036 - TOUZUMI

The Pack Rat Pokémon
"TOUZUMI's cute appearance is deceptive - once it's charmed a person, it will make off with their valuables before they can react. It attacks by discharging sparks from its whiskers and tail."
"Magnetic organs in its ears help it detect metal trinkets, which it likes to keep in the pouch on its back. It chews electrical cables to short out houses, and then steals the owners' possessions."

Type: Electric/Dark
Height: 1'4"
Weight: 8 lbs
Ability: Frisk/Pickup (Cheek Pouch)
Evolution: TOUZUMI --> Thunder Stone + at least three other TOUZUMI in the party --> MOTOUZUMI
Egg Groups: Field

Basis: Neotoma cinerea, or the bushy-tailed woodrat; metal detectors; electrical cables; burglars.
Name Origin: touzoku ("robber" in Japanese) + nezumi ("mouse/rat" in Japanese)

Moves Learned: Quick Attack, Charm, Spark, Snatch, Nuzzle, Swift, Knock Off, Thief, Pursuit, Thunder Wave, Super Fang, Agility, Discharge, Volt Switch, Hyper Fang, and starting moves Thunder Shock and Growl.
Notable Other Moves: Notable TMs include Taunt, Brick Break, Flame Charge, Charge Beam, Brutal Swing, Quash, Will-O-Wisp, Acrobatics, Shadow Claw, Swords Dance, Snarl, and Dazzling Gleam. Notable egg moves are the Elemental Fang Trio from Hippowdon, Switcheroo from Persian, and Volt Tackle from the Pikachu line.

Base Stats:
HP: 55
Attack: 95
Defense: 50
Sp.Atk: 75
Sp.Def: 50
Speed: 100
TOTAL: 425

**********



 7/15/20 UPDATE: Re-adjusted the proportions to look more Pikaclone-ish.

5/14/20 UPDATE: Updated design!

The concept behind this little bugger was actually quite solid, but the color scheme didn't quite gel with me due to the way the eye color and the "robber mask" didn't match up, and the limbs needed a bit of updating to match the canon Pikaclones better, all of which I rectified post-haste. The colors are a touch paler so the eyes are more visible without having to rely on making them a distracting bright color, and he's got a more upright stance because all the canon electric rodents walk upright most of the time, too. While I was at it I also did three other changes: 1) replace the orange of the tail, cheeks, and ear insides with pale blue for better color contrast, 2) nix the "hair" and replace it with a third lightning-bolt whisker, and 3) add a furry pouch on the back like a stereotypical burglar bag, to make the robber motif more clear. Lastly, I topped all of this off by giving the lightning bits a neat glow, because why the heck not?

I still need to draw the redesign of Motouzumi, but I'll have to brainstorm what to do with the redesign and how to make it more visually distinct, especially compared to Touzumi himself. Give it a day or two, and I'll see if I can pull it off!

Silly memey bonus art: cdn.discordapp.com/attachments…

Old version: sta.sh/0r44hflohfq

**********

Slowly but surely, my fakemon region continues updating! I'd say this lil' rascal would be the first Electric-type of this region, but Volterois kinda beat him to it. Ah well...

Touzumi's Electric primary type, Japanese name, and cute appearance all point to what niche he fills: the obligatory Pikachu clone along the likes of Pachirisu, Emolga, or Dedenne. Unfortunately, all the canon "Pikaclones" have the same problem: they're just there for filler, marketing, and general kid appeal. Sure, the idea that they're all descended from a common ancestor is interesting, but they're all just rodents with electrical powers. Electrodents, if you will. I haven't seen any truly interesting electrodents in canon yet, though Emolga and the new Togedemaru come pretty close. And worse yet, none of them evolve, and I don't know if Togedemaru will but if he doesn't evolve ISTFG... Anyway, my Pikaclone had to be a two-stager, and he had to have personality and a design that isn't just a plain old rodent. The latter, as it turns out, was the hardest to pin down. I tried all sorts of variations on the formula from the mythical raiju to carnivorous grasshopper mice and even a cheetah. (Yeah, I was that ready to throw convention out the window. That's how salty I am about the existing Pikaclones not being interesting.) Nothing worked. Arrrgh. That is, until I was idly browsing for ideas for a different fakemon and happened upon bushy-tailed rats, otherwise known as pack rats. And then it, ahem, struck me. Cartoon robber electric pack rat FTW! And thus, Touzumi was born.

A frequent gripe I have with the Pikaclones is that they're designed specifically for marketing purposes, without any real thought towards their design and concept; Dedenne at least tried, but he's still just a gerbil with antenna whiskers or something. With Touzumi, though, I decided to go over his design process as thoroughly as with any other fakemon of mine. He's got stripes suggesting a robber outfit, ears with markings evoking metal detectors, and a pompadour inspired by crested rats. However, the hardest part for me to get right by far was the goddamn tail! Every Pikaclone has a unique tail design - Pikachu's lightning bolt, Pachirisu's spiky bushy appendage of floof, Dedenne's plug cable, etc. I struggled to think of a good tail for Touzumi: bushy and striped like a racoon? A third metal detector? Another plug? Nothing really worked with the overall design. Then I realized that I hadn't integrated any direct electric motif into the design aside from the electricity-esque whiskers. Hmm. Since this is a bushy-tailed rat, with the tail covered in fur, why not make the tail covered except for the end with another yellow zappy line, like a frayed cable leaking electricity? Of course I had to change up the planned second stage of this family to match this decision, but hey, it works!

The stats and movepool of Touzumi are based on two of the better competitive Pikaclones, Pachirisu and Emolga. Starting from Emolga's 55/75/60/75/60/103 stat spread, I transferred 10 points from Defense to Attack, transferred 10 points from Special Defense to Attack for an extra power boost, and cut three points from Speed to keep him from being too overpowered. His stat total is just three points short of Emolga's 428, with an emphasis on speed and all-out physical attack at the cost of defense. The movepool is mostly Pachirisu-inspired, with starting move Growl, then Quick Attack, Charm, Spark, Nuzzle, Swift, Thunder Wave, Super Fang, Discharge, and Hyper Fang. Snatch was substituted for Endure, Thief for Sweet Kiss, and starting move Thunder Shock from Emolga for starting move Bide. Emolga also lends Pursuit and Volt Switch, which Touzumi can take advantage of for STAB and scouting, respectively; Agility, again from Emolga, is there for speed boosting.

I gotta say, Touzumi is actually pretty powerful for a cute little thieving rodent! I'm not sure whether he'd be viable for merchandising purposes, especially given that he'd probably steal everything before anyone can sell it, but hey, I didn't design him specifically as a regional mascot, did I? Whatever the case, I hope people like this lil' bugger as much as the canon Pikaclones, especially given the thought I put into his design. He does have as much battle capability as some fully evolved Pokemon, but you know what? I'll just leave this Thunder Stone out here in the open, if you don't mind...

Pokémon © Nintendo
TOUZUMI is mine!