Pokemon Concept Origins

[Dar]

We had a names origin thread, so I felt it was needed :P

For example, Absol is believed to have been based off of the kutabe (Bai Ze) of Chinese mythology, a beast that appears as a large mountain lion with one or two horns. The kutabe also warned that a plague would spread (somewhere) in Japan, which would explain Absol's ability to predict disasters.

Personally, any Pokemon who's origins lie in Asian mythology is pretty interesting.

 

[Momo(th)]

Volcarona is based off of the Atlas Moth, as well as having similarities to Seraphs, who were fiery-winged angels in Christianity and Judaism.

It's wings also resemble that of a lotus flower.

And in case you couldn't tell, it's my favorite Pokemon.

 

[Skoonk]

Ho-Oh is probably based off the Fenghuang, which is a Chinese Phoenix who represents fire and the sun among other things.It is often described as having a bak of a rooster, the face of a swallow, the forehead of a fowl, the neck of a snake, the breast of a goose, the back of a tortoise, the hindquarters of a stag and the tail of a fish. That description could fit Ho-Oh, and it goes on. It's feathers were black, white, red, green, and yellow: these are the colors of Ho-Oh's feathers. It's not unlikely that Ho-Oh was based off of Fenghuang knowing this.