First, I am going to start off with a request to put on your Speculation Helmets, folks. This is nowhere near being confirmed but signs are pointing to a possible truth! This morning, Game Freak trademarked a few names for possible Pokemon. Three, to be more precise. Of these three, signs point to fire, water, and grass bases. Yeah, that sounds like new starters to me.
The website BidnessEtc had these predictions of what the names could mean, but I will paraphrase. The three names are Mokuroah, Nyabby, and Ashimari. Yes, they are Japanese, which makes sense due to it being a Japanese series, and the Japanese names are generally released first, with English following soon after.
Up first is Mokuroah. This name is derived from the Japanese Moku (wood or tree) and either fokuroah or kuroah (fokuroah being owl, kuroah being dark). This points to the grass starter being a grass-type owl/bird that over the evolutions will gain the second typeage of Dark.
Next is Nyabby, from Japanese Nya (meow) and by (fire). This would point to the fire starter being a fire-cat of sorts. This is where I disagree with the original website, slightly. I agree with the possibility of having a tiger as the final evolution, more specifically a Sand Cat. Which relates to the Chinese zodiac tiger. The tiger is also a symbol of earth in martial arts, so they believe it will be a fire ground type final evolution. Which is plausible, but I have a feeling we will see another fire/psychic, and I’ll explain my case after the third.
Last is possibly the one that I am the most excited about, half because I am a water starter kind of guy, and half because of the description. The name is Ashimari, derived from Ashika (sea lion) and mari (ball) which fit due to the popular ball-balancing acts by seals/sea lions. Since acts like this are physical, it is assumed the final typing will be fighting, which makes sense to give a physical aspect to a special primary typing. Can you imagine a cute seal as a starter? Yes, please, Gamefreak. I’ll have another.
So, to go back to my reasoning to the Fire/Psychic, there were rumors when Gen VI was announced. What intrigued me the most was how the typing advantage was possibly going to be reversed in the secondary typing. Meaning Fire-Grass-Water would be the primary, but by the final evolution, the secondary would be Psychic, Dark, and Fighting, to allow a reverse weakness to combat the Pokemon that was originally super effective against it. I feel this would give more interesting starter plays, allowing a double rock-paper-scissors play, if you will.
None of this has been confirmed, but CoroCoro this month will more than likely have the starters in it, and maybe even more information on Sun and Moon. (Friendship evolutions such as Ash-Greninja, please?) Maybe a mega-Dunsparce?!?!? (Seriously, Gamefreak. Let’s make it happen.) Either way, be sure to check out the rest of our Pokemon Anniversary collections, and we will keep you up to date on any new information!
