The latest trailer for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet has revealed a Pokémon with a creepy similarity to one of the most well-known creatures in the Dark Souls franchise. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s latest Pokémon is Bellibolt, an Electric-type Pokémon that resembles a big green frog. Bellibolt is the partner Pokémon of Iono, the Electric-type Gym Leader of Levinicia, who showed it off during a livestream-style event.
There are few monsters more feared in the Dark Souls series than a basilisk. In the original Dark Souls, a basilisk is a froglike creature that spits out a fog that can cause the curse status effect. If the curse bar is filled, then the character dies and they revive with their maximum hit points reduced by 50%, in a game where the curse effect was a pain to remove. In later entries in the series, the basilisks tend to be a lot more aggressive with their melee attacks and will come at the player in packs, making for some frightening encounters.
There are few series more different than Pokémon and Dark Souls, yet fans have noticed some similarities between the two, especially as both franchises have taken inspiration from a lot of sources over the years. Bandai Namco has even acknowledged how Zacian from Pokémon Sword and Shield looks like Great Grey Wolf Sif from the original Dark Souls. The latest Pokémon to be introduced to the franchise in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet was revealed in a trailer on The Official Pokémon YouTube Channel and it shares a similarity with the Dark Souls basilisk.
Pokémon’s Bellibolt & Dark Souls’ Basilisk Are Frogs With Fake Eyes
Bellibolt was given a lot of attention in its debut trailer, having previously been teased in a Pokémon Scarlet and Violet “Who’s That Pokémon” minigame segment, where Iono drops hints about its appearance. In the follow-up trailer, Iono confirmed that the large white eyes on the side of Bellibolt’s head aren’t actually eyes, as its real eyes are the yellow dots above its mouth. This is also true of the basilisks in Dark Souls, as the large orange blobs on their head are meant to look like eyes, but the real eyes are much smaller and are just above their mouth.
The concept of creatures with fake eyes is actually something that happens in nature. There are animals (including frogs) that have eye-like markings on their body, which are believed to scare off predators. Considering how Pokémon are inspired by real animals, it’s likely that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s Bellibolt takes inspiration from actual frogs, rather than a horrific Dark Souls monster. It’s funny to think of how two completely different creatures share such an unusual trait.
Source: The Official Pokémon YouTube Channel