The arrival of Suicune, Raikou, and Entei in Pokemon Go has inadvertently reignited an old debate: namely what exactly are these Legendary Pokemon supposed to be based off of? For decades, Pokemon fans have fluctuated between referring to these Pokemon as the “Legendary Beasts,” “Legendary Dogs,” and “Legendary Cats,” with each group often expressing annoyance when someone else refers to the group incorrectly.
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While official Pokemon sources remain mum on their origins, each of the three Pokemon were likely designed based off of different mythological creatures from Chinese and Japanese mythology. So, if you’re itching to find out what these Legendary Pokemon are based off of, keep scrolling down to find out these creatures’ secret origins:
Raikou
Raikou is based off of Raiju, a mythical thunder beast from Japanese mythology. The Raiju could take many forms, including that of a tiger, a wolf, a dog, or even a weasel. Raiju was the companion of the Shinto god Raijin, who was the god of thunder. When thunderstorms rolled in, Raiju would supposedly grow agitated, lashing out with its claws and “striking” down trees and buildings.
While Raiju most commonly appeared as a wolf in Japanese mythology, Raikou appears to be based off of its tiger form. Raiju’s wolf form was used as the basis for the Gen 3 Pokemon Manectric. Raikou’s design also has some similarities to the saber-toothed tiger, a prehistoric creature found in the Americas.
Suicune
Suicune is likely based off of the qilin, a Chinese mythological creature often mistaken for a unicorn by Western sources. The qilin has giant antlers that roughly correspond to Suicune’s crystalline headpiece. The qilin is also associated with crystals and gyms, which matches Suicune’s status as the mascot ofย Pokemon Crystal. Both creatures also have the ability to walk on water. While later depictions of the qilin depicted the creature as a giraffe, it often looks similar to a Chinese dragon.
Suicune’s markings also have significance. The creature’s spots are a homage to Fujin, the Shinto god of the wind. Fujin typically wore leopard skins and is always depicted with Raijin, the Shinto god of thunder.
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Entei
Entei’s inspiration is likely the Chinese guardian lions, the majestic creatures often seen outside of Chinese palaces, temples, and other Imperial Chinese buildings. While the Chinese recognize these creatures as giant felines, Westerners often call guardian lions “Foo dogs” due to their long snouts. A variant of the guardian lions, called the shisa, were popularized in Japan and were often called guardian dogs. One shisa, built in Okinawa, is even said to protect a nearby village from fire.
Entei’s crown is likely a reference to its name, which was derived from the Japanese words for “fire” and “emperor.”
