‘Pokemon Inspirations’ Quiz [8/30]

The past week’s quiz question was, “Which of the following popular ‘animals’ has NOT been made into a Pokemon?” The correct answer was Buckbeak from Harry Potter. All of the other “animals” were absorbed into the Pokemon franchise in some shape or form.

• Buckbeak (41.0%, 2,064 Votes) – There is no Pokemon that looks or is designed in spirit of Buckbeak.
• Uri Geller (15.0%, 754 Votes) – His “ability” to bend spoons using psychic powers (trickery) was used to make the Pokemon Kadabra, whose Japanese name is Yungerer as a nod to his inspiration. Unfortunately, Geller discovered a Dark Kadabra card and took insult: “Nintendo turned me into an evil, occult Pokemon character. Nintendo stole my identity by using my name and my signature image.” He took Nintendo to court and sued for millions, but the case was apparently thrown out. However, Kadabra was never made into a Pokemon card again after Skyridge. At Worlds 2006, I asked Pokemon Card Laboratory why Kadabra was absent from the card game and got a “my-lips-are-sealed” motion, despite them telling me other things about the TCG that I asked. In 2008, I interviewed Masamitsu Hidaka, the old director of the show, and he stated that the case was not in fact settled and that Kadabra was put aside for now. Either way, we still don’t have a Kadabra card! To top all of it off, Geller can’t even bend spoons with his mind or detect water like he claims.

• Godzilla (13.0%, 642 Votes) – Uh, hello? Tyranitar? Rawrrrrr.
• Totoro (11.0%, 546 Votes) – Totoro is the mascot of Studio Ghibli and the creation of Hayao Miyazaki, the same guy who made Nausicaa, Castle in the Sky, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo, etc. Totoro sleeps a lot like Snorlax, and chibi Totoro is obviously the inspiration for Munchlax. Compounding this is the fact that both companies (Ghibli and Pokemon) know each other on a personal level, as seen in this radio show that aired before the Shaymin and Ponyo movies came out in Japan last year. By the way, if you’ve never seen a Ghibli movie (whether you are a child, adult, teen, or old person), you are seriously missing out!
• Yeti (8.0%, 377 Votes) – Yeti, or the abominable snowman, is the obvious inspiration for Abomasnow.
• Kappa (7.0%, 355 Votes) – Kappa is a Japanese monster that lives in lakes – it likes to eat children and sometimes adults. When I went to Japan and stayed at Lake Biwa for a few days with my school, which is in a rural area, some of the locals actually believed it exists. I asked what to do if you come across it and they said it has a dish on its head that you have to break, which will drown it. Golduck’s PokeDex entries state it is often mistaken for Kappa, but the Ludicolo line seems to more physically resemble what a Kappa would be.
• Nessie (6.0%, 288 Votes) – Nessie, or the Loch Ness monster, is the inspiration for Lapras (it is a sort of Plesiosaurus). Its original English name was even going to be Ness, as seen on that promotional sticker given out before Pokemon was released in America.
• Total Voters: 5,026