traveling Pokemon Fossil Museum coming to Japan

[Paleona]

I'm not sure if any of you are into Pokemon, but there are several species that you revive from fossils in the games, with designs directly based on various extinct animals. Anyway! Starting this year there's going to be a traveling exhibit in Japan that showcases the fossil Pokemon species alongside the real-world animals they're based off of. I'm really bummed this is only in Japan, because honestly, Pokemon and prehistory are my two major interests, so something like this is pretty amazing ;_; Also, I think this is a really great way to introduce kids to paleontology and get them interested!




Check out some of the art for this exhibit and more info in this article!

https://nintendowire.com/news/2021/04/20/pokemon-fossil-museum-exhibit-tour-announced-for-japan/

[indohyus]

That genuinely looks incredible! I'd go to that. Hopefully the idea catches on in other countries.

[Halichoeres]

I hope they include something about how the dicynodont Bulbasaurus was [wink wink] totally coincidentally named after its morphology, completely uninfluenced by the Pokemon.

[Faelrin]

I wonder if they'll have those new hybrid abominations from the Sword and Shield games such as Dracovish, which has some inspiration from Dunkleosteus and Stegosaurus, lol. Too bad the Dreepy line from Sword and Shield are not considered Fossil Pokemon, because the line was totally based on Diplocaulus and a Stealth Bomber or the like, and they would be nice to have in an exhibit like this.

Actually there's quite a number more that have prehistoric animal inspirations as well that could have been sneaked in here, like Tropius perhaps. I really love this idea though. What a good way to entertain and educate then none other then using one of the most popular franchises out there. Edit: Can't forget Lapras, Relicanth, and Mamoswine either.

I also like seeing the skeletal references for Aurorus and Tyrantrum as well, not only because of how many of those are around these days, and readily available, but it also makes me nostalgic for visiting the museums in the old Red, Blue, Yellow, and so on.

@Halichoeres Yes that, and the dicynodont Bulbasaurus that was likely named after it. I wonder if they'll mention Aerodactylus as well.

It's also strange how long I went not knowing what Anorith was based on, back when Ruby and Sapphire came out, but I mean it was literally my only exposure to Anomalocaris until I finally got to watch Walking With Monsters in its entirety several years back (2013 or 2014 I think). I even knew what the Lileep line was based off of, back then which were crinoids.

[ITdactyl]

'Had to google what Dracovish is... should have come with a "nightmare fuel" warning.   I guess not all pokemon designs can be winners.

As for Aerodactylus and Bulbasaurus, I too wonder if their significance would be brought up. This event is in Japan, where a lot of the Pokemon are still identified by their original names; Aerodactyl would still be "Putera" and Bulbasaur would be "Fushigidane". I don't know if they'd feel it significant to mention that real prehistoric animals were named after the Westernized name of the Pokemon they're supposed to look like.

[Halichoeres]

'Had to google what Dracovish is... should have come with a "nightmare fuel" warning.   I guess not all pokemon designs can be winners.

As for Aerodactylus and Bulbasaurus, I too wonder if their significance would be brought up. This event is in Japan, where a lot of the Pokemon are still identified by their original names; Aerodactyl would still be "Putera" and Bulbasaur would be "Fushigidane". I don't know if they'd feel it significant to mention that real prehistoric animals were named after the Westernized name of the Pokemon they're supposed to look like.

Oh, that's an excellent point. The humor of it would be a little diminished in a different language context!

[CityRaptor]

Looking at the promo art, using Pteranodon seems an odd choice.  Aerodactyl looks more like some sort of Rhamphorhynchoid Pterosaur.