One of the biggest draws to the epic Pokémon Sword & Shield is its unique and charming trio of starter Pokémon. We've not even heard about these cute creatures prior to Nintendo's February 2019 Direct, and even now that the game has released and fans are diving into the virtual realm of the Galar Region, little is known about these odd Pokémon.
As of this writing, they're still so new that they've yet to be featured in the anime or manga, unlike, say, Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur, who have been prominently shown in games and other media. Still less is known about their evolved forms, as few Pokémon trainers have powered them to the level required to evolve them.
So with that said, let's take a closer examination into the lore and characteristics of these cool new starter Pokémon, and touch on 10 largely unknown details.
10 The First Gen VIII Pokémon To Be Revealed
While we've now been enlightened as to the dozens of new Pokémon varieties that comprise the Galar region of Sword & Shield, bringing the total to 890, fans were in the dark as to all of the new monsters that would be included.
This was until Nintendo's February 2019 Pokémon-themed Direct, which showcased these three starters, Scorbunny, Grookey, and Sobble; the very first of the new Pokémon shown as part of the new Gen VIII. This epic 7-minute presentation, which provides the first-ever reveal of the new starter Pokémon, can be seen here.
9 Grookey Is Not The First Monkey-Based Starter
Of course, we've had our share of ape-based Pokémon, including a couple from the old school Red & Blue class of monsters - the energetic Mankey and Primeape.
Yet, as it turns out, Grookey isn't even the only monkey when it comes to starter Pokémon. You've also got Chimchar, the Fire-type featured as one of the starters in Diamond & Pearl for the DS. Outside of their contrasting elemental types, of course, they're even somewhat similar when it comes to their base stats, as they're both on the speedier side and have pretty potent attack power.
8 Sobble's Subtle-But-Clever Name Origin
The rather simplistic-sounding name of this adorable Water-type actually has a bit more to it than you might have thought.
The English name origin is a combination of the words "bubble" and "sob." The "bubble" portion obviously refers to its water-based abilities, while the first part of its name refers to its sad, crying nature.
The Japanese name origin also combines two different words that are similarly sufficient in describing this starter. Its name can be translated to "Messon" which is a blend of "mesomeso," which means "sobbing," and "chameleon."
7 The Unique Origins Of Scorbunny's Name
Similar to Sobble, there was clearly thought put into Scorbunny's name, considering the likely derivation of not 2, but potentially 3 terms.
While the combination of "scorch" and "bunny" may seem fairly obvious, there's also a subtle nod to Scorbunny's soccer motif as well, referencing "scoring" in the sport. This would make sense, given the rabbit's large feet and its swift, speedy characteristics akin to a rabbit.
The Japanese derivation similarly meshes a fire-like quality to a rabbit term, with "Hibanny" being a combination of "hibana" (spark) and bunny.
6 Grookey's Restorative Powers
You may have noticed the odd design choice of Grookey sporting a stick on the top of its head.
This isn't just meant as a unique prop to differentiate this Grass-type, but it's also a trusty tool of his which is used for restorative powers. As shown in the February Direct trailer, Grookey was able to regrow the grass that had been scorched by Scorbunny, simply by standing near it and tapping on the ground with the stick.
As the Pokédex describes, the sound waves produced by the beat he makes hold revitalizing powers that can regrow grass and restore plants and flowers in the area.
5 Sobble's Stealthy Motif
Given that Sobble comes laced with the highest speed base stat amongst the trio of starter Pokémon in Sword & Shield, it would stand to reason that this creature is well-versed in the art of stealth.
This theme makes even more sense when you consider that its traits were largely based on a Chameleon, which becomes more apparent when you see this Pokémon's slimmer, more agile evolved form, Inteleon. Even in the initial reveal trailer, Sobble is seen quietly emerging from the water and swiftly scurrying about without making much noise.
4 Scorbunny's English Soccer Influence
It might seem a bit odd that Scorbunny would be somewhat modeled to fit a prominent soccer motif, until you realize that the Galar Region is largely inspired by England, a country from which soccer is quite popular.
The Pokémon's rabbit influence also fits this theme, given its large, spring-like legs and feet which allow it to dash at high speeds and kick with fierceness. It even learns moves consistent with this theme such as Double Kick, Flame Charge, and Headbutt.
The mark above its nose which resembles a bandaid is also likely a reference to this soccer-esque characteristic.
3 Grookey's Strange Animal Influence
Considering there are a number of ape-inspired creatures that have already been featured across the several generations of Pokémon, the designers decided to think a bit outside the box when it came to Grookey's influences. On a basic level, the starter does resemble a monkey, but it's specifically likely meant to more closely be modeled from the Ecuadorian squirrel monkey.
These resemblances are made somewhat apparent with its similar posture, the round head, beige/orange limbs, the circles around the eyes, and the pointed ears. The fact that the Ecuadorian monkey also resides in the heavily forested Brazilian Amazon also is consistent with the Grass-type traits of Grookey.
2 Sobble's Potent Tears
As it turns out, Sobble's glum nature and tendency to cry isn't quite the weakness players would suspect, but in fact, a strength. When this Pokémon cries, its tears have the potency of "100 onions," causing its attackers to ironically start weeping themselves, as described in the Pokédex.
Not only this, but when it gets wet, its skin changes color, in true Chamelon form. This causes it to become invisible, further adding to the evasive, stealthy nature of this charming Water Pokémon.
Basically, its tears act as a sort of deceptive defense mechanism for this creature, catching opponents off-guard in more ways than one.
1 The Distinct Designs
Moreso than ever, these Generation VIII Pokémon designs were really meant to be vastly distinct from one another, as explained by the Director of Sword & Shield, Shigeru Ohmori. This is achieved in a number of ways, not the least of which is the unique personality traits portrayed by the emotive facial expressions of each. Scorbunny sports a very jovial, enthusiastic look, Grookey is cheery and happy, while Sobble contains a uniquely melancholy, borderline sad expression.
These defining traits also extend to the designs of the figures themselves, shown by the detailed and distinct silhouettes of each. These combined features are meant to be instantly and emphatically be recognizable to younger players.