The Origins of 3 Rat Pokemon & the Real Rodents Behind Them

Rats are pests, even in the Pokemon world. Nobody wants one in the house.

Here are the origins of the 3 rat Pokemon:

All 3 Rat Pokemon

#019

Rattata

Rattata is based on a rat or a mouse, and it may draw visual inspiration from hairy-tailed packrats. It will chew on anything with its fangs, and if you see one, you can be certain that 40 more live in the area. (We feel the same way about spiders, and we do not want the number.)

Alolan Rattata is based on the black rat, brown rat or Polynesian rat, all of which are invasive species in Hawaii. Its thieving behavior and its habit of working in groups under a Raticate are reminiscent of a gangster, and the shape of its whiskers resembles the knot of a hokkamuri, a cloth tied under the nose as a disguise, typically worn by thieves in Japanese media for comedic effect. It stands 0.3 m tall and weighs 3.5 kg.

#020

Raticate

Raticate is based on a rat, with inspiration from several other types of rodents. Its webbed feet are a trait of semi-aquatic rodents such as a muskrat or a coypu, its exposed incisors may be inspired by blesmols, and its scruffy ears are similar to a guinea pig. Its hind feet are webbed and act as flippers, letting it swim in rivers and hunt for prey, which we would prefer it kept well away from our side of the river.

Alolan Raticate is reminiscent of a stereotypical crime boss: it is gluttonous, commands groups of Rattata to steal and feuds with the detective-inspired Gumshoos. It also has cheek pouches similar to chipmunks and hamsters.

Its Guts ability raises its Attack to 1.5× while it has a major status problem such as a burn or poison. An ability is a passive effect that works on its own in battle. It stands 0.7 m tall and weighs 18.5 kg.

#183

Marill

Marill, the Aqua Mouse Pokemon, may be based on a combination of a mouse and a beach ball or a lifebuoy, and its body and ears also resemble a water molecule. The rat part comes from water rats, semiaquatic rodents that include the European water vole and the rakali from Australia. Its name, Shiny colors and tail may also point to marimo, the free-floating balls of algae also known as moss balls.

Its water-repellent fur dries almost as soon as it leaves the water, even after a swim in a cold sea, and for that reason it is never cold. We spend most of winter wishing for that fur.

Its Attack is only 20, the stat behind physical moves, but its Huge Power ability doubles its Attack in battle.

Alola Copied a Real Pest Control Mistake

Hawaii, the islands Alola is based on, brought in the small Indian mongoose to kill the rats eating its sugar cane. The mongoose hunts by day and the rats come out at night, so the plan failed and the mongoose became one more invasive species.

In Alola, Yungoos, the mongoose Pokemon, can only be found during the day, and Alolan Rattata only at night, which means the Pokemon built to hunt Rattata almost never meets one. Gumshoos still loses control and pounces when it spots its favorite meal, Rattata.