Pokemon fans ‘mind-blown’ after realising two characters were named after iconic stars

Two iconic Pokémon characters have been revealed to be named after legendary action movie stars, a fact that might surprise even the most dedicated fans of the franchise.

While many Pokémon names appear to be made up, some are derived from Japanese terms, like the franchise’s mascot Pikachu, which roughly translates to “shiny mouse”.

Others draw from English, such as the caterpillar Pokémon known as Caterpie.

However, it turns out that two key Pokémon from the original video game series bear names inspired by renowned action film stars. This intriguing fact was unveiled in a TikTok video that compared the Japanese and English names of various Pokémon.

The video, uploaded by a Japanese user named Kazuki, features him pronouncing the Japanese names of well-known Pokémon as his Canadian partner, Kailey, provides their English equivalents.

Initially, they discuss the Pikachu evolution line – Pichu, Pikachu, and Raichu – noting that the names remain consistent across both languages, albeit with slight pronunciation variations.

Their conversation then shifts to the English-named Pokémon Sentret and Furret, which are called Otachi and Ootachi in Japanese. Kailey initially mistook her partner’s pronunciation for the same name for both creatures, but Kazuki clarified the subtle difference, pointing out that the prefix “Oo” in the evolved form simply means “big”.

He remarked: “The first one is Otachi, and the evolution is Ootachi. ‘Oo’ in this case means big. ‘Tachi’ comes from an animal called ‘itachi’. In English, it’s weasel.”

Yet Kazuki and Kailey were left scratching their heads when examining the next two Pokémon on their radar – the fighting type duo known in English as Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan.

There was notable puzzlement between the pair over the stark difference in naming conventions when Kazuki mentioned that in Japanese, these Pokémon are referred to as Sawamura and Ebiwara. He detailed that these monikers correspond with real-life sporting figures in Japan, with Sawamura (Hitmonlee’s counterpart) inspired by a 1960s Japanese kickboxer Tadashi Sawamura, and Ebiwara (Hitmonchan’s equivalent) named after renowned boxer Hiroyuki Ebihara.

Interestingly, Kazuki and Kailey learned that even the English names of Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan pay tribute to famed martial artists – Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan respectively.

Upon realising the connection, Kailey commented: “Everyone probably already knew that, and I sound stupid for just realising.”

Pokémon fans had previously delved into this subject on a Reddit thread, expressing astonishment upon uncovering the homage to the illustrious film icons.

One enthusiast said: “To think of it, it’s both an honor to the martial artist and to Pokémon.”

Another chimed in: “Never even thought of this. Mind = blown.”

Anyone who has played the original Pokémon games, Red and Blue, will understand the significance of Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan. In these games, you are given the choice to select one of these Pokémon as your companion after triumphing over the trainers at the Dojo in Saffron City – but you can only choose one, making it a major decision in the game.