The announcement of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, the first titles in the series' ninth generation, has fans buzzing. However, new games mean fans are becoming anxious over whether their favorite Pokemon will make it in. Since Sword & Shield's release in 2019, Game Freak has confirmed that the National Pokedex will likely not be included in future installments.
Many creatures from older Pokemon games have already been confirmed to appear in Scarlet & Violet, including Pelipper, Tyranitar, and even Hisuian Zoroark. However, given that this new region appears to be based in Spain and Portugal, some returning Pokemon may be more likely than others. These ten feel essential to this new region.
10 Tauros
Obviously, one of the first things that comes to mind when talking about Spanish culture is the "running of the bulls". This yearly event sees a small group of bulls being set free in the streets of Spain, as civilians run past them to avoid getting hurt. There are many bull-inspired Pokemon to choose from to represent this event.
The most obvious bull Pokemon to include in the new games would be Tauros, who debuted in the franchise's first generation. The running of the bulls has even been referenced in the anime, forcing Ash Ketchum to catch thirty Tauros. However, it's possible that a new bull Pokemon could also debut in the games.
9 Dragonite
Dragonite served as the Pokemon franchise's first pseudo-legendary Pokemon. Since then, the Dragon-type has made many appearances in the games, only ever being unobtainable in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. However, its inclusion in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet may end up being more fan-service than one would think.
On the Internet, Dragonite has become some sort of unofficial mascot of the country of Spain. This is largely due to Internet memes that superimpose a still of Dragonite from the anime taking a salutatory stance over the flag of Spain. The origin of this meme is unknown, but many fans would be delighted to catch Dragonite in the new games.
8 Ursaring
One of the most common animals in Spanish wildlife is the brown bear. Thankfully, Pokemon introduced a brown bear early on in the series, in the second generation. With Ursaring's evolutionary line, this could satisfy the need to represent one of Spain's native creatures.
Another benefit of adding Ursaring would be the possibility of players being able to evolve it into Ursaluna. This evolution of Ursaring was recently introduced in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, giving the Normal-type line an additional Ground-type. This could boost to Ursaring's popularity in the mainline games, as well as the competitive meta.
7 Ludicolo
Latin American culture is widely regarded for their music, from Spanish opera to flamenco. One of the most well-known forms of Latin music is mariachi, which originated in Mexico but has since gained recognition all over the world. So much so, in fact, that the Pokemon series introduced a mariachi-inspired Pokemon in Ludicolo.
Debuting the franchise's third generation, Ludicolo would be a great mascot to represent Spain's rich musical culture. It would also leave room for brand-new Pokemon to represent other aspects of Spanish music history, such as the invention of the guitar. Either way, Ludicolo's energy would liven up any region it can be found in.
6 Shaymin
The European hedgehog is not only common in Spain and Portugal, but all along the Mediterranean coastlines. One could easily imagine Game Freak creating an all-new hedgehog Pokemon, maybe even one of the Pikachu/Dedenne/Emolga electric rodent line. However, the series already has the perfect hedgehog Pokemon in Shaymin.
Shaymin was introduced in the fourth generation as a Mythical Pokemon. It could only be accessed through a special Event, and is rarely found in other games. However, giving Shaymin a chance to shine by making it available right at Pokemon Scarlet & Violet's launch would be well-deserved for the Grass/Flying-type.
5 Cinccino
Minccino and Cinccino were introduced in Pokemon Black & White, and are largely based on chinchillas. They also feature some aspects (including name inspiration) of minks, a common rodent in Spain. That being said, there's a more significant reason why these chinchilla Pokemon would fit well in a Spain-inspired region.
In Castile-La Mancha, Spain, there is a municipality that goes by the name "Chinchilla de Monte-Aragón." This municipality includes the Castle of Chinchilla, a notable castle located at the top of a mountain. If this location inspires landmarks in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, then Minccino and Cinccino would be perfect Pokemon to encounter here.
4 Hawlucha
Hawlucha was first encountered by Pokemon fans in the Kalos region of Pokemon X & Y. He later appeared again in Sword & Shield, and hopefully he will appear once more in Scarlet & Violet. While most of Hawlucha's design is based on Mexican luchador wrestler, he also shares inspiration from Spanish history.
Hawlucha's design has origins in Aztec eagle warriors, as well as the quetzal, a bird featured in Aztec mythology. Famously, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés overthrew the Aztec Empire. Perhaps this portion of Spanish history will be relevant to the story of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, meaning an Aztec-inspired Pokemon like Hawlucha would fit perfectly.
3 Aromatisse
The flamingo is an animal that draws its name from the Spanish and Portuguese word "flamengo", which means "flame-colored." This could possibly inspire Game Freak to add a Fire-type flamingo Pokemon in Scarlet & Violet. Otherwise, the closest thing the Pokemon series has to a flamingo Pokemon would be Aromatisse.
Aromatisse initially appeared in Pokemon X & Y, introduced alongside its typing, Fairy. While part of its design resembles flamenco dancers, it also takes inspiration from plague doctors. Perhaps a regional variant of Aromatisse emphasizing this connection could be included, since certain plague doctors were very popular in Spain.
2 Oricorio
Oricorio is a Pokemon that's seemingly made just for a Spain-inspired region. This Pokemon, introduced in Sun & Moon, has four different forms that represent different dancing types. Naturally, Oricorio fits perfectly in a region that possibly takes inspiration from the music and culture of Latin America.
If that's not enough, one of Oricorio's forms is directly based on Spanish flamenco music. The Baile Style (coming from the Spanish word for "dance") sees a red Oricorio taking a traditional stance in Latin American music. This form also leads to the inclusion of Oricorio's forms based on cheerleading, hula, and Japanese dancing.
1 Greedent
Greedent is quite new in the world of Pokemon, first debuting in the most recent eighth generation games Pokemon Sword & Shield. However, Greedent is also based heavily on the Eurasian red squirrel, a type of creature that's common in Spain. Ironically, the red squirrel is also endangered in Great Britain, the inspiration for the Galar region.
What also helps Greedent's potential inclusion is its simplicity. As the Galar region's native rodent, it has a similar function to other Normal-type Pokemon like Raticate and Diggersby. Greedent could be an easy way to represent a native animal to Spain, while also providing a decent Pokemon for players to catch early on in the story.