[X] My Assistant

[Shinzu]

Is there a Pokemon out there that you love to death, or just some random one, and you realized it was a /completely/ different type/another type?

I just now discovered that Jirachi was Psychic AND Steel! He was in my first Pokemon movie when it came out, my friend let me borrow his Jirachi on Diamond, and that thing was is one of my favorite Legendaries! When the /hell/ did he gain a Steel type? .__o'

Don't get me started on the Creation Trio... '>.> (Yeah, Giratina, I'm lookin' at you...)

[draconitas]

Gyarados. HOW IS IT PART FLYING TYPE? WHAT?.

Ah, my favourite Pokemon. Gyarados is based of a Chinese myth: a carp that jumps over the Dragon Gate (lit. Dragon Door) turns into a dragon, which is an auspicious, benevolent creature in Chinese mythology.

There is a bit about it here, or read it below:

According to Chinese mythology, the Dragon’s Gate is located at the top of a waterfall cascading from a legendary mountain. Many carp swim upstream against the river’s strong current, but few are capable or brave enough for the final leap over the waterfall. [...]

The image of a carp jumping over Dragon’s Gate is an old and enduring Chinese cultural symbol for courage, perseverance, and accomplishment. Historically, the dragon was the exclusive symbol of the emperor of China and the five-character expression, Liyu Tiao Long Men, was originally used as a metaphor for a person’s success in passing very difficult imperial examinations, required for entry into imperial administrative service. [...] More generally, the expression is used to communicate that if a person works hard and diligently, success will one day be achieved.

(Although, personally, nobody really uses "Liyu Tiao Long Men". We use "liyü yue[i] long men", which is has a slight difference: [i]tiao means to jump; yue has the connotation of going over something like a river, a wall; physical or metaphorical obstacles.)

In that sense Flying makes sense, since the Eastern (specifically Chinese) dragon usually flies around. Even the ones that live in the sea can fly around in the sky. Magically; no wings involved. The mental image of a carp jumping the Dragon Gate is immediately followed by a Mysterious Underwater evolution Transformation, and then a dragon rising from the river above to circle around in the sky. I kid you not, that is what I always think when I think of the chinese saying.

Yes, Dragon would have made even more sense, and would have kept better with the myth, but I guess it seemed too ridiculous to make it go from Water to Dragon/Flying. Also, I get the sense that Nintendo rather wanted Dragon to be more exclusive and rare a type, in those early days. But like I said, Flying isn't just plucked from nowhere.

OT, I still think Dunsparce should be Ground. That drill.

This post has been edited by draconitas: Oct 8 2013, 09:55 AM

[Dorito Ninja]

Gyarados. HOW IS IT PART FLYING TYPE? WHAT?.

Ah, my favourite Pokemon. Gyarados is based of a Chinese myth: a carp that jumps over the Dragon Gate (lit. Dragon Door) turns into a dragon, which is an auspicious, benevolent creature in Chinese mythology.

There is a bit about it here, or read it below:

According to Chinese mythology, the Dragon’s Gate is located at the top of a waterfall cascading from a legendary mountain. Many carp swim upstream against the river’s strong current, but few are capable or brave enough for the final leap over the waterfall. [...]

The image of a carp jumping over Dragon’s Gate is an old and enduring Chinese cultural symbol for courage, perseverance, and accomplishment. Historically, the dragon was the exclusive symbol of the emperor of China and the five-character expression, Liyu Tiao Long Men, was originally used as a metaphor for a person’s success in passing very difficult imperial examinations, required for entry into imperial administrative service. [...] More generally, the expression is used to communicate that if a person works hard and diligently, success will one day be achieved.

(Although, personally, nobody really uses "Liyu Tiao Long Men". We use "liyü yue[i] long men", which is has a slight difference: [i]tiao means to jump; yue has the connotation of going over something like a river, a wall; physical or metaphorical obstacles.)

In that sense Flying makes sense, since the Eastern (specifically Chinese) dragon usually flies around. Even the ones that live in the sea can fly around in the sky. Magically; no wings involved. The mental image of a carp jumping the Dragon Gate is immediately followed by a Mysterious Underwater evolution Transformation, and then a dragon rising from the river above to circle around in the sky. I kid you not, that is what I always think when I think of the chinese saying.

Yes, Dragon would have made even more sense, and would have kept better with the myth, but I guess it seemed too ridiculous to make it go from Water to Dragon/Flying. Also, I get the sense that Nintendo rather wanted Dragon to be more exclusive and rare a type, in those early days. But like I said, Flying isn't just plucked from nowhere.

OT, I still think Dunsparce should be Ground. That drill.

I still think they got Gyarados and Dragonite mixed round to be honest. For Dragonair, clearly based on the eastern serpents you mentioned to turn into a more western style dragon, with the wings and bipedal body makes no sense to me even now, Gyrados keeps the same body shape, so he's a more logical evolution to me, plus, Dragonite shares Magikarp's colour scheme a lot closer