Pokemon fans have often argued for various topics, but one of the most long-lasting debates stems from the Legendary Beasts. The Beasts are the trio that Ho-Oh resurrected, which are Entei, Raikou, and Suicune. When Pokemon enthusiasts were making fan terms to describe specific aspects of the series, some fans named the Legendary Beasts the Legendary Dogs. This confused the community because the Pokemon looked more like cats than dogs, which led to some people referring to them as the Legendary Cats. Eventually, the community settled on the neutral term of Legendary Beast, yet the argument of whether they are cats or dogs persists to this day.
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A recent post on Reddit, by user Unbekannnt0, has re-ignited interest in the debate with a humorous SpongeBob meme. The Reddit user openly mocks people’s insistence that Entei, Raikou, and Suicune are dogs when each beast is based on a specific breed of big cats. Of course, this has led to similarly funny replies mocking people’s belief the trio were dogs rather than cats. While we have more info on what the Legendary Beasts are specifically based on, the overall argument has always been inconsequential. Pokemon has always taken a variety of inspiration when creating a new creature, it’s rarely, if ever, just one inspiration.
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Are Pokemon’s Legendary Beasts Cats or Dogs?
Fans began coining Legendary Dogs based on their impressions of Entei, Raikou, and Suicune. Each beast is quadrupedal and has sharp fangs like a dog. Suicune is the most dog-like of the trio, with a long snout and slim body that makes it look close to a hound. However, other fans point out the trio has more feline features than canine. Entei has a mane like a lion, while Suicune has the spots and slender figure of a leopard. Raikou is the most like a feline of the three, with the face and fangs of a saber-tooth tiger, and the black stripes of a tiger. Raikou’s proto-design leans more toward its thunder-tiger aesthetic, giving it a blue coloring and a feline face.
Muneo Saitou, the Pokemon designer who created the Legendary Beasts, would cover his design inspirations for the trio. Saitou originally had a vision for Entei before designing Raikou and Suicune. The designs weren’t coming together until Saitou began working backward with the creatures, inventing lore that connects the three. From there, the design for Entei would together, with Saitou citing that the Pokemon ending looks like a lion. From there, he designed Raikou and Suicune by basing their initial looks on a tiger and leopard, respectively. Saitou’s information seemed to have firmly confirmed the Legendary Beasts are based on cats rather than dogs.
Does the Legendary Beasts Debate Matter?
Entei, Raikou, and Suicune are Pokemon, not actual cats. Even though some Pokemon take clear inspiration from primarily one animal, there have been multiple examples of Pokemon taking several inspirations. Calling them cats or dogs is more disingenuous as they are not really either of those animals. They are fictional and legendary, meaning they could be anything. The Legendary Beasts’ Paradox forms turned past versions of themselves into dinosaurs, but it doesn’t mean they are now the Legendary Dinosaurs. That’s the beauty of the franchise, any Pokemon can be anything. Saitou also states that he wanted the trio’s silhouettes to potentially look like a cat or dog.
Pokemon Generations had a scene where the trio perished in a fire, with their silhouettes suggesting they were canines before their resurrection by Ho-Oh. The issue stems from how fans want to name them. Game Freak initially didn’t offer any official terminology for Entei, Raikou, and Suicune, so it was up to fans to figure something to differentiate the three from other Legendaries. Since Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno were called the Legendary Birds, it made sense for the Legendary Beasts to be called something similar. Unfortunately, fans couldn’t settle on what they were supposed to be, which led to the conflict.
Unbekannnt0 most likely made the meme in simple jest, but it is time to let the argument rest. Entei, Raikou, and Suicune are neither cats nor dogs, they are Pokemon. Legendary Beasts is adequate terminology for the trio, there is no more reason to argue this anymore.
Source: Unbekannnt0 on Reddit, RadDudesman on Reddit, Pokemon Generations on YouTube
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