Good day, Pokémon Trainers! Have you ever noticed how certain events in Pokémon GO give special attention to a single Pokémon or the community itself tends to hype a new Pokémon up? Have you ever wondered why this Pokémon specifically and what its origins are?
Well, that’s where the Dashing Design series comes in! I’ll be your guide as we take a look at the franchise history, concept, and potential design inspirations of specific Pokémon. We have a primate-themed research day coming up. With Oranguru and Passimian being the highlights. So today, let’s take a look at these strange simians starting with, Oranguru!
Franchise History
Passimian (Top Left) and Oranguru (Top Right). Source: GO Banner
Passimian and Oranguru are not part of the same evolutionary line, but they both did make their debut in the same generation, Generation Seven. Generation Seven encompasses The Pokémon Sun, Pokémon Moon, Pokémon Ultra Sun, Pokémon Ultra Moon, Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! lineup of mainline video games.
Oranguru and Passimian are what the fans refer to as “Version Exclusive Pokémon”, Pokémon that appear in opposite games are referred to with this term. In this case, Passimian first appeared in Pokémon Sun and Oranguru first appeared in Pokémon Moon.
Oranguru first appeared in Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon Ep. 39. Passimian has an interesting story to it which we will take a look at when we discuss Passimian in another article.
Etymology And Design
Oranguru
Etymology
Source: Pokémon GO Official Banner 2022
Oranguru is a combination of “Orangutan” (A type of ape, large monkey-like creature) and Guru (A South Asian term akin to “mentor” or “teacher). Its Japanese name “Yareyuutan” is very likely a combination of “Yare” (Meaning “Do it”, like giving a command) and “Yuutan” (An abbreviation of Orangutan).
Design
Source: Photo by Luca Ambrosi on Unsplash
So Oranguru is an Orangutan obviously, but what is interesting is how many qualities of Orangutans are represented in Oranguru. For example, Oranguru has white flaps on both of its cheeks. These are called “Flanges” and can be seen on certain male orangutans. You might also notice that Oranguru has particularly long limbs. Orangutans do have long limbs and it is very important for them as they spend most of their lives on tree tops. This is something referenced in multiple Oranguru dex entries.
Another interesting point of note is that Orangutans are largely solitary creatures, and they might compete for territory, something that is also referred to in Oranguru’s lore. From the Pokémon Ultra Moon Pokédex:
Oranguru don’t get along with each other, so they’re always engaging in battles of wits to decide which one is superior.
Psychic
So something interesting of note is that Oranguru is a NormalPsychic type. This naturally brings the question of why Psychic? Well, this is where the Guru part comes in. While the term “Guru” might bring to mind the image of an enlightened spiritually charged individual for most people, the actual usage of the term is quite broad.
A Guru with his Shisshos. Source: Public Domain Image from Wikipedia
Typically the Guru term is used to refer to a teacher or mentor figure. It can also be used to mean an expert or mentor of something. If we think about the origin of the word it probably stems from wise individuals who were not just teachers, but also exemplars in life. Imparting their students (Shisshos) with spiritual knowledge along with providing a proper guideline on how to live life. This is all before institutional education as we know it today had become a thing. In fact, Oranguru is even described as the ‘Sage Pokémon’, implying an inherent wisdom.
The Psychic type in Pokémon is often used to signify wisdom and spirituality. A perfect fit for a “Guru” Pokémon. Oranguru even has a star on its forehead, perhaps representing the “Third Eye” a common theme with Psychic types.
But why is an Orangutan Pokémon a guru in the first place? Well, it just so happens that Orangutans are not only some of the smartest apes, but some of the smartest animals in general. There are many examples of this, from them playing games on a touchscreen, to them making primitive tools. This is again represented in Oranguru. It has a hand fan that it made itself and it’s wearing a tattered cloak (although it’s actually its fur), a signature look for the “veteran mentor” types in fiction.
A mentor in a tattered cloak. Source: Nexomon
A Bit Bossy
Something a bit lost in translation for Oranguru is that it’s meant to be a sort of “boss-like” Pokémon. After all, its Japanese name has “Yare” (Do it) in it, which sounds like issuing a command. Tons of dex entries mention it issuing commands to other Pokémon. For one example from Pokémon Ultra Sun:
It normally spends its time meditating in the treetops. It throws Poké Balls and gives other Pokémon orders as it pleases.
So what’s up with that? Well, if you look at that dex entry, it specifically mentions it throws Pokéballs. Pokéballs are a human invention in the Pokémon world. When we think about smart creatures in the animal kingdom we are at the top after all. So when we compare the intelligence of other animals we do tend to focus on “human-like” behaviors. In fact, the term Orangutan might itself mean “Man of the Forest”.
As such perhaps Oranguru’s boss-like qualities are meant to emphasize that it has high, human-like intelligence, as in the Pokémon world humans are the ones to issue commands to Pokémon. What I’m saying is directly mentioned in the Pokémon Scarlet Pokédex:
People used to mistake Oranguru for a human when they saw it issue command after command to the other Pokémon of the forest.
Another reason for this quality might lie in Oranguru’s iconic folding hand fan. Handfans in Asian culture are often used to signify royalty, nobility, or elegance. Japan also had war fans that would be carried by soldiers and often used to issue commands. These fans varied based on rank with high-ranking officials using the metallic Gunbai, which happens to look quite similar to Oranguru’s fan.
A Gunbai. Source: By Wikiwikiyarou from Wikipedia
Conclusion
And there we go! Originally Oranguru and Passimian were going to be a part of the same dashing design. But honestly, they each have enough going on to deserve their own full look. Oranguru is akin to Mareanie and the recently looked-at Stonjourner in that it has one clear source of inspiration. And then goes heavily into detail based on its inspirations. And this is why, Oranguru’s design, is quite dashing!
Goodbye for now, Pokémon trainers. Priom-out!
