With the dawn of every new generation of Pokemon games comes new creatures for fans to discover, catch, and battle with. Now that Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are officially on the horizon, that speculation has only just begun. So far, only three Gen 9 Pokemon have been revealed: the game's starter trio.
Based on the trailer for the new entry in the Pokemon franchise, the region seems to be based on Spain, or possibly the entire Iberian Peninsula. With that in mind, there are lots of potential Pokemon designs that could be inspired by this region's ecology and history. Maybe these ten animals will become players' next party members.
10 Iberian Wolf
This species of grey wolf is common in parts of Spain and Portugal, meaning it's likely players will get to see some sort of representation for the creature in the new games. Furthermore, this animal is regarded by European hunters as a big-game trophy. This means that an Iberian wolf Pokemon could be quite a rare and powerful creature.
Many wolf Pokemon already exist in the National Pokedex, like Lycanroc and Mightyena. However, it's not as overdone a creature as cats, so there's still a lot of room to experiment with types and designs. For instance, this Pokemon could stand out by being Ice-type, found only in colder climate areas.
9 Bull
Bulls are no strangers to inspiring Pokemon creatures. Tauros was introduced into the series all the way back in Generation 1, and the closest thing to a bull since has been Bouffalant. However, given bulls' prominence in the culture of Spain, it is likely there will be some kind of new bull Pokemon native to this region.
Considering Spain's traditional running of the bulls, it's possible this new bull design could have a high speed stat. Perhaps it could also have some unique typing like Electric, making it run faster than lightning strikes. Perhaps it can have a rival in some kind of Ground-type matador Pokemon.
8 Spanish Imperial Eagle
Sometimes referred to as the Iberian imperial eagle, this bird of prey may join a long-held tradition of new Pokemon generations. With every new set of games, there is always a regional bird that can be found in early routes of the game. This bird often becomes a staple of players' parties, even when it's simply Normal/Flying-type.
However, occasionally the regional bird becomes more unique than its counterparts. Talonflame from Gen 6 is Fire/Flying, while Corviknight from Gen 8 is Flying/Steel. An imperial eagle Pokemon could be similar, boasting a unique type for a regional bird like Dark/Flying or Rock/Flying.
7 Griffon Vulture
The only vulture Pokemon in the National Pokedex is Mandibuzz, who appeared in Gen 5 as the version-exclusive counterpart to Braviary. The griffon vulture, found all throughout Eurasia, could be an interesting type of bird-inspired Pokemon to include. However, the real source of inspiration may come outside the bird's biology.
The name "griffon" vulture obviously brings to mind the Griffin, a creature originating in Greek and Roman mythology. With the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, this popular creature has yet to inspire its own Pokemon. Perhaps the griffon vulture's anatomy could be a starting point for this possible Flying-type.
6 Coco
Not to be confused with the Pixar movie of the same name, The Coco is a creature of Latin American folklore. The ghost-like monster is said to be a bogeyman, which is used to describe monsters that parents invent to scare their children into good behavior. Parents would tell children that The Coco kidnaps children and eats them.
While this real-life history may be a bit morbid for a Pokemon game, it could possibly inspire a wacky Ghost-type Pokemon. Perhaps, like Slimer from Ghostbusters, this Ghost Pokemon fancies eating large amounts of food rather than innocent children. It could pose a real threat to delicious-looking Pokemon like Vanilluxe or Cherubi.
5 Ramidreju
This snake-like creature, like The Coco, is another product of folklore. Originating in the mythology of Cantabria (located in northern Spain), this vibrant, green snake-weasel is said to dig beneath the ground. It's highly sought-after for its fur, which has healing qualities, as well as its desire for gold.
With all this in mind, the ramidreju feels like it's already tailor-made for a potential Pokemon design. It could be Rock/Dragon-type, which would be an unused type combination, to represent its love for minerals as well as its snake-like qualities. However, it could also reasonably be Ground-type for its digging.
4 Ojancanu
Another creature that originates in Cantabrian mythology is the Ojancanu. Similar to the Greek mythological figure Polyphemus, Ojancanu is a giant cyclops with superhuman strength. It is particularly noticeable for its red-hair that reaches the ground, though in other aspects it's similar to other mythological cyclopes.
Obviously, there's a lot of avenues for a cyclops Pokemon to go down. The most simplistic one would be to make it Ground/Fighting. However, Ojancanu is canonically afraid of Anjanas, which are fairies in Cantabrian mythology, meaning this Pokemon could be a version exclusive rival to an Anjanas-inspired Fairy-type.
3 Snake
There are many snakes in the National Pokedex, from Seviper to Sandaconda. However, it's possible that a snake design in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet could take inspiration from outside the animal kingdom. In Spain's history, Catholicism has been a major component, particularly in the Spanish Empire when it was forced onto citizens.
A snake Pokemon in this region could be based on the Book of Genesis from the Bible. In that, a snake (who was actually the Devil in disguise) persuaded Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, causing them to be kicked out of the Garden of Eden. Perhaps this devilish snake Pokemon could have a dislike of Flapple and Appletun.
2 Dolphin
It seems as if every new region is a new opportunity for fans to pray for a dolphin Pokemon. Despite the animal's popularity, there has yet to be a Pokemon in any of the eight past generations to be inspired by a dolphin. One would even think that Alola, a region based on Hawaii, would be the perfect opportunity to adapt the sea mammal.
Thankfully, the bottlenose dolphin can be found near the waters of Spain, meaning this new generation may be another chance for the animal. Since dolphins tend to jump out of water to breathe air, this dolphin Pokemon could be Water/Flying, and have the ability to soar through the sky. A flying dolphin would make a great new Ride Pokemon!
1 Spanish Pond Turtle
There are many species of turtles native to Spain, though the Spanish pond turtle may be the perfect candidate for a peculiar type of Pokemon design. Thanks to turtle's lifespans, some species of the creature live over 100 years. Perhaps that kind of longevity may lend way to a Pokemon that pays tribute to one of Spain's biggest icons.
Salvador Dali, a Spanish painter, is mostly known for his painting The Persistence of Memory, featuring a beach where several "melting clocks" lie. The painting has been interpreted as symbolizing entropy, or rather the decay that comes with time passing. A turtle whose shell perhaps resembles one of Dali's clocks may be an interesting Pokemon design that could only be done in a region based on Spain.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are set to release in late 2022.