Since we're on this topic anyway, I might as well have a glance at the old 'dex.
Ye olde Char-family has a basis in the flaming salamander, and in the final stage resembles a kind of european firebreathing dragon.
Vulpix and Ninetales stem from certain japanese myths regarding foxes.
I suppose Meowth even poses like a lucky "beckoning cat".
Golduck is a kappa.
Arcanine seems to be a Kirin.
I guess Uri Geller doesn't count, huh?
Arguably Golem, but there are much better examples of that myth.
Drowzee is just a tapir, but the relevant myth is that tapirs eat dreams.
Carps turn into dragons if they supersalt the Dragon Gate - hence the hardworking Magikarp's transformation into Gyarados.
Lapras does look like a generic lake monster.
Zapdos is a thunderbird, and Moltres a phoenix.
Espeon has already been noted for its connection to the japanese grimalkin.
Dunsparce takes most of its traits from old folktales of a strange snake.
Sneasel has similarities to a Kamaitachi yokai.
Care to guess what inspired Delibird?
Houndoom just seems to be a generic hellhound.
Ho-oh is pretty much the japanese name for the chinese Feng Huang. So yeah.
Ludicolo and Lombre do share some Kappa-like traits, but Ludicolo is very, very bizarre.
Shiftry, yeah. It even has the appropriate temper.
Whiscash is based on a catfish that caused earthquakes. I note that it can learn Foresight. In some tellings, it only predicts earthquakes.
Absol is physically near identical to the Kutabe or Bai Ze.
The Regis are more golem-like than Golem.
Kyogre, Groudon and Rayquaza fit into the myth of Leviathan, Behemoth and Ziz - if you disregard their physical appearance: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... eh-Ziz.jpg
However, these appearances had been reinterpreted many times before the pokemon.
Infernape has some likeness to Sun Wukong.
The Gible family might be a reference to the modern notion of a landshark. May not count.
Abomasnow is an abominable snowman.
Frosslass is probably an enchanting snow woman.
I tried to limit this to the most glaring examples.
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Last edited by PLA on 03 Mar 2010, 3:39 am, edited 1 time in total.