Thread: A Pokemon for each country?

Originally Posted by Bikini Miltank

Myths of nine-tailed foxes are common to Japan, Korea and China. The Korean kitsune, the kumiho, is reminiscent of Zoroark because it's a more explicitly sinister figure (remember that Zorua is known as the Evil Fox Pokémon in Japan) and the most notable of its powers is the ability to transform. Both of these things are also associated with Japanese kitsune to some degree, but in the kumiho they are a more significant part of the legend.

Zoroark seems to be based more on the Yako kitsune which are said to be either mischievous or malicious something that fits Zoroark perfectly plus the markings on his face can represent kabuki and Noh make-upwhich are japanese and Illusions are always associated with the Japanese Kitsune (Kitsune even means fox in japanese) and maybe a pinch of werewolf... so i don'tsee any realthing that canmake it korean then Japanese

Originally Posted by Swanna

I didn't make the picture. I do know that Probopass is based on the moai, though, and agree it shouldn't be placed there (it's nice to see some people who realize it, I actually like the Pokemon). It's probably placed there because somebody thought it would be a crude joke.

Not a big thing I realized, because I AM Chilean

I didn't notice before the association with a stereotypical Jew. And seeing the picture in detail, I suspect the picture was made by a Chilean guy, for a stupid reason. Pidove appears associated to Peru, and there's a xenophobic joke here about Peruvian immigrants eating pigeons from the main square of Santiago, the capital.
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Talking about my country, the national bird is the condor, Ho-oh resembles it. And next to Chile is Argentina, whose name come from Latin for "silver", so Argentina and Chile's Pokémon could be Lugia and Ho-oh.

EDIT: Ah, true. Ecuador is renowned from Galapagos, they deserve Blastoise or Torterra.

Did anyone notice how India and Pakistan's symbols are actually pokes who don't get along with each other?
On a secondary note,I can't understand why people associate anything snake-like with India..

Snake charmers. And people who let themselves get bitten by poisonous snakes. (I am not making that up. They spend years developing a tolerance to snake venom.)

I say Ursaring for Canada. Grizzly bears. :P

Also, Kenya could have Luxray since it's a lion or Girafarig since it's a giraffe.

Originally Posted by LionLuxray

Luxray since it's a lion

It's a tiger. Manetric is the lion you're looking for.

Originally Posted by Adamant

It's a tiger. Manetric is the lion you're looking for.

Manectric? A lion? lol no. It's more canine-like imo. Luxray is clearly a lion. I read that it's based on a lion too.

Originally Posted by LionLuxray

Manectric? A lion? lol no. It's more canine-like imo. Luxray is clearly a lion. I read that it's based on a lion too.

Given that their Japanese names are respectively "Livolt" (Lion + volt) and "Röntorar" (Röntgen rays (the "every other language but English" name for X-rays) + tora (Japanese for tiger))... I'd say the place you read that was pretty wrong.

Nope. I read in several places that the Shinx line is based on the Egyptian sphinx, which is a half man, half lion statue. Shinx's name even sounds like sphinx.

Also, if Luxray is a tiger, why does it have a lion's mane?

Luxray is a lion, end of story.

EDIT: I also just noticed that BULBAPEDIA says Luxray is a lion.

For Scotland, Lapras is obvious, but Entei could also be used, as there is a red lion on Scotland's other national flag, the Lion Rampant.

And to pick some random countries:

Northern Ireland: Smeargle, to represent the Murals in Northern Ireland, plus this choice is inclusive of both Catholics and Protestants.
Kalmykia: Pawniard or Bisharp, because Kalmykia is considered to be a chess mecca. The former President is the head of the International Chess Federation. And the capital, Elista, even has a public chess set.
Zanzibar: Nidoqueen, because Queen frontman Freddie Mercury is from Zanzibar.

Originally Posted by Adamant

Given that their Japanese names are respectively "Livolt" (Lion + volt) and "Röntorar" (Röntgen rays (the "every other language but English" name for X-rays) + tora (Japanese for tiger))... I'd say the place you read that was pretty wrong.

Err.. luxray loks nothing like atiger at all... Shix even looks like a Lion cub...

Originally Posted by DracoMan

And Scrafty, since he's based on American punk/hip-hop culture.

I agree with this one.

Originally Posted by ghaskan

This is not the place to discuss the origin of Pokémon, but instead what country should they represent. While it is fine to a certain extent to stress a point, you are drifting too far away from the topic. Please stick to it.

It's not the same, but it's related anyway. The origin is still a valid argument for a Pokémon to represent a country.

Originally Posted by LionLuxray

I say Ursaring for Canada. Grizzly bears. :P

Also, Kenya could have Luxray since it's a lion or Girafarig since it's a giraffe.

Originally Posted by Adamant

It's a tiger. Manetric is the lion you're looking for.

Originally Posted by LionLuxray

Manectric? A lion? lol no. It's more canine-like imo. Luxray is clearly a lion. I read that it's based on a lion too.

Be ready to change your username, haha. (Eh, Luxray is a lion I think.)

Originally Posted by Adamant

Given that their Japanese names are respectively "Livolt" (Lion + volt) and "Röntorar" (Röntgen rays (the "every other language but English" name for X-rays) + tora (Japanese for tiger))... I'd say the place you read that was pretty wrong.

Originally Posted by LionLuxray

Nope. I read in several places that the Shinx line is based on the Egyptian sphinx, which is a half man, half lion statue. Shinx's name even sounds like sphinx.

Also, if Luxray is a tiger, why does it have a lion's mane?

Luxray is a lion, end of story.

EDIT: I also just noticed that BULBAPEDIA says Luxray is a lion.

Regarding this, in Asian culture I don't think lions are as esteemed as tigers. So a lion could very well become a tiger, as long as it's viewed as a progression... I'm only kinda playing Devil's Advocate.

Originally Posted by Articwolf10

Err.. luxray loks nothing like atiger at all... Shix even looks like a Lion cub...

Originally Posted by ghaskan

This is not the place to discuss the origin of Pokémon, but instead what country should they represent. While it is fine to a certain extent to stress a point, you are drifting too far away from the topic. Please stick to it.

I kinda agree, kinda don't. Debatedly, the debate is about the identity of the pokemon in question anyway, and a little less about its origin. There is alot of arguing about the pokemon though, and, if it's not exactly clear what the pokemon is (despite the convictions of some who argue one way or the other), the pokemon probably shouldn't be chosen as representative for a country. (Such is subjective anyway.)

Originally Posted by Sennen_Goroshi

It's not the same, but it's related anyway. The origin is still a valid argument for a Pokémon to represent a country.

Kinda agree, kinda don't. Eh, mostly agree.

You guys have a point there, so please nevermind my initial warning (which was deleted to avoid confusion). Carry on.