Description
Hey there, Noir here! Sorry for the delay, took a short break to focus on school for a bit. It's crunch time over here so expect slower updates from now until about the end of next month, just a heads up!
At any rate, today I present to you a digression from my usual content: focusing on plants and animals outside of the Australian continent. Today's Pokemon are based on the okapi and its cousin the giraffe, two of my favourite African animals!
As always, I hope you enjoyed my content. Stay tuned for more!
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DESCRIPTIONS
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Name | Species | Type | Abilities | Height | Weight | Description
Humbuzz | Power Cell Pokemon | Grass | Moody, Static, Run Away (Hidden) | 4'08", 1.42 m | 70.1 lbs, 31.8 kg | A distant relative to Numel, these Pokemon uses energy from the sun to power their thermal cores.
Shokapi | Cable Pokemon | Grass/Electric | Moody, Static, Run Away (Hidden) | 7'02", 2.18 m | 196.4 lbs, 89.1 kg | They live deep in the northern rainforests, camouflaged. If threatened, it can send an electrical shock through its 'antlers' that could stop your heart.
Shokanopi | Pylon Pokemon | Grass/Electric | Serene Grace, Magnet Pull, Cloud Nine (Hidden) | 24'08", 7.52 m | 1567.8 lbs, 711.1 kg | Regarded as a guardian of the forests, they appear at odds with Auraquiell invading its territory. It shoots bursts of lightning to knock them out of the sky.
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TYPE EFFECTIVENESS
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HUMBUZZ
Damaged normally by: Normal, Fighting, Psychic, Rock, Ghost, Dragon, Dark, Steel, Fairy
Weak to: Fire, Ice, Poison, Flying, Bug
Immune to: -
Resistant to: Water, Electric, Grass, Ground
SHOKAPI & SHOKANOPI
Damaged normally by: Normal, Fighting, Ground, Flying, Psychic, Rock, Ghost, Dragon, Dark, Fairy
Weak to: Fire, Ice, Poison, Bug
Immune to: -
Resistant to: Water, Electric (1/4x), Grass, Steel
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DESIGN & CONCEPT
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For a change, I decided to make Pokemon out of animals outside of Australia. As you can see, these Pokemon are based on various even-toed ungulates specifically from the camelid and giraffarid (which includes the okapi and giraffe) families. Inspirations from flora include one of the most culturally and ecologically important plants in Australia, the acacia (or wattle as it is more commonly called); the curious flower Acmella oleracea a.k.a. 'buzz buttons,' and Sichuan peppers, which latter two have been described to have a electrical or 'tingling' taste. Other features that inspired their looks are various machinery associated with energy production: reactors, transformers and electrical cables.
Abstract themes for this Pokemon is the power of nature: combining both the wilderness and lightning, this Pokemon represents two of the most common personified/deified features of nature. Some of these entities include forest spirits such as nymphs, dryads, kodama and dokkaebi; and deities such as Freyja and Artemis.
HUMBUZZ: While a rather uncommon sight in the north-eastern forests of the region, they are believed to have been brought over from the north and have been competing with the local fauna ever since. This Pokemon browses the abundant bushes on the forest floor, absorbing nutrients it otherwise cannot synthesize by itself. These Pokemon are believed to be a distant relative to Numel, though significantly changed to adapt to its new environment among the trees. Similar to a Numel however, it has an extremely hot molten core inside its body capable of producing electricity through complex biological processes. This electricity can be felt when touching its fur, which carries a significant static charge. If threathened, it can forcefully discharge all of its electricity from its 'hump.' Colors chosen for these Pokemon were inspired from the colors of the buzz button, going from the green of its stalk to the yellow and red of its petals. Design-wise, their gold-yellow coloration and zig-zag tail are meant to hint to its later evolutions; overlaid on a simple camelid body plan. Its small size is meant to represent the small shrub-like types of wattle such as the box leaf wattle (Acacia buxifolia). Thematically, this Pokemon is meant to represent nymphs and other forest spirits.
SHOKAPI: This Pokemon is most active in the morning, seen grabbing tree branches with their vine-like 'antlers' and pull them down to feed. A proud and solitary creature, they are not one to be chased down and cornered by an adversary. Instead, they are known to chase off predators from themselves and even other Pokemon; firing powerful blasts of electricity from their horns as they do. As such, native cultures hold them in reverence as a guardian of the forest. Traditionally, seeing a Shokapi while out in a hunt is believed to be a sign from the gods that the hunt is over, and to return home. One must bow one's head, pray, and turn back to where one came from. Color-wise, the addition of brown to the palette was made to contrast with the tan base coat. This is in accordance to the main inspiration of this Pokemon: the okapi, which most striking feature is the zebra-like fur pattern on its legs. Its mane now grows longer down its neck, alluding to its final stage. The acacias represented by this Pokemon are the more well-known hedge varieties such as the prickly Moses (Acacia verticillata), the kangaroo thorn (Acacia paradoxa), and the juniper wattle (Acacia ulicifolia); all of which have spiky projections from their stems called phyllodes which deter any meddling with their branches. Finally, the theme of this Pokemon are nature deities such as Artemis and Freyja, who are seen as protectors of the forest.
SHOKANOPI: Towering over the forest canopy, there is no mistaking this Pokemon once it makes its grand entrance. Known as the god of the forest, sightings of this Pokemon are so few and far between that they were once thought to be a single individual. This legendary status is matched by its immense power: it is able to fire bolts of electricity so powerful it can be mistaken as real lightning. They have been observed to fire warning shots to any foreign creature, human or Pokemon, from entering their domain. Up close, it is a formidable opponent as its vines can cut a tree trunk in half and even crush rocks. Due to its protection, the northern forests where these Pokemon roam contain flora and fauna not seen anywhere else in the region: like a snapshot into the region's prehistory. Color-wise, the switch from brown to dark green is meant to represent this Pokemon's shift from being a protector of the forest into a manifestation of the forest itself. The light blue coloration of its power core is also meant to further emphasize the massive amounts of electrical energy stored within its body. Design-wise, this Pokemon takes on the appearance of a walking forest, with its leafy crest representing trees, and its vines further emphasizes this design. They also represent the largest of the Australian acacia trees, the silver wattle (Acacia dealbata) which can grow up to 100 feet, and are one of the first trees to regrow after a bush fire.Β For its theme, this Pokemon represents the ultimate personification of nature. In time, neither us, nor our structures and monuments, nor our Gods, can stand in the way of nature. When we are no more, nature will come to reclaim the earth.
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NAMES
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Humbuzz is named from the words 'hump,' due to its camel-like appearance, 'numb,' in reference to the 'numbing' taste Acmella oleracea is described to have, and 'buzz,' a hint to its later stages' electrical powers.
Shokapi is a combination of the words 'shock,' referring to its ability to produce an electric shock from its vines, and 'okapi,' the animal it is largely based on.
Shokanopi is a portmanteau of the words 'shock' and 'canopy,' i.e. the topmost layer of a rainforest, represented by its crest of leaves, as well as alluding to its extremely tall stature.
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EVOLUTION METHOD
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Humbuzz is the unevolved form of this evolution line.
Shokapi evolves from Humbuzz starting from Lv 38.
Shokanopi evolves from Shokapi when exposed to a Thunder Stone.