#australian legends and icons

[darlinhutchence]

Michael Hutchence and Chrissy Amphlett reading Smash hits magazine sometime in the late 80s.

[kylieforeverandever]

[darrenhayesoneandonly]

December 2022 issue of Rolling Stone Australia featured the most iconic Australian music moments of all time and Savage Garden is at number 23 😍😍🙌🏼

📸 sosefuamoli IG stories

[buttherainbowhasabeard]

He IS The Voice

On Monday night, the new music documentary ‘John Farnham: Finding the Voice’ aired on Australian free-to-air television.

Now, I’ve been a fan of his since I was a kid, so not much was new to me. I knew he started young and fresh faced (gorgeous, in fact. Still is really) and that there was an awful lull in his career when radio stations and record companies wouldn’t give him a chance. Nuts. Anyway.

He came back, bigger and better than ever, and the rest (as they say) is history. He’s been legend / GOAT status for decades here, but revisiting all of his music again, in more detail, has been such a joy. He’s not played on the radio as frequently as you’d think these days.

Since Monday, I’ve been re-downloading and playing all of his greatest hits again. As you can imagine, the playlist is long. ‘You’re The Voice’, ‘Age of Reason’, ‘Pressure Down’, ‘That’s Freedom’, ‘Burn for You’, ‘Playing to Win’, ‘A Touch of Paradise’, ‘Every Time You Cry’, ‘Reasons’ etc etc.

However, it’s his incredible live cover of The Beatles’ ‘Help’ with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra that I’ve had mostly on repeat (the video of it on YouTube is simply joyful). I truly think it’s one of the best covers / arrangements of a popular song that I’ve ever heard, and one of the greatest examples of John’s INSANE vocal abilities.

(It’s also worth bearing in mind to that this was his encore after a 2+ HOUR SHOW. The fact he could still sing well at that point, and like this, still blows my mind).

I’ve seen a bunch of vocal coaches watching it recently too and losing their minds over how effortlessly and enthusiastically he tears this song up. The amount of soul and grit and power he puts into these words gets me every time.

He also exhibits that typical Farnham energy, fun, passion and charisma that he has in spades. Whether you’re watching him perform live or interviewed on the TV, the man honestly feels like a friend.

Every part of the rendition is epic, but at the 4 min 35 sec spot in particular, he does a playful run which makes me grin like an idiot!

I still feel so lucky that my dad & I were invited to his The Age Music Victoria Hall Of Fame induction in 2015. He was meant to do a song or two but ended up playing for about an hour and a half, and he was so pitch perfect and so funny!

When we all heard that he had to have emergency mouth surgery late last year, we all held our breath and prayed (no, I’m not religious, but it Farnsy!). There’s such cruel irony in a singer getting throat cancer. It’s been a long recovery, but the recent news from his sons that he is cancer-free and up and about (literally singing and dancing around the house) is the best news.

Being an Aussie, we obviously know John Farnham inside and out and we’re beyond proud of him, but it always saddens me a bit that he never got the international recognition he deserved in his heyday. It seems like a lot of Brits and Americans are only just discovering him now and honestly, he runs rings around most of their “legends”.

John Farnham is Australia’s best kept secret, even though we’re more than happy to share him with the rest of the world!

[sportyvaibhav]

Age Defying: Rohan Bopanna's No. 1 Shatters Ceilings, Inspires a Generation🎾

Rohan Bopanna. The name itself conjures images of powerful serves, deft volleys, and an unshakeable spirit on the court. But on January 24th, 2024, Bopanna etched his name in history, not just as a champion, but as a beacon of hope for Indian tennis. Reaching the pinnacle of the men’s doubles rankings at the age of 43, he became the oldest ever to ascend to the No. 1 throne. This wasn’t just a…

[f1version]

LOST COWBOY HAT ★ DR3

pairing: daniel ricciardo x celebrity!reader (she/her)

summary: You find a cowboy hat while you’re at a photoshoot, then the F1 fandom goes crazy on you because it’s supposedly Daniel Ricciardo’s lost hat.

note: it’s race week for the australian gp, so technically it’s danny ric’s week. have this as my holy offering for the dr3 agenda xx

danielricciardo • Melbourne, Australia

Liked by redbullracing, landonorris and 983,303 others

danielricciardo Someone stole my hat, here’s me smiling through the pain, and our last memory together.

view all comments

redbullracing SOS mission find danny’s hat activated

maxverstappen1 translation: he left it at the studio during a photoshoot, and when he came back the next day it wasn’t there

danielricciardo you can just say i lost it. i hate you.

landonorris can i laugh?

danielricciardo NO

yourusername • Melbourne, Australia

Liked by redbullracing, vanityfair and 992,137 others

yourusername just found a hat, feeling good xx

view all comments

redbullracing that’s a good cowboy hat you have there

yourusername hi redbull racing, now that you are here can i get a paddock pass for next weekend?

redbullracing boss (daniel) says yes

theynwardrobe i can already FEEL people asking where are the boots from

vanityfair icon

yourusername ❤️❤️

dr3things wait a damn minute

yourusername • Melbourne, Australia

Liked by danielricciardo, maxverstappen1 and 1,102,003 others

yourusername danielricciardo i am told i have your hat. hope you know how to fight

view all comments

danielricciardo we can fight. maybe at a restaurant, next week, after the race, 7pm. sounds good?

yourusername oh? maybe we could do that, or who knows if there is something available tomorrow? if not, see you on paddock mr ricciardo

redbullracing two worlds collide

yourusername hi redbull can u tell daniel i think he is cool?

redbullracing i do as mother says🫡

char16lec danny ric did not just hit on a philanthropist super model because he left his hat at a photoshoot and she took it

maxdan11 he really did, what a legend

yourusername’s insta story

danielricciardo’s insta story

yourusername’s insta story

yourusername

Liked by danielricciardo, landonorris and 1,862,753 others

yourusername i think he has a crush on me or something…

view all comments

danielricciardo a crush is just the beginning of it

yourusername it’ll be fun to find out all of that

landonorris this man has dedication fr, boy has been crushing on u since 2019

danielricciardo LANDO NO THEY CANT KNOW

yourusername danielricciardo “i’ve liked you for a very long time now, y/n, it’s ridiculous” this u?

danielricciardo all dates. cancelled.

redbullracing welcome to the family!

danielricciardo

Liked by yourusername, redbullracing and 1,862,753 others

danielricciardo it looks better on her, doesn’t it?

view all comments

yourusername you’re cute or whatever

danielricciardo no u

redbullracing we’re pro matchmakers fr

maxverstappen1 ok but what about me

danielricciardo i’ll always love you babe

yourusername disappointed but not surprised

[mrghostrat]

📌 Current WIPs/AUs

🔗 AO3 • #ART • DISCORD • KO-FI

When is the next ATWS update? i'm currently taking a break from it because i'm not in the mood and writing it isn't enjoyable. maybe a few months at least.

Can I use your art? Can I make something from one of your AUs/fics? yes please!! you can do ANYTHING with my good omens works as long as there's no profit involved. this includes using art for icons, cosplaying, translating, podfics, inspired works, bookbinding, etc!

browse all my art in high res here. credit can go to "mrghostrat" or "ghostrat"

What brushes do you use? "Mr Natural" from Kyle's Adobe brush collection, the default Clip Studio "design pencil", and the default "gouache blender", with some slight settings tweaks. (full equipment list) (download my brushes for $1)

How do you outline your fics? check out my writing process tag for all the advice i've shared about fic writing and good omens characterisation

Who the fuck are u you can call me rat or bilvy. i'm australian, ace, nonbinary; they/them (acquaintance) or he/him (familiar). fine with any gendered terms for jokes and shit (queen, dad, sis, etc)

Do you have Twitch/Patreon/Instagram/Twitter/etc? find me here!

I can't afford anything off Throne! Where's your P.O. box!!!! i'm sorry i've taken my address down because the post office won't let me pick up items unless they have my full legal name on them 🫠 if you'd like to send me something, please ask privately so i can supply you the address x

Wow ur kind of annyoing haha ikr anyway here's all my tags so u can block or stalk to ur hearts content:

WIPs & AUs

#ratwips ideas and snippets

streamer AU: (synopsis) (ao3) (tag)

reversed BNF: (bnf) (reverse bnf)

author/editor: (synopsis) (tag)

rockstar crowley: (synopsis) (tag)

fandoms

#good omens

#ofmd (our flag means death)

#very good sir (jeeves & wooster)

#holmes (sherlock holmes adjacent)

#zelda (the legend of zelda games)

me and stuff

#nsft (nsfw themes)

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#timelapse (art timelapses) (mostly shared on discord now)

crowley + aziraphale emotes

[leclerc-s]

track 004. electric touch

─── ❝ i've got my money on things goin' badly, got a history of stories ending sadly ❞ ───

series masterlist // previous // next

APRIL 2017

DANIEL RICCIARDO AND MAX VERSTAPPEN RETURN FOR ON THE SOFA

comments

username these two share a special bond, i love it.

username max and daniel was a duo i didn’t know i need this bad.

username HE HAS A WHAT?

username danny, baby, this isn’t you. what about our 5 kids, our farmhouse, and 3 dogs?

username wonder who the slut is

username whoever this woman is, she’s not good enough for him.

username you don't even know who she is username he's not going to fall in love with you, he's not going to even like you if you keep shitting on his girlfriend you don't even know the name of username haven’t you heard? her name is casper

username everyone's shitting on his relationship but daniel seems genuinely happy. like geez, let the man be in love.

username daniel naming his girlfriend casper instead of using her actual name is such a daniel thing to do

username i was kind of expect joey or vegemite, something australian at least. casper’s gotta be an inside joke.

username daniel isn't dating daphne, but it would be hilarious if he would was because that means max and daniel could've been in laws and that's hilarious.

username that would've been so iconic. from being teammates to in-laws.

mae jones twitter is losing mind at this moment

daniel ricciardo why? i can't possibly assume why?

lewis hamilton didn't you just announce you're in a relationship with someone? i would assume that's why sebastian vettel he doesn't seem to care all that much

carlos sainz at least he didn't say who it was

max verstappen haven't you heard she's casper now? daphne jones i've disappeared from the media, i am casper, technically speaking.

mae jones it was smart of him to mention her as one of the friends he was hanging out with. people won't suspect her.

sebastian vettel i want to know how long this could possibly go on for. max verstappen knowing dan and daph, at least 5 years or more. lewis hamilton seems reasonable.

daphne jones ooh, i’m getting called a slut already

daniel ricciardo sweetheart no. daphne jones nothing i'm not used to already 🤷🏼‍♀️ carlos sainz i can defend your honor mae jones i can bite ankles. i am not above it. max verstappen we’re aware sebastian vettel you’re all children

max verstappen added one person

max verstappen don't make me fucking regret this gasly

max verstappen he was being a nuisance i had to add him mae jones that's a big word for elmo max verstappen fuck you jones mae jones woah, max, we broke up, you can't do that anymore max verstappen fuck off jones, that works better

lewis hamilton you have to swear to secrecy. what is said in the groupchat stays in the groupchat.

pierre gasly i solemnly swear max verstappen i swear if you add fucking leclerc i'm going to crash into you at turn one whenever you start racing in f1 pierre gasly i still don't understand why you hate him but okay mae jones he still bitter about the inchident max verstappen honestly mae, stop bullying me. mae jones but you make it so easy

carlos sainz daphne and daniel are dating and you can't tell anyone, not even this charles max is talking about.

pierre gasly daniel ricciardo dating music legend daphne jones? that seems like tas de merde

mae jones THEY DON'T TEACH FRENCH IN JAIL YOU FUCKING BAGUETTE!!! lewis hamilton you've been to jail? mae jones once in monopoly...it was not fun daniel ricciardo i nearly lost my couch the last time we played carlos sainz I ALMOST LOST AN EYE!

pierre gasly HOW THE HELL DID LEWIS AND SEBASTIAN END UP IN THIS BEFORE ME?

max verstappen fernando is here too, he just never answers pierre gasly I'VE KNOWN YOU MOST OF OUR LIVES AND THIS IS THE TREATMENT I GET? daniel ricciardo seb is the reason daphne and i are together. lewis is nursing a broken heart. rip nico and lewis' friendship, you will be missed and you were iconic. as for nando, well you try telling no to a 2x world champion that ended michael schumacher's streak mae jones fernando alonso is a legend put some respect on his name

carlos sainz he has to prove he's willing to defend daphne

pierre gasly fuck kanye daniel ricciardo that's the spirit daphne jones no. stop. don't encourage this daniel. max verstappen no let him. he deserves it.

fernando alonso will you people shut up? it's 3am, go to sleep.

sebastian vettel you're old, that's why you're boring. fernando alonso and yet neither of us has won a world championship with ferrari. sebastian vettel i still have time i don't plan on leaving anytime soon, unlike you, quitter. fernando alonso just don't pull another multi 21 with kimi and things will be fine

mae jones uncle lewis, our dads are fighting again!

lewis hamilton they'll get over it in a few hours. they always do.

fernando alonso changed the group name to multi 21 seb

fernando alonso changed the group photo

daniel ricciardo yeah this isn't going away any time soon

max verstappen where did he even find a picture for this? last time it was just a picture of nando's car

daphne jones not this again.

pierre gasly this happens often?

mae jones too often. at least once every two weeks.

AUGUST 23RD, 2017

liked by maejones, pierregasly, maxverstappen33 and others

danielricciardo something about how the world moves on another drama but not for me.

view all comments

user92 mr.ricciardo, what does that caption mean?

maejones i see you did your research

danielricciardo i have it written down and underlined in red.

user61 coincidence that this is posted the same day daphne jones announces her new album? i think not

user31 song lyrics? danielriccciardo okay, sherlock and watson, calm down. you expect daphne 'expert secret keeper' jones, to tell me daniel 'blabbermouth' ricciardo her song lyrics? user89 he's got a good point. if anything she'd tell mae, her sister, and not one of her friends.

maxverstappen33 why that picture out of all of them? you have so many and you chose that one?

danielricciardo i think i look fucking great

¡leclerc-s speaks! we will not be speaking of today's grand prix. i live in delusion, charles is still, sadly, p6 and lewis is p2. i will take no arguments on this. enjoy this short chapter.

¡disclaimer! this is in no way making assumptions about the people involved in this story, this is all fake. it is a fanfiction please don't take any of what is said seriously. this is all for entertainment purposes and as a creative outlet for me. enjoy!

[thestylesindependent]

AccorStadium: It’s a Where Were You Moment in Australian entertainment history! Pop icon Harry Styles has brought the curtain down on his tour in Australia with an amazing duo with Aussie legend Daryl Braithwaite . . .belting out a rendition of The Horses in front of 70k fans at #AccorStadium.

[icecricnewsupdates]

Who is the Cricket World's Best Player?

The question of who is the greatest cricketer of all time has been a perennial debate among fans and pundits alike. While the answer is often subjective and influenced by personal biases, there are several players who have consistently dominated the sport and made a strong case for the title. Let's explore some of the contenders and the factors that contribute to their greatness.

The Modern Era Dominators: Kohli, Smith, and Kane Williamson

The past decade has witnessed the rise of three exceptional talents who have redefined the standards of batting. Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson have consistently produced match-winning performances across all formats, solidifying their status as the modern era's premier batsmen.

♯1. Virat Kohli: The Indian captain's aggressive style, impeccable timing, and ability to adapt to different conditions have made him a nightmare for bowlers. His record-breaking centuries and his leadership qualities have cemented his place among the all-time greats.

♯2. Steve Smith: The Australian's unorthodox technique and his ability to score runs at will have made him a force to be reckoned with. Smith's consistency and his ability to perform under pressure have earned him widespread admiration.

♯3. Kane Williamson: The New Zealand captain's elegant strokeplay and his calm demeanor have made him a joy to watch. Williamson's ability to anchor the innings and his match-winning performances have solidified his reputation as one of the best batsmen in the world.

➥ Also Read: Indian Cricket Team Schedule 2024-2025

The All-Round Legends: Imran Khan, Kapil Dev, and Jacques Kallis

The all-rounders who have excelled in both batting and bowling have always been held in high regard. Imran Khan, Kapil Dev, and Jacques Kallis are among the most iconic all-rounders of all time.

♯1. Imran Khan: The former Pakistan captain's swing bowling and his classy batting made him a complete cricketer. His leadership qualities and his contributions to his country's success have earned him legendary status.

♯2. Kapil Dev: The Indian fast bowler's ability to swing the ball both ways and his useful batting made him a valuable asset to the team. His leadership in the 1983 World Cup-winning team cemented his place in Indian cricket history.

♯3. Jacques Kallis: The South African all-rounder's consistency and his ability to perform in all conditions have made him one of the greatest cricketers of his generation. His contributions with both bat and ball have been invaluable to his country.

➥ Also Read: Indian Cricket Team Schedule 2024-2025

The Timeless Greats: Don Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar, and West Indies Legends

While the modern era has produced some exceptional talents, there are a few players who have transcended generations and are considered among the greatest of all time. Don Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar, and the West Indies legends of the 1970s and 1980s are among the most revered names in cricket history.

♯1. Don Bradman: The Australian legend's batting average of 99.98 remains the highest in Test cricket history. His dominance over bowlers and his ability to score runs at will have made him a mythical figure in the sport.

♯2. Sachin Tendulkar: The Indian "Master Blaster" broke countless records during his illustrious career. His ability to adapt to different conditions and his consistency have made him one of the most beloved cricketers of all time.

♯3. West Indies Legends: The West Indies teams of the 1970s and 1980s boasted a formidable lineup of fast bowlers and powerful batsmen. Players like Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards, Gordon Greenidge, and Joel Garner dominated world cricket for over a decade.

➥ Also Read: Indian Cricket Team Schedule 2024-2025

[rubberizer92]

🔥 Matt from Australia takes a daring approach, his outfit paying homage to the iconic beauty of the outback while showcasing his own rugged allure. Drawing inspiration from the fluid designs of Iris van Herpen, his ensemble exudes an air of effortless sophistication, with metallic accents reflecting the sun's golden rays.

🌊 His outfit, reminiscent of the ebb and flow of the ocean, hugs his sculpted physique in all the right places, leaving just enough to the imagination while tantalizing onlookers with glimpses of sun-kissed skin. With each movement, he commands attention, a true embodiment of the Australian spirit.

💫 As he strides confidently through the landscape, Matt captures the essence of the land down under, his presence a testament to the raw beauty and untamed wilderness of the Australian terrain. With his magnetic charisma and undeniable charm, he's sure to leave a lasting impression on all who behold him.

💬 Here's how the voting works: Your votes on the Instagram feed will count twice as much, while viewers on Tumblr, X, and Threads have the opportunity to shape the rankings with their participation. Each platform will rank the top 9 candidates from 1 to 9, and in case of ties, the next candidate will receive fewer points. Let your voice be heard as we crown the ultimate Latex Legend, whose unique style leaves an indelible mark on the world of rubber fashion! 🏛✨ #LLLseason2 #AI #Rubber #LatexLegendsLeague

[lilaliend]

Three Races. One Legend.

Welcome to thelilblog!

Where I tell stories, and give insights from the world of Formula One and beyond, stay tuned to thelilblog. As I follow the many twists and turns of our favorite drivers careers.

In this blog post I talk about the Triple Header and the many things that occurred before, during, and after!

With the Austrian race being my favorite out of the three, in the iconic Red Bull Racing Ring. We were in for quite a race. That weekend was very intense with many battles on the track throughout the entire grid and with a sprint race as well, Austria is rewatchable for so many reasons.

Remember how I mentioned earlier that during the Austrian GP lots of tension would arise? Well, let’s talk about it.

Starting on pole, Max Verstappen had an excellent start to the Austrian Grand Prix. Seeing as it is his team’s home race circuit. Many eyes were on the current world champion. Max remained the race leader for 24 consecutive laps before boxing and losing time in the pits during lap 24.

In the meantime, Australian Mclaren driver Oscar Piastri became the new race leader, though it was short-lived seeing as Max was able to regain his place during lap 26 as the Mclaren driver went into the pit lanes.

Now this is where things get pretty intense for the Dutchman. Throughout lap 19, Max is being talked through some gearbox issues… But this is just the beginning of his many problems.

“Tyres are suddenly really bad.”

[darrenhayesoneandonly]

New Darren Hayes interview for The Music Australia, link to read below 💗💗

📸 themusiccomau IG

[avatar-news]

Australian studio Flying Bark Productions will animate Avatar Studios’ 2D adult Gaang ATLA feature film!

Here are the key excerpts from the official if.com.au news release shared by Flying Bark (emphasis ours):

Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation have enlisted Flying Bark Productions to animate their newly-announced untitled 2D Avatar feature film, as the Sydney-based studio seeks to expand its team.

Set to couple traditional 2D animation with substantial CG elements, the Avatar feature films will be based in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, which were originally created for Nickelodeon by Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino. The upcoming feature will be directed by Lauren Montgomery, with Konietzko and DiMartino producing under their Avatar Studios banner.

Flying Bark Productions, whose recent credits include Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, LEGO Monkie Kid, [Marvel Studios’] What If…?, has put a call out for Australian and international artists across several 2D animation and CG departments, with successful candidates to join the company from next year.

[...]

Flying Bark director of production Alexia Gates-Foale said the studio looked forward to welcoming new talent while also further developing its team of 350 artists during an “exciting time” for Australian animation.

“Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra are two of the most iconic animated series of our time and we are simply thrilled to play a part in bringing this new story to life,” she said.

“With a company full of creatives and super fans, the Avatar feature is a dream project for the team at Flying Bark.”

Paramount Animation executive vice president Mark Bakshi said Flying Bark’s track record of “artistic excellence” made them an ideal creative partner for the film.

“We are so excited to be working with one of the premiere and long-standing animation studios in Australia, Flying Bark,” he said.

At SDCC this year, it was revealed that the first of three planned standalone Avatar feature films will follow Aang’s Team Avatar, and we at Avatar News exclusively reported that the Gaang will be young adults in the movie.

[bethanythebogwitch]

Let’s turn up the heat because I’m going over the real-life inspirations for all the fire-type starter Pokémon. Here are the links for when I covered the inspirations for all grass starters, all fish, and all non-fish aquatic Pokémon.

Gen I gives us quite possibly the most iconic starter line: the Charmander line. Interviews with the design team have revealed that Charizard was the first of the line to be designed and the other two were designed by working backwards from it. Both Charmander’s English and Japanese name (Hitokage) reference the mythical salamander of European folklore. Salamanders have been associated with fire in multiple cultural folklores throughout Europe, often to the point where their depictions have nothing to do with the actual amphibians. Interestingly, the oldest accounts that associate salamanders with fire comes from Pliny the Elder, who repeated an account their bodies were so cold they could extinguish fires. Somewhere along the line of legends being passed down, salamanders got flipped from repelling fire to living in it, possibly as a result of getting conflated with other mythical reptilians like dragons or basilisks. In the renaissance, the alchemist Paracelsus described salamanders as fire elementals, along with a group of other elemental beings (gnomes for earth, sylphs of air, and undines of water).

(image: an artistic depiction of a fiery salamander. Art by Michael Maier)

In addition to salamanders, Charmander and Charmeleon are given the upright poses and dragging tails of outdated reconstructions of theropod dinosaurs. Charizard is a classic depiction of a western dragon: a winged reptile that breathes fire. Western dragons are based heavily on lizards, with some of the earliest depictions being a dead ringer for monitor lizards. Charizard is said to love fighting, which is reminiscent of how western dragons have been depicted as dangerous, destructive, and even demonic monsters. It is only relatively recently that western dragons have been depicted as anything but evil. Charizard doesn’t have the dragon type (unless it mega evolves to X form), but that’s more because back in gen I, dragon was intended to be the special type exclusive to the late-game powerhouses that are the Dratini line. Charizards mega evolutions and gigantamax form don’t really add much to the origin, they’re just exaggerations of Charizard.

(image: art of a western dragon by Friedrich Justin Bertuch)

Cyndaquil is based on an echidna, an Australian monotreme (egg-laying mammal) that has a long snout and quills like a porcupine.

(image: a long-beaked echidna. I don't know why, but its snout makes me very uncomfortable)

Despite being an echidna, its species name is the Fire Mouse Pokémon. This is actually a hint to an additional inspiration for its origin. The Japanese word that got translated to “Fire Mouse” is “Hinezumi”. This is the Japanese name for a monster originating in Chinese legend called the “huǒshǔ”. It’s a flaming mouse that lives in volcanoes. The flaming mammal and volcano association continues through the line. Also, when I googled “hinezumi” the first thing that popped up was the Monster Girl Encyclopedia. If you know, you know (don’t google it). Quilava and Typhlosion completely drop the echidna inspiration, which is a bit disappointing to me. That’s why I made regional variants of them for my Australia/New Zealand fakemon region where they stay as echidnas. While being based on badgers, they retain the quills that are found in many animals, most famously porcupines and hedgehogs. Hisuian Typhlosion is based on Kamuy-huci, the Ainu goddess of the hearth. The Ainu are the indigenous people of Hokkaido, the island that inspired Sinnoh and Hisui. There are multiple Ainu references in Hisui’s design, plot, and regional variants. In the Ainu religion, the hearth was the connection between Earth and the world of spirits and was therefore never allowed to go out. It could also be used to communicate with the kamuy (gods and spirits) and was the passage through which the souls of the dead would leave the world and eventually return for reincarnation. This is why Hisuian Typhlosion is part ghost-type. The fire around H Typhlosion’s neck looks like magatama beads, which are used in the spiritual practices of multiple belief systems. These flames can release 108 ghost lights. 108 is an important number in Buddhism and is the number of beads in a Japamala, another type of beaded necklace used for spiritual practices in (among other religions) certain types of Buddhism.

(image: a japamala with wood beads)

The Torchic line is, I suspect, the place where the trend of basing fire starters on Chinese zodiac animals started. Typhlosion really doesn’t fit the zodiac, though some people say it’s supposed to be the mouse. The line is based on chickens. More specifically, they are based on the basan, a legendary fire-breathing chicken.

(image: art of a basan by Takehara Shunsen)

Torchic is a chick, a hatchling chicken. It being bright orange comes from a tradition of dying chicks bright colors to be sold at festivals. Male Torchics have a tiny black spot on their rear ends that females don’t. This is probably based on vent sexing, a technique for determining the sex of chocks, a notoriously difficult task. It is done by examining the cloaca, looking for a bump that usually only males have. Combusken and Blaziken are based on cockfighting, a form of animal abuse where people force chickens to fight and bet on the winners. The official art for Blaziken’s normal and mega evolved forms have it in poses used in the martial art of Muay Thai. Blaziken is usually depicted as fighting primarily with kicks and Muay Thai emphasizes kicking. Blaziken being an humanoid with a bird head may also reference the bird-headed Egyptian gods Horus and Ra, or off of the karura, a diving being that looks like a human with a bird’s head in Japanese mythology.

(image: a statue of a karura)

The Chimchar line are based on the monkey from the zodiac. Chimchar’s species name is the Chimp Pokémon, and it does bare some resemblance to a young chimpanzee. When Chimchar’s flame goes out, you can see prominent red marking on its butt. Several monkey species have marking on their hindquarters, but the most famous by far is the baboon. Chimchar’s lack of a tail identifies it as an ape, but its evolved from gain tails, making them monkeys. A lot of people think that apes are separate from monkeys, but really apes are a subset of old-world monkeys. Apes are monkeys, you are an ape, therefore you are a monkey and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. Monferno and Infernape both have prominent facial markings heavily reminiscent of those of mandrills.

(image: a male mandrill's face)

Monferno having blue facial marking and orange fur also makes it look like a golden snub-nosed monkey.

(Image: a golden snub-nosed monkey's face)

These are native to China and the line does have some heavy Chinese influence. The martial art that Monferno and Infernape use is most likely Monkey Kung Fu or Hóu Quán, which was inspired by the movements of monkeys. Infernape is based on the character of Son Goku, the Japanese name for the character Sun Wukong from the Chinese epic novel Journey to the West. Sun Wukong is the king of all monkeys, a martial artist, and has several magic powers.

(image: Japanse art of Son Goku/Sun Wukong. Art by Shunman Kubo)

Sun Wukong may be based on the older Hindu god Hanuman, a monkey-like god associated with strength and heroism who was also a member of the varana, a species of monkey people.

(image: a sculpture of Hanuman)

The Tepig line are based on the boar of the zodiac. Ken Sugimori said that the Unova starters were based on different cultures to reflect Unova being a very diverse place. The Tepig line were given Chinese design elements whole the Snivy line were “western” and the Oshawott line were Japanese. Tepig having a dark marking on its head and rear but being light everywhere else comes from the markings of the British Saddleback pig breed.

(image: a British saddleback pig)

The fire and pig combination references how pigs are bad at regulating their body head and need to use external sources like mud to cool off. Pignite takes on more boar traits with its exposed tusks. The markings on its body look like it is dressed in a wrestling singlet, which fits as both Pignite and Emboar are based on wrestlers. The yellow markings on Pignite and Emboar resemble patters found in ancient Chinese cauldrons called dings.

(image: a ding)

Ken Sugimori also stated Emboar was inspired by the character Zhang Fei in the Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. In the story, Zhang Fei is betrayed and decapitated by his own men. This could be the purpose of the fire scarf Emboar has, to separate its head from its body. Pignte and Emboar also draw from another Chinese story, the afore-mentioned Journey to the West, specifically the character of Zhu Baije. Zhu Baije is a pig man who joins the titular journey. He is also jealous of Sun Wukong, which kind of fits with how Emboar is a much worse Pokémon than Infernape.

(image: an artists depiction of Zhu Baije. Unknown artist)

The Fennekin like take the place of the fox in the zodiac. Design-wise, their large ears mark them as being based on fennec foxes. They are also based off of the kitsune, magical foxes in Japanese mythology. Among the many powers attributed to kitsune were the ability to breathe fire and perform magic. Kitsune could also take on the form of human women, which is referenced in Fennekin’s evolutions becoming humanoid and having feminine designs.

(image: art of a Kitsune scaring two people by Utagawa Kuniyoshi)

Human could also learn magic form foxes, becoming  fox witches or kitsune-mochi/kitsune-tsukai. Braixen and Delphox take quite a bit of their design from these fox witches, they also draw from the classic wester witch, using magic wands and Braixen having a tail that looks like the head of a flying broomstick. The association of witches with fire might be a reference to witch burnings. Delphox is also based on a prophet or seer, with its ability to see the future. Delphox’s English name directly references the ancient Greek oracle at Delphi. The final forms of the Kalos starters are based on the fantasy character archetypes of the fighter, the mage, and the thief. Delphox is very much the mage.

Litten is a black cat with tabby cat features. Tabby cats are defined by the stripes on their faces and legs. The orange and black stripes also identify it as the tiger from the zodiac. Its eyes plus forehead stripes are a dead ringer for the alchemical symbol for brimstone, another name for sulfur. Sulfur is a highly flammable element, fitting the fire type. This is one of several references to alchemy found in gen VII.

(image: the alchemical symbol for brimstone. two horizontal lines crossed by a vertical line that leads down into an infinity symbol)

Torracat doesn’t change much from Litten, just adding more stripes and a fireball that looks like a bell on a cat’s collar. It does change when it evolves to Incineroar, and not for the better. Incineroar is my least favorite final stage starter and easily in my top 10 most hated Pokémon. I could go on for a while about how much I hate it, but this isn’t the post for that. It’s still a tiger, but now it has been combined with a professional wrestler. You can tell they really wanted to do another fire/fighting type but knew there would be backlash. The belt of fire is based on a championship belt and its dark type comes from being a heel. In wrestling language, a heel is a villainous character, someone the audience is supposed to boo (a face is a heroic character). This fits with Incineroar being describes as a violent and egotistical Pokémon. However, Incineroar does have a soft side. This fits with how wrestlers are performers playing characters. A performer playing a heel character may cheat, lie, steal, and generally be an asshole while in character, but when not in character they probably won’t be nearly as unpleasant a person.

Scorbunny is the rabbit of the zodiac. More specifically, it is a white rabbit and like with real rabbits, its feet are considered good luck charms. The yellow patch on its face comes from a Japanese character design trope where a bandage over the nose is supposed to indicate that the character is tough and rambunctious. Maylene from the Sinnoh games shares this design element. Its fire typing could come from the Jataka tales, a collection of Buddhist stories from India. In tale 316, a rabbit is placed in a fire as a burnt offering, but it is unharmed by the flame. Another connection could come from the fact that rabbits have unusually high body temperatures for mammals. If Scorbunny is cheerful child, Raboot is a moody teenager. It’s fur and the stripe on its head look like a tracksuit and headband, giving it a connection to athletics. This continues with Cinderace, who is now an association football (or soccer to Americans) player. Football is a huge deal in England, the basis for Galar. Its fur looks like athlete’s attire and it uses a flaming berry like a football. This is another one where you can tell they wanted to make another fire/fighting type.

The Fuecoco line ditched the zodiac theme to become a crocodile. Its upright posture makes it look like a chibified theropod dinosaur and its silhouette looks like a chili pepper. The white face of both Fuecoco and Crocalor resembles a calavera, skull imagery used in the Mexican Day of the Dead. This is a Mexican holiday which is a celebration of dead loved ones that is typically very spirited and cheerful as opposed to glum and mournful. Folklore says the ghost will return to the world of the living on the Day of the Dead. While Paldea is based on Spain and Portugal, several of the new Pokémon have designs based on elements from central and south America, possibly because of both countries’ history of colonialism in those areas. Crocalor adds several references to mariachi players. The flaming nest and egg on its head is a sombrero while the markings on its abdomen look like a traje cordobés, a type of vest often used in mariachi.

(image: a mariachi band wearing wests and sombreros)

The hat combined with the calavera face makes it look like La Calavera Catrina, a skeleton wearing a wide-brimmed hat that is used as a common symbol in the Day of the Dead.

(image: art of La Calavera Catriana by José Guadalupe Posado)

It could also be a bouquet of Tagetes erects, the Mexican marigold, a flow also used for the Day of the Dead. Skeledirge continues the mariachi and Day of the Dead theme by becoming an undead singing crocodile. Real crocodiles will vocalize during mating and nesting season. There are several stories of ghostly or monstrous crocodiles in Spanish folklore, such as the Cocollona and the Drac de Na Coca, the latter of which is displayed as a taxidermied specimen in a museum in the city of Palma de Mallorca. There is also the Coco or Cuca, a boogieman-like that originated in Spain and Portugal and spread to the Americas that is often depicted as a monstrous crocodile. All three of the Paldea starters are based on entertainers and Skeledirge is based on a singer. Given its typing and English name, it probably single funeral dirges. The fiery bird on its nose could come from the gharial, another type of crocodilian. Male gharials have large bumps on the tips of their snouts in the same spot the bird sits.

(image: a male gharial)

Another, possibly more likely source is the Egyptian plover, a bird that will land on top of Nile crocodiles and eat parasites off of their skin. Skeledirge could also be based off of alebrijes, very colorful statues of mythical creatures in Mexican folk art. This is making me think about how cool a Mexico-based region could be.