Thanks again folks. Just seeing some of these responses now. @smpratte - I was also surprised by the University Logo - I had probably seen it a countless number of times for years but had only noticed Gyarados was in the design around 2019/2020. XD
@kurtosisblakeinfini You honor me too much. Glad you enjoyed the read, my friend!
@ascendedbidoof If I have influenced your love for Gyarados to rise up to your favorites, then I have already done more than enough. It helps that I have an [un]healthy obsession but yes, some of this research took literal months - especially the stuff with Beta Gyarados. I had actually included my research on the Bulbapedia page for Namazu and since posting this article it looks like someone included the rest of my research as well onto the page which makes me happy! Maybe one day I’ll see Milotic replaced by Gyarados in your team sig.
@kromaticlanturn@DeekBoy@Neutral I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Finally one of my long ass posts was worth reading. XD @vampire I’m especially appreciative that you have decided to read it several times. Maybe come 2024 I’ll have more to add depending on what we see this coming year.
I was hoping to write an article on Mataro Dolls due to the fact that Pokemon has been releasing one a year based on the Chinese Zodiac. They started with Pikachu for the Year of the Rat and I was optimistic they would choose Gyarados as the obvious choice for the Dragon. Unfortunately they just announced the Pokemon they chose for 2024… And they used Dratini of all Pokemon. >_<
Finally i had enough time and peace to properly read this, i knew already a lot of these things from what you had wrote earlier and from our conversations but to have it in one place and learn so much more than what you’ve earlier shared. Everyone can have a favourite pokemon but a dedication like this one can only admire, it’s crazy how many myths and tales exist that have ties to gyarados and that you have actually discovered this amount of them.
A fun detail of dragons from my country, tho it’s not exactly related to gyarados, but i like that regarding myths in finland the word dragon is also covered in myths with no clear knowledge of its origins. We call it “lohikäärme” which literally translates into salmon snake which makes no sense. There’s guesses that it may have originally been “louhikäärme” in ancient finnish which would make it a snake living in rocky mountains which makes a bit more sense. Another guess is that it has originated from swedish word “flohgdraki” which means flying snake, where the beginning of the word would have been kept and the ending translated. But i think it’s a fun thought that thinking how popular dragons are no one here knows why we call them like that. I guess not really related to your thread but just something about dragons i thought you might like
Also, you say under-loved grimer even though it’s clearly one of the most loved pokemon in my house
