The Origins of 26 Monkey Pokemon & the Legends They Came From

Monkey is a loose word in Pokemon. Vigoroth is a sloth that the Pokedex files as a monkey, and Electivire gets its ape side from the Yeti. The real primates are loud, and Rillaboom's troop picks its boss by drumming.

See all 26 monkey Pokemon in one list.

Here are the origins of the 26 monkey Pokemon:

All 26 Monkey Pokemon

#056

Mankey

Mankey is the Pig Monkey Pokemon, and its pig-like nose may come from the Southern pig-tailed macaque, which also shares its color scheme and shaggy fur. Its long tail and temper give it much in common with baboons and snub-nosed monkeys. It is an agile Pokemon that lives in trees, one that angers easily and will not hesitate to attack anything. (We relate to the second part more than we would like.)

It stands 0.5 m tall and weighs 28 kg. Its Anger Point ability raises its Attack to the maximum of six stages when a critical hit lands on it (a critical hit is a lucky blow that deals extra damage). An ability is a passive effect that works on its own in battle.

#057

Primeape

Primeape keeps Mankey's link to the pig-tailed macaque, baboons and snub-nosed monkeys. Meeting its glare makes it angry, a common trait in primates that read eye contact as a threat. Its hands look like boxing gloves, and it appears to wear metal weights on its wrists and ankles.

It stops being angry only when nobody else is around, and seeing this moment is very difficult. We are the same way, and nobody has seen it either. Its Attack is 105 and its Speed is 95 (Speed decides who attacks first in a turn). In the ninth generation it gained an evolution, Annihilape, further down this list.

#190

Aipom

Aipom, the Long Tail Pokemon, is based on a New World monkey and an exaggerated take on their prehensile tail, possibly the capuchin in particular. Its large smile comes from the cymbal-banging monkey toy. It may also vaguely reference the ahuizotl, a creature of Aztec mythology with monkey hands and a fifth human hand on its tail.

Its tail is as dexterous as a hand, and ancient writings describe it as a one-armed oddity. Ancient writers had one look at the tail and gave up on the arms.

#288

Vigoroth

Vigoroth is a sloth with a monkey's category, the Wild Monkey Pokemon. Its design comes mostly from two-toed sloths and ground sloths, but it also shares traits with baboons, which have bright red rumps, short tails and a habit of violent outbursts. Vigoroth has all of those.

It is incapable of remaining still, and even when it tries to sleep, the blood in its veins grows agitated and sends it running wild through the jungle. Its Vital Spirit ability fits that, since it prevents sleep. We would file a complaint about a sloth that cannot nap.

#289

Slaking

Slaking draws on the giant ground sloths Megatherium and Eremotherium, though it also closely resembles a great ape, a gorilla in particular. The "-king" in its English and Japanese names may allude to King Kong, and it has some elements of Bigfoot.

Rings of over a yard across appear in grassy fields wherever Slaking live, because it eats all the grass within reach while lying flat on the ground. (We have done this with a bag of crisps.) Its Truant ability makes it skip one turn out of two.

#390

Chimchar

Chimchar, the Chimp Pokemon, is based on a young chimpanzee. The markings on its rear, without the flame, suggest a cross between a chimpanzee and a young baboon.

It is full of vigor and always in high spirits, and it was once known by the name "Lantern-Tail" and feared as some kind of apparition. A small cheerful monkey is a weak choice for a ghost story. It stands 0.5 m tall and weighs 6.2 kg. Its Blaze ability makes its Fire moves deal 1.5× damage once it drops to a third of its HP or less.

#391

Monferno

Monferno, the Playful Pokemon, may be based on a golden snub-nosed monkey or a mandrill, with some elements of a chimpanzee. It also looks like a direct nod to Monkey Kung Fu, a style of martial arts, which could explain its Fighting type.

The deeper the blue on its face, the more powerful it will grow to become. It leaps about and lands powerful blows with the flame on its tail. We checked our own face for blue and found nothing yet.

#392

Infernape

Infernape is a monkey with some elements of a chimpanzee, and its gold elements may link to Sun Wukong, known as the Monkey King, the main character of a Chinese novel. The gold marking on its chest is reminiscent of the gold headband he wears in popular culture. It may also draw on Hanuman of the Hindu epic Ramayana, who was granted immunity to fire and is believed to have influenced Sun Wukong.

It shrouds itself in flame and battles as if engaged in dance. Its Speed is 108, and its Attack and Special Attack are both 104, so it hits hard with physical and special moves alike. We fight as if engaged in dance too, badly and only at weddings.

#424

Ambipom

Ambipom keeps Aipom's New World monkey base and its link to the ahuizotl, and doubles the hand-tail. Members of this species link their newly doubled tails in a ring to affirm their kinship, and on rare occasions humans have been accepted into such rings. We are waiting by the phone.

Its Technician ability makes moves of 60 base power or less 1.5× stronger (base power is how hard a move hits before anything else is counted).

#466

Electivire

Electivire may be based on an oni, a horned ogre that sometimes has powers of thunder and lightning and often wears a yellow tiger skin loincloth with black stripes. Its shaggy look may come from the Namahage, and its ape side from the Yeti, the ape-like cryptid said to live in the Himalayas. Its horns may be based on Tesla coils, and its tails look like cables.

An unusual item induced its evolution, and its tails can unleash a current of 20,000 volts. It weighs 138.6 kg, and we would not plug anything into it.

#511

Pansage

Pansage, the Grass Monkey Pokemon, has a head that looks like a tree or a head of broccoli. It might draw on legends of monkey trees, or be a visual pun on leaf monkeys. With its two Unova partners it copies the three wise monkeys, and with its mouth open, Pansage represents "speak no evil".

It is good at finding berries and kind enough to share them with friends. We share snacks too, under protest. Its Gluttony ability makes it eat a held Berry earlier than usual, once its HP falls below half.

#512

Simisage

Simisage, the Thorn Monkey Pokemon, is a monkey crossed with a tree, and its pompadour may come from the bōsōzoku or yankee subculture. The style was a staple of 1950s greaser gangs and early rock and roll stars such as Elvis Presley, and the early bōsōzoku took it from American greaser culture. Its hair contrasts with Simipour's hippie look from the late 60s and the 70s.

It is ill tempered, fights by swinging its barbed tail around wildly, and grows a very bitter leaf on its head. We knew a guy like that. It shares its stats with Simisear and Simipour, base stat total 498 apiece.

#513

Pansear

Pansear, the High Temp Pokemon, is a monkey with the top of its head shaped like a flame. In the three wise monkeys set, it holds a hand by its ear and represents "hear no evil".

It lives in caves in volcanoes, and the fire in the tuft on its head can reach 600 degrees Fahrenheit. It stands 0.6 m tall, the same as Pansage and Panpour, and the three babies share identical stats. We would take a monkey with a hat made of fire on our team.

#514

Simisear

Simisear, the Ember Pokemon, is a monkey and a flame, though its belly pattern, its cloud- or steam-like shoulder ruffs and its flame-like limbs make it look like an active volcano. Its large ears carry on Pansear's "hear no evil".

When it gets excited, embers rise from its head and tail and it gets hot, and for some reason it loves sweets. We also love sweets for some reason. Its Attack and Special Attack are both 98, and its Speed is 101.

#515

Panpour

Panpour, the Spray Pokemon, has a head shaped like a fountain, a geyser or a water spout, and it may be a visual pun on Sea-Monkeys. With its eyes closed, it completes the three wise monkeys as "see no evil".

The water stored in the tuft on its head is full of nutrients, and plants which receive its water grow large. It weighs 13.5 kg, and our houseplants have asked for one.

#516

Simipour

Simipour, the Geyser Pokemon, is a monkey and a fountain. It may draw on the ahuizotl, a water-dwelling monkey-like creature, and its habit of storing water in its hair may reference the Kappa, a Japanese yōkai that keeps water in a dish on its head. Its hair resembles a style common among hippies and musicians of the late 60s and the 70s.

It prefers places with clean water, and when its tuft runs low, it siphons up more with its tail. (We refill our water bottle with less style.) Like Panpour, its eyes seem closed, which keeps the "see no evil" pose.

#555

Darmanitan

Darmanitan has two modes, and the eyes it gains and loses between them reflect the practice of painting in the eyes of a Daruma doll. Its Zen Mode may also be based on the three wise monkeys. In Zen Mode its eyes go blank, its mouth shuts tight and its ears are covered, and it sits patiently, in contrast to its bold posture in Standard Mode. Zen Mode may also be based on Bodhidharma achieving enlightenment.

Its power rises with the temperature of its fire, which can reach 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Its Attack is 140, and its hidden ability, Zen Mode, switches its form when its HP falls below half (a hidden ability is a rarer ability that only some of a species have). Galarian Darmanitan mixes a snowman with the yeti. We relate to both moods before lunch.

#765

Oranguru

Oranguru, the Sage Pokemon, is based on an orangutan and a guru. The name orangutan translates as "person of the forest", which Oranguru has been called too, and its Psychic type may reference the orangutan's high intelligence. It may also draw on the satori, an ape-like yōkai that could read human minds.

It knows the forest inside and out, and it gathers medicinal herbs to treat any wounded Pokemon it comes across. We would like one per household.

#766

Passimian

Passimian, the Teamwork Pokemon, is based on a lemur, with a striking resemblance to the black-and-white ruffed lemur. Lemurs live in large groups that cooperate when they search for food, and Passimian may also draw on quarterbacks in American football.

Passimian live in groups of about 20, with each member performing an assigned role, and the group survives through cooperation. We have never seen a group chat that works that well. Its Attack is 120, and its Receiver ability takes on the ability of an ally that faints.

#810

Grookey

Grookey, the Chimp Pokemon, is based on a monkey, perhaps squirrel monkeys and macaques in particular. Macaques drum on objects in a rhythm to show social dominance, and Grookey's stick doubles as a drumstick and a hair stick, which gives it a caveman look.

It attacks with rapid beats of its stick, and it gets more and more pumped as it strikes with amazing speed. We have met toddlers like this. It stands 0.3 m tall and weighs 5 kg.

#811

Thwackey

Thwackey, the Beat Pokemon, is based on macaques, capuchins and pygmy marmosets, along with common depictions of cavemen. Its drumming may reference macaques drumming to show dominance and the songs some cultures use in ritual battles to embolden warriors. When it takes the sticks off its head, its leafy hair forms a mohawk.

It gets so caught up in the rhythm while drumming in battle that it won't notice it has already knocked out its opponent. We have finished a song in the car long after arriving.

#812

Rillaboom

Rillaboom is based on a gorilla, with elements of drummers, most of all Taiko drummers. Gorillas beat their chests to show social dominance, and its size may also come from the extinct ape Gigantopithecus. Its Gigantamax form, a giant form from the Galar region, may draw on a 2007 Cadbury chocolate advertisement in which a gorilla played drums to Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight".

The one with the best drumming techniques becomes the boss of the troop, and it has a gentle disposition. It stands 2.1 m tall. Its hidden ability, Grassy Surge, turns the field into Grassy Terrain when it enters battle. We would join that band.

#893

Zarude

Zarude, the Rogue Monkey Pokemon, may be based on baboons, mandrills and black lemurs, and its Dark type may reference how aggressive those primates can be. It may also draw on the Shug Monkey of English folklore and the "Carew Ape" said to haunt Carew Castle in Wales. The story of Dada Zarude adopting a human child appears to reference tales of children raised by wild animals, like Tarzan.

The vines on its body become nutrients in the soil once they tear off, which helps the forest's plants grow. Zarude is a mythical Pokemon, a rare one tied to the game's big stories. (We are not flexible enough to swing on our own body hair.)

#945

Grafaiai

Grafaiai, the Toxic Monkey Pokemon, is based on the aye-aye, a lemur with long, skinny middle fingers, and on the slow loris, the only known venomous primate. Its habit of painting trees with its saliva seems to come from graffiti art, and the patterns may reference the Oma forest, Agustín Ibarrola's painted trees in the Basque Country of Spain.

Each Grafaiai paints its own pattern, and it paints the same one over and over for its whole life. Our own signature is a squiggle, and we have never changed it. Its Speed is 110, and its Unburden ability doubles its Speed once it uses or loses its held item.

#979

Annihilape

Annihilape, the Rage Monkey Pokemon, takes after Gibraltar Barbary macaques along with the other primates behind its line. Its Ghost type may come from the fact that Primeape can get so angry that it dies. It also seems to draw on onryō, vengeful spirits from Japanese folklore, and on the Basajaun, a hairy apelike being from Basque folklore.

It fills its fists with the rage it kept hidden in its heart, and opponents struck by them are shattered to their core. We know that feeling of anger going somewhere. Its HP is 110 and its Attack is 115.

#1015

Munkidori

Munkidori may be based on the Japanese macaque, such as the northernmost population from Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region, which Kitakami draws on. Its head hair resembles the chonmage, a traditional Japanese topknot, and its mischief and Psychic type may come from the satori, a yokai shaped like a mind-reading monkey that torments travelers. It belongs to the Loyal Three, which may reference the Japanese folktale of Momotarō, a boy born from inside a peach who travelled with a talking dog, monkey and pheasant to fight a band of oni. In that tale, Munkidori is the monkey.

It keeps itself somewhere safe while it toys with its foes, using psychokinesis to make them intensely dizzy. We have worked with someone like that.

22 of the 26 Monkey Pokemon Are Fire, Fighting, Grass or Normal

Six monkey Pokemon belong to each of those four types. Only Panpour, Simipour, Electivire and Munkidori fall outside them.

Monkey Pokemon FAQ

How many monkey Pokemon are there?

There are 26 monkey Pokemon. Ten have a monkey or chimp word in their category, and the rest were designed from primates, sloths and folklore.

What is the strongest monkey Pokemon?

Slaking, with a base stat total of 670, though its Truant ability makes it skip one turn out of two. Zarude comes next at 600.

Is Infernape based on Sun Wukong?

Yes, in part. Its gold markings may link to Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, and it may also draw on Hanuman.

Which Pokemon are the three wise monkeys?

Pansage, Pansear and Panpour, and their evolutions keep the poses. Pansage is "speak no evil", Pansear "hear no evil" and Panpour "see no evil".