Does anyone else feel the starter choices are very random?

[HappyHawlucha]

Maybe these 3 starters that have been brought over to Sinnoh will adapt over the course of the game, evolving into Sinnohan Dartrix, Quilava and Dewott, then into brand new regional evolutions of the middle starters. A pipe dream but I would love that so much.

 

[1rkhachatryan]

Honestly if it was Froakie instead of Mijumaru that would have been everything. Would have been the first time I loved all the starters lol

 

[janejane6178]

Rowlet evolves into an archer
Oshawott evolves into a samuray
Cyndaquil ... ?

 

[Storm the Lycanroc]

Rowlet evolves into an archer
Oshawott evolves into a samuray
Cyndaquil ... ?

Badger!

Japanese badger - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[janejane6178]

D

Badger!

Japanese badger - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Doesnt fit the pattern of the first two haha

 

[Divine Retribution]

You guys are missing the point. The designs are all based on Ainu culture. And that also goes in the Starter choice.
As noted by Japanese fans on Twitter, the Starters seem to have been chosen because each one represents something important to Ainu myths.

Rowlett: Owl. Cikap-kamuy.
Cyndaquil: Volcano.
Oshawott: Otter. Otters are messengers between humans and the gods. An otter also had a role in the creation of humans.

Kaihatsu, who has knowledge of Ainu goes into more details and includes references to other Japanese non-Ainu stuff, but Japanese fans seem to be focusing exclusively on the Ainu angle.


It's not feudal though.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1365328945219010566

It's late Taishō to early Showa. The Taishō era ended on December 25, 1926, with Emperor Taishō's death. And according to franchise lore, Professor Nishinimori (Westwood) invented Poké Balls in 1925, so it fits the time frame. Nishinomori is also regarded as the "father of Pokémonology" in Japan (yes, Japan. Details about Nishinomori are given in a book from Gen 1, when Pokémon was still an alternate history Earth instead of the fantasy world it was retconned into).
The Professor might be Nishinomori, or maybe Nishinomori II, since Nishinomori I was retiring due to age when he discovered Pokémon could shrink. The anime says Nishinomori's lineage goes until Nishinomori V, at least.

This is the only explanation presented so far that isn't fraught with confirmation bias, so, despite knowing nothing about Ainu culture, I'm going to have to go with this being the most likely answer.

 

[ShadowForce720]

So at the moment which starter do you think you will choose here?

As for me I’m trying to decide between Rowlet and Cyndaquil.

 

[Red and Blue]

So at the moment which starter do you think you will choose here?

As for me I’m trying to decide between Rowlet and Cyndaquil.

Oshawott for me cause it's my absolute favorite Water starter.

 

[Ignition]

I’m replacing

So at the moment which starter do you think you will choose here?

As for me I’m trying to decide between Rowlet and Cyndaquil.

At first I wasn’t interested in any but I’m warming up to using Rowlet. Rewatching the SM anime made me appreciate it more

 

[Pokemon Power]

They're mixing and matching past starter groups. I think it's a nice twist to the standard formula, and that it will give Cyndaquil, Oshawott and Rowlet more attention.

 

[Lion Demon]

I think I can probably explain: All 3 final evos of the three mons we have have some sort of connection or reference to Feudal Japan which is ofc what Legends Arceus is based on. For one, Decidueye is the archer and in Feudal Japan they got plenty of them. For two, Samurott is based on a samurai which you can figure out easily from there. And for three, Typhlosion's based on a weasel which in Japan, the latter has many depictions and connections to mythology. Specifically as yokai. And I guess also based on Japan's physical geography where it's heavily mountainous and volcanic which Typhlosion basically has connections to volcanoes due to its Fire typing.

Well, there we go. Looks like the starter choices are completely intentional.

 

[Wulava]

Ancient Japanese weapons: Arrows (Decidueye), Gunpowder/Explosives (Typhlosion), Swords (Samurott).

Also, Typhlosion's Japanese name, "Bakphoon" was derived from "bakufu" which means blast or possibly shogunate, and typhoon.

 

[Dephender]

And for three, Typhlosion's based on a weasel which in Japan, the latter has many depictions and connections to mythology. Specifically as yokai.

Not a weasel, but the line is primarily inspired by the fire rat (hinezumi) yokai.

 

[Redstar45]

Not a weasel, but the line is primarily inspired by the fire rat (hinezumi) yokai.

Yup as Yokai's myth inspired lot of ideas in Pocket Monsters series and is a Hinezumi story connection to the Hokkaido region that inspired a origin of the Sinnoh region?

 

[Zorovolt]

I'm so happy that they've chosen cross gen starters, and I'm torn on who to pick. Samurott is my all time joint favourite starter evo (with Primarina) butbuve developed a latter day love of Decidueye too. I imagine Decidueye having some really cool animations due to having the ability to fly, though all 3 final evos will doubtless look amazing. Typhlosion not my favourite, but objectively a great fire type choice and I appreciate them showing love to Gen 2 (and not recycling gen 1!!)

As for forms, theres so many ways they could go...megas? Gmax, as it could be retconned into Sinnoh in this game? Something else?

 

[Reinhardt]

There probably was some reasoning behind the Starters they chose for this game, even just a basic one like "we've done nothing with the Johto or Unova Starters for a while, and these two are popular so we'll use them". As I've said in another thread I probably would've liked a different Grass Starter because the Alola Starters were only recently made available in the Isle of Armour, but if they were going with an ancient Japan theme I suppose Decidueye fits better than most.

 

[Leonhart]

At first I did think that it was random for them to be chosen as the Starters of a Shinou-based side game, although in hindsight they're quite popular. I'm just surprised that they didn't use Keromatsu (Froakie) in place of Mijumaru (Oshawott).

 

[1rkhachatryan]

I still can't believe my boy Cyndaquil is going to be a starter again, god I'm so hyped!!! I hope we can have a pokemon follow us or have them travel on our shoulder sort of thing because I want Cyndaquil to be out and about with me .

 

[Reinhardt]

At first I did think that it was random for them to be chosen as the Starters of a Shinou-based side game, although in hindsight they're quite popular. I'm just surprised that they didn't use Keromatsu (Froakie) in place of Mijumaru (Oshawott).

I'm also surprised they didn't go with Froakie. Greninja did win that Pokemon of the Year online poll last year, it's apparently a big name in the Smash Bros. community as well, so its inclusion could've attracted even more people to this game, and it fits with the ancient Japan aesthetic just as well as Samurott does, so I'd say there's a missed marketing opportunity there.

 

[Storm the Lycanroc]

I still can't believe my boy Cyndaquil is going to be a starter again, god I'm so hyped!!! I hope we can have a pokemon follow us or have them travel on our shoulder sort of thing because I want Cyndaquil to be out and about with me .

At least they're giving another fire starter some attention instead of just using Charmander again.