Froslass's physical description. Often, she is described as floating across the snow, and sometimes not even having feet. Guess what? Frosslass is lacking in the feet department.
In most, if not all stories, the Yuki-Onna is the ghost of a woman who died in a snowstorm, just as one of Froslass's Pokedex entries describe. The snow ghost has a penchant for freezing people to death with icy breathe and displaying the corpses. Froslass is mentioned as doing this-no, seriously, Froslass hides corpses- and can learn the move Ice Breath. Stories often say she has control over snow as well. Not surprisingly, Froslass can learn a few snow moves, though this could just as easily be attributed to it being a common characteristic of ice Pokemon.
The behavior of Yuki-Onna vary from telling to telling. Sometimes, they are vampiric or Succubus-like (Succubusic?), draining men of their energy through a kiss or through sex. Interestingly, Frosslass can learn Captivate, which lowers the opponents Special Attack if the opponent is of an opposite gender (In this case, male, since Frosslass is a female only species). Other times, she manifests with a child. Those who try to take the baby away from her are killed. Maybe this baby is related to the icy baby Yokai, the Yukinko.
Tellings of the Yuki-Onna these days depict her as a softer, though not necessarily warmer, character, and emphasis her human-like characteristics. There is little doubt that Froslass is based on the original incarnation though. That of an ice cold killer.
