Can you think of any pokemon inspired by Yokai or Japanese mythology in general? Shiftry being inspired by tengu is the one that immediately comes to mind for me.
9 Likes
Nice topic!
Mawile = Futakuchi-Onna
Froslass = Yuki-Onna
Golduck (Or Lombre) = Kappa
Ninetales = Kitsune
Exeggutor = Jinmenju
Electabuzz = Oni
Lickitung = Akaname
Arcanine = Komainu
21 Likes
Ogerpon comes to mind:
@decoypalmette beat me to it with Kappa Golduck (nice one about the other two three, though!)
Drowzee and Baku (‘a benevolant Japanese yokai (supernatural creature) from folklore revered as a “dream eater” that consumes nightmares’):
I also came across these two lists (especially the second one has some nice examples):
https://www.reddit.com/r/pokemon/comments/g5llif/pokémon_yokai_dex/
Greetz,
Quuador
11 Likes
Wartortle = Minogame
Meowth = Maneki-Neko
Gastly = Sogenbi
Magikarp = Longmen / Tōryūmon myth
Moltres = Suzaku
Sneasel = Kamaitachi
Misdreavus = Nukekubi
Espeon = Nekomata
Dunsparce = Tsuchinoko
Gligar = Amikiri
Slowking = Sazae-Oni
Suicune = Kirin
Torchic = Basan
Blaziken = Karura
Dusclops = Hitotsume-Kozō
Banette (+ other “object” Pokemon) = Tsukumogami
Whiscash = Ōnamazu
Darumaka = Daruma doll
14 Likes
Interesting question, I’ve tried to look a bit into this but there’s nothing that comes to my mind.
She seems to be linked to white foxes and Kitsune, so I’d say hisuian Zorua / Zoroark or alolan Vulpix / Ninetales are what come closest at least visually?
Thematically, maybe Shaymin, although it would be a bit forced in my opinion, since the concept of a goddess who brings prosperity and fertility is not limited to asian folklore.
Some say Enamourus and Landorus but Idk
3 Likes
You seem to be knowledgeable on Japanese folklore! I’ve been wanting to learn more about it. I read the Kojiki but that was more mythology. It was interesting but not quite what I was looking for. Any resources you recommend for learning more about the folklore?
3 Likes
You can’t post Froslass without Snorunt!!
Snorunt = Yukinko
“Yukinko are snow spirits that live in the mountainous parts of northern Japan which receive heavy snowfall in winter. They resemble human children wrapped up in thick clothes. They are said to be the children of yuki onna, and are usually seen being carried in their mother’s arms.”
10 Likes
Thank you! I’m not super knowledgeable, but it’s definitely a topic that got me interested! For those, I’ve scavenged reddit, random Pokemon articles, YouTube videos and wikipedia pages. I had a bit of prior knowledge thanks to always liking mythology, anime, and a general appreciation for japanese vintage paintings 
This website though seems to have every Yokai and was pretty useful for me Hakutaku | Yokai.com
7 Likes
Thank you!!
2 Likes