Like a Dragon (...Or Not)

When most people think about dragons, they might have in mind a majestic, mythical creature with a distinct monstrous appearance. Pokémon seems to want to give different perceptions by having not only creatures of this kind but also ones that are fanciful and rather different (one might say, not very much "like a dragon" by the above description). It's a fascinating situation to consider with regard to how that has developed over time.

Initially, quite a few Dragon-type Pokémon species fit the above archetypal descriptions; Dragonite, Kingdra, and Salamence come to mind, and ones even as recent as Noivern and Kommo-o still fit the bill. But then, in recent times there are species like the Duraludon family, the Applin family, and Tatsugiri that are hardly dragon-like but still bear the type in question. Thus, the seemingly rather puzzling situation arises.

That situation has been leveraged by a certain fan to create a meme that illustrates what constitutes dragons in other realms and what are labeled as dragons (by type) in Pokémon. It shows the stark contrast - and funny perception - of the situation, especially as the Pokémon are only referenced in shape, such as a sushi for Tatsugiri and a suspension bridge for Archaludon as the evolution of Duraludon. It does make one think, in a way.

How Pokémon is somewhat geared to the tamer aspects may just explain the way "dragons" are in this realm. Dragonite or even Salamence, for example, as monstrous as they may be, are still gentle in contrast to most dragons in other realms. It may be the prevalence of species of the Dragon type today that allows the matter to be brought up and compared, as is typical of the human spirit to do so given the presence of linked matters.

Regardless, dragons themselves in general can be creatures that are rather dominating given their appearances and what they can do, either of which can be rather surprising, especially given the situation above. For the Pokémon case, that may be all that's demanded of them without regard to dragon specificity. Whether that's "like a dragon" (or not), at least that's how the Pokémon dragon gang plays.

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