10 Hidden Meanings Behind Iconic Video Game Characters
9. Many Pokémon Have A Haunting Meaning
It's safe to say that there's a multitude of hidden - and less hidden - meanings behind many Pokémon. There are well over 800 of these pocket monsters, and therefore the designs often need to come from somewhere, but some have a rather haunting and dark story behind them, as they are based on Yokai.
Yokai are supernatural Japanese folkloric figures and plenty of creatures come under this umbrella term. There are many Pokémon that draw comparisons to these mythological beings.
For example, the Lotad evolution line all bear a striking resemblance to the Kappa, an amphibious Yokai which would cause mischief after appearing from the water. Both the Kappa and Lotad characters have a lily-pad directly on their heads, proving the connection between them.
Additionally, Ninetails and Vulpix are designed to capture the legendary Kitsune, an animal Yokai that resembles a fox which could grow up to nine tails, and Mawhile's carnivorous design is inspired by that of the Futakuchi-onna, a women cursed with an extra mouth on the back of her heads.
The connections to these folkloric inspirations give these Pokémon a great link to supernatural Japanese mythology, and act as a western audiences eye into the Yokai world.