Pokemon Analysis: Wynaut and Wobbuffet!

Pokemon Analysis: Wynaut and Wobbuffet!

They sure look excited.

Because what better set of Pokemon could one possibly use for the first magazine analysis than these? Other Pokemon to grab the spotlight later on shall be chosen by a random number generator, but these two get the exception solely because Wynaut is the name of the magazine.

Facts you may not have known

Japanese names are always fun to investigate as they’re just as punny or silly as the English Pokemon names half the time. And it’s no exception with these two:

Sohnano = Is that so? (Wynaut)
Sohnansu = That is so! (Wobbuffet)

So basically they can have an endless conversation! It’s also sort of a cultural joke because the Japanese have a tendency to respond to statements with “so nano ka?” or “so nano?” or something along those lines, because it’s basically a notification that you’re still listening to the speaker.

In other words, this fun-filled video sums up the potential hilarity.

At 14 kg, a Wynaut weighs…
– Just a little bit less than an average three-year-old boy
– As much as roughly 3.7 gallons of 2% fat milk
And at 0.6 m, a Wynaut is about as tall as…
– A full-grown female bloodhound
– Four cacao tree leaves standing on top of each other

At 28.5 kg, a Wobbuffet weighs…
– As much as a big watermelon
– A little less than 25 milk cartons filled with lead
At 1.3 m, a Wobbuffet is as tall as…
– A Lamborhgini Islero
– 4.3 of the world’s largest earthworm species standing on top of each other

The likely real inspiration for the pair of them is this doll, which will always right itself no matter how many times you knock it over. Give the similarities in appearance and the Pokemon’s strong Countering abilities, it’s a very obvious comparison. Another one is a punching bag, given that’s how the Pokedex classifies Wobbuffet as.

Pictured: Not a Wobbuffet.

One interesting fact highlighted by the dex entries for Wobbuffet constantly reappears…about its tail of all things. It is a Pokemon keen to protect that small little black flub, and Sapphire tells us that although Wobbuffet endures attacks, its tail cannot sustain damage. And if it was attacked, it’d perform the move Destiny Bond to take the foe down with it. Whyever would that be though? Because of these tidbits, there is a popular theory that that the Pokemon itself is just the tail. (You can notice that it has eyes as well). As for the rest of the body; it’s a blow-up punching bag! That’d explain why the rest performs the retaliation attacks bar Destiny Bond, and also fits with another Dex entry (Gold/HeartGold) which informs us that ‘if attacked it inflates its body‘.

Besides that, many don’t realise that Wynaut’s ears actually serve as arms…


Aww, he’s just ‘armless.

Meanwhile Wobbuffet’s main competition with another of its species is to see how long they can go without eating. These are clearly a bunch of Pokemon who specialise in endurance.

Wobbuffet has one of the more noticeable changes from the introduction of the gender differences aspect of fourth generation games. Female Wobbuffet have lipstick upon their mouths, which one supposes helps them with the breeding process when they can look so alike. Why is unknown. Maybe it is just something picked up upon from people? As it’s not evident on female Wynaut it could also be thought of as a coming-of-age thing. Fooling other Pokemon by putting lipstick on males or removing from females has yet to be tested.

Its ability in Shadow Tag deserves mention as well. It is the reason why Wobbuffet has spent a lot of its time in competitive battling sidelined in the so-called Uber tier going by Smogon standards. Its inability to directly attack anything might seem more of a hindrance, but having both Counter and Mirror Coat along with a few other annoying moves such as Encore proved enough when paired up with Shadow Tag. It restricts Pokemon from switching out by normal means, and this often resulted in a KO from Wobbuffet at least if the trainer knew how to use the punching bag, thanks to its rather large HP stat. Essentially, switch into a physical attacker and Counter away, or knock out a special attacing Pokemon with Mirror Coat. All those fasting competitions with each other must have paid off!

This ability did have its issues however – two Wobbuffet against in each other in 3rd gen games holding Leftovers would in fact result in an endless battle, as neither could switch and Leftover health outdid what was dealt by Struggle when they eventually ran out of PP. This meant that such battles often ended when the battery (or trainer) ran out of energy, or more likely with the latter patience.

Do…
– Use your Wynaut and Wobbuffet as protection.
– Have practice battles with your Wynaut or Wobbuffet.
– Use Wynaut as a doorstop.
– Bet on Wobbuffet in a boxing match.

Don’t…
– Use your Wynaut and Wobbuffet as a pillow.
– Have a battle of endurance against your Wynaut or Wobbuffet.
– Ask your female Wobbuffet for fashion tips.
– Use Wynaut as a punching bag.

 

Later on you can expect some recommendations over the next month on cool Wynaut 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!

Compiled by An-chan, Astinus, Bay Alexison, bobandbill, Deenaa and Jax.