In this recurring series, I’ll analyze the origins of Pokémon designs and their allusions to Mediterranean culture from Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet.
Shroodle
Shroodle is a small, round Poison/Normal-type Pokémon whose name combines “shrew” and “doodle”. It has a large, dark-colored head with two large upper incisors. There’s a waft of fur on the top of its head which resembles a paintbrush tip.
Shrews are small animals with long noses. Though they resemble rodents like mice, they are much closer to moles. Within the family of shrew, there are many different species which can be found in places around the world. Within Spain one may find the Iberian Shrew. Unlike mice, shrews do not have large upper incisors.
Though usually a mellow Pokémon, it will sink its sharp, poison-soaked front teeth into any that anger it, causing paralysis in the object of its ire.
To keep enemies away from its territory, it paints markings around its nest using a poisonous liquid that has an acrid odor.
Pokédex
Some species of shrew, like the European Shrew, are able to release a venomous saliva to stun its prey, mainly earthworms.
A biological cousin, the tenrec, is also known for using saliva in interesting ways. They will lick their paws and spread saliva around its territory.
Another biological cousin is the treeshrew, which are not actually shrews. Though they look similar, and exhibit many same characteristics, they are biologically closer to a primate.
Shroodle is likely an amalgamation of several of these species whose individual behaviors are used to bolster its credence as a Poison-type Pokémon.
Grafaiai
Shroodle will evolve into Grafaiai, a Pokémon whose name combines “Graffiti” and “Aye-aye”.
When it evolves, it becomes a primate. The aye-aye is indigenous to Madagascar and is a lemur with very long, thin fingers. They are nocturnal, and so have large eyes to help see at night. They find grubs by gnawing holes into food and using their fingers to pull them out like a hook. It will also use this finger to pick its nose. In folk tales, it’s said to be a finger marking a person for death.
The aye-aye, unlike shrews, do have sharp incisors to help them chew through wood.
Madagascar is a unique island, having broken off from the continent hundreds of millions of years ago. It has thus been able to develop a unique biological ecosystem. Although it doesn’t have a strong tie to Spain, it was a colony of France for a long time.
The color of the poisonous saliva depends on what the Pokémon eats. Grafaiai covers its fingers in its saliva and draws patterns on trees in forests.
Each Grafaiai paints its own individual pattern, and it will paint that same pattern over and over again throughout its life.
Pokédex
Grafaiai will paint patterns on trees using its long fingers, a simple form of art. We can see the painted patterns on trees in Paldea’s Tagtree Thicket. Painting this pattern continually is known as tagging, a form of graffiti where a person paints a unique signature. It’s like a way they mark their territory. Although modern graffiti originated in the urban neighborhoods of the eastern US, it has spread to other cities around the world.
The concept of painting trees in bright colors might be an allusion to the Painted Forest, Bosque de Oma, an art installation in a Spanish nature reserve. It was originally created by Agustín Ibarrola in the 1980s and has been available to view by the public since then.
Grafaiai is the only Pokémon to have the move Doodle, which copies the ability of the target.
Conclusion
Shroodle and Grafaiai are the only Poison/Normal-type Pokémon. Their colorful antics help them stand out amidst many Route 1 Normal-type Pokémon players have encountered on their adventures.
Their inspiration drawn from Madagascar mammals distinguishes them as unique Pokémon with unique designs and I hope to see more designs based on Madagascar fauna in the future.
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