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RTTP: The Pokemon. All 721 of them, and counting.
- Thread starter Watch Da Birdie
- Start date
Alright, can't wait for your next write up.
Watch Da Birdie
I buy cakes for myself on my birthday it's not weird lots of people do it I bet
#072 - Tentacool
Water/Poison
Meet Tentacool, otherwise known as the Aquatic Zubat. Like Zubat, Tentacool has gained a reputation as a prolific annoyance throughout the games, constantly appearing as a Pokemon to impede the player's path while Surfing. Like Zubat, Tentacool is quite fast, and can poison and confuse you, as well as use Wrap---Wrap prevents your Pokemon from switching out or running away in most circumstances, and in Generation I, also prevented your Pokemon from attacking, dragging out battles with Tentacool to painful lengths. Because of this, perhaps Tentacool could be considered worse than Zubat, but on the other hand, excluding Hoenn, you spend less time Surfing typically than journeying through caves, thus I think Zubat ultimately wins out when it comes to the most annoying and tedious Pokemon award. Congratulations?
Tentacool is based on one of the most horrific creatures God ever created, the jellyfish, particularly the deadly box jellyfish, although it looks a bit like an octopus as well. Tentacool's body appears to be solid blue, but going by the PokeDex descriptions and the fact its Ability is Clear Body, I believe its body is meant to be transparent, with the blue coloring representing how it usually appears when seen in the ocean. But of course, drawing Tentacool as a transparent creature would look odd and be hard to pull off in Generation I with sprites, so it's given a solid color as a visual representation---but if Tentacool was drawn in a realistic style, or existed in real-life, I imagine its body would be transparent. Tentacool regularly sting foolish swimmers and fisherman, but unlike most Poison-type Pokemon who are usually described as having extremely fatal poison that can instantly kill you, the PokeDex states that Tentacool's sting merely hurts like the devil, and doesn't seem to normally result in death. Like real-life jellyfish, Tentacool constantly wash up on the shores of beaches completely dehydrated---you can throw them back into the ocean to save them but, really, does the world need any more Tentacool? Let them die!
Tentacool appears to have only a single-set of eyes at the bottom of its head, but these aren't its only eyes it seems---the PokeDex implies that the red, crystal-like structure on its head are possibly considered its main eyes, and by absorbing sunlight, Tentacool can fire off powerful beams. In real-life, box jellyfish actually have 24 eyes---the red orbs on Tentacool's head are meant to be the "rhopalium", the sensory organs jellyfish have which contain "ocelli", basically their visual organs akin to eyes. While some jellyfish have very simple eyes that are unable to do much beyond distinguish between light and dark, box jellyfish have more advanced eyes that are able to distinguish between light and dark and thus see images. Box jellyfish have four of these "eyes", as well as 20 simple eyes which are used to sense light---presumably Tentacool's white eyes are meant to be a set of these simplistic eyes, and probably are more for show than serving as its main source of vision. That, of course, is based on the biology of the real-life box jellyfish, and Tentacool may not operate the same way. Forgive me if my explanation is confusing or has flaws, because reading up on jellyfish vision proved to be a complex task that I barely scratched the surface of.
I always though Tentacool had an "alien-vibe" to it, resembling one of Akira Toriyama's various alien designs such as Guldo of the Ginyu Force. Furthermore, when you view it from the front, the edges of its lower body reminds me of the iconic "Frieza Force" shoulder armor worn by said aliens. Its orbs are also said to glow "mysteriously", and overall it always gave me an extraterrestrial vibe. The anime in particular helped push this image as in its debut episode, where it could control others by possessing them with its tentacles, although this ability has never appeared since in the show or the games. Outside of Tentacool and Tentacruel, its focus episode, Tentacool's pretty much been limited to cameo appearances.
#73 - Tentacruel
Water/Poison
Tentacruel, otherwise known as the "Gangster of the Sea"---a nickname that I now realize only appeared in the show and has never actually been used in the games as far I can see. Anyway, Tentacruel doesn't seem as annoying as Tentacool, or its counterpart Golbat, as I don't recall it popping up in the wild on main routes as often as they do. I always thought Tentacruel should've got a cool giant squid-rocket ship evolution like how Golbat got an evolution, but sadly that wasn't in the cards---I still have hope for a Mega Evolution though. Tentacruel currently occupies a nice niche in some of the higher tiers as a Rapid Spin/Spiker, and was always a pretty decent Pokemon. It was surprisingly fast too, which may surprise you since it doesn't look particularly agile, but box jellyfish happen to be rather swift swimmers.
Tentacruel is a giant jellyfish Pokemon, whose long and numerous tentacles give it a resemblance to the infamous Portugese Man O'War, which isn't actually a jellyfish, but a mass colony of "zooids" who cluster together. Tentacruel is said to have eighty tentacles it can use to ensnare and sting foes, although at most we typically see only 14---it'd be a pain to draw out all eighty of them constantly, and would be quite a feat to incorporate that number into its sprites. Presumably, the other tentacles are withheld within Tentacruel's body until they are needed. There's another stylish design choice in play, as though the lower black part of Tentacruel's body appears to be solid, I believe it's meant to represent negative space, what lies under Tentacruel's hood. This is a common element in quite a few Generation I Pokemon, and is a cute visual touch to make the Pokemon look more appealing and "solid" while also giving the audience enough room to imagine how a real-life Tentacruel would look. Tentacruel also somewhat brings to mind a squid due to having a "beak" like they are known for, and the shape of its head. Jellyfish are neat creatures, but their simplistic appearances perhaps wouldn't make the best Pokemon without adding some elements from more appealing looking oceanic invertebrates.
Once more, there's an alien appearance in Tentacruel's design, although perhaps rather than being extraterrestrial, maybe he's meant to reference the squid-like monstrosities popularized by Lovecraft's Cthulu mythos? Particularly, Tentacruel's head reminds me of traditional depictions of flying saucers, his red eyes comparable to the lights depicted on the side of the vehicles, and one of his abilities is the power to emit harsh ultrasonic waves from the orbs, bringing to mind the common trope of alien sightings often involving strange sounds that can bring about dizziness, memory loss, and other strange occurrences. By the way, Tentacruel's PokeDex always just calls the red objects "orbs", not eyes, which once more calls into question whether or not they're the real eyes. I think my assumption is correct, but with Game Freak, you can never be sure of their intentions.
In the show, Tentacruel's focus episode was Tentacool and Tentacruel, in which an enormous one appeared after a Tentacool was mutated by a strange sauce Team Rocket had devised. Tentacruel rampaged due to feeling threatened by humans until Misty managed to calm it down with the help of Horsea. It also was able to "talk" by taking control of Meowth, which people seem to think was probably a reference to a similar scene from Independence Day. You could perhaps even see the giant Tentacruel itself as bringing to mind the huge saucer which destroyed Washington, D.C. in the film as well. This episode was actually briefly banned on Kids WB! due to 9/11 (it was...a weird time for cartoon censorship) presumably due to the destruction of a major city, although one scene involving Tentacruel demolishing a skyscraper was actually part of the show's opening until the Orange Islands, and thus kids tuning into Pokemon daily could experience a constant reminder that they were living in a post-9/11 society. Normal Tentacruel have since appeared in support roles, a couple times playing antagonistic roles as you'd expect from the "Gangster of the Sea". Despite their creepy appearance, I recall Misty apparently has a weird "thing" for them.
Benzychenz
Member
Tentacruel is such a badass design, one of my favourite water Pokemon.
PataHikari
Banned
Tentacruel is a cool Pokemon, Jellyfish are awesome.
SenorArdilla
Member
Tentacruel has a base speed of 100 making it the 7th fastest Water-type Pokemon after:
1. Greninja (122)
2. Starmie (115)
2. Floatzel (115)
4. Keldeo (108)
5. M-Sharpedo (105)
6. Simipour (101)
1. Greninja (122)
2. Starmie (115)
2. Floatzel (115)
4. Keldeo (108)
5. M-Sharpedo (105)
6. Simipour (101)
Watch Da Birdie
I buy cakes for myself on my birthday it's not weird lots of people do it I bet
...how the fuck is Simipour faster?
I can't wait to talk about those goddamn monkeys.
I can't wait to talk about those goddamn monkeys.
When you put it like that, what the hell? I had to double check Pokes like Sharpedo, Basculin and Swanna. Nope. All under 100.
Learn something every day.
Watch Da Birdie
I buy cakes for myself on my birthday it's not weird lots of people do it I bet
I guess you have to consider that Greninja and Keldeo are fast due to how quickly they can travel over land as opposed to swimming---if you take into account then Tentacruel is the 5th fastest swimmer.
Seven Force
Banned
Top five makes sense, but wow, what the fuck at Simipour.
Benzychenz
Member
I hate those goddamn monkeys, such a lazy way to shoehorn the three elemental types into the early game.
Simisage by himself would have been alright though.
Boss Doggie
all my loli wolf companions are so moe
Better change that post dude, isn't it bad to talk about downloading illegal stuff?
Well Keldeo propels itself with water
Well Keldeo propels itself with water
Still a better love story than Twilight.
Boss Doggie
all my loli wolf companions are so moe
also those are working eyes
balladofwindfishes
Member
I think both of them are more squid like than jellyfish like. They both have very "squid" shaped bodies, and both have visible "beaks" that squids are known for.
As a kid, it used to bother me that Tentacool's tentacles had that split at the end. In Pokemon, that split at the end is usually only used for vines on Pokemon, especially in the anime. Tentacruel also doesn't have that weird split, although with so many tentacles, it would look pretty bad on 'Cruel.
As a kid, it used to bother me that Tentacool's tentacles had that split at the end. In Pokemon, that split at the end is usually only used for vines on Pokemon, especially in the anime. Tentacruel also doesn't have that weird split, although with so many tentacles, it would look pretty bad on 'Cruel.
Pitcher plant? The line is not based on pears?
Birdie, destroying childhood one evolution line at a time.
Victreebel was part of my Gen I team alongside another Pokemon who is coming soon (Dodrio) and I loved him ever since. I vastly prefer Victreebel to Vileplume for a multitude of reasons and it's a shame he didn't achieve a greater degree of popularity. I'd love it if we were graced with Mega Victreebel.
Birdie, destroying childhood one evolution line at a time.
Victreebel was part of my Gen I team alongside another Pokemon who is coming soon (Dodrio) and I loved him ever since. I vastly prefer Victreebel to Vileplume for a multitude of reasons and it's a shame he didn't achieve a greater degree of popularity. I'd love it if we were graced with Mega Victreebel.
Boss Doggie
all my loli wolf companions are so moe
I thought it was kinda obvious that it was based on the pitcher plant due to the shape of their bulbs having an opening.
balladofwindfishes
Member
It's kind of cool they picked two of the lesser known carnivorous plants for Red/Blue. It would take until the fourth gen to get a Venus Fly Trap, the one everyone knows is a carnivorous plant.
Pokemon seems to do that often. It takes lesser known animals and designs around them, rather than making everything obvious animals. The first gen had a lot of abstract animals too, like Slowpoke, Abra and the Nidos, that seem to hint at specific animals, but are so abstract, it's more open to interpretation.
Now all we need is a carnivorous plant Pokemon with sticky tentacles and we have all of the "major" carnivorous plants from real life.
Pokemon weights are basically nonsensical.
Pokemon seems to do that often. It takes lesser known animals and designs around them, rather than making everything obvious animals. The first gen had a lot of abstract animals too, like Slowpoke, Abra and the Nidos, that seem to hint at specific animals, but are so abstract, it's more open to interpretation.
Now all we need is a carnivorous plant Pokemon with sticky tentacles and we have all of the "major" carnivorous plants from real life.
Pokemon weights are basically nonsensical.
Boss Doggie
all my loli wolf companions are so moe
they're not much abstract but are more based on myth animals/foreign animals/kaijuu
with that said plenty of them lean to the generic RPG encounter checklist
and with that in mind you are right that they don't seem to put certain "common" stuff early, like it took them gen 6 to have a t-rex mon. hell they got obscure myth creatures in but still no greek mythos rep
with that said plenty of them lean to the generic RPG encounter checklist
and with that in mind you are right that they don't seem to put certain "common" stuff early, like it took them gen 6 to have a t-rex mon. hell they got obscure myth creatures in but still no greek mythos rep
A lot of numbers in the Pokedex are stupid but weights take the cake, Wailord being the most egregious example.
Not really a popular or well-known plant in Eastern Europe, as a kid like everyone else I've known I just assumed it's a pear and never thought about it since.
Not really a popular or well-known plant in Eastern Europe, as a kid like everyone else I've known I just assumed it's a pear and never thought about it since.
balladofwindfishes
Member
I also don't think a Pokemon like Mewtwo would exist in modern Pokemon.
His backstory and design are a bit more "adult" than current Pokemon. When you look at the original design for Mewtwo, it's actually really grotesque and a bit disturbing.
Even when they tried to make another "freak of nature created Pokemon" with Genesect, he's a lot more mild than Mewtwo. He's basically just a mech Pokemon with a fairly tame back story of just retrofitting an ancient bug Pokemon with armor. Rather than creating an abomination to science using inhumane cloning for the sole purpose of controlling it, until it eventually turns on its masters and then wants to be left alone.
Mewtwo looks like he's in constant pain. Always extremely angry and full of hate, and also physically in pain. There's something uncomfortable about his design.
And I don't think a modern Pokemon Company would make a Pokemon like that.
His backstory and design are a bit more "adult" than current Pokemon. When you look at the original design for Mewtwo, it's actually really grotesque and a bit disturbing.
Even when they tried to make another "freak of nature created Pokemon" with Genesect, he's a lot more mild than Mewtwo. He's basically just a mech Pokemon with a fairly tame back story of just retrofitting an ancient bug Pokemon with armor. Rather than creating an abomination to science using inhumane cloning for the sole purpose of controlling it, until it eventually turns on its masters and then wants to be left alone.
Mewtwo looks like he's in constant pain. Always extremely angry and full of hate, and also physically in pain. There's something uncomfortable about his design.
And I don't think a modern Pokemon Company would make a Pokemon like that.
Wailord is the blimp pokemon. Its full of air
Boss Doggie
all my loli wolf companions are so moe
Nah Wailord makes sense. In fact I always chuckle whenever people point Wailord. They forgot that it's supposed to be full of air.
Size shouldn't even really determine the weight of an object in real life. Osmium is very dense that a small cube of it can weigh as much as a car. And a kilo of cotton would certainly be bigger than a kilo of nails.
Zygarde *cough cough*
And there are creepier stuff than Mewtwo, it just so happens that they're not legendaries. Litwick anyone?
Size shouldn't even really determine the weight of an object in real life. Osmium is very dense that a small cube of it can weigh as much as a car. And a kilo of cotton would certainly be bigger than a kilo of nails.
Zygarde *cough cough*
And there are creepier stuff than Mewtwo, it just so happens that they're not legendaries. Litwick anyone?
Gourgeist is pretty dark, It wanders streets at night and lures people using songs, and then kills them by asphyxiating them with its arms.
Phantump is literally the souls of dead children lost in the forest.
Drifloon is a childs balloon that steals children, Drifblim is the ferry to the underworld.
Malamar is an evil pokemon that uses mind control on humans.
Pokemon never stopped being dark.
Phantump is literally the souls of dead children lost in the forest.
Drifloon is a childs balloon that steals children, Drifblim is the ferry to the underworld.
Malamar is an evil pokemon that uses mind control on humans.
Pokemon never stopped being dark.
TimorousPanda
Member
I had the exact same realization only two days ago when I caught a Tentacool and then a Tentacruel.
balladofwindfishes
Member
None of those are explained in the story of the game and we don't get to see anything in the game that proves any of that stuff ever happened. We get to see where Mewtwo was created and the devastation it had.
They all just come from the extremely reliable and always correct Pokedex entries.
They all just come from the extremely reliable and always correct Pokedex entries.
Boss Doggie
all my loli wolf companions are so moe
Well when you cited another mon it was also through dex entry
We got to visit purgatory. We almost got totally killed by an ice spike. And there definitely was a trainer whose soul was being drained. Kalos has full of meme cats with one of them trying to kill or at least toy with its trainer. And depending on how you view it, there is overt pokephilia in Kalos in many instances.
Weren't there calculations that Wailord is even lighter than air? I know it's species is Float Whale and it's supposed to be filled with air, but it's still inconsistent with how it's supposed to act (how is it able to dive, or jump out of the ocean and crash into it).
It's a fine idea but they went overborad with just how light it is.
It's a fine idea but they went overborad with just how light it is.
You say this, but:
That's your own opinion. His design doesn't show "pain" at all. He's always standing upright, always in control of himself.
Angry? sure, I see that (in this one particular piece of artwork, it isn't shown anywhere else). But there is nothing that suggests Mewtwo is in constant pain and agony.
He's a tragic figure sure, as evidenced by his backstory, written in the games. Aside from those though, he never shows any emotion and has no story actually within the games, he's just another mon. And you saying that he's always in pain and suffering is not backed up by anything.
I'm more inclined to believe the Pokedex entries over fanwank.
Yeah, I am not seeing this in any Gen 1 or Modern art or sprites.
And there are plenty of Pokemon with dark back stories since Mewtwo, mainly ghosts.
He looks mad, not overwhelmed by hate or teeming with anger.
Looks as angry as Primeape or Scyther. It's barely angst and pain and edge
Plus I find the aformentioned pokemon far darker because they are unassuming. You wouldn't think that Phantump has such a dark origin.
I mean hell, look at Spoink. its heart stops if it stops bouncing, that's horrifying.
Plus I find the aformentioned pokemon far darker because they are unassuming. You wouldn't think that Phantump has such a dark origin.
I mean hell, look at Spoink. its heart stops if it stops bouncing, that's horrifying.
Eh, I don't think he is in constant pain but even the Pokedex mentions 'it thinks only of defeating its foes', 'is said to have the most savage heart among Pokémon', not to mention he was created in 'horrific experiments'. As far as his anger goes in the lore he is beyond other Pokemon.
Sure, and the pokedex entries for pokemon like Primeape are the same.
And Tauros:
And Krookodile:
Mewtwo is not a special snowflake. It has an edgy backstory sure, but a lot of pokemon have anger or violence as a defining trait.
Mewtwo is also depicted in every other form of Pokemon media as being wise, intelligent and calm when not being controlled by Team Rocket.
Maybe I just don't get Mewtwo's appeal. They probably tried too hard to make it edgy so it sort of has a Shadow the Edgehog feel to me, I never liked it as a kid either.
(Jeez this thread is really making me see Gen 1 as overrated)
And Tauros:
And Krookodile:
Mewtwo is not a special snowflake. It has an edgy backstory sure, but a lot of pokemon have anger or violence as a defining trait.
Mewtwo is also depicted in every other form of Pokemon media as being wise, intelligent and calm when not being controlled by Team Rocket.
Maybe I just don't get Mewtwo's appeal. They probably tried too hard to make it edgy so it sort of has a Shadow the Edgehog feel to me, I never liked it as a kid either.
(Jeez this thread is really making me see Gen 1 as overrated)
Mewtwo is Game Freak's first attempt to be more mature and probably cater to a more adult audience.
In the 10 min prologue of the first movie, it's implied that Mewtwo is actually a half-human, half-pokemon clone. That makes the Mewtwo backstory even more disturbing. Plus, in the actual movie we see Mewtwo creating his own cloning facility and even acting as a trainer in his own Pokemon tournament. Shit's real. We will never see such a mature Pokemon background ever again i suppose. After all it was the late '90s, being edgy, dark and gritty in movies, games, music, was the trend back then.
In the 10 min prologue of the first movie, it's implied that Mewtwo is actually a half-human, half-pokemon clone. That makes the Mewtwo backstory even more disturbing. Plus, in the actual movie we see Mewtwo creating his own cloning facility and even acting as a trainer in his own Pokemon tournament. Shit's real. We will never see such a mature Pokemon background ever again i suppose. After all it was the late '90s, being edgy, dark and gritty in movies, games, music, was the trend back then.
Blackleg-sanji1
Banned
.. wth? Thats dark!!
balladofwindfishes
Member
Yea, it's the extended media that really fleshed out Mewtwo. Stuff like the movies, along with his appearances in Smash Bros.
Extended media doesn't really make any of those other Pokemon look particularly gruesome, except for Malamar, but Malamar lacks to background story that makes Mewtwo. Malamar is just evil because he's evil and his species is evil. Mewtwo doesn't even have a species. Mewtwo is just Mewtwo.
I actually grew to like Mewtwo more as an adult than as a kid. As a kid, I used to like "silly" Pokemon like Psyduck and Wobbuffet. As a teenager, I was more for "cool" Pokemon, like Charizard and Blaziken. Now as an adult, I generally appreciate visually well designed Pokemon (like Golduck, Haunter, Lucario, Galvantula) and Pokemon that seem to be more mature or have a little bit richer story behind them (Mewtwo).
A lot of the Pokemon entries are really dark.
If Haunter touches you, you violently shake until you die an untimely death.
If Banette opens its zipper, it loses its cursed soul and "dies" although Pokemon Colosseum ignores this and has him open and close the zipper for random animations. It also wanders around looking for the child that discarded it when it was a doll. It also sticks pins in itself to curse others.
If you look into Shedinja's back, it takes your soul (RIP trainer)
Same here.
doesn't charmander die if the flame on its tail goes out?
that seems like something that would probably happen pretty easily!
doesn't charmander die if the flame on its tail goes out?
that seems like something that would probably happen pretty easily!
That almost happened once
NipplesAndToes23
Member
Fuck Tentacool and Tentacruel
Yeah, let the motherfuckers die! They're more annoying than Zubat to me. Do they appear in generation 4-6 too?
#072 - Tentacool
Water/Poison
Like real-life jellyfish, Tentacool constantly wash up on the shores of beaches completely dehydrated---you can throw them back into the ocean to save them but, really, does the world need any more Tentacool? Let them die!
Yeah, let the motherfuckers die! They're more annoying than Zubat to me. Do they appear in generation 4-6 too?
Watch Da Birdie
I buy cakes for myself on my birthday it's not weird lots of people do it I bet
doesn't charmander die if the flame on its tail goes out?
that seems like something that would probably happen pretty easily!
You know, in my review of Charmander, I said I thought the show made that up as the early PokeDex entries don't mention that and instead just say the fire's a life monitor...
But now I realize I was wrong, since I learned when looking at Oddish that the Fire Red entries were actually the original entries in the Japanese Red and Green, and thus the idea that Charmander dies when his tail goes out IS the first canon PokeDex and thus came before the show.
Boss Doggie
all my loli wolf companions are so moe
I always feel like it's exaggerated, or that the flame is actually quite powerful.
I still stand by that it is the laziest among the Kanto starter that integrates the typing into the mon, the best being Bulbasaur line
I still stand by that it is the laziest among the Kanto starter that integrates the typing into the mon, the best being Bulbasaur line