This week, the new Gym leader of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet gave everyone a challenge: try to guess which Pokemon she was partnered with. We were already at a deficit because Iono had just told us that her partner was an Electric frog named Bellibolt, a type of Pokemon we had never encountered before. The adorable spherical amphibian was an instant hit with Pokemon enthusiasts, who appear to be looking for a Pokemon they don’t like right now.
Fan art of Bellibolt, like this one by Twitter user @Zuccnini showing the character chilling out with fellow newbie Paldean Wooper, naturally inundated social media within minutes of the character’s reveal. Bellibolt inspired Twitter user @Hee Ho1 because the character’s color scheme reminded them of Perry the Platypus from Phineas and Ferb. It doesn’t take much time or effort to come across numerous other comparable creations, some of which are utterly charming and others doomed.
Then the enthusiasts saw Bellibolt and were instantly reminded of some other Pokemon. Someone on Twitter named @hionfructose inquired if others had seen the similarities between Bellibolt and the beta design of Politoed, another famous frog Pokemon that debuted in Pokemon Gold and Silver.
They show a picture of a beta version of Politoed next to a Bellibolt. While there are some minor differences between the two, the similarities between the patterns on the front of their bodies and the funny eyeballs on the sides of their heads are striking. They suggest that Game Freak may have used the beta version as a starting point for the final version.
Of course, Bellibolt mania has already hit Reddit, where many users have mentioned being reminded of another cute round blob Pokemon after the reveal. Even though Bellibolt’s design has undergone minor revisions, many fans have observed a striking resemblance to Chansey.
This comparison was initially brought up in the Pokemon subreddit by Redditor Gaopaws. Both Pokemon are soft and spherical, so you can’t hold them against them. However, if I were a Pokemon trainer, I’d choose one over the other to take care of my Pokemon after a long day of battles.
