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Pokemon biology

shoz999

Back when Tigers used to smoke.
It wasn't a problem. Mostly said that as a joke, as that was what my eyes were involuntarily drawn to when I first looked at it. It's just some unfortunate font and letter orientation.
Ah. I see it's a joke. Speaking of Starmie, you know what's one of my favorite depictions of Starmie's Pokedex entry? The Pokemon Adventures manga acknowledges that Starmie's alien origins should not be taken with a grain of salt.

One of the coolest scenes is that Starmies can serve as Pokemon translators. Starmie are intelligent and can understand what other Pokemon are saying and by manipulating their electric or psychic waves into a form of communication, if a human were able to decipher what a Starmie was saying, this "language" through their electrical waves, humans could understand all kinds of Pokemon speech, kind of like how math is a universal language no matter where your from. In fact this is actually not so far off from even a canon possibility of the games if you piece it together. Now what is exclusive to the Pokemon Adventures canon and is never mentioned in the games lore is that Misty's Starmie has access to a "star language" that can be written down through water attacks which Misty can read. Through this language-by-language translation, Misty can understand what a Pokemon is saying.
 
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Pokemon Fan

Knuckle Trainer
The common interpretation of Ghost Pokémon is that they are not actually ghosts or spirits, just biological organisms that mimic the typical attributes of ghosts. Even Pokémon like Yamask have to be questioned if they're actually literal ghosts, as the Pokédex tends to exaggerate and quote rumor, myth, and legend.

If this is actually the case, then it would probably mean that Ghost-Types are no more immune to age than any other Pokémon. Perhaps some have great longevity, but they're not immortal.
About this, while we don't know if it died of old age, the Sun/Moon anime actually features a Ghost type pokemon that became an actual ghost by dying. Its a Mimikyu owned by Acerola, and the main thing that distinguishes it from a living Ghost type pokemon is that it can fly (unlike a regular Mimikyu) and can't interact with the physical world at all, despite still being able to use attacks (the attacks just pass through everything, even living Ghost types).
 

Bguy7

The Dragon Lord
About this, while we don't know if it died of old age, the Sun/Moon anime actually features a Ghost type pokemon that became an actual ghost by dying. Its a Mimikyu owned by Acerola, and the main thing that distinguishes it from a living Ghost type pokemon is that it can fly (unlike a regular Mimikyu) and can't interact with the physical world at all, despite still being able to use attacks (the attacks just pass through everything, even living Ghost types).

I forgot all about that. So there you go, solid evidence that ghosts and Ghost-Types are two different things.
 

RedJirachi

Veteran member
That Mimikyu was shiny. Does this mean that shiny Mimikyu are actually ghosts of Mimikyu? I like to think it's just 1 in 4000 or something messed up the coloring
 

Bguy7

The Dragon Lord
That Mimikyu was shiny. Does this mean that shiny Mimikyu are actually ghosts of Mimikyu?

No, it doesn't mean that at all. Either it happened to be Shiny before it died, or it's not actually Shiny, and its ghostly coloration just happens to make it look Shiny.
 

Aduro

Mt.BtlMaster
That Mimikyu was shiny. Does this mean that shiny Mimikyu are actually ghosts of Mimikyu? I like to think it's just 1 in 4000 or something messed up the coloring
I wouldn't read too much into it being shiny. Its flight seems to be a more unusual quality. Plus the anime randomly drops actual ghosts in every now and then with little explanation. Its a logical nightmare trying to reconcile the origins of ghost pokemon.



It brings up an interesting point though. We never see much of Mimikyu's real body. The only part of shiny mimikyu that is a different colour are the rags that it wears around itself.
normally shiny pokemon are a rare genetic disorder. Similar to albinism in humans. Shiny pokemon usually don't change the colour of things besides the pokemon's body like Farfetch's leek and Burmy's coat. The exception to that is Mimikyu, who chooses its rags to build a disguise.

Why do only 1/4000 Mimikyu choose paler rags? Are 'Shiny' Mimikyu colourblind so that they don't know that they aren't approximately Pikachu coloured? Is Mimikyu actually some kind of Muk-like creature who's colour seeps into the fabric?
 

Bguy7

The Dragon Lord
It brings up an interesting point though. We never see much of Mimikyu's real body. The only part of shiny mimikyu that is a different colour are the rags that it wears around itself.
normally shiny pokemon are a rare genetic disorder. Similar to albinism in humans. Shiny pokemon usually don't change the colour of things besides the pokemon's body like Farfetch's leek and Burmy's coat. The exception to that is Mimikyu, who chooses its rags to build a disguise.

Why do only 1/4000 Mimikyu choose paler rags? Are 'Shiny' Mimikyu colourblind so that they don't know that they aren't approximately Pikachu coloured? Is Mimikyu actually some kind of Muk-like creature who's colour seeps into the fabric?

First, I must obligatorily bring up the fact that Mimikyu is the only Pokémon that we can absolutely nothing of its actual body. This means that if they didn't recolor its costume the Shiny would look no different, meaning that, from an out-of-universe perspective, Shiny Mimikyu is only the way it is because of an artificial limitation imposed by the games.

Of course, in a case like this, there should be some sort of in-universe reason. The best I can come up with is that Shiny Mimikyu picks a different colored costume on purpose. Perhaps it is drawn to costumes that have a similar or complimentary color to its actual skin, so Shiny Mimikyu pick different costume colors due to the different color of their actual skin.
 

Pokemon Fan

Knuckle Trainer
One should also caution that Acerola's Mimikyu isn't entirely shiny colored. One patch of cloth on its rag is of the normal Mimikyu rag color.

Also, one can note that Shiny Komala only change the color of the log pillow, so not every Shiny pokemon has to have its actual body change color.
 

Captain Jigglypuff

Leader of Jigglypuff Army
One should also caution that Acerola's Mimikyu isn't entirely shiny colored. One patch of cloth on its rag is of the normal Mimikyu rag color.

Also, one can note that Shiny Komala only change the color of the log pillow, so not every Shiny pokemon has to have its actual body change color.
And regular Magearna is literally the same.
 

RedJirachi

Veteran member

nila8000

New Member
One ought to likewise alert that Acerola's Mimikyu isn't totally sparkling shaded. One fix of fabric on its cloth is of the ordinary Mimikyu cloth shading.

Likewise, one can take note of that Shiny Komala just change the shade of the log pad, so only one out of every odd Shiny pokemon must have its genuine body change shading.
 

Aduro

Mt.BtlMaster
Likewise, one can take note of that Shiny Komala just change the shade of the log pad, so only one out of every odd Shiny pokemon must have its genuine body change shading.
Its possible that Komala chooses a white log because that helps it camoflage itself. The shiny Komala is slightly paler and chooses paler wood to make a pad. Maybe shiny Komalas that were more attracted to the scent or feel of trees that matched their own bodies were more likely to survive and pass their genes to the next generation.
 

shoz999

Back when Tigers used to smoke.
Serious question here. Does Quagsire ever stops smiling? I sometimes wonder if that smile is also his angry, sad and happy face all at the same time. You know that type of scene in shonen manga, where the two characters look at each other with gritted teeth and fierce eyes in a contest of strength. Quagsire doesn't even bother to do any of that lol here. He's just showing off that same big smile as before. You gotta really wonder what Quagsire is thinking behind that smile in the scene below.

Ifa7CmL.png
 

Captain Jigglypuff

Leader of Jigglypuff Army
Serious question here. Does Quagsire ever stops smiling? I sometimes wonder if that smile is also his angry, sad and happy face all at the same time. You know that type of scene in shonen manga, where the two characters look at each other with gritted teeth and fierce eyes in a contest of strength. Quagsire doesn't even bother to do any of that lol here. He's just showing off that same big smile as before. You gotta really wonder what Quagsire is thinking behind that smile in the scene below.

Ifa7CmL.png
There’s one game Dex entry where it states that Quagsire has a delay in feeling pain.
 

shoz999

Back when Tigers used to smoke.
There’s one game Dex entry where it states that Quagsire has a delay in feeling pain.
Should be renamed the Carefree Pokemon to be honest as that's how the Pokedex describes it. Interestingly because Quagsire doesn't move a lot, it also doesn't eat a lot. I wonder if that's a sign that it has a long life span?
 

RedJirachi

Veteran member

shoz999

Back when Tigers used to smoke.
So he's doped up on endorphins?
That's definitely a way to explain Quagsire's behavior although I'm not sure if it would be the perfect explanation for his constant smiling. It causes positive feelings in the body but I don't think it's permanent. Not to mention the muscles that takes to maintaining that smile for well... it's entire life. Smiling for a long period of time can be a tiresome sore on those muscles, especially the cheek area. Although the more you do it, the stronger those muscles you get and the less-sore it becomes but I'm not sure how it works life-long and when I say life-long, Quagsire is probably older than most Pokemon. Slow movement is a sign of slow metabolism and is also a sign of a long lifespan. Perhaps his constant permanent smile throughout it's entire life is a glimpse of Quagsire's brute strength lol.
 

Pokemon Fan

Knuckle Trainer
Another possibility would be that its not really a grin, but just the natural shape of its mouth when at rest. Kind of like how the mouths of dolphins and crocodilians sort of curve into a smile (the difference of course being that quagsire has movable lips, and can smile for real too).
 

shoz999

Back when Tigers used to smoke.
Another possibility would be that its not really a grin, but just the natural shape of its mouth when at rest. Kind of like how the mouths of dolphins and crocodilians sort of curve into a smile (the difference of course being that quagsire has movable lips, and can smile for real too).
I never thought Quagsire like that lol. Makes me see the Pokemon in a whole different light. I know I jokingly said that's also his angry and sad face but never actually hit me that's just his normal face in-general.
 
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