The Origins of 3 Raccoon Pokemon & the Legends They Came From

Raccoons wear a bandit mask and raid the trash. These Pokemon wear the same fur and spend their time helping others instead.

See all 3 raccoon Pokemon in one list.

Here are the origins of the 3 raccoon Pokemon:

All 3 Raccoon Pokemon

#157

Typhlosion

Typhlosion, the Volcano Pokemon, has the body shape of the weasel family, badgers and wolverines in particular, and its flames closely resemble the quills of porcupines. Its raccoon link is the Mujina, a shape-shifting yokai sometimes described as resembling a badger, with abilities similar to the tanuki and sometimes confused with it. Mujina can summon a ghost-fire called tanuki-bi, which resembles will-o'-wisps, and Hisuian Typhlosion's design and its Fire and Ghost typing may be based on it.

The Hisuian form is said to purify lost, forsaken souls with its flames and guide them to the afterlife. It has 108 ghost flames, a number considered sacred in Buddhist numerology. (We purify nothing, though we do guide lost guests to the bathroom.)

#161

Sentret

Sentret, the Scout Pokemon, behaves and is marked more like a meerkat than a ferret, despite its name. Its look has traits of the bake-danuki, a kind of yokai with a big belly that is commonly linked with the Japanese raccoon dog, or tanuki. It also shares traits with rabbits and flying squirrels, and its striped tail may be based on that of a ring-tailed ground squirrel, a raccoon or the tanuki.

When Sentret sleeps, another stands guard and wakes the others at the first sign of danger, and a Sentret separated from its pack becomes unable to sleep out of fear, and we need a night light for the same reason. Its hidden ability, Frisk, reveals an opponent's held item when it enters battle (a hidden ability is a rarer second ability some Pokemon can have).

#263

Zigzagoon

Zigzagoon, the Tiny Raccoon Pokemon, has a name, category and fur pattern that suggest a raccoon, while its body shape and brown color were inspired by the Japanese badger, with fur in a zigzag pattern. It may also be inspired by the tanuki, and Japanese folklore says tanuki drum on their bellies with their front paws, much as Zigzagoon has been known to do. Galarian Zigzagoon takes its black-and-white coat from the European badger, and its star eye marking may come from glam rock bands.

Zigzagoon took on its usual look after adapting to regions outside Galar, and if you've lost something, it can likely find it, a skill we would like to borrow for our keys. Its Pickup ability may pick up an item after battle. It stands 0.4 m tall and weighs 17.5 kg.

All Three Raccoon Pokemon Reach the Raccoon Through the Tanuki

Sentret has the big belly of the bake-danuki yokai, Zigzagoon drums on its belly like the tanuki of folklore, and Hisuian Typhlosion carries the tanuki-bi ghost-fire of the Mujina, a yokai often confused with the tanuki. The raccoon itself only turns up as one of three candidates for Sentret's striped tail.