Judge-a-Pokémon Express: Welcome to Hisui!
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Codraroll
New Pokémon games are on the way! Multiple, in fact! One of the upcoming games will take us to the Sinnoh region, and so will the second (because they are two versions of the same game, after all). The third game will also take us to Sinnoh, back in time before it became Sinnoh at all. Pokémon Legends: Arceus will take us to the ancient land of Hisui, as it was known back then, to a time when slightly different Pokémon roamed the land than in the present day. Four such "Hisuian" Pokémon were revealed in the latest trailer for Pokémon Legends: Arceus; two entirely new Pokémon that evolve from previously known Pokémon, and two Hisuian forms of Pokémon originating in other regions. Upon seeing the trailer, we drummed together the Judge-a-Pokémon Express panel, to give their opinions on the newly revealed designs.
| Wyrdeer | Basculegion |
| Hisuian Braviary | Hisuian Growlithe |
Ryota Mitarai
I find it great that Stantler (now the Stantler line) was given some representation in Hisui, because it isn't exactly a notable Pokémon and has never been featured prominently in any game; the only regional Pokédex it appears in is the Johto one, where it appears only on two routes (and only one in Crystal) and then stops existing altogether (okay, well, it also appears in the HGSS Safari Zone, but my point stands). In other games (where it's not part of the regional Pokédex), it's either locked to the postgame or requires tools like the PokéRadar to be obtained.
Anyways, onto Wyrdeer itself, it is stated that Wyrdeer can unleash a psychic energy that is powerful enough to distort space. Hopefully, Wyrdeer will have actually good stats, unlike Stantler, or some incredibly broken ability, so that this statement can be at least somewhat true. However, those pieces of information are also known to sometimes be exaggarated (looking at the "ultra fast" Escavalier and Magcargo's body temperature of 10000 degrees C / 18000 F), so there's no guarantee that Wyrdeer will be the powerhouse the official website claims it to be.
In terms of design, there isn't much I can say about Wyrdeer. It is obviously a mix of Santa Claus and Rudolph the Reindeer, along with a gray skin color to match the region's theme. It still retains Stantler's silly face (in fact, the faces on their official artworks are incredibly similar in terms of structure), which can be either very good or very bad, depending on whenever you found the face hilarious or awful to look at.
Max. Optimizer
Oh deer, it appears that the iconic Shishigami (Deer God) from Hayao Miyazaki's legendary Princess Mononoke movie is now roaming around the Hisui region. I am very satisfied with the fact that they chose to give Wyrdeer a Psychic typing in addition to its Normal typing, as it ties in neatly with the leitmotifs of renewal and the supernatural that had already been associated with other deer-themed Pokémon in the past, namely Deerling, Sawsbuck, Xerneas, and Calyrex. As I had mentioned in previous editions of our Judge-a-Pokémon Express, deer are considered a recurring symbol in the domain of spirituality, using their antlers to "get closer to the sky", all while also functioning as divine ambassadors. Wyrdeer's color palette fits the description of the white deer that, according to the Shinto religion, had come from the Kashima Shrine (Ibaraki Prefecture) to the Kasuga Shrine (Nara Prefecture), in order to function as its divine messenger. Wyrdeer's color palette is, however, not fully white. As a matter of fact, only the fluff is white, whereas the rest of its fur has more of a silver tone, which could be considered a clever reference to the depiction of silver deer in Slavic and Uralic folktales. In Slavic fairytales, there is talk about a legendary golden-horned deer that also fits Wyrdeer's design quite well. The implementation of the regeneration motif is quite poetic, as it fittingly ties in with the fact that a deer will shed and regrow its antlers numerous times throughout the various stages or "seasons" of its lifetime, similar to Deerling and Sawsbuck, which change appearance in concordance with the cycle of Mother Nature's four "seasons". On a bit of a more droll side note, I am secretly hoping that its shiny color palette will include a red nose, in order to playfully pay homage to Robert Lewis May's iconic Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, featured in a story that, according to writer Ronald D. Lankford, Jr., teaches that "each child has the need to express and receive approval for his or her individuality and/or special qualities". In this spirit, I am glad to see that Stantler, a Pokémon that has never been able to prevent itself from falling into oblivion ever since its debut back during the bygone days of the Gold and Silver era gets to blossom anew via a new "special individual quality" in the form of a long-overdue evolution.
Kalalokki
I really want to like this more. Like, Stantler was such a goofy and underpowered Pokémon that surely didn't need to wait 20 years for an evolution. Yet, this is what we get? Sure, they gave it the part Psychic typing it should've had from the beginning and the new horns look really cool, like they're a mix of tuning forks and antennas to hone in that awesome psychic power, but the rest is such a disappointment. The stubby height looks just about the same, it has spikes on the back of its legs for some reason, and that beard is just the silliest. It doesn't look sage-like or filled with wisdom at all, it looks like it stole a fake beard from the nearest mall Santa. The only thing that can remotely redeem it is if its shiny isn't as garbage as Stantler's vomit-green.
Bandkrook
Yes, yes, yes! Seeing Game Freak give obscure and forgotten Pokémon some love through a new forme or new evolution is something we've seen time and time again with Pokémon like Mawile, Lopunny, and Farfetch'd, and yet it never fails to get fans hyped up, and for a good reason! Stantler desperately needed something, anything. The white fur and beard make sense given Hisui is a very cold region and Wyrdeer is known as a wise Pokémon and is revered through the region. I enjoy the antler design, and the Psychic typing makes perfect sense here and is something even regular Stantler could have had, given how its previous Pokédéx entries said staring long enough at its antlers would make the viewer "gradually lose control of their senses and be unable to stand". Game Freak perfectly understood the assignment here: they took a quite obscure Pokémon (outside of memes) that needed some buffs and didn't have a very popular design. They expanded on the Pokémon's lore to fit the region seamlessly while making design choices that make perfect sense between its typing and physical features. Bravo.
DHR-107
Well, this was certainly a turn up for the books. While we as fans have seen many a Stantler evolution design, we finally have an official one to go with it. This adds to the already cool cross-gen evolutions we have received before, and Stantler was definitely needing a bit of love nowadays. We're first introduced to Wyrdeer with it standing majestically at the edge of a snowy peak, far from Stantler's preferred habitats. This Pokémon is clearly designed for the colder northern areas of Hisui. The colours also have changed to match that of the snow, with it's fur being prized for its warmth and comfort. Wyrdeer builds on the already fairly solid base design of Stantler, keeping (and upgrading) its trademark horns and the odd nose, whilst adding a glorious Santa-esque beard. It's tail and ankles receive some extra detailing which really adds to the design (however, I am slightly bemused by the "fat" front knees), while keeping it inline with Stantler itself. You can clearly see these two Pokémon are related, with Wyrdeer finally adding the Psychic typing to the Normal of its pre-evolution. I hope that upgrade as well as a small boost to its stats pushes the line from being "kind of OK" in-game to being a solid choice.
What worries me most about this and Basulegion is how they can justify them being "forgotten" to time...
Shadowshocker
Huh. Stantler in Sinnoh, nevermind getting an evolution, is not what I expected from Pokémon: Breath of the Wild Area. It's odd that this is where Game Freak chose to drop the Stantler Normal/Psychic evolution everyone's been asking for, but does it live up to expectations? Wyrdeer feels to me like they didn't push the evolution aspect far enough; aside from some height difference and horns that look far more inorganic than they should, Wyrdeer feels more like a regional forme than a proper evolution. It's an overall pleasant enough design for me, with Winter Sawsbuck-style fur to match Sinnoh's—I mean Hisui's—frigid climate, but the angular way its horns branch out really don't do the concept justice. If Hisui is meant to be Sinnoh before humans settled the region, then why the perfectly sculpted dowsing rod horns? Something curvier, perhaps harshly branched, could have sold the ominous Psychic side, but Wyrdeer's horns as they are look extremely awkward. The forced positioning of the official art doesn't help them either.
GatoDelFuego
Ok, so it's a deer Pokémon, right? With a big nose and antlers? It has Psychic powers? Normal type? Yeah this is exactly the same as Stantler lol.
Blitz
A collective scream was heard across the world as National Dex fans and Twitter users gazed upon the majestic, elegant appearance of this Pokémon, with one word in mind: FINALLY! It's no surprise to anyone that Stantler has simply been one of the most forgettable Pokémon in the history of the franchise, to the point of this very fact being memed everywhere on the Internet: as said by my fellow panelist Ryota Mitarai, it pretty much only exists in the Johto games in a very finite amount of locations, and the rest is postgame stuff, or if you want to reach, a unceremonious appearance in Pokémon Colosseum as a Shadow Pokémon. So, to see Game Freak put the spotlight on it by granting it a regional evolution is something that even uninvested fans can appreciate! With that said, Wyrdeer isn't a huge upgrade from Stantler itself in the appearance department: yea, it has bigger antlers and its white fur adds a sort of elegance to it, but it pretty much keeps the same face and a similar body structure. Perhaps this is meant to be metaphorical: the Hisui region, the distant, forgotten Sinnoh past, and Wyrdeer, who faded into obscurity just like its present counterpart did.
Ivy
This kind of looks like a Mega Stantler more than an evolution but I suppose that's pretty subjective; it's probably because they basically kept its cute caribou face entirely unchanged upon evolution. I greatly enjoyed seeing it prance about with the player character riding it but I don't actually know what else to make of it lol. It certainly exists. If Game Freak patches in these new 'mons to SS, Stantler could become a menace in LC, I suppose, and hell, the same can be said of Basculin...!
Pikachu315111
Now before we go celebrating the return of cross-gen evolutions, let's remember they have returned in a certain way already: Regional Variant Evolutions. Wyrdeer's bio on the mains site I believe gives us a hint at what Hisuian Stantler would be like, or at least its "major" difference: it'll be special focused rather than physical (which isn't saying much, as the difference between Stantler's Attack and its Special Attack is 10 points, though its Hisuian counterpart could always lengthen that gap by taking more than 10 points from its Attack stat). This would work with its new Psychic typing, and there are plenty of special Normal-type moves it could also get.
But this isn't about a hypothetical Hisuian Stantler, this is about Wyrdeer! While I always imagined Stantler getting a moose or elk evolution, Wyrdeer is not a disappointment. It has cool-looking antlers that expand upon Stantler's gimmick: not only do they emit strange psychic waves that distort space (illusions), but their additional antenna design acts as radar to lead the herd through safe paths. Its long beard and overall gray coloring give it a wise elder vibe; hopefully it doesn't require too high of a level to evolve. Both traits makes it a good pick for a Ride Pokémon for faster land travel: its experienced enough (and big enough) to make sure the trainer riding it doesn't get hurt and uses its radar antlers to find the quickest paths.
So, where is it now? It and Hisuian Stantler likely went extinct, unable to adapt to the quick change the Hisui region underwent to become Sinnoh. The paths the herds usually took likely got obstructed by human settlements or roads, forcing them to take more dangerous routes where their predators lived. I don't think it would be necessary to say Hisuian Stantler were the original Stantler species, just a subspecies that got unlucky. But, with knowledge of this species rediscovered, it could maybe be brought back via reverse engineer breeding (maybe breeding Stantlers with Psychic-types).
Zephyri
I'll be honest, I don't like Stantler, and although Wyrdeer is an improvement, I don't particularly like it either. So far it's looked sorta bland in all honesty; the color scheme isn't all too interesting, and the body shape is mostly just standard deer. There's also not really any Psychic-type cues that weren't already there with Stantler. It's overall a pretty weird design, and I don't have a ton to say about it; the riding animation definitely looks cool though 'w'.
Windingsss
STANTLER IS ALIVE BABY, WOOHOO! We thought it was impossible, but Stantler is getting some appreciation or love or is being remembered at all. Game Freak finally decided to acknowledge Stantler and gave it an evolution, which is absolutely cool. However, Wyrdeer itself is a bit... weird? It's a very basic design; to put it bluntly, Winter Stantler (though for some reason its Psychic-type). At first one could even think its a Galarian forme included in the Crown Tundra DLC! It also gives immense winter Sawsbuck vibes, which makes it a bit less interesting. Furthermore, some parts of its design bug me; the horns, specifically, make me think Wyrdeer has two clapping hands on top of its head. Stantler getting some appreciation is huge, but I think it could've been done better overall.
crusty
Since the release of Gold and Silver, every newly added Pokémon in GSC was included in another game's regional Dex, whether it be due to an evolution received in Diamond and Pearl or the Pokémon Company remembering they exist, every newly added Pokémon except for Stantler. Stantler has not appeared in a regional Pokédex outside of Johto in the 21 years it has existed for, meaning in most cases it's only available in the postgame, such as in Emerald and Platinum. The only game where Stantler is usable during the main story, discounting Johto games, is Pokémon Colosseum, and even when Stantler is usable, it's usually outclassed by other Pokémon, such as Tauros, which is catchable in the next route in Johto, and Granbull, which also exists in that same route and is snaggable just after Stantler in Colosseum at the same level. Stantler's mediocrity and lack of memorability have made it more memorable in recent years, however, similarly to other single-stage Pokémon such as Dunsparce and Maractus, to the point where some people would meme vote Stantler on popularity polls. This memeing has ultimately paid off come Game Freak's new spin on the franchise, in Pokémon Legends Arceus, where Stantler finally gets more than enough recognition with a new evolution.
Wyrdeer looked to be a Normal/Ice type upon a first glance, which would be a first for the series, but ends up sharing the same type as three other single-stages in Girafarig, Oranguru, and Indeedee, which is a tad disappointing but makes sense. Wyrdeer can separate itself from its fellow Normal/Psychic types by being a physical attacker, since Stantler already has physically biased stats and a great movepool with Earthquake, Megahorn, and Sucker Punch, and it'll likely learn more moves; it's not unfathomable to expect a new Psychic-type attack of some kind. Oh and now that Stantler has an evolution, it'll potentially be eligible for Little Cup; that'll surely be an interesting time to play LC.
Codraroll
Wyrdeer represents what is actually one of my favorite aspects of Pokémon: seeing how some Pokémon change from one generation to the next, suddenly gaining relevance because of a new evolution, ability, move, or mechanic. The last time we visited Sinnoh, in Generation IV, a large number of unremarkable Generation II were made highly attractive by new evolutions. Sadly, the practice of cross-generation evolution stopped after Generation IV, leaving behind a large number of Pokémon among the most obscure and forgettable monsters this franchise has to offer. Stantler could have been the poster child among them, except nobody cares enough about them to make posters. In a similar vein, Generation VIII gave us regional evolutions, where some Pokémon gain new evolutions... which require regional formes, so the original Pokémon remain as obscure and useless as ever. For instance, the creation of Sirfetch'd sadly didn't make Kantonian Farfetch'd any more useful or attractive. It is currently unknown which path will be taken in Hisui. Will Wyrdeer give new relevance to that level 37 Stantler you've kept in Pokémon Home since ORAS, or will you have to catch a new and slightly different Stantler instead? Time will tell whether Wyrdeer follows the design philosophy of Generation IV or Generation VIII.
So, what to say about this new Pokémon Wyrdeer, which may or may not evolve from the Johtonian Stantler we all sorta-know and not-really-love? Honestly, not much. What strikes me the most is how alike Stantler it is. It sports the same face, the same general body shape, the same pair of spots in the exact same position on its back, and a similar tail. The chief difference, apart from the color and the beard, is that its antlers have grown bigger and more like TV antennas. Even so, this isn't a very big change. In a way, I am reminded of Alolan Meowth, which sports only slight differences from its Kantonian counterpart. I almost suspect Wyrdeer was initially designed to be a Hisuian form of Stantler, until somebody decided the poor thing needed an evolution instead. The lack of differences between Stantler and Wyrdeer makes me doubt there exists a Hisuian Stantler to make Wyrdeer a regional evolution like Sirfetch'd or Cursola. Their designs are so similar there wouldn't be a point to making another Pokémon to bridge the gap.
Lockjaw
I was really happy when they announced this new evolution. Let's be honest. Stantler is one of the most forgettable Pokémon out there both in the competitive world and outside it; seriously, admit that the only time you noticed the existence of this Pokémon was when you realized that a Stantler is essential in a Christmas team. Wyrdeer's design was really boring; you can simply make a Wyrdeer using Photoshop. Just add a Santa Claus beard, paint it gray, add some touches, and that's it. It literally looks like a middle-aged Stantler, I think it lacked more details, I will have to pay a little more attention to notice his horns have grown.
If Legends Arceus has a competitive universe, it would be awesome to have the addition of Wyrdeer in it. Stantler itself doesn't have such bad stats, it has great ability in Intimidate, and decent coverage, so this Grandpa Stantler has everything to become something powerful. It makes sense that they put Psychic typing on it, as the descriptions on the Pokédex mention its psychic capabilities. Admit you thought Wyrdeer would be Ice / Normal. Now it will be complicated for animals like Kangaskhan and Tauros (Those always getting mentioned in his Smogdex analysis) to end up overshadowing the new Stantler.
Ryota Mitarai
Basculegion's concept is certainly interesting, as it essentially "absorbs" the souls of its fallen comrades. This reminds me of Wishiwashi, which similarly is a big fish composed of smaller units, with the difference being that Wishiwashi is made of... alive ones. I am wondering if Basculegion will be bulky, as it's stated that it can swim for a long time without getting tired (thanks to the Basculin souls) and this also makes me imagine that it's not easy for it to feel pain. Another interesting aspect of Basculegion is its typing, which it coincidentally shares with Frillish and Jellicent, its pre-evolution's Unovan compatriots. I don't think this was intentional, but I like to imagine this was a reference to its fellow Water-type from Unova (furthermore, there are few Water-types in Unova, compared to other regions). On the other hand, though, it's a bit hard to imagine it as a Ghost-type without knowing the concept behind it.
Max. Optimizer
Well, well, well, look what is back from the dead... just so that it continues to be dead, I suppose. It appears that Basculin suffers the same fate as the Galarian variant of Corsola, in the sense that Game Freak attempts to breathe new life into forgotten Pokémon by giving them tragic backstories, resulting in them becoming... ghosts. While, in Corsola's case, it was climate changes that ultimately led to its untimely tragic extinction, Basculegion appears to become possessed and driven by the tormented souls of Basculin that lost their lives during their borderline suicidal odyssey of swimming upstream against the relentless currents. This motif of the Sisyphean task can be traced back to another fish-themed Pokémon that has been around ever since its debut back during the bygone days of the Red, Blue, and Yellow era: Magikarp. This little carp desperately uses Splash in order to attempt to leap over the waterfall, in the hopes of evolving into a Gyarados. This motif is based on a Chinese legend in which carps try to leap over the Dragon Gate in order to become fully fledged dragons. It is a symbolic telling about how difficult tasks can sometimes inspire people to try and master them, often having to leave their comfort zone while doing so (here: the carp leaving the water to manoeuver around in the air). In addition to this, while I am already on the topic, I also wanted to add that Basculegion's design bears a strong resemblance with Gyarados: they both have the rat whiskers, which are typically associated with the Chinese depiction of dragons, and they both have jagged dorsal fins. Furthermore, Basculegion's design takes the reference to Chinese dragons even further and features the flame-like fin and the red pearls on the sides of its body, an element that is typically associated with spiritual energy, hence complementing its Ghost-type. I am hence curious to find out whether or not Basculegion will have Dragon-type moves in its move pool. In this sense, the concept behind Basculegion strongly reminds me of the concept behind Wishiwashi, not only because the Pokémon is one big fish assembled by a school of smaller fishes, but, in a poetic sense, it is also one big fish that is assembled by several references and throwbacks to other Pokémon. One could even argue that it is an amalgamation of ghosts from the past, so to speak.
Kalalokki
I have high hopes for this fish: Basculin has always been a cool-looking pair of underrated fish ,and seeing it getting an evolution like this is refreshing. It looks like it jumped straight out of an old painting: artistically depicted and with a body that should defy common sense, though I guess that's why this is now part Ghost type. I have always had a sweet spot for the Ghost type and I hope this thing will deliver when it comes to stats and movepool later on, as that can really make or break this thing. Physical Ghost-types usually haven't gotten the best treatment and it might be hard to fit any of the good moves on a fish, so I'm gonna place my hope on a signature move, maybe some ghastly jaws or a school of its fallen brethren rushing its foe.
Bandkrook
Basculin is another Pokémon that absolutely needed some kind of refresher, and Game Freak knocked it out of the park with this one. From the name, to design choices, to its typing and lore, everything makes total sense! Its name referring to the school of Basculin that died on a journey upstream and that later possessed this Pokémon to help it matches perfectly its new Ghost typing, really selling the idea that there's now a legion of undead and angry Basculin souls boosting this Pokémon. The swirls at the back of its body also sell this idea of it being kind of like a spirit, and the way they were designed make them feel like a painting come to life. However, I do wonder if we will get a form for the Blue-Striped variant, seeing as this one clearly pulls inspiration from the Red-Striped variant. They could be like Shellos and Gastrodon and be separated by Mt. Coronet into East and West Basculegion.
DHR-107
This one also came out of the blue (or is it red?). Basculin isn't even from Sinnoh! While Basculin is "just a fish" (and a tasty one at that), Basculegion takes the ideas and Pokédex entries from it and turns it up to 11. I can totally believe a violent fish can turn into this terrifying 10-foot-long monstrosity that has an enormous mouth and an intimidating look. It gains power from the souls of its dead brethren, which appears to be based on the idea of salmon swimming upstream to breed. Clearly, Basculin took the journey personally. Its wispy tail design invokes the Ghost typing incredibly effectively and gives us more credence to the fact this brute is powered up by those souls.
I am slightly concerned with being able to ride this Pokémon into battle, considering its status in the games is similar to that of Sharpedo in Alola. Its certainly large enough and powerful enough to carry someone, but I hope it doesn't get angry at the rider!
Shadowshocker
Is this going to be a trend for Legends, bringing together forgotten Pokémon that weren't originally from Sinnoh and giving them upgrades that likely aren't going to be in BDSP? Well, I can't bring myself to dislike Basculegion. Nobody paid attention to Basculin aside from pointing out that it's tasty, so I can live with it getting a savage evolution as justified comeuppance. Move over, Barraskewda! The swirly body markings made from the deceased souls of its brethren make it resemble traditional art that wouldn't look out of place in Orient-inspired ancient Sinnoh and make for a compelling piscean yokai from the depths of Hisui's Monogatari. My only gripe is... why Basculin? Sinnoh's got plenty of fish in its sea, from Seaking to Lumineon. How's the game going to sell the idea that Basculin just up and left the one region that granted it new powers, never to be seen again? I fear Legends is going to bring up far, far more questions than it answers, as much as it makes me invested in its performance by showing older Pokémon the love they richly deserve.
GatoDelFuego
Presenting the Exalted Representative of the Hisuian region, Basculegion is looking fresh and vicious. Fishous, if you will. As annoyed as I am by regional variants, Basculin is a great candidate for an evolution in the first place, regional or not, so it gets my approval. It really was an underexplored design from a region full of interesting concepts, and I'm glad to see the concept literally evolve. The end result might just boil down to "Arrokuda with a red tail and moustache," but who cares? That's a good design! (What's up with regional variants and moustaches, though?) We've got great art, we've got great lore, and we'll probably have some great stats. What's not to like?
Blitz
This one is interesting... though pretty ubiquitous in BW, Basculin has just been another forgettable single-stage Pokémon throughout its existence. And naturally, this forgettableness manifests itself by the Basculin trying their hardest, failing, and forming this new being through their perished souls: Basculegion. One thing that immediately stands out to me from Basculegion is the incorporation of both the Red-Striped and Blue-Striped forms distinct differences in its design: the eyes and top fin of Red, the lower fins of Blue, and the official art's color is reminiscent of magenta, otherwise a purplish-red combination that combines both of the forms colors nicely. Given this, it makes sense for both forms of Basculin to just evolve into the same Basculegion, though one wonders if they'll sidestep this by introducing a similar, more "bluish" variant with reversed features! On the competitive side of things, based on what we already know about Basculin, an offensive Water / Ghost type could have a LOT of potential depending on its stat allocation and its ability choices, though I'm sure no one here wants to see Adaptability Poltergeists being thrown around...
Ivy
Le Fishe au Souls! This thing is metal as heck, and it looks like a swagadelic Edo era painting to boot, or a Wind Waker boss as Gato mentioned when we first saw it. I suppose the blue-striped equivalent will remain a surprise! I really relish how Game Freak acknowledged some of the most ignored Pokémon here; Stantler was even becoming a meme for a while due to sheer irrelevance and Dexit. Furthermore, it's truly epic how regional formes and evolutions are becoming an actual tradition at this point.
Pikachu315111
The concept of regional variant evolutions gives a second chance to regional variants of older Pokémon that could have used an evolution. Yes, they haven't said Basculegion is a regional variant evolution of a Hisuian Basculin, but I believe the hints are there. While many would be quick to say the Basculegion we've seen is a Red-Striped forme, I think it's supposed to be magenta in color. In light color mixing, red and blue lights make magenta. Also, while it has the eyes of a Red-Striped Basculin, it has the fins of a Blue-Striped! But it would be odd for both formes of Basculin to evolve into a Pokémon with one forme, so I think we're going to get another regional variant, which represents the “original species”, a purple-colored Basculin.
Focusing on Basculegion, I love the concept; it's like a morbid Wishiwashi. Like many real-life mass fish migrations that go up a river, not all members make it to the breeding grounds. Whether they weren't strong enough to swim against the flow, grew too tired quickly, or became a snack for an Ursaring or Luxray, the spirits of dead Basculin still support their brethren by a few possessing one and evolving it to a Basculegion (REALLY curious what the in-game evolution method is going to be!). Now the never-tiring spirits push it along so it doesn't get tired (see, Red-Striped and Blue-Striped Basculin, what happens when you work together... and a majority of you are dead... admittedly not the best argument for working together)! It goes without saying that makes it a pretty ideal Ride Pokémon for surfing.
So, where is it now? If my suspicion that Hisuian Basculin will be made the “original” Basculin species is right, likely some terraforming is done to make Hisui into Sinnoh (I notice the map of Hisui has more rivers than Sinnoh does). and that likely drove away the Basculin species. They end up in foreign regions where acceptable food sources are scarce, forcing the school to split up and fight one another, forming their own schools and splitting their colors. And now with them no longer a unified species, Basculegion can't exist. But, maybe with knowledge of this rediscovered, reverse engineer breeding could take place to make the species one again (not that many haven't already tried... but this time there's science behind it)!
Zephyri
Basculegion is a super cool take on an evolution to Basculin; it keeps the original body shape and color scheme, but it somehow manages to make the entire mon look so much cooler?? The color scheme is super vibrant and eye pleasing (you can't reeeally go wrong with green/red imo), and the proportions of the mon just... work! The entire body's transition into a light red wisp at the end is so seamless and really makes it sorta reminiscent of a "spirit"; something that's not entirely real. The ghost type cues, apart from that, aren't super clear I think, but overall, Basculegion is an awesome mon that I'm excited for.
crusty
This fish is an absolute menace. Basculin is already one of the most terrifying Pokémon to encounter in Random Battle formats on Showdown in my opinion, since it hits like a truck with Adaptability and Choice Band, and this evolution, especially with the part Ghost typing, has me drooling at the thought of rampaging through the ladder with Adaptability STAB moves (provided it keeps Adaptability and appears outside of Legends of course). This likely also means that Basculin will be eligible for Little Cup, where it will absolutely complete the LC Quickban Speedrun Any%. As for the red- and blue-striped formes of Basculin, I think Basculegion might be a combination of those two stripes, since it encompasses both traits of the forms such as the fins and slight magenta color and is said to be possessed by schools of Basculin, likely by both stripe variants. Perhaps the evolution method will be similar to Mantyke's need for Remoraid, where in this case you would need the other stripe form in your party.
Codraroll
At a glance, Basculegion appears to be a similar concept to Wyrdeer: A new evolution to a somewhat obscure Pokémon from a previous generation. The only difference, which at first may seem trivial, is that Wyrdeer evolves from a Generation II Pokémon, while Basculegion evolves from a Generation V Pokémon. However, there was a very notable shift in design philosophy between the two generations. After Game Freak stopped doing cross-generation evolutions after Generation IV, there was a bigger focus on each new Pokémon having a viable battling niche, so it would not need to receive a new evolution to become a useful team member. Whereas Stantler was designed with underwhelming battling capabilities, Basculin was given passably high Attack and Speed stats, and powerful abilities so it could pack a real punch. As a result, whereas Wyrdeer evokes feelings of "yay, Stantler may finally be viable!", with Basculegion we wonder what terror we have in store. Basculegion doesn't have to be much stronger than Basculin to be really terrifying.
Actually, Basculegion is terrifying no matter what. Creepy lore, giant size, jaws like a bolt cutter, teeth like knives, and an expression that suggests any sensible fisherman ought to put down his rod real quick and go become a hermit in a desert somewhere. This is a fish you really don't want to mess with.
Lockjaw
What an incredible name. Basculin is another Pokémon that ends up being forgotten by most fans, but these things are about to change.
When I first saw this design I swear I thought it was a new Gigantamax Form. Really, Basculin became a Pokémon with a fierce and intimidating design. Now imagine a Basculin with a new typing, probably faster and stronger, still with the chance of having Adaptability and a viable Ghost-type move. Barraskewda's cousin also has a cool description in the Pokédex; Game Freak really tried not to make this an evolution along the lines of "it's a Basculin but bigger"; it has a motif, it has more details and it has a very badass typing. Now I'm curious to find out if Blue-Striped Basculin will be able to evolve, since Blue>Red (forgive me, lovers of the red color).
Ryota Mitarai
I personally preferred the original Braviary, as I liked the colors much more than the Hisuian's ones (and not because I am an American; I am actually an European). The Unovan one is simply more colorful and interesting, wheres the Hisuian one is rather bland, utilizing mostly white and black/gray.
Anyways, my biggets hope for Hisuian Braviary is that it evolves at a much more reasonable level this time, because, really, level 54 was too high for an evolution level, even for Unovan standards. My other hope is that Hisuian Braviary will also be as strong in-game as its counterpart, as Braviary is very fun to use when you can actually use it (mostly White 2 where you can catch it on Route 4). If we were to believe the claims on the official website, then this Braviary might end up being very strong as well, as it's stated that it can heighten its sixth sense through its psychic powers and boost its physical power by entering a trance. Maybe we will see an in-battle forme that results in the trance? Hopefully, this Braviary remains fun to use and isn't locked behind ridiculous evolution requirements.
Max. Optimizer
While some Pokémon fans have been disappointed with the Psychic typing that was added to Braviary's Hisuian variant, I, however, cannot help but think that this choice was a clever idea. By taking a closer look at the eagle and its significance as a symbol in Native American tradition and in the biblical context of Christianity, it becomes clear that a lot of care and thought went into developing the concept behind Hisuian Braviary. As a matter of fact, the eagle plays an important role in the divine and sacred domains of many cultures and communities all over the world. The fact that the forehead of Hisuian Braviary is decorated with eye-like plumage can be considered a reference to how the eyes of the eagle, often considered having the sharpest visual prowess in the animal kingdom, are often attributed to the "all-seeing-eye" in a spiritual context. In this sense, the soaring eagle is also attributed to the motif of "higher perspective", both in a literal and metaphorical sense, always also in conjunction with having "foresight" and "visions". In this sense, it would be nice to see this motif being further complemented by giving Hisuian Braviary the Keen Eye ability and Future Sight in terms of moves. In addition to this, I also think that the white plumage greatly complements the overall motif, as this specific color is not only commonly attributed to spiritual pursuits but also associated with the concepts of "clairvoyance", in the sense where enlightenment helps uncover the truth in the darkness formed by ignorance and doubt. All things considered, I honestly believe that Hisuian Braviary is the perfect complement to its original version from the Unova region. Since the eagle is perceived as the bridge between the spiritual world and the physical world, I am convinced that it becomes hence only fitting that the Psychic typing with its metaphysical and psychological attributes was chosen as the perfect contrast to the former Normal typing that is typically attributed to tangibility and materiality. Overall, I highly enjoyed the whole cinematography leading up to its reveal, with Akari leaping of the cliff on her journey to meet the legendary divine Arceus, strongly reminding me of Jen Stephens's quote about "if we never had the courage to take a leap of faith, we'd be cheating God out of a chance to mount us up with wings like eagles and watch us soar".
Bandkrook
Unovan Braviary is definitely one of my favorite Pokémon from the franchise, Hisuian Braviary however... not so much. I don't get why Game Freak would choose the secondary Psychic typing here. I don't get the psychic eyes either. It seems like Game Freak just chose this secondary typing so they could give Braviary some sort of "magical" power in its attacks, but it just makes no sense to me. I'll be basic but effective and say it should've been part Fighting type. Its talons are clearly super strong, it gets Bulk Up and Close Combat already, and a harpy motif would fit this idea quite well while still keeping the more muted grey colors fit for Hisui's cold climate. This is the only new Pokémon announced that hasn't impressed me (yet?). I do look forward to flying through Hisui with it, though.
Shadowshocker
Hisuian Braviary doesn't pose the questions that Wyrdeer and Basculegion do for me (i.e. why aren't they around by DPPt's timeline), since it's based on a migratory bird, and it does get a rousing introduction as Akari jumps off a cliff to seamlessly segue into using Braviary as a glider. "Yay, Ride Pokémon are back!" was my first thought, because as convenient as Corviknight Taxis were in Galar, I suppose some part of me missed that ability to watch an animated cutscene instead of a black screen and two frames of animation. I'm not sure I get Psychic-type vibes from Braviary as I do with Wyrdeer, though; a vague flame-like crest of particles doesn't scream "Psychic" to me, despite what Hisuian Braviary's lore says. It's certainly the weakest of all the elemental justifications for Legends' premiere reveals in my opinion, and I'm speculating that Braviary gets a signature move or two to fit in with its physically oriented stats, something that most Psychic-types or avians don't usually get.
Blitz
In Hisui, Braviary takes to the skies as... another Psychic/Flying. I can't say I'm too pleased with the typing on the onset, what with us already having three other Unovan Psychic/Flying-types (Woobat, Swoobat, and Sigilyph) as well as a huge oversaturation of the typing in general with Lugia, the Natu line, Oricorio-P, and Galarian Articuno. At least there's a difference here in that all of the ones before Braviary are pretty much specially inclined... and given the lore we currently have on Hisuian Braviary harnessing psychic power to increase its physical prowess, it's safe to assume that at least this one will be physical. Misgivings with the typing aside, the design is actually pretty sweet: it has a simple but aesthetic color scheme, the mask being sort of something like "flames with eyes" is really cool, and its tail looks like a paper plane... jet? But if one wants to use it, one hopes Game Freak has the foresight to change its evolution method; else, Braviary will suffer the Unovan curse of being too little, too late.
Pikachu315111
Hisuian Braviary is similar to the normal Braviary we have come to know; in fact, I believe there will be no Hisuian Rufflet, as normal Rufflet should have no problem evolving into Hisuian Braviary (both Braviary formes are physically focused). But, with it being a regional variant, there's always a new twist. For Hisuian Braviary this comes from it not being based on Native American stereotypes but rather the beliefs of the Ainu people. Long story short, Hisui/Sinnoh is based on the Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido, which has an indigenous group called the Ainu. It seems that the new Hisuian Pokémon and certain aspects of the Hisui region are based off the culture and belief of the Ainu people. The Ainu people's beliefs are largely based on animal spirits (Kamuy) and sages who tell their legends (Yukar) (for the record, this is a VERY simplified explanation, and their beliefs are more complex than that; I suggest looking it up). Whereas normal Braviary is a bald eagle whose plume looks like a war bonnet and its power comes from its physical strength, Hisuian Braviary is a Steller's sea eagle whose plume resembles a shaguma, and its power stems from spirituality by entering trances. It's a really neat idea, switching up the represented indigenous group, thus teaching everyone about different indigenous groups from around the world. Otherwise, I already like Braviary, so of course I'm going to like a bigger Braviary that I can use as a flying Ride Pokémon!
So, where is it now? Unlike the other new Hisuian Pokémon shown to us that I believe to be various forms of extinct, I believe that Hisuian Braviary could still be out there. As they migrate north during summer, they obviously have nesting grounds there, possibly someplace uninhabited. When Hisui underwent industrialization to become Sinnoh, either it became too hot and polluted for Hisuian Braviary's liking or nesting sites and prey became harder to find, so they just flew back north and never came back. No need to reverse engineer breed; with knowledge of the species rediscovered they just need to figure out their old migration path and likely will find a few members still flying about. Though, if I'm right about it evolving from normal Rufflet, it would be a funny easter egg in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl to let you transfer over Rufflet and have it evolve into Hisuian Braviary instead.
Zephyri
At the moment of reveal, I was sorta confused by this 'mon, and I wasn't particularly impressed by it either, but now that the dust has settled, it looks a lot nicer than I originally gave it credit for. The psychic eyes are still pretty unsettling, but I appreciate the concept of "mind vs body" a lot more after some deliberation, and the transition to a more bald eagle-esque color scheme is, although subtle, super neat overall. I'll say that a regional Braviary without a regional Mandibuzz to go along with it is a little weird, but there's only been two trailers so far, so we'll see.
Windingsss
Hisuian Braviary is, by far, the worst design showed in this trailer. It looks like its designer got paid for adding an Instagram's eyes sticker on top of its head and changing its colors a bit. However, its concept is actually cool; Game Freak decided to give Braviary a spin and use the mind vs body concept, so it went from being (physically) powerful to also being able to produce seismic waves with its psychic powers, allowing it to stun and catch its preys, which somehow reminds me of Tapu Fini's mist. I wish the design had more psychic elements though, because as it is, it looks fairly simple. The fact that it also lost some of the patriotic concept with its color change and new eyes sucks a bit too.
crusty
An unexpected choice to give a regional variant to, there exists a Braviary in Hisui that doesn't embody the colors of America as much. What's perhaps more perplexing is its typing; why Psychic when there already exists numerous other Psychic / Flying types from Xatu to Galarian Articuno? Perhaps they didn't know what type to give it. I suppose that it's a physically inclined Psychic / Flying Pokémon, which does differentiate it a bit, and considering it's seemingly implied to evolve from just Rufflet, it'll likely retain Close Combat. One thing I have to give huge praise for is how they simultaneously revealed Hisuian Braviary alongside the gliding mechanic in Pokémon Legends Arceus, which clearly takes direct inspiration from Breath of the Wild; that's gotta be one of the coolest ways to reveal a Pokémon.
Codraroll
Three rounds in, it appears the designers of The Pokémon Company have become comfortable and confident in the idea of regional formes. You take the original Pokémon, change its typing, change colours to match the new typing, and change a few details while leaving the design mostly similar to the old one. As such, Hisuian Braviary follows the recipe quite closely. It has different feathers on its head, wings, and tails compared to Unovan Braviary, but otherwise appears mostly identical. The other big difference its its, uh, "psychic flames" on its forehead, which look mostly like a pair of glasses Elton John would have worn in his heyday.
I can't say I dislike the design, but I can't say it leaves any big impressions either. All in all, I think I'm more fond of the concept than the execution. Braviary isn't the most memorable bird Pokémon around, especially since it shares its Normal / Flying typing with 25 other Pokémon, so I'm glad to see it get a little makeover and a more prominent role. On the other hand, Hisuian Braviary becomes the ninth known Psychic / Flying Pokémon, so the improvement isn't that drastic.
Lockjaw
Meh, I didn't really like this design. It doesn't have much in particular, so I just hope the Rufflet in this game has a different method of evolution rather than only evolving into Braviary at Level 54 (why Game Freak?). I can speculate that it can evolve by location, through a new item, or by a new evolution method. While Flying / Psychic is already an overdone combination, unlike all Pokémon that have this typing, we have a great possibility that Braviary is the first physical Flying / Psychic.
However, unlike Stantler and its evolution, this Pokémon has some differences from its original version besides the purple flames in its text (which everyone displayed), having more "hair" as well as a smaller beak and very beautiful colors (forgive me, Braviary of Unova). Anyway, nothing too impressive or fantastic.
Max. Optimizer
While I do like all of the new Hisuian regional variants that we were shown during the presentation, Hisuian Growlithe has to be my personal favorite. I, initially, had no expectations at all for this game, but Hisuian Growlithe, as the first new regional variant to be revealed, changed that for that better immediately. Fittingly enough, Hisuian Growlithe's Fire typing got complemented by its newly gained Rock typing, as a reference to the shíshī (石獅), the iconic Chinese guardian lion statue that eventually also made its way to Japan under the name komainu (狛犬). Hisuian Growlithe's design stays overall notably faithful to the source material with the new lion's mane, the fluff on the chest, and even going so far as to including the little horn on top of its head. I like the humorous element of having its lion's mane cover its eyes, adding a distinctive adorable, playful, and clumsy charm to its appearance. Even though I think that it is unlikely to happen, I hope that there will be both a male and a female version of Hisuian Growlithe. The reason behind that is that the guardian lion statues protecting shrines, palaces, and tombs are always meant to be coexist as a pair, in order to maintain the duality found in the concept of yin and yang (with the female dog representing yin and the male dog representing yang). While the male version protects the actual building, while holding an embroidered ball under its paw, also known as xiù qiú (绣球), the female one protects the inhabitants, especially also children, hence why it holds a cub under its paw, representing fertility and maternal protection. Overall, the whole guard dog motif leads me to believe that Hisuian Growlithe and Hisuian Arcanine will play a bit more of a defensive role, compared to their more offense-oriented Rock-type dog Pokémon counterparts in the form of Rockruff and the different kinds of Lycanroc for example. While I am already on the topic of Hisuian Arcanine, I personally hope that they will make a reference to the old days, when Arcanine was originally actually considered to be a legendary Pokémon, as evidenced by the stone tablet that Ash sees in a Pokémon Center during the "Pokémon Emergency!" episode early on in the anime and depicts it alongside the Kantonian bird trio.
Bandkrook
Yeah, this Hisuian forme was made just so we could all collectively say "awww" at every piece of fanart we see before and after the game's release. Like Max said, Hisuian Growlithe takes inspiration from classic Chinese statues depicting guardian lions made out of rock, and honestly, I LOVE it. Growlithe already had the whole "cute first stage turns badass second stage" whole motif going for it, and solidifying (heh) this idea by taking inspiration from another culture made me love this evolutionary line a lot more. The hair covering Hisuian Growlithe's face gives it this air of a playful and careless puppy, and the curly hair, both on the neck and on the tail is just SO cute. The little horn on top of its head just pulls it all together so perfectly too. I much prefer the more saturated orange than Kantonian Growlithe's more muted color as well. I have high hopes for Growlithe's evolution, be it Hisuian Arcanine or a new evolution. I just hope it gets to be a close resemblance to the real-life inspiration for this line, because those statues are awesome, and I know every player, actual kid or kid at heart, is hoping for it.
Shadowshocker
Yeah, this one's going to be a fan favorite, isn't it? I'm not huge on dogs, but given the inspirations of feudal East Asia, a komainu reference was inevitable. And Hisuian Growlithe carries the concept well enough, including some parts of its fur that can pass off for terracotta armor like a guard dog, which certainly drives up hype for what its evolution is going to be like... its tragically terrible type combination aside. My one gripe is the fact that its eyes are masked by its helmet - it's adorable, sure, but this doggo is meant to be a scout, right? Olfactory senses or no, surely covering its eyes is a pretty significant impediment, and it's not as though actual lion dog statues have their eyes covered. Puffy statuesque markings give Growlithe the same aesthetic that works for Basculegion, and all-around I can see this pupper being a mascot for the region. It does still make me wonder, though. How's the game going to explain the mass migration of Growlithe away from Sinnoh?
GatoDelFuego
17th-century renaissance-looking, powdered wig-wearing, unable-to-see-anything-in-front-of-themselves-looking creature. What da dog doin? Those sure are soft and fluffy tails. The stripes got some drip. What he gonna see, though? I think I'm having a hard time seeing the connection to regular Growlithe, beyond just "it's a dog". It feels to me like this could have been stronger on a new design entirely. I'm really racking my brain to figure out why this Pokémon is part Rock type, too. Competitive players might rejoice everywhere depending on the movepool, but it doesn't send it all the way for me. Maybe the inevitable evolution will drive the concept home.
Blitz
And now for the cutest of the bunch... it's hard to not like Growlithe, given it's a straightforward design by nature and beloved by many. In Hisui, it accentuates that cuteness further, what with covering its eyes with its new mane, as well as the curly ends of its "beard fur" and its tail. I can only imagine how Hisuians, if they developed television, would have an old show where court proceedings take place, and the preciding judge dons the most generic of white wigs alongside his trusty Hisuian Growlithe just barking at the plaintiffs, and I also bet you the outside of the courthouse has stone statues of them next to a flight of stairs that pans out when the shows end... ok you get the picture. That aside, it's hard to overlook the one caveat to it: that typing. Fire/Rock is notoriously infamous for being horrendous defensively and on slow Pokémon to boot, and even with something like Coalossal's Steam Engine to take advantage of its offensive attributes, it still leaves a lot to be desired. One hopes that Growlithe (and by extension the hypothetical Hisuian evolution of it) maintain a decent Speed tier so they can finally be the good Fire/Rock types we deserve!
Pikachu315111
We all already know that the Growlithe family is based on the guardian lion-dog statues you usually see outside Asian temples and palaces; well, Hisuian Growlithe just takes that basis and brings it to the next level by being part Rock type! Yeah, there's really not much else to say about Hisuian Growlithe than that (FUN FACT: Apparently the stone horns breaking apart is based on a real-life problem the guardian lion-dog statues had; many used to have horns, but they kept breaking off, so at some point artisans just stopped giving them horns. The bibs are also a thing!). I also believe that Hisuian Growlithe is going to have a unique regional variant evolution that isn't Hisuian Arcanine, and I think it'll become more dragon-like to reference other popular Asian mythical creature statues such as the Qilin. But as for now, personally I feel positively indifferent about Hisuian Growlithe; I like the Growlithe family well enough, so I'm fine with them getting a regional variant, but it's just a Growlithe with an additional type. Hopefully its evolution will make it worth getting a regional variant.
So, where is it now? Much like the real life history of dogs, it could be that Hisuian Growlithe are what Growlithe are like without human interference, what wolves are to dogs. However, when more and more of Hisui began to be populated by people, it could be that Hisuian Growlithe became domesticated. By the time Hisui became Sinnoh, it had become the normal Growlithe species that other regions have and barely found in the wild anymore, so is no longer considered a native species (unless you have a copy of FireRed). But, with knowledge of the species rediscovered, maybe they can reverse engineer breed the “wild” back into the Growlithe species (maybe try breeding it with the Rockruff family; they're both wolves and Rock-types).
Windingsss
To be honest, at first i didn't like this design, but after I looked into its eyes (hehe) it definitely got my heart. Hisuian Growlithe is probably the best design of this trailer; I mean, it's a dog so... how can you not like it? The Pokémon itself is very cute; the fur it has gives it energic and jolly vibes, and the color palette complements it nicely. This design as a whole opens a lot of opportunities for a great evolution as far as design goes. However, the typing is awful, to say the least. I definitely get that its based on statues and that stuff, but really? I'd rather have a Fire / Fairy Hisuian Growlithe, or even Fire / Normal.
crusty
Growlithe must be one of the most wanted Pokémon to receive a regional form of some kind. During the Sun and Moon hype season, speculation of a regional Growlithe to correspond with the new Alolan Vulpix at the time was pretty common, though Alolan Vulpix would end up being a counterpart of fellow Blue exclusive Sandshrew. Finally in Hisui, we get a regional Growlithe with fur covering the eyes made of rock, that presumably evolves into a Hisuian Arcanine. This Growlithe seems to be based off of the lion-dog statues in China known as shishi, or komainu in Japanese, often sculpted near temples and other sacred places to serve as guardians. These lion-dog statues are also the inspiration behind Aunn from Touhou Project. I can't wait to see what Hisuian Arcanine would look like considering this backstory and how Arcanine was originally intended to be a legendary Pokémon. The origins explain the typing nicely, but Fire/Rock is still a poor defensive typing, so hopefully Hisuian Growlithe's (and Arcanine's) stats stay identical or more offensive compared to their regular formes, since they are already decently fast and Fire/Rock do provide good offensive coverage. Perhaps we could see Rock Head on these Pokémon with Flare Blitz, or better yet, Head Smash; that would be a treat for sure.
Codraroll
Truth be told, I'm not a very big fan of the original Growlithe. It was the first Pokémon to serve as a substitute for dogs in the Pokémon world, and it mostly filled that role one-to-one apart from occasionally breathing fire. It was fairly generic puppy dog overall, and later designs such as Houndour and Electrike did more to distinguish themselves from the "just a puppy" design base.
I think Hisuian Growlithe does a good enough job of being distinct. Its "fur helmet" (complete with WWI-era Prussian helmet spike - its design base was probably something else, but that's the association I get) and beard create a contrast of colors and give it a unique and recognizable feature. The red and grey color scheme also pops more than Kantonian Growlithe's orange and tan. I must admit I don't understand why its front and back paws are so markedly different from each other, but that was also the case for original Growlithe so it gets a pass.
What excites me more about Hisuian Growlithe is the promise of an evolution, however. Arcanine is a fan-favorite design, and Hisuian Growlithe have many interesting elements for the evolution to elaborate upon. It's not even certain whether the evolution will be an Arcanine forme at all, since Galarian Meowth and Yamask show that regional formes of first stage Pokémon may evolve into wholly different creatures than their original counterparts. Either way, Hisuian Growlithe's evolution will be one to look out for.
Lockjaw
LOOK AT THIS BIG GOOD "WHERE MY EYES" BOI.
Seriously, how is this Pokémon (according to the official Pokédex) less sociable with humans than its Kantonian counterpart? Just look at its totally charismatic design. I loved the darker and more vivid color of this Pokémon, I'm pretty sure Hisuian Arcanine can be more badass than the original. And here we have one more for the group of Ralts and Deino, and I believe this Growlithe will reveal his eyes as he evolves like Kirlia and Hydreigon; imagine Arcanine all silly with his eyes still hidden.
Unfortunately, Fire/Rock isn't one of the best competitive typings, just see Magcargo and Coalossal; maybe Growlithe will be able to gain Accelerock or a good ability that recovers its HP alongside Teleport (probably will learn Stealth Rock), then I'm sure that it can do something competitively and become the best Fire/Rock type out there.
Codraroll
Those were the first four new Pokémon designs we've seen from this game, and they clearly appear to get people excited. While the designs themselves may not be praised by everyone, it seems like all our panelists were quite happy to see the return of regional formes and cross-generation evolutions. I personally think there is something about them being "known unknowns"—their existence allows us to speculate about which other Pokémon might receive new forms or evolutions. We can relate to the potential of modifications to existing Pokémon in a different way than we can to entirely new Pokémon. It is also fun to see long-forgotten designs, which might even be among your personal favorites, receive attention and an upgrade to their battling capabilities. I eagerly look forward to seeing what other Pokémon may be in store for us from Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and it seems like many of you share my excitement! Expect another JAPE session as soon as we hear any more news!
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