Pokemon Analysis: The Lotad Line!

Pokemon Analysis: The Lotad Line!

Pokemon: From lilypads to…dancing pineapple ducks with sombreros. What’s not to love?

This is the first analysis in which a random number generator has determined the Pokémon line for us to examine! And what an oddball bunch we have here. They have it all, from a rarely-seen ability and certainly unique typing to what are frankly weird designs. It’s no wonder that the majority of people tend to prefer the Sapphire version exclusives to Ruby’s Seedot line.

Facts you may not have known

Lotad, at 2.6 kg, weighs as much as
– 134 cubic centimeters of solid gold
– An average adult female European hare
And, at 0.5 m, is as tall as
– An adult velociraptor
– 4.3 iPhone 4’s stacked on top of each other

Lombre, at 32.5 kg, weighs as much as
– An average 10-year-old human child
– Half of an Arbok
And, at 1.2 m, is as tall as
– The lower limit for an European longbow
– A Zenvo sports car

Ludicolo, at 55.0 kg, weighs as much as
– Two Leafeons or Kricketunes
– An average adult male gray wolf
And, at 1.5 m, is as tall as
– A large Connemara pony
– 8/10 of a standard quarterstaff

As mentioned before, no other Pokémon gets the Rain Dish ability naturally ignoring the Dream World cases, which works fairly well for this line of Pokémon. The ability works like an additional Leftovers in rain, and not only does the Lotad line get access to Rain Dance, it also has a number of annoying healing moves as well like Leech Seed and Giga Drain. The line can go offensively as well however; it’s not easy to tell what one might have if you see a Ludicolo in battle.

Lotad is the base evolution of the line, standing at half a metre. The Lilypad Pokémon is stated to ferry Pokémon across ponds and lakes, although one suspects that it wouldn’t want to be carrying heavy Pokémon across.

Lombre is the middle evolution and is known to be mistaken for small children, which seems a bit insulting to them. After all, Youngster Joey wasn’t that ugly. The origin for Lombre’s design is more intriguing than Lotad’s by far though. It is likely based off a Kappa, which is a mythical creature from Japanese folklore. One can think of it as a water sprite, or as a loose translation ‘river child’. In general though they all tended to have beaks and the ability to hold water on their head, like Lombre’s lilypad hat. Kappa’s source of power was also said to come from the dish (or ‘sara’) on its head, which ties in nicely with the Rain Dish ability.

Pictured: Not a Lombre.

One thing that hasn’t remained between the evolution from Lotad however is the number of limbs; while Lotad has a total of six legs Lombre only has the two arms and legs.

Lastly there’s Ludicolo, the renowned Pokémon of dance. Sugimori had added more to the kappa design with the final design as it now also resembles a duck, Mexican dancer and a pineapple (or perhaps colocynth, another fruit-bearing plant). Although it is stated that hearing music gives it energy, the Pokémon only knows three dancing moves in Rain Dance, Swords Dance, and Teeter Dance by breeding. It evolves via a Water Stone and like most others who evolve via the evolution stones stops learning new moves by level up. It is also thought that Ludicolo will make for a great fitness coach…

Giovanni knows how to shake it. Do you?

Lastly, perhaps the biggest claim to fame that Ludicolo has is being the signature Pokémon of one Miror B. (or Mira Bo. in the Japanese games, or the even better ‘Bouledisco’ in French!). Who is he, you ask?

He also moonwalks and pulls off backflips.

He’s an admin of Cipher in the GCN game Pokémon Colosseum, and also appears in the sequel Pokémon XD. All you need to know about him (besides the whole Poké Ball themed afro deal) is that he’s a guy who loves music and dancing. It’s fitting then that this trainer has an army of the Mexican pineapple ducks, including as many as five at a time in a double battle! It begs the question though; how many Ludis does Miror B have?

Do…
– Bring Ludicolo to parties
– Use Lotad as a hat on a hot day
– Use Lotad as a plate
– Use Lombre as an exotic garden gnome
– Enter Ludicolo in a dance contest

Don’t…
– Expect Lotad to be able to ferry you across a river
– Use Lotad as Frisbees
– Challenge Ludicolo to a battle of Dance Dance Revolution
– Take Lombre fishing
– Take Lombre to preschool
– Eat pineapples in front of Ludicolo

 

Later on you can expect some recommendations on cool Lotad/Lombre/Ludicolo art, fics and so forth! If you know of any yourself, or indeed have made some yourself, don’t hesitate to tell us about it on the forums and it may get a spotlight! And in a later entry we’ll also request more nicknames for the Name Rater to take on for the line.

Written by bobandbill
Do’s and Don’ts by An-chan, bobandbill and Trainer Timothy
Heights/Weights by An-chan
Edited by An-chan, Bay Alexison and Musty