Wikipedia

Snorlax

(Redirected from PokéFlute)

Snorlax (/ˈsnɔːrlæks/ ⓘ), known in Japan as Kabigon (Japanese: カビゴン), is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, Snorlax first appeared in the Game Boy video game Pokémon Red and Blue, and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spin-off titles, and animated and printed adaptations of the franchise, as well as the mascot of mobile game Pokémon Sleep. Snorlax is a large, blueish creature, notable for constantly sleeping. Snorlax is voiced by Michael Haigney and Eric Stuart in English, and Katsuyuki Konishi in Japanese.

Snorlax
Pokémon character
Snorlax artwork by Ken Sugimori
First gamePokémon Red and Blue (1996)
Based onKōji Nishino
Designed byKen Sugimori
Voiced by
In-universe information
SpeciesPokémon
TypeNormal

Snorlax has received generally positive response since its debut, cited as one of the series' most recognizable characters and a staple of the Pokémon franchise due to its simple design. It's large size and lazy demeanor has led to it being described as "relatable", while others have praised its "cuddly" and merchandisable appearance, comparing it to a teddy bear.

Conception and characteristics

edit

Snorlax is a species of fictional creatures called Pokémon created for the Pokémon media franchise. Developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo, the Japanese franchise began in 1996 with the video games Pokémon Red and Green for the Game Boy, which were later released in North America as Pokémon Red and Blue in 1998.[1] In these games and their sequels, the player assumes the role of a Trainer whose goal is to capture and use the creatures' special abilities to combat other Pokémon. Some Pokémon can transform into stronger species through a process called evolution via various means, such as exposure to specific items.[2] Each Pokémon have one or two elemental types, which define its advantages and disadvantages when battling other Pokémon.[3] A major goal in each game is to complete the Pokédex, a comprehensive Pokémon encyclopedia, by capturing, evolving, and trading with other Trainers to obtain individuals from all Pokémon species.[2]

 
"Kabiin," a Pokémon planned for Pokémon Red and Blue. It bears various naming and visual similarities to Snorlax, most notably in their resemblance to Nishino.

Designed by Ken Sugimori for the first generation of Pokémon games, the species was inspired in behavior and appearance by veteran Pokémon game designer Kōji Nishino.[4][5] Nishino was exceptionally pleased by it,[6] and in an interview with Famitsu stated Snorlax "is like my son!"[7] According to Game Freak co-founder Junichi Masuda, Nishino had a habit of eating heavily then going to sleep. This behavior earned Nishino the nickname "Kirby" by Game Freak's staff as a nod to the Nintendo character, which in turn served as the basis for the Pokémon's Japanese name, "Kabigon".[8] An earlier design, nicknamed "Kabiin," resembles an earlier version of Snorlax and bears similarities to Nishino.[9] When translating the Pokémon games for western audiences, Nintendo decided to give the various Pokémon species "clever and descriptive names" related to their appearance or features to make the characters more relatable to American children.[10] Basing the name off of the esquilax, a fictional rabbit creature from the Simpsons episode "Lisa's Wedding", localizer Bill Giese named the species in American releases Snorlax, a portmanteau of the words "snore" and "lax". Localizer Sara Bush, on the other hand, remembered the naming process differently, suggesting it was a combination of "lackadaisical" and "snore".[11]

Snorlax is a highly sleepy Pokémon, known for constantly sleeping.[12] Thanks to its extremely strong digestive juices, Snorlax's stomach can dissolve any kind of poison. As a result, it can eat tainted food without worry.[13] Snorlax evolves from the Pokémon Munchlax, which is obtainable via breeding a Snorlax that is holding Full Incense, an in-game item.[14] Munchlax also sports a voracious appetite, and evolves into a Snorlax when it has a sufficiently high level of friendship with its Trainer.[13] Pokémon Sword and Shield introduced Snorlax's Gigantamax form. When Gigantamaxed, Snorlax grows significantly larger and changes appearance, with various trees and plants appearing on its belly, having grown from seeds that fell from the plants it had eaten.[15] Snorlax was voiced by Michael Haigney and Eric Stuart in English,[16][17] and by Katsuyuki Konishi in Japanese.[18]

Appearances

edit

In video games

edit

Snorlax's most notable role in the Pokémon games has been that of an inadvertent roadblock. In Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, and their remakes, the player must obtain the Poké Flute in order to wake up two Snorlax that block various routes in-game.[19] Snorlax reprises this role in Pokémon Gold, Silver, their "upper version" and remakes. In these games, the player must play the radio's Poké Flute channel in front of Snorlax in order to awaken it.[20] Although there is only one Snorlax available to catch,[20] another is used by Red, the protagonist of Red and Blue who acts as these games' final boss.[21] In Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, a pre-evolution of Snorlax named Munchlax was introduced; however, Munchlax remained unobtainable until the release of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.[22] In Pokémon Sun, Moon and their "upper versions", Snorlax is among the handful of Pokemon to possess a unique Z-Move, a powerful one-time use attack. It can use the move "Pulverizing Pancake" when holding a special "Snorlium Z" item.[12] In Pokémon Sword and Shield, Snorlax gained a "Gigantamax form," which could be used in battle.[15]

Snorlax appears in several spin-offs, such as PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure,[23] Pokémon Go,[24][25] Pokémon UNITE[26] and New Pokémon Snap.[27] In Pokémon Sleep, the player helps Snorlax by feeding it berries and meals throughout the day, and helping it fall asleep, boosting their "drowsy power" in the process.[28] Snorlax also appears in the Super Smash Bros. series.[29]

In other media

edit

A notable Snorlax appears in the Pokémon anime, where series protagonist Ash Ketchum captures one.[30] He uses it sporadically, due to its constant sleeping and eating habits,[31][32] but it is a particularly strong battler, netting several major wins for Ash throughout the series.[32][33] In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Red catches a Snorlax, which he nicknames "Snor". Red caught Snor because he was blocking the road during a bicycle race. Snorlax has since played a major role in his team.[34] A Snorlax also appeared in the film Pokémon Detective Pikachu, sleeping on a road in Ryme City.[35]

Promotion and reception

edit

A variety of merchandise depicting Snorlax has been produced such as cushions,[36] beds,[37] bean bag chairs,[38] toys,[39] and lounge chairs.[40] In 2002, a contest was held to design a card for the Pokemon Trading Card Game, with Snorlax as the focus. Twenty entries were selected and posted to the Wizards of the Coast website, where the winner could be decided. Craig Turvey ended up winning the competition.[41] Stickers featuring Snorlax were added to the Line messaging system in 2024.[42] In 2023, "Project Snorlax" was announced, following similar campaigns for the Pokémon Eevee and Piplup, which promoted Snorlax in a variety of ways throughout the year.[43] These included animated shorts, music videos,[44] manga series,[45] and special artwork for the Pokémon.[46] A road in Las Vegas was named after Snorlax.[47] Snorlax was a rare Pokémon in Pokémon Go, with sightings of the Pokémon in-game causing a stampede in Taiwan[48] and New York City.[49] Following earthquakes in Japan, Niantic boosted the spawn rates of Snorlax in Pokémon Go in affected prefectures in order to boost tourism in the area.[50][51][52]

Snorlax has received generally positive reception from the media, and has been cited as one of the franchise' most recognizable characters.[53][54] Nadine Manske of Dot eSports attributed their appeal to being "so relatable. Who doesn’t want to just eat and sleep all day?" She further described it as having a "classic, simple design that makes it a lovable, staple Pokémon in every generation since the beginning."[55] Ryan Woodrow for Sports Illustrated stated that one would be hard pressed to find anyone that hated Snorlax, also calling it a simple design but yet "such a lovable cuddly teddy bear that everyone who lays eyes on it falls in love with it."[56] Alec Bojalad of Den of Geek called Snorlax "just a big cuddly critter" that was "eminently merchandisable", suggesting it would make a viable option as a mascot for the Pokémon franchise.[57] Elijah Watson of Complex stated that while Snorlax was extremely lazy, they were also extremely powerful, despite their slow speed. He further added "We should all strive to be Snorlax: lazy as hell but surprisingly awesome."[58] A video released for Project Snorlax, depicting Cubone and Snorlax—two normally solitary Pokémon—bonding received positive reviews from critics, with many highlighting it as heartwarming.[59][60]

The book Media and the Make-believe Worlds of Children found that children could relate to Snorlax and interpret aspects of themselves in a positive light, describing it as an icon for a state of regression, but also symbolizing powerful characteristics for children.[61] Scientific papers have also been published analyzing Snorlax as if they were real beasts, both in regards to their eating habits and to calculate the strength of their "Body Slam" attack.[62][63]

References

edit
  1. ^ Hilliard, Kyle (December 25, 2016). "Pokémon Red & Blue – A Look Back At The 20-Year Journey To Catch 'Em All". Game Informer. Archived from the original on October 1, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Allison, Anne (May 2006). Millennial Monsters: Japanese Toys and the Global Imagination. University of California Press. pp. 192–197. ISBN 9780520938991.
  3. ^ Pokémon Deluxe Essential Handbook. Scholastic Inc. July 28, 2015. p. 5. ISBN 9780545795661.
  4. ^ "ピカチュウは大福？ 初めて明かされる誕生秘話". Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). May 2, 2018. Archived from the original on August 20, 2022. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  5. ^ Hood, Vic (June 4, 2018). "Pokémon's Snorlax Is Based on a Real Person". IGN. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  6. ^ "Interview Mr. Nishino About...POCKET MONSTERS?!". Game Freak (in Japanese). 1997. Archived from the original on October 3, 1999. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  7. ^ Creatures, Inc. (April 1996). Pocket Monsters Encyclopedia. Famitsu. p. 143. ISBN 4893664948.
  8. ^ Shea, Brian (October 24, 2019). "More Burning Questions For The Pokémon Series". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on August 20, 2022. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  9. ^ Valente, Adriano (October 11, 2020). "Pokémon: 10 Beta Pokémon Designs That Turned Into Something Else". TheGamer. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  10. ^ Chua-Euan, Howard (November 22, 1999). "PokéMania". Time. Archived from the original on December 17, 2008. Retrieved September 15, 2008.
  11. ^ Dockery, Daniel (October 4, 2022). Monster Kids: How Pokémon Taught a Generation to Catch Them All. Running Press. p. 64. ISBN 978-0762479504.
  12. ^ a b Frank, Allegra (September 1, 2016). "It took 20 years, but Snorlax is finally taking a stand in Pokémon Sun and Moon". Polygon. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Snorlax's exclusive Z-Move: Pulverizing Pancake! - Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon". Archived from the original on April 18, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  14. ^ Smith, Kaleb (December 15, 2021). "Pokémon BDSP: How To Get The Full Incense (& What It Does)". Screen Rant. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Get yourself a Gigantamax Snorlax in December". Polygon. November 27, 2019. Archived from the original on July 21, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  16. ^ "Michael Haigney". GalaxyCon. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  17. ^ "Voice Actor Eric Stuart come to Anime Yorkshire". Anime Yorkshire. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  18. ^ Chapman, Paul (December 29, 2023). "Snorlax and Cubone Become Friends in Official Pokémon Digest Video". Crunchyroll. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  19. ^ Billcliffe, James (May 2, 2024). "How to wake Snorlax in Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow". VG247. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  20. ^ a b "Pokemon of the Day: Snorlax (#143)". IGN. February 10, 2003. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  21. ^ Shaddock, Chris (February 23, 2020). "Pokemon: Every Member Of Red's Core Team, Ranked". TheGamer. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  22. ^ Mullen, Hayley (March 23, 2020). "How To Evolve Munchlax (& 9 Other Facts About The Pokémon)". TheGamer. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  23. ^ Sahdev, Ishaan (November 14, 2010). "PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure Playtest: A Virtual Playground". Siliconera. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  24. ^ Budhathoki, Diwas (April 9, 2024). "Pokemon GO: How To Get Shiny Snorlax". Game Rant. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  25. ^ "Pokémon Go Shadow Pokémon counters, how to beat Shadow Snorlax and how Purified Pokémon work". Eurogamer.net. January 28, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  26. ^ Hoffer, Christian. "Pokemon Unite Shows Off Charizard and Snorlax's Movesets". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  27. ^ "10 Funniest Tweets About New Pokémon Snap". Screen Rant. June 10, 2021. Archived from the original on January 28, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  28. ^ Ong, Alexis (October 20, 2023). "Pokémon Sleep helped me catch 'em all — all the z's, that is". The Verge. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  29. ^ Miller, Cameron (April 2, 2022). "10 Greatest Pokeball Pokemon In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Ranked". TheGamer. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  30. ^ Yukiyoshi Ōhashi (writer) (March 25, 2000). "Snack Attack". Pokémon. Season Adventures on the Orange Islands. Episode 94. Various.
  31. ^ Kurland, Daniel (November 16, 2020). "10 Pokémon Ash Caught And Then Immediately Forgot About". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  32. ^ a b Edmundson, Carlyle (March 11, 2023). "Ash's 12 Strongest Pokémon (Other Than Pikachu)". Screen Rant. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  33. ^ Tahir, Saad (February 1, 2023). "Ash Ketchum's 20 Strongest Pokemon, Ranked". Game Rant. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  34. ^ Kurten, Guillermo (December 21, 2023). "Red's Best Pokémon From The Pokémon Adventures Manga". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  35. ^ "Every live-action Pokémon in Detective Pikachu". Polygon. November 12, 2018. Archived from the original on July 21, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  36. ^ Frank, Allegra (February 26, 2016). "Pokémon fans can get cuddly with gigantic Snorlax cushion". Polygon. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  37. ^ Corriea, Alexa Ray (October 24, 2014). "Your Pokémon dreams of sleeping on a Snorlax can be real". Polygon. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  38. ^ Frank, Allegra (July 28, 2016). "Pokémon fans can finally sit on Snorlax's face this winter". Polygon. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  39. ^ Petite, Steven (February 25, 2020). "Toy Fair 2020: New Pokemon Toys Let You Interact With Eevee And Snorlax". GameSpot. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  40. ^ "Pull Up a Seat in This Snorlax Chair". Anime News Network. August 4, 2023. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  41. ^ "Lost alternative artwork from a Pokémon TCG contest has been found after 20 years". VGC. November 16, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  42. ^ "ポケモンのLINEスタンプ「ようきなカビゴン！スタンプ」，本日発売。「現場猫」くまみね氏の描き下ろし". 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  43. ^ Life, Nintendo (March 20, 2023). "Snorlax Is The Next Pokémon To Get Its Own Official Website". Nintendo Life. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  44. ^ Stenbuck, Kite (February 16, 2024). "New Pokemon Music Video Features Ai Fairouz Snorlax Song". Siliconera. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  45. ^ Cimaglio, Zachary (January 21, 2024). "Pokémon's Snorlax's Dream Gourmet Manga Is Being Serialized Online for Free". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  46. ^ Liu, Stephanie (January 23, 2024). "New Project Snorlax Illustrations Focus on Its Threatening Side". Siliconera. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  47. ^ Kennedy, Victoria (May 23, 2023). "Pokémon-inspired Las Vegas street names feature Jigglypuff Place, Snorlax Lane". Eurogamer. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  48. ^ Jenkins, Nash (August 22, 2016). "Epic Video 'Shows Huge Mob in Taipei Racing After Pokémon'". TIME. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  49. ^ Snyder, Chris (August 10, 2016). A Rare Pokémon Caused A Huge Stampede In Central Park (Video). Insider Tech. Retrieved July 6, 2024 – via YouTube.
  50. ^ "Pokemon GO、熊本地震の被災地で「カビゴン」出現率アップ". ITmedia NEWS (in Japanese). March 2, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  51. ^ Sakamoto, Mie (March 3, 2017). "'Pokemon Go' deploys Snorlax to quake-hit Kyushu". The Japan Times. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  52. ^ Ritchie, Rene (March 4, 2017). "No, Snorlax isn't spawning in Pokémon Go right now — except for Japan!". iMore. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  53. ^ "Snorlax". IGN. Archived from the original on February 27, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
  54. ^ Slackie, Kevin; Taveras, Moises (February 27, 2017). "The 100 Best Pokémon". Paste. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  55. ^ Manske, Nadine (June 16, 2022). "The best Normal-type Pokémon, ranked". Dot eSports. Archived from the original on August 2, 2023. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  56. ^ Woodrow, Ryan (May 6, 2023). "The 10 best Normal Pokemon of all time". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on August 5, 2023. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  57. ^ Bojalad, Alec (February 24, 2023). "What Pokémon Could Replace Pikachu as the Face of the Franchise?". Den of Geek. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  58. ^ Watson, Elijah. "8. Snorlax — The 50 Best Pokemon Up to "Pokemon Crystal"". Complex. Archived from the original on January 13, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  59. ^ Cimaglio, Zachary (December 30, 2023). "Newly-Released Snorlax Pokémon Series "Too Adorable" for the Internet". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  60. ^ Haze, Roxxy (January 5, 2024). "Why Pokemon Fans Are Loving This Unlikely Friendship". Game Rant. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  61. ^ Götz, Maya; Lemish, Dafna; International Communication Association Conference; Aidman, Amy; Moon, Hyesung (2005). Media and the Make-believe Worlds of Children: When Harry Potter Meets Pokémon in Disneyland. Routledge. pp. 101–105, 108. ISBN 0-8058-5191-7.
  62. ^ Tennant, Frances (2016). "Snorlax: The Unhealthiest Pokémon?". Journal of Interdisciplinary Science Topics. 5: 54. ISBN 978-1-326-68636-9. Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  63. ^ Yeomans, K.; Jupp, M.; Cobley, D.; Fenlon-Smith, D. (2016). "P4_4 Snorlax used Body Slam". Physics Special Topics. 15 (1). Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Snorlax&oldid=1255298879"