Fans appear to have taken notice of the fact that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s new Pokemon Flamigo is just a pink flamingo. The latest Pokemon game launched earlier today, and fans seem to have mixed feelings about the new Generation 9 Flying-type Pokemon.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet launched on November 18, introducing the ninth generation of Pokemon. The games bring players to the Paldea region, which is loosely inspired by the Iberian Peninsula, home to the real-world countries of Spain and Portugal. Players arrive at the Naranja or Uva Academies in time for the annual Treasure Hunt, where their rival challenges them to find the treasure.
Flamigo, the Synchronize Pokemon, is a dual Flying/Fighting-type Pokemon introduced as part of Generation 9. This pink avian Pokemon closely resemble a pink flamingo with the base of its long neck tied into a knot. According to Scarlet and Violet’s Pokedex, Flamigo does this to contain the energy stored in its belly. The “Synchronize Pokemon” designation comes from how flocks of Flamigo will attack together in perfect unison.
Real-life-pink flamingos can be found in southern Spain and Portugal, so Flamigo’s inclusion at least fits with the theme. The synchronization is also a fun nod to how flamingos tend to travel and congregate in large flocks. It’s also not as if Flamigo is a complete carbon copy of the real-world animal, with the Pokemon resembling a cross between a lawn ornament and a balloon animal.
However, most Pokemon have more immediately noticeable differences from their real-world counterparts. For example, the Generation 1 Pokemon Poliwag is certainly tadpole-inspired, but it would be hard to say that Poliwag is just a tadpole. Flamigo, meanwhile, is immediately recognizable as a pink flamingo before anything else.
Still, Pokemon fans seem split on how they feel about this addition to the Pokemon roster. Reddit user BVDVSS posted a screenshot of a Flamigo to the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet subreddit with the caption, “Show me a more bland Pokémon than Flamigo…” However, many commenters pointed out that Generation 1 and Normal-type Pokemon often have similarly bland designs, with Raticate being a popular example. Other commenters brought up Pokemon like Bidoof, Pidgey, Pidove, and Dewgong as similar examples.
Some fans also said they like Flamigo, with one person saying that it only looks “bland” compared to some of the more creative Pokemon designs. Other commenters said they preferred the simpler, more real-world-inspired designs. One commenter liked how it captured the spirit of many Generation 1 Pokemon. Others were amused by its similarity to a plastic lawn ornament, with fans brainstorming names to take advantage of the design.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for Nintendo Switch.