"Pokémon" YOU'VE Seen IRL!

[Uecil]

Wow. This is such a long list, it makes you realise how many inspirations there are.

Didn't see it on the list, but how about Yamper and Corgis?

 

[icycatelf]

Just came across this thread, these are some cool posts and pictures!

I'll throw one out there- Smeargle is based on a Beagle (Smear + Beagle) and I'm lucky to have one of my own! (sorry for bad image quality...)

Spoiler:

View attachment 90518
She just used Rest...

Nice work putting this together!

Glad you enjoyed the post, and nice Smeargle!

Wow. This is such a long list, it makes you realise how many inspirations there are.

Didn't see it on the list, but how about Yamper and Corgis?

The vast majority of Pokémon are based on something, be it real-world or mythical. In this thread, members can share (their own) photos or stories of such things they've encountered IRL (as well as things they've found that feel like they could/should be Pokémon).

The main post currently only contains my own photos—my personal Pokédex—but I may turn it into a community Pokédex in the future.

 

[the Alolan naturalist]

I didn't realize we could add stuff ourselves! if you'd prefer to keep this post only for stuff you've personally seen, lmk and I'll delete but here's the inspiration for croagunk and toxicroak: poison dart frogs! these colorful, land-dwelling frogs are poisonous to touch. They're also very colorful (as both the regular and shiny versions of these pokemon are)

 

[icycatelf]

I didn't realize we could add stuff ourselves! if you'd prefer to keep this post only for stuff you've personally seen, lmk and I'll delete but here's the inspiration for croagunk and toxicroak: poison dart frogs! these colorful, land-dwelling frogs are poisonous to touch. They're also very colorful (as both the regular and shiny versions of these pokemon are)

As long as the photos are your own, sharing is encouraged!

 

[icycatelf]

Added Glaceon to Leafeon's entry since they may both draw inspiration from colorpoint cats (Leafeon seems more obvious IMO, but Glaceon could be a "blue point" like Milly). I also added a "vampire moth" to Beautifly's entry, given its ability to pierce prey with its proboscis to feed on their fluids.

 

[icycatelf]

While I'm not convinced that it actually draws inspiration from them, I couldn't help but think of Flabébé when I spotted these tiny white moths a couple years ago:

Spoiler:

Yucca moths share a symbiotic relationship with yucca plants and have been crucial to the plant's existence for over 40 million years! Neither species could survive without the other. The caterpillars feed solely on yucca seeds and yucca plants are pollinated solely by yucca moths. They belong to the same superfamily as the "fairy moths."

- - -

EDIT: I also added stripey boi Simon, our newest cat, to represent Litten.

 

[icycatelf]

I just recalled something that crossed my mind a while back. After doing some research, I think there may be something to it.

Like Abra, the North American opossum sleeps approximately 18 hours a day. This may be more than coincidence, given the rat-like tail of Abra's earliest sprites. (This isn't to say that it doesn't also draw inspiration from other animals, nor does this mean that Kadabra and Alakazam necessarily draw inspiration from opossums.)

 

[the Alolan naturalist]

Some flying types IRL:
Fearow, in my opinion, was definitely based on cormorants but we'll say Cramorant to be surer
Then we have a wingull using fly
A little starly, perhaps looking for bug-types in the tall grass
And finally a swanna resting up; Ironically this picture was the only one not taken in IRL Unova (it was taken in IRL Kalos)

 

[icycatelf]

Some flying types IRL:
Fearow, in my opinion, was definitely based on cormorants but we'll say Cramorant to be surer
Then we have a wingull using fly
A little starly, perhaps looking for bug-types in the tall grass
And finally a swanna resting up; Ironically this picture was the only one not taken in IRL Unova (it was taken in IRL Kalos)

Thanks for sharing!

How do you feel about me turning the first post into a "members' Pokédex?" If I do, I'll need to require images to be 500px wide or tall (whichever is smaller). Formatting would look something like this:

Spoiler:

[Sprite]
[Pokémon Name]

[Photo 1]
Seen by [Username]

[Photo 2]
Seen by [Username]

[Pokémon Name] seems to be based on [Origin].​

 

[the Alolan naturalist]

Thanks for sharing!

How do you feel about me turning the first post into a "members' Pokédex?" If I do, I'll need to require images to be 500px wide or tall (whichever is smaller). Formatting would look something like this:
/QUOTE]
I think that'd be very cool! It's your post, so I wouldnt want to detract from it being originally your own "pokedex" but ifyou'd want to turn it into a collaborative effort I'd be down to resize the images i sent. Here, I'll start with this IRL Remoraid which, while being based on remoras and guns, also draws heavily from archerfish, which can shoot jets of water at prey that is above the surface

 

[TepigLover101]

oh

 

[icycatelf]

I think that'd be very cool! It's your post, so I wouldnt want to detract from it being originally your own "pokedex" but ifyou'd want to turn it into a collaborative effort I'd be down to resize the images i sent. Here, I'll start with this IRL Remoraid which, while being based on remoras and guns, also draws heavily from archerfish, which can shoot jets of water at prey that is above the surface

I knew about their connection to remoras, but I don't think I knew about archerfish. How cool! I personally think Remoraid bears a closer resemblance to archerfish, the remora bit only coming into play with Mantine.

I've remodeled the main post now, so feel free to post those resized photos!

Just came across this thread, these are some cool posts and pictures!

I'll throw one out there- Smeargle is based on a Beagle (Smear + Beagle) and I'm lucky to have one of my own! (sorry for bad image quality...)

I've now repurposed the main post as a community 'dex. If you'd like your photo to be included, could you resize it to 500px wide?

 

[icycatelf]

Although Onix's body seems to be based on raw black diamonds, I can't help but compare the Rock Snake Pokémon to "scale tree" fossils.

Spoiler:

This is Diaphorodendron, a type of "scale tree" (Lepidodendrales) fossil. When found in large sections, it's not uncommon for amateurs to mistake these ancient plants for giant snake fossils. I wonder if wyrms and similar legendary creatures were inspired by these? (In 1851, a Lepidodendron—a larger relative of Diaphorodendron—fossil was exhibited in a Welsh museum as the remains of a gigantic serpent.)

I guess they could also kind of work for Sudowoodo, though it's not "petrified." (Petrification is a special type of fossilization.)

EDIT: Added a more-likely contender for Onix to the 'dex (but Shiny).

 

[icycatelf]

Happy Pokémon Day!

Here a couple of entries that I'd been holding off on adding to the 'dex, but I guess they're close enough to work. Rattata is pretty much a common field mouse while Shuckle, given its category on as the Mold Pokémon, may draw inspiration from slime molds with tentacles.

Meadow Vole (Juvenile)

Chocolate Tube Slime

And here are some more ideas for future Pokémon/Fakemon based on things I've seen:

Calamites (Tree-Like Reed) Fossils

Spoiler:

I'm envisioning a design reminiscent of totem poles. Rock/Grass.

Here's a basic stage I came up with: [x]

"Poodle Moth"

Spoiler:

Bug Eeveelution?

Monkey Slug

Spoiler:

We've already got one slug caterpillar Pokémon (Snom), but I think the hag moth caterpillar is bizarre enough to deserve its own Pokémon.

And a couple item ideas:

Ironstone Concretion/Nodule

Spoiler:

Iron Stone evolution item

Air/Fairy Potatoes

Spoiler:

An oval berry with cute little wings. Makes Pokémon lighter when consumed?

​

 

[icycatelf]

Fletchling and Fletchinder are based on robins.

While the North American robin above isn't a "true" robin, it's still associated with fire. According to one Native American legend, this species got its red breast as a result of fanning the embers of a freezing hunter's campfire.​

 

[icycatelf]

Here's a stray cat that used to come around that reminds me of Purugly, just more muscular than fat:

Spoiler:

 

[icycatelf]

I kind of doubt that it actually draws inspiration from them, but I've seen some compare Pidgeotto to cardinals. (I can see some resemblance between female cardinals and Pidgeotto but male cardinals look more like Talonflame to me, which is more of a falcon.) It would be pretty cool to see an actual cardinal Pokémon someday.

Spoiler:

Also, I found this brightly colored woodlouse the other day. I'd never seen them in orange before! This morph is apparently somewhat rare in the wild (depending on species and region, anyway). IRL Shiny?

Spoiler:

(Wimpod is based on woodlice, though more specifically near-shore "sea slaters.")

 

[icycatelf]

A wild Swablu (bluebird) appeared!

EDIT: And an Orbeetle (seven-spotted ladybug)!

 

[icycatelf]

Introduced in a region based on the United States of America, I guess the American Toad could count as Seismitoad.

(Does anyone else get toad vibes from Graveler as well, or am I just weird?)

 

[Soaring Sid]

Swablu looks beautiful! What's with the Ironstone nodule though?