Celebrate the Fourth of July with These Patriotic Pokemon

Today marks the 241st birthday of the date when the United States formally declared its independence from Great Britain. All around the US, people are celebrating with cookouts, parades, fireworks, and hopefully playing a little Pokemon.

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Although Pokemon is a Japanese franchise, there are a few Pokemon who definitely embody some of the American spirit. From majestic eagles to raging bulls to Pokemon that look like the current president, there are a couple of Pokemon who would look at home with a giant American flag fluttering behind them.

So, to celebrate the Fourth of July, here are some Pokemon we feel represent the good ol’ U S of A.

Braviary

While there’s plenty of Pokemon that could easily represent some part of the American Experience, a general consensus has emerged over which Pokemon is the “unofficial” mascot of the United States: Braviary.

Braviary has a similar plumage to the bald eagle and its feathers have a certain red, white, and blue theme to it. Even the name seems inspired by the United States. After all, America is “the home of the brave” and Braviary is indeed a “Brave Bird.”

If you’re spending your day playing Pokemon, be sure to add a Braviary to your team and let freedom rain down on your opponents with this Flying-Type Pokemon’s impressive attacks!

Yungoos and Gumshoos

Last summer, The Pokemon Company debuted two new Pokemon in the lead up to the release of Pokemon Sun and Moon. Yungoos and Gumshoos were supposed to be the Alola Region’s “common” rodent Pokemon, but many fans immediately noticed that they bore an uncanny resemblance to then presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Both Yungoos and Gumshoos have a distinctive fur pattern that resembles Trump’s own…unmistakable hair style. The two Pokemon quickly went viral on the Internet and Pokemon’s developers had to clarify that any resemblance between them and Trump was purely a coincidence.

Whether it was happenstance or deliberate, one thing’s clear: these two Pokemon will never be looked at the same thanks to last fall’s election.

Tauros and Bouffalant

In Pokemon Go, each continent (except for Africa and Antarctica) has its own “exclusive” Pokemon. North America’s special Pokemon is Tauros, a brawny bull that tends to travel in large herds. Tauros has a special spot in the Pokemon franchise – Ash owns 30 of them in the anime series and the Pokemon recently got a featured spot in Pokemon Sun and Moon.

Tauros isn’t the only bovine Pokemon with a connection to the US. Bouffalant is another cow-like Pokemon that strongly resembles a buffalo. Buffalo are one of the animals most associated with United States (particularly the Great Plains) so it’s nice to see them make the transition into the Pokemon world too. Bouffalant made its first appearance in Pokemon Black and White, which was set in a region modeled after New York City.

Charizard, Zekrom, and Blastoise

Although there’s 38 national flags with a red, white, and blue color scheme, these three colors have always represented patriotic pride within the United States.

Of course, we’ve also seen all three of those colors represented as Pokemon games, too. Pokemon Red and Blue were the first two Pokemon games released in the United States, while Pokemon White came nearly 15 years later.

One could argue that all three of those games’ mascots also represent an aspect of today’s holiday: fireworks. Blastoise has the powerful cannons on its back, Charizard brings the flames, and Zekrom’s dark skin represents the night sky in which the fireworks are shot into.

(Okay, that’s a bit of a stretch, but we just came up with five other Pokemon with ties to the US, so give us a break!)